Marie was watching TV when Evan arrived home, and she quickly shoved the dog off her lap when he walked into the living room. Evan acknowledged the action with a smile, and leaned down to kiss her on the cheek before presenting her with the flowers. Her babying of the creature had always grated on his nerves, and he appreciated that she was making an effort to curb the habit – in front of him, at least.

‘Aw, they’re lovely,’ Marie said, admiring the lacklustre roses. Then, narrowing her eyes, she tipped her head to one side and gave him a mock-accusing look. ‘What’ve you done?’

Feeling guilty, even though he knew she was joking, Evan forced a laugh, and said, ‘I haven’t done anything, you daft bat. I was trying to be romantic, but I can easy take ’em back if you don’t want them.’

‘Don’t you dare!’ Marie snatched them away when he held out his hand, and stood up. ‘I’ll put them in a vase.’

‘Have we got any booze left?’ Evan asked, shrugging his jacket off and looping it over the back of the sofa before sitting down. ‘Or did your lot finish it all off yesterday?’

‘There might be a couple of beers in the fridge.’

‘Nothing stronger?’ Evan kicked his trainers off and put his feet up on the coffee table.

‘I think there might be a bit of vodka,’ Marie said, slapping his feet down before picking the jacket up and walking out into the hall. ‘How did it go with your dad?

‘Yeah, it was OK,’ Evan lied. ‘We had a good chat.’

‘That’s good,’ she called back over her shoulder as she made her way into the kitchen.

Evan flopped his head back and raked his fingers through his hair. He wished he could tell her what was going on, but he couldn’t risk her letting something slip if Jo rang while he was out.

Marie came back with the now-vased flowers and a glass of vodka and coke. Standing the vase on the mantelpiece, she sat down next to Evan and handed the glass to him.

‘So what did you talk about?’

‘Nothing major,’ Evan said evasively, taking a swig of his drink. ‘Work stuff, and cars, and that.’

‘Was she there?’

Evan shook his head and swallowed another mouthful. Marie had no clue what the falling-out with his dad had really been about, and he had no intention of enlightening her. It had stung when his dad had not only rejected his olive branch, but also threatened to tell her about him and Irena.

But the real kick in the teeth had been his dad’s declaration that he loved the bitch and didn’t want Evan to ruin things for him. That was why Evan had driven over there today: to try and talk sense into him before he lost everyone and everything.

‘So where was she?’ Marie interrupted his thoughts.