‘In all the years I’ve known him, and that would be… what?’ She scrunched up her nose while she did the calculation. ‘Eighteen years now? I’ve never heard him say a bad word about you. Not one. How many wives can say that?’

Sara came and sat at the table, her mug cradled in her hands, determined now to lay out all the facts.

‘You only think that because he hasn’t said anything in front of you.’ Her mouth twisted from side to side. ‘We have our moments. Disagreements, just like any other couple.’ Hailey raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. Sara continued. ‘He’s been really snappy and short with me recently, like there’s something on his mind. A secret.’ She leant forward. ‘There’s something he’s not telling me. I know it. And it’s making me wonder…’

Hailey frowned. ‘Wonder what?’

‘Well…’ Sara bit her lip, hardly daring to speak her thoughts out loud because that would make them real. ‘Do you think he might be having an affair?’

Hailey sat back in her chair, mouth opening to speak before she closed it again. She picked up her mug and sipped at her coffee while she thought. ‘How long’s he been like this?’

‘I’d say it must be three months now.’

‘And have you spoken to him about it?’

Sara gave an exasperated sigh. ‘It’s never the right time. I just seem to annoy him, and I don’t want an argument. Don’t want the kids getting upset. Poor Ezra hates raised voices, you know that. Gets himself all worked up.’

Hailey frowned. ‘So who do you think he’s having an affair with? Have you any clues? Or is this just a wild guess to rationalise his behaviour?’

Sara shrugged. ‘I don’t know. But I can’t get the idea out of my head. It seems the only explanation.’

Hailey put her mug down and leant forward. ‘Is it, though?’ She raised an eyebrow.

Sara scowled. ‘What’s your theory then?’

‘Maybe he’s telling you the truth. Maybe he is just working late. I mean, he’s a bit alpha male, isn’t he? Thinks his job is to bring home the money and yours is to look after the house and the kids. Perhaps his boss is putting pressure on him and he can’t say no.’

Sara considered this for a moment. Hailey was right about Matt’s black-and-white view of marriage, instilled in him by an armed-forces upbringing, his father coming from a family with a long tradition of men who’d gone off to fight in wars and women who’d stayed at home.

‘Look what a fuss he made a few weeks ago when you started work and Ezra went to nursery. He didn’t like that, did he?’