‘I do,’ Jo told her. And it was true. She did. She was buoyed by a blossoming sense of new possibilities opening up to her. ‘And there’s more,’ she began. ‘He wants to mentor me for a couple of days.’

She explained to her mother the plan that Ewan had outlined for her. Three days and two nights, as his guest, while he did his own research.

‘He seems like such a nice man, Mum,’ she said. ‘And it’s not often an opportunity like this comes around. I can’t say no – and I already have the time off. He really, really liked the book.’

‘Holy God,’ Mags exclaimed, quickly downing her gin. ‘Either I drink faster or I break my own rules and start crying anyway.’

Jo just watched as her mother looked at her, an unreadable expression on her face. She felt a knot tighten in her stomach. ‘Mum, you do think it’s a good thing, don’t you? I mean, if you think it isn’t… I’ll see if he can just draft me some notes or something and…’

Her mother stood up and crossed the room before she perched on the arm of the sofa beside Jo and put her arm around her shoulder. Her voice was almost a whisper. ‘I’m so proud of you. My heart could burst. Of course you have to take this opportunity. This could be your big moment, you know. Your time to shine. When I think you’ve had this talent all along…’ She kissed Jo gently on the top of her head.

‘Ah, frig it!’ Mags squealed, downing her drink. ‘I’m going to cry anyway!’ and she crossed the room to pull the two of them into a huge hug.

Clara sat on Jo’s bed with her arms crossed, her eyes narrowed and her lip distinctly petted. ‘But it’s not Saturday night and you don’t sleep anywhere else ’cept on Saturdays.’

‘That’s true, Clara. I don’t. Not usually. But this is different because this is a chance I got just last night and I have to take it.’

‘A chance?’

Jo could see Clara was confused and, knowing that her little sister was having issues with separation anxiety at the moment, she realised she had to play this very carefully indeed. ‘Well, you know sometimes if we go into town and, maybe it’s a sunny day and we’re walking home?’

Clara nodded.

‘And I say, “Will we get an ice cream in Fiorintini’s for a wee treat?”’

Clara nodded again.

‘And it’s not an everyday treat, just a sometimes treat?’

Clara nodded again and her brow became just a little less furrowed.

‘Well, this is like that. It’s not an everyday sleepover, but a treat sleepover.’

‘Can I come then?’ Clara asked, her eyes wide at the thought.