The physicality of the fight feels so shaming – even now.

‘And then Jamie left. He just walked out,’ she tells Matteo. ‘He was always a drama queen when he was little, but it was awful. I kept thinking he’d come back and apologise, but he never did.’

‘That must have been hard.’

‘I felt terrible that Trent had hit him and that we’d lost control, but Trent was unapologetic. He said that Jamie had it coming, that he deserved it. That we couldn’t put up with this emotional abuse from our son. And I agreed with him on that one. Trent said it was about time that Jamie took responsibility for himself, but …’ Maddy sighs and takes a sip of wine. It feels scary, but also liberating to let all of this out. ‘I wish I could go back and do it differently. To take our egos out of it and see that he needed help. Because now … now I’m really worried.’

‘Can’t your husband help you? Can’t you find Jamie together?’ Matteo asks, but he’s staring at her and she’s sucked into his soft gaze.

‘No.’ She shakes her head. ‘It’s too complicated and … let’s not talk any more about Trent.’ Because she doesn’t want Trent here in this lovely room, in this lovely moment.

‘I agree.’

She can feel the fluttering in her abdomen increase as her long-dormant libido wakes up. Flashes of fast-forward scenarios fill her mind – her hand on his bare chest, her legs wrapped around him. ‘Let’s talk about dessert instead,’ he says.

He’s made Crema Catalana and it’s even more delicious than the main course. Maddy is feeling utterly spoilt as they sit on the sofa afterwards and he pours her a brandy. She’s already inspected his record collection and James Taylor is playing on the stereo. Luna is asleep in her basket, the rain pattering on the window. Matteo stretches his arm along the back of the sofa and strokes the hair out of her face.

There’s a moment and she sees the question in his eyes. All she has to do is make the right signal and she’ll be in his bed.

But panic overtakes her as she imagines how the next five minutes might play out. Because, as much as she wants to lean across and kiss him – and she knows it has to be her that makes the first move, because he’s being a gentleman – she’s not brave enough, or self-assured enough to follow through with the promise of the kiss.

‘I had some news today,’ he says.

‘Oh?’

‘A job back home came up and I applied and today I found out I got it.’

‘That’s great, Matteo.’

She’s suddenly embarrassed that all she’s done is talk about herself, when he’s had this bit of news to share the whole time. He’s not wanting to kiss her … he’s been wanting her to shut up.

‘When are you going?’

‘Soon … well, as soon as I can travel. Certainly by the summer.’