If only he knew how far it’s gone.

OK. Time to go. As I turn the corner onto the corridor, I almost walk into someone rushing the other way.

‘Sorry.’

The woman doesn’t move out of my path. I look up. Shit.

‘Oh. Hello.’ I smile too broadly. ‘You’re Casey’s mum, aren’t you? I’m Gemma. We met before. Um. Here. Remember?’

She seems to be inspecting me, judging me – surely Dan hasn’t told her what’s going on?

‘Casey is such a great kid. You must be very proud.’

Angela scoffs. ‘You think you’ve lucked out, don’t you? The sexy rock-god. The harbour lifestyle. The ready-made family.’

‘I’m sorry?’

‘If it was only you and him, I wouldn’t give a toss. But Casey is my daughter. Not Dan’s – not really – and definitely not yours.’

‘Hang on. You’re saying Dan isn’t her dad?’

She shrugs in a way that makes me want to shake her, and I’ve never been violent towards anyone in my life. ‘Biologically he is. Technically. But when the novelty of this wears off, I am sure he’ll dump her like he dumped me. And you won’t last five minutes.’

I open my mouth to stick up for Dan by telling her what happened when he was a kid, but looking into her hard eyes, I realize there’s no point. ‘OK, well, that’s my business, isn’t it?’

‘Not when you start muscling in on Casey. I heard about your weekend at the beach. It sounds amazing. But she’s vulnerable, and I can’t have her getting hurt by you as well as Dan. So stay away from her, before you do any more damage. Do you understand me?’ Her fiery determination to protect her daughter isn’t in doubt. But I think it’s misguided: Casey wants more than a risk-free, smothered life.

‘It wasn’t a big thing, just a day out. But you’re wrong about Dan – he wants to make up for lost time.’

She scoffs again. ‘Bless. Poor lost boy Dan, who tries his hardest, but everyone’s got it in for him. I’ll let you into a little secret: it’s a giant con job. He can’t help but manipulate people. It’s in his blood.’

Con job? I won’t give her the satisfaction of asking what she means. Angelica is bitter for good reason, but the guy she knew and the one I have got to know are different.

Aren’t they?

‘I understand why you’re resentful but . . .’

She holds up her hand: it’s trembling slightly. ‘I don’t need your understanding. But let me make this super-clear. You will stay away from Casey. I was this close to complaining about you and your filthy dog when we met before, and I won’t hesitate next time. They must have a rule about volunteers meddling in patients’ lives. Especially when the patient is a vulnerable child?’

It’s not like I haven’t worried about that myself. I thought I had it under control. But surely she wouldn’t carry out her threat? ‘You’d stop Bear’s visits, even though the children love them, to get back at Dan?’