‘Not bad.’ I wasn’t about to unload my problems with Adrian and the battles I’d had with the kids. ‘I got some exciting news though. My sister-in-law’s pregnant.’

The moment the words were out I thought maybe they were insensitive considering his inability to have children, but he seemed genuine in his reply. ‘Wow, that’s fantastic. Congratulations.’

‘Oh no.’ I slapped my hand over my mouth. ‘I don’t think I’m supposed to be telling anyone yet.’

Dan pretended to zip his lips. ‘It’s okay, your secret’s safe with me. I’m like a vault. And I’m also quite partial to farfalle.’

‘Huh?’

He gestured behind me to what happened to be the pasta section. ‘The bow-shaped variety. I figured since you owed me dinner, you might like to know my tastes.’

‘I owe you dinner?’

‘Sure do. After you inhaled my very delicious linguine, you said it was your turn to cook next. Then again, I’ll be happy with anything. Doesn’t have to be pasta.’

‘We might have to take a raincheck,’ I said, genuinely disappointed. ‘My kitchen isn’t really set up for making fancy meals at the moment. It’s smack-bang in the middle of major renovations.’

‘It doesn’t have to be fancy.’

I chuckled. ‘I don’t even have an oven. Everything has been ripped out ready for the new cupboards. I’ll be living off microwave meals for the next while.’

‘Ugh.’ Dan made a face as if I’d just announced mud pies for dinner. ‘You could always use my kitchen.’

‘You have an answer for everything, don’t you?’

‘You didn’t think I was going to let you off the hook? And it just so happens I’m free this evening. What time should I expect you and your culinary skills?’

‘I can’t tonight. I’m helping Jedda with the layout of the next edition of the Reporter.’

‘Dammit.’ He clicked his fingers. ‘If I wasn’t such a self-assured, cocky kinda guy, I’d think you didn’t want to have dinner with me.’

As he spoke, a lock of sun-kissed hair fell across his face. I resisted the urge to reach up and tuck it behind his ear. If he were Saxon, I’d have told him he needed to get a haircut, but I had to admit, the scruffy, slightly too long style suited him. In fact, he really was a lot better looking than I’d initially given him credit for.

‘What about tomorrow?’ I asked, before I could think better of it. There was no need to stress about dinner between friends. And it would be the perfect opportunity to catch him up on all the sponsors I’d already managed to secure for the ball, before our committee meeting Thursday night.

He pretended to consider my offer a few moments. ‘I do believe I have a vacancy in my busy social calendar.’