Well, obviously I have strong opinions about macadamias, though I wouldn’t go so far as to take them as seriously as Californians do, or that they do themselves. Truly the most pretentious of all the nuts, I always imagine them walking around with a cane and wearing a monocle. Peanuts, on the other hand, are the greatest nuts in the world. When your back is to the wall, you can bet the peanut is going to be there to help you out.

Thanks for checking in on me, by the way. That was very thoughtful of you. I had a bad run of health recently but am feeling much better these days.

P-1

PS: Lamb stew from a can sounds … weird. Let’s just stick with the good stuff.

P-1,

Well, well, well I found your take on macadamia nuts to be interesting. Mostly because it’s Mr Peanut who wears a monocle and has a cane. Not only that, but peanuts are not nuts at all as it happens. They are actually legumes.

P-2,

Ha! I can’t believe you fell for it. Of course I know it’s Mr Peanut that’s the fancy-pants legume. Just trying to keep you on your toes. Can’t wait to try your latest macadamia-flavoured formula whenever you find the time to make it amid your important high-flying social stuff, and naturally, I will report back as to whether or not you’ve hit the mark.

And with a view to your dilemma-problems, try me. Happy to add some perspective if I can. Plus, now I’m nosy.

*

‘I don’t know about you but every so often I get the feeling the world has gone completely nuts,’ Zoe muttered without preamble upon answering Hannah’s call.

Thinking of her and Ed’s most recent correspondence, Hannah had to smile. ‘I know that feeling.’

‘So, spill. Is the reason for this call something to do with McKenzie?’

‘What makes you think that?’ she asked, a little taken aback at her friend’s perception.

‘Because you’ve never talked about a client as much as you talk about that guy. I’m actually starting to feel a little jealous.’

‘That’s because I was having such a hard time getting a handle on him,’ she argued. ‘He was a kind of an enigma at first.’

‘Huh. Still getting the sense that this guy isn’t just another client though, is he?’

Hannah opened her mouth to protest but then closed it, frowning. ‘Honestly, I’m not entirely sure how to feel. He kind of still is an enigma. Tries so hard to keep up this tough guy act. But when I’m with him and he lets his guard down, he’s so different.’