The clouds seem to darken overhead. ‘No.’

Laura stares at me. She’s always been able to read me better than anyone else. ‘Unless you want to see him again?’

I don’t want to answer.

‘You could. There’s no law against it, so I won’t be arresting you. As long as you don’t do anything below the waist before you get your result.’

I shake my head. ‘Don’t be disgusting. Anyway I won’t do anything to risk the transfer.’

‘Is that the only reason you didn’t sleep with him?’

‘I think I’d prefer to change the subject now.’

She sips her tea. ‘You really like him, don’t you?’

‘I think I do, Laura. Shit.’

‘So tell me what he’s like.’

‘He’s . . . very different from Andrew.’ I can’t imagine them having anything to say to each other: Andrew proper and quietly confident and clever with words; Dan laid-back and savvy and charming in a completely different way.

‘That’s a good thing. You don’t want the next person you fall for to be a poor imitation of your dead husband, for either of your sakes.’

Ouch. ‘I asked for tough love, not police brutality.’

She snorts her tea. ‘Sorry. So tell me what you like about him.’

‘He’s funny and sociable and a bit of a charmer. But not sleazy. And I told you about his daughter. She’s so sweet and brave. I’m getting close to her, too. Which is another massive dilemma, because I really don’t want to let her down.’

‘What does he do?’

‘A mixture. He helps build stage sets at music events, but also runs some kind of social enterprise.’

‘Are you sure social enterprise isn’t code for a weed farm? Music people are usually broke and stoned most of the time.’

‘There wasn’t even a whiff of weed when I went to his penthouse last night. And all of his friends are down to earth.’

‘He’s introduced you to his friends? So it’s not just you who’s got it bad.’

‘I don’t think it was a big deal for him. Not like I’ve been summoned to meet his family, is it?’ Except, as I say it, I remember he told me that his friends were his substitute family.

Laura laughs. ‘Mates are a big deal for men. Bigger than family. Except for their mums, that is.’

‘His mum died when he was young.’

She raises her eyebrows. Years in the police have given her a dim view of human beings and sob stories.

‘Come on, Laura,’ I say. ‘Normal people don’t lie about stuff like that.’

‘You’d be surprised.’ She takes a slurp of tea. ‘OK. If you want to cut through all the crap and find out if Dan is The One, I’ve got an idea.’

I’m already shaking my head. ‘I can’t tell him about the embryo transfer yet.’

‘I don’t mean that. Has he met any of your friends?’

‘Only Jed, because he teaches Casey, but that doesn’t count. It’s not like I’m overburdened with social engagements right now.’