Aaron gently untwisted her fingers, took her hand, opened the back door, and led her out to sit on the bench, the stone cool through their clothing as moths danced in the sultry evening air. ‘The facts are that she ended the relationship and I was glad she did. Your relationship with Will was already over. We’re free to see each other. We shouldn’t feel guilty.’

The dusk was turning to darkness and his garden was a collection of shadows beneath a starry sky punctuated by slices of light from the kitchen door and window.

‘But we’re hurting Genevieve,’ she pointed out. ‘And I’ll bet your folks aren’t any keener on me now Alice has turned up again.’

He made an impatient movement with his head. ‘You’re not Alice! And I’m not Lee.’

That wasn’t a direct answer. She sighed, not even wanting to know what his family had said about Alice. ‘I wish we could have just stayed on Secret Beach. It was sheltered and uncomplicated there.’

He half-laughed. ‘It’s high tide. We’d be treading water and trying to keep clear of the rocks.’

‘Describes us perfectly,’ she responded.

They sat together while the lasagne cooked, spilling its rich aroma onto the evening air without tempting Clancy’s appetite at all. Aaron squeezed her hand. ‘I’ve agreed to speak to Alice first. Try and get some idea of what she’s thinking. It seemed sensible when my mother asked it but as soon as I left my parents’ house I began to think it a bad idea. I’ve committed though, so I’d better do it. It might help Lee out.’

She snorted. ‘It seems as if you’re like me. You get all the shit jobs.’

He laughed, but he didn’t disagree.

Neither of them ate much lasagne. Nelson got the foil trays to lick out and the rest of the meal went into the bin. Then they looked at each other.

Aaron moved close, running his hands up Clancy’s arms. ‘Whatever I’d thought would happen this evening, I have to say that Alice’s exploits didn’t enter my mind.’

Her skin tingled at his proximity. She wanted to respond, to slide her arms around his waist, but she felt conflicted and couldn’t let his words go unchallenged. ‘Does it really come under the heading of “exploits” for someone to come back to live in their own home? I can imagine you feel aggrieved at her doing it without having the courtesy of notifying you as co-owner, of course. And you’re worried about how Lee will cope,’ she added fairly.

Slowly, his fingers drifted down her arms until his hands hung by his sides, though he continued to occupy her personal space. ‘Isn’t this where we came in?’ he asked sombrely. ‘You sticking up for Alice and me worried about Lee?’

She thought back to those early days, a couple of months ago, and searched her heart. ‘I suppose so. That’s not going to change, is it? It’s natural that we should each see things in favour of our loved one. You thinking that I’m dismissing Lee’s emotions and me feeling you’re demonising Alice’s human frailties.’