They knocked on the door and a few seconds later Ava opened it, jiggling a fussy-looking William.

“Oh!” She stared at them both in surprise. “Hello, Olivia. And...Simon, isn’t it?” They would never guess from Ava’s innocent expression that she had asked Olivia for every last detail about the man in front of her.

“Yes, it is. I’m here for the key to number four...?”

“Oh, yes, of course. Olivia, would you mind...?” Before she could protest, Ava had thrust a fussing William into Olivia’s arms.

“Oh...” Her arms closed around the warm, chubby baby as William gave her a direct and suspicious look. “Hello there.” Inadvertently, perhaps instinctively, her gaze met Simon’s and she smiled wryly, suddenly conscious of how...intimate this seemed, how suggestive. Simon smiled back, eyes glinting, and Olivia felt a happy, warm glow spread through her.

Then William started to howl.

“Oh...oh...come on now...” She jiggled an increasingly furious William, knowing nothing she did would do a bit of good. His face was screwed up and bright red, a trail of decidedly green snot snaking from his nose to his mouth. Ew.

“Sorry,” Ava said, not sounding sorry at all. “He’s getting his two front teeth and he’s absolutely miserable.”

“Right...” Olivia made to hand him back but Ava wasn’t having it.

“So Simon, you’re moving into number four? How wonderful. Jace will be here in a second with the key.”

“Great.”

“It will be nice to have someone in here, now that Ellie and Harriet are moving out,” Ava continued, all innocence. “I’ve told Olivia she should rent one of these places. Get a little distance from the shop.”

“Oh...?” Simon looked uncertain, and Olivia didn’t know whether to feel outraged or amused. Ava had told her no such thing. What was she playing at?

“I’m happy where I am,” she said firmly. “I couldn’t afford the rent and of course it wouldn’t be nearly as convenient.”

“True, but studies have shown living at your place of work can have detrimental effects to—”

“I’m hardly living in the shop, am I?” Olivia cut across her. If Ava was trying to ferret out Simon’s intentions, she wanted to stop her friend right now. She and Simon were managing just fine without kindly meant interference.

“Here’s the key,” Jace said cheerfully as he emerged from the back of the house. “Sorry for the wait, Simon.”

“No worries, mate.”

Olivia thrust a drooling William—he’d wiped his snotty face on her shoulder—at Ava, giving her as quelling a look as she could. Ava smiled back with unabashed innocence, cuddling William to her.

“Come on, little man. Let’s get you cleaned up.”

“Do you want me to walk over with you?” Jace asked. “I know you’ve seen the place before, but I can take you through it again if you like...”

“I think I’ll be fine. I’ll come back if I run into any problems.”

“Cheers, then.”

“We’ll have to have you both over for supper when you’ve settled in, Simon,” Ava called as she headed to the back of the house, William peering over her shoulder. “Do let us know when you’ve moved in.”