Unlikely, I thought, smiling at the idea. ‘I love you, too. I’m just tired, I think. How about we get an early night?’

Ben grinned at me with genuine love and tenderness in his eyes. ‘There was a time when that would have meant something else entirely. And do you know what? Even though I know you’re only talking about going to sleep, I can’t think of anything I’d love more.’

‘Who says I’m only talking about going to sleep?’ I gave him my best seductive look over my shoulder, as I took his hand and pulled him towards the bedroom. I needed to keep him sweet.

Chapter Twenty-Three

‘They’re here!’ Ben called from his vantage point, looking out of the living-room window into the street beyond. He had been like a cat on hot bricks all morning, awaiting his parents’ arrival. He had prepared a lasagne for lunch and made sure everything was just so in the flat, clearly desperate that nothing should go wrong.

Like Ben, I had been making preparations all morning, too. I had had a long soak in the bath, before spending almost an hour on my hair and make-up. Finally, I spritzed with the Hermès scent I knew Peter always loved and dressed in a deceptively sexy fitted shirt and my most flattering pair of skinny jeans, which showed off my long, slim legs and perfect bum. I felt pleased with what I saw in the mirror, as I put Elodie down for her lunchtime nap, buying time until I had to face Peter and Jo.

‘Hi, Mum, hi, Dad,’ I heard Ben say, sending a shiver of excitement through me. ‘You’ve lost weight, Dad, are you OK?’

I held my breath waiting for Peter’s answer. ‘I am now.’

I waited in the gloom of Elodie’s room, listening as they bustled into the flat.

‘Hello, darling, these are for Bella – and Elodie.’ Jo’s voice still had the power to set my teeth on edge, even after all this time.

‘Thanks, Mum, come on in!’ Ben sounded happier than I had heard him in a long while – clearly, she didn’t have the same effect on him.

‘She’s just put Elodie down for her lunchtime nap,’ Ben said. ‘She’ll be out in a minute.’ I decided to prolong the moment for as long as possible, so I leaned against the door, listening.

I heard Ben go into the kitchen to make tea. While he was gone, Peter and Jo didn’t appear to exchange a word. Probably too scared to speak in case I overheard, I thought with satisfaction.

‘So … how have you been?’ Ben asked in an overly chirpy voice, as he returned to the living room.

‘Fine …’ Jo started to say, but Peter cut across her.

‘Not great – we’ve been wondering when we’d finally get to meet Elodie …’ My heart skipped at the sound of his voice, which seemed full of pent-up emotion, as his words tumbled out over each other.