‘Okay, let me think,’ he said, because he was never happier than when he had a puzzle to solve, a plan to bring about. ‘So where are you now? Right, well, keep going east and head for the Dartmoor area. In the meantime I’ll find us somewhere to stay and book us in. If you stop at the next services, I’ll text you details of where we’re going. Then I’ll get the boys all ready, stuff them into the car and meet you there later on. How does that sound?’

How did it sound? It was kind of a relief to have him deciding for her, actually. So much of his work was about scooping up failing businesses and turning them around. As it turned out, he seemed to be pretty good at scooping up a struggling mother and suggesting practical solutions for her too, albeit belatedly.

‘Somewhere nice,’ he added, when she didn’t immediately respond. ‘Somewhere with a swimming pool and room service. You won’t have to do anything, if you don’t feel like it.’

A swimming pool and room service . . . this was becoming better by the minute. The back of Olivia’s throat felt prickly. It felt as if she was being rescued, looked after. She wasn’t sure she deserved it, after having run away and flaked out on him all week, but she was grateful he still cared. ‘Thank you,’ she said.

‘We’re a team, remember,’ he told her. ‘Standing shoulder-to-shoulder. I promise you that we’re going to get through this together and make it work. Okay?’

And so, once they’d finished the call, she’d started the car and driven on to the next service station where, as promised, a text awaited. It felt like a grown-up sort of treasure hunt, following the link to find herself at the website of a hotel on the far edge of Dartmoor, which had a spa, a very nice restaurant and a babysitting service. They could only fit us in for three nights – fully booked otherwise, but it can be a little holiday while we work everything out, he’d written beneath the link. Hopefully see you later. Text me what you want me to pack for you. I love you.

She loved him too, she thought now, pouring her tea and stirring in the milk, appreciating the light breeze that ruffled the heads of the roses and sent a sweet scent drifting her way. It was gorgeous here: serene and classy, yet comfortable and relaxing. This felt like a place where she and Mack could reconnect and talk to one another with honesty about what they both wanted, their visions of a future life together. A family holiday, but different.