I sucked in the scent of his jacket, rested my chin in that familiar spot on his shoulder and had to agree.

Not that I was about to tell him just yet.

Dash and Dumble worming their way between our legs provided a timely excuse to step away, creating enough space to allow my lungs to start functioning again.

‘Seriously, why are you here?’

Adam grabbed hold of my hand, ducking his head to gaze into my eyes. ‘I just… I couldn’t stay away. I had to see you. When you told me about the job interview, I started thinking about what it would mean. To have you close by again. I was so happy, so hopeful… and then when you told me that wasn’t going to happen, I realised—’

‘Hello.’

At the sound of Henry’s voice, I instinctively started to pull my hand out of Adam’s. He responded by holding it tighter, turning to Henry with his wannabe-rock-star grin.

‘Hi, hello. Sorry to interrupt your evening. I’m Adam.’

Henry flicked his gaze up from our conjoined hands, his face full on robo-Henry. ‘Yes. We’ve met before. Several times.’

‘Oh, man, I’m sorry. I’m hopeless with faces. I meet a lot of different people in my industry.’

‘Adam, this is Henry.’

He looked at me, as if none the wiser.

‘Henry Fairfax? He was in my year at school.’

‘Nah. Sorry, mate. My bad.’

‘The boy Mum and Dad wanted me to marry.’

Adam gave an apologetic smile as he shrugged it off, but I’d felt his hand clench in mine for a split second. He knew full well who Henry was, and I couldn’t for the life of me fathom why he wouldn’t admit it.

‘Anyway, let me get you a drink. Coffee? Or Mum’s made some mulled fruit thing.’

I was filling up the coffee machine when the others arrived home. The icy blast of air accompanying them through the back door grew even colder when they saw Adam sitting at the kitchen table.

‘Adam,’ Jed said, eventually, seemingly the only one capable of being polite. ‘I didn’t know you were coming.’

‘Well, of course you wouldn’t,’ Mum said. ‘He wasn’t invited.’

‘Yeah, I hope you don’t mind me dropping in.’ Adam stood up, holding out a hand to shake Dad’s; Dad reluctantly acquiesced. ‘I’m staying with my mum for a few days, sort of a last-minute arrangement, and couldn’t resist paying Charis House a visit. When I saw the light on I just had to come and say thanks. This place changed my life. Or rather, you did, Principal and Vice-Principal Armstrong. Probably saved it, given the path I was headed down until you stepped in.’