In the bathroom, I splashed water on my face, drying it with a plush Egyptian-cotton towel from the rail beside the basin. I looked at myself in the mirror. Tobey had painted quite an ugly picture of me and I hated it. Mostly because he was right. I was hurt and jealous and had abandoned our friendship because of it, punishing us both. Holding onto my hurt feelings was like carrying a ton weight on my back.

If Tobey and I were to stand any kind of chance, it was time to let all that go. So I needed to honestly answer one question. Did I want Tobey and me to have a second chance? The surprising truth was yes, I did. Very much.

A couple of minutes later, I was back in the sitting room, as was Tobey in another identical burgundy T-shirt. At my raised eyebrows, he mumbled, ‘I like this colour so I have more than one.’

I wondered at his awkwardness until the reason hit me. ‘Some woman once told you that colour suits you. Am I right?’

Two spots of colour appeared on Tobey’s cheeks, answering my question.

‘Thought so! And then you went out and bought a job lot of the same shirt in the same colour. Well, whoever it was, she didn’t lie.’

‘Time to go,’ said Tobey, not even trying to be subtle about changing the subject. We’d barely taken a couple of steps when he turned to me. ‘Callie, before we go to see Shane Stoats, I need to warn you that this could get messy. In fact, I’d prefer it if you stayed here till I have some news.’

‘Tobey, this is my brother and your daughter we’re talking about and I need you to believe that I’ll do whatever it takes to get them back.’

‘Anything?’

‘Anything.’ As Tobey raised a sceptical eyebrow, I said, ‘I mean it. My family comes first. Nothing else even makes the list.’

‘I wonder if you truly know what that means, Callie. You are first, last and always about the rules, about the law. I fully expect to get my hands dirty on this one. If you’re going to have a problem with that, then you should stay here,’ said Tobey. ‘That way you can deny all knowledge. I don’t want you getting in my way when your feet catch a chill.’

‘I’m not gonna get cold feet. We’re in this together or not at all.’

‘Damn it, Callie Rose, I’m trying to protect you.’

And the strange, sad thing was I knew he meant it.

‘I’m a big girl now, Tobey. I can look after myself.’