‘You’ll be a heroine when you get back to Fernfield. I’ve already spoken to Gran and Aunt Marjorie; they couldn’t say enough good things about you.’

A look of discomfort passed across his face and I guessed they’d also told him their bungalow news. I didn’t want to think about that now. I shook the thought from my head and looked at him, daring myself to kiss away his anxious expression with a feather-light kiss to his cheek.

‘Those two are adorable. Now let’s talk about you.’ I took a step closer and held his hand. ‘How did you get on?’

His eyes flashed with excitement.

‘We’ve chosen a contractor from the sealed bids, so we can push the button on the water resilience project. All systems go, as they say. Everyone is thrilled.’

Of course they were; I mustered up a smile. ‘Does that mean you’ve been offered that promotion?’

His eyes darted away and he scratched his nose before answering.

‘Yep. Managing director of the Cape Town office. They want a decision after the weekend.’

‘Jensen, that’s fantastic!’ I threw my arms round his neck and hugged him tight. ‘Congratulations!’

‘Even though it had been implied, I can’t believe my boss has actually followed through with it,’ he said in such a calm tone he could have been talking about a new stapler rather than a fancy new job.

I peered into his eyes. ‘Why don’t I get the impression that you’re over the moon about it?’

He blew out a long breath. ‘They want me out there on the first of October.’

I stiffened. ‘That’s the date of my next scan.’

He looked at the floor. ‘I know. The date was already in my diary. I was hoping to come with you.’

My stomach looped the loop; that was just like him to be organized. I’d be twenty-one weeks’ pregnant by then. The thought of him being so far away filled me with sadness, but I wasn’t going to let it show. This was his moment to shine, the moment he’d been working so hard towards.

‘You can be ready to leave by then, can’t you?’

‘Well, I suppose.’ He looked at me sadly. ‘Although I won’t be able to help with the harvest.’

‘Don’t worry about that,’ I said brightly. ‘We can find someone else to take your place.’

‘Oh.’ His body seemed to slump a little. ‘Of course you can.’

‘But we’ll miss you. Especially me. I’ll miss you a lot.’

I glanced at my watch. I’d been planning on asking him whether he’d got time to go for a drink somewhere, but now it seemed better to leave as soon as possible; I didn’t think I could keep up my ‘I’m so delighted for you’ act for too much longer.