‘How come?’ He frowned. ‘You said that other woman was coming back.’

‘I’ve been offered a promotion to supervisor!’ I said brightly, despite the quiver from my insides. ‘Isn’t that good news?’

He clenched his jaw. ‘Management? You’ve only been there five minutes. You’re not even a qualified gardener. Who did you have to sweet talk to get that?’

‘No one! Paula just offered it to me; I was as shocked as you on Monday when she—’ I gulped as he narrowed his eyes.

‘You’ve known for three days?’ He looked down at his plate and pushed it away with a bark of laughter. ‘Nothing says guilty conscience like a posh dinner and a bottle of wine. Trying to butter me up, were you?’

‘Harvey, I don’t need to butter you up.’ I straightened my spine. ‘I’ve been selected for this job – which, I hasten to add, I haven’t accepted yet – based on my performance. I’m not the least bit guilty and it would be nice if you congratulated me instead of accusing me.’

‘Well, congratulations,’ he said sarcastically.

My gaze softened. ‘Thank you. It came as such a surprise, nothing had been advertised and—’

He raised a hand. ‘Sorry, but have you thought about how this makes me feel?’ He stared at me. Both his fists were clenched so tightly that his knuckles were white. He’d never laid a finger on me, not really, but now he had a look of fury in his eyes and I was worried he could erupt at any second.

‘I hoped you’d feel proud.’ I slid my hand over his but he shook it off.

‘I brought you to London to support me, to help me become a successful personal trainer, not to start building your own career behind my back. You make me look like a failure.’

‘I do support you,’ I said. ‘Completely. You’re not a failure at all; I believe in you. It takes time to build a reputation, that’s all. And I haven’t done anything behind your back. I’m allowed a career too.’

‘You’ve kept this a secret from me since Monday.’ He stood up abruptly and scraped the remains of his dinner into the bin. ‘I bet you’ve told your sister.’

I opened my mouth and the slight hesitation told him all he needed to know.

He nodded curtly, glanced around the kitchen for his phone and put it in his pocket. ‘I’m going out.’

‘Harvey, please, let’s discuss this,’ I said, clasping my hands together to stop them from shaking. ‘I don’t even know if I want the job. But the alternative is to have no job, to start again, register with the recruitment agencies and look for anything. Anywhere.’

He looked at me coldly. ‘Do what you want. You usually do.’