If Adrian felt this strongly about my footwear, I wondered how he’d feel if he knew that shoes weren’t the only new thing I’d been trying on for size. While I could have been petty and told him all about Dan in an aim to make him jealous, it was freeing to discover I no longer cared. And more importantly, I didn’t want to cheapen Dan by using him as a pawn in a game I didn’t want to play, so I offered my ex-husband a saccharine smile instead.

‘Lucky my toes are no concern of yours anymore,’ I said, then took hold of Payton’s hand. ‘Come on, let’s go see Prosecco’s mum.’

I arrived home half an hour later to a silent house, but the pantry doors were wide open, telling me Saxon had risen from his deep adolescent slumber and been foraging for food. I wandered down the hallway to his bedroom to find him glued to his laptop, Charlie asleep at his feet and half a dozen empty muesli bar wrappers on his desk.

I tapped him on the shoulder and he jumped.

‘What the hell, Mum? You trying to scare me half to death?’

I ignored that and gestured to the wrappers. ‘Just because there’s oats in those, doesn’t make them a good breakfast. And are you still playing that game?’

‘Yeah?’ He shrugged. ‘So what?’

‘How much homework have you got this weekend?’

Saxon groaned. ‘Not much. Can you stop being such a nag?’

‘Fine,’ I said through gritted teeth. ‘But I want you to get some fresh air soon and walk Charlie, okay?’

He smiled and my heart flipped over—it had been a while. ‘All right. Just let me finish up this game.’

I wasn’t quite sure how long that would take, but I nodded, kissed him on the head and left him in peace.

Once upon a time an afternoon to myself was a rarity that I’d have filled with cleaning, cooking, washing or pulling up the weeds that were trying to take over the back lawn, but now I had better things to do. Unable to even recall the last time I’d bothered ironing, I made myself a coffee and sat down at my laptop to finish the article I was writing about nest parenting.

I’d made a deal with Dan that I’d submit it to an online magazine this week and I couldn’t wait for his ‘reward’ when I told him that I had.

Chapter 50

50

Ragged Point

Following the lunch rush on Wednesday afternoon, I was wiping down the counter at Jedda’s cafe when the little bell above the door jingled and I looked up to see Dan.

I smiled as he walked towards me. ‘Well, isn’t this a pleasant surprise.’