She wraps her arms around my neck and lowers her head beside mine. “I don’t know. But if he didn’t recognise you, no harm done, and you’ve got some time to think about your next move. I doubt anyone who stays in that house will deign to visit the diner.”

Laughing, I lean my head against hers. “I guess you’re right. Remember that one time when Richard came in?”

“How can I forget?”

As nice a guy as Richard is, he’s on a whole other planet. He came in once with his girlfriend, who glittered with precious stones and looked down her nose at all of us.

“I really did assume that he’d ordered delivery. Gave me one hell of a fright when Josh answered the door half-naked.”

Pania pulls away. “Half-naked? Did you get a picture?”

“No.” I cross my arms. “I did not get a picture. Do you think I go around taking photos of men I’m delivering food to?”

Her mouth falls open. “He’s not the first answering the door like that?”

“Well, yes, but the answer is no. No pictures.”

She lets out a sad sigh. “Shame. That man is fine.”

I just shake my head. “He is, but we’re so not going there.”

She walks back to the hot plate, flipping the burger. “At least with him not recognising you, it’ll buy you a bit more time.”

I nod. “I really thought I could go the whole time without seeing him. Instead, I see him on the first day he’s here.”

She turns her head. “How do you know it’s his first day?”

“He said he was jetlagged and that he arrived here last night.”

Pania laughs. “You’re in so much trouble. Fate might just keep bringing you two together.”

I shake my head. “I think the universe has other plans for us.”

“Yeah, but this seems like too good an opportunity to miss. Especially for Melly.” She smiles. “I’ll just finish off this burger for her.”

I shake my head. “No, I’ll sort it out.”

Josh being here brings up a whole lot of unwanted memories. Not just of the day I left.

He wasn’t the only one to break my heart. My mother did that too when she kicked me out.

Tears prick my eyes. I moved out to stay with Pania, and never went back. I haven’t spoken to my mother since, and I doubt I ever will.

Melly missed out on so much not having her father around, and her grandmother, but I’ll be damned if anyone’s going to screw with our lives now.

She’s my priority. She always has been. I tried to let Josh know about her, but he was too hard to get in touch with.

And then I watched from a distance as he grew more famous.