‘If you need to get something off your chest …’ He paused.

It was too humiliating. But what was the point in hiding now? Thanks to Hero’s gin, and maybe his own hypnotic powers, David already knew more about Tara’s shambolic personal life than anyone else. Well, apart from her cat.

Tara stared out into the park, Phil’s words still in her ear. Why did it suddenly hurt so much? She’d been happy for her and Phil to be a grown-up casual thing, congratulating herself on keeping him at arm’s length. Something had changed. Now her chest was aching as if she’d been punched, just from hearing his voice.

‘David.’ She had to force out the question. ‘When you were … talking to Sybil, why did you say Phil didn’t have builders in?’

‘Phil as in …?’ He raised an ‘on your phone just now?’ eyebrow.

‘Obviously.’

He took a deep breath. ‘The way animals communicate is by showing me pictures – Sybil showed me a man I assumed was your boyfriend leaving her at your house, with her mouse. Then she showed me her house, and … there were no builders.’ He hesitated, as if he wasn’t sure whether to say something, then decided not to.

‘And what about me? What did she really say about me? Be honest.’

‘She shared an image of you being … sad.’

Was that Sybil … or David’s impression? He hadn’t mentioned it before. ‘And how exactly would she judge that?’

‘She’s not judging. She watches you like you watch telly. Animals are incredibly observant – well, they have to be, to fit into our ludicrous human set-ups. But they’re not mind readers. They don’t know any more than we do, they’re just sharp on human behaviour. I just open up a channel of communication, and they share what’s important to them.’ David seemed to realize at the same time as Tara did that his arm was still around her shoulders, and moved it away with an awkward squeeze.

She felt the absence immediately. Was it too much to ask David to put it … yes. Yes, it was too much.

They sat in silence for a few moments, and then David said, ‘I know you said you like to keep clear boundaries between work and home life, Tara, but if you ever need someone to talk to … I don’t just talk to cats.’

It was tempting.

‘Honestly, no, I’m fine.’ Tara wiped her eyes with the edge of her finger. ‘Just … been a long week.’

‘It’s been a long few months.’ He meant her mum. They hadn’t talked about her before, but David’s expression was gently sympathetic. ‘Most people would be nervous wrecks.’

‘And that’s you or Sybil speaking?’