He caught a glimpse of himself in the door glass. He was dressed in a T-shirt and jeans. Coming in a suit would have made it all so formal. And it was also a statement, even if it was a childish one.

His mind filled with memories of the time he had spent in there, first on work experience, then as an apprentice, until he’d left for three years at Le Cordon Bleu in France. But he’d returned as head chef because Roland had promised he would eventually become a partner. It was a place he’d thought he would be for the rest of his career. And now it would finally happen.

He would get what he was owed.

For a second Jack considered not going inside – leave it all behind. Return to Ninni and enjoy life as an island farmer. All of a sudden London felt noisy and so full of people he could barely breathe.

He decided against it immediately. They owe me an explanation and the damn partnership, he thought. I want what I’ve always wanted, what I was promised. I’ve earned it.

Still feeling angry, he pushed open the door and went inside. This early, the restaurant was quiet. The dinner rush was still a couple of hours away. From the kitchen came the smells of delicious cooking and the sounds of food prepping. Jack couldn’t help smiling. People talking and laughing, pots and pans clanking, cupboards slamming and hissing from the cooking on the hob. It was all so familiar.

The restaurant was empty. Jack stood for a moment and looked around. It was ridiculous to expect things to have changed. After all, he had only been gone for a few weeks. And yet he felt different.

‘Jack, there you are, darling. It’s so wonderful to see you.’

Jack turned around. Fedra looked the same as always. Hair coiffed, perfect make-up and those big brown eyes he had drowned in once. Well, more than once, if he was honest. Now they seemed calculating and cold, despite the huge smile.

It wasn’t fair, he knew that. Their affair hadn’t lasted very long, and there had been no hard feelings between them when it had ended. At least not from his side.

‘You look nice,’ he said, putting on his best smile.

Fedra looked him over. ‘I can’t say the same about you. What happened? Have you gone native on your little Viking island?’

Jack smiled. ‘Perhaps. Now, what is so important that you had to summon me to London?’

‘I told you. Daddy wants to talk. He’s in the kitchen. He told me to bring you to him when you arrived.’

Jack shrugged. ‘I’m here.’

She walked in front of him and he knew what she was doing. Her insane high heels made her walk with a swing in her hips that he knew was supposed to be sexy. It didn’t work on him any more.

The three cooks working in the kitchen stopped what they were doing when they entered. Roland held a spoon in his hand, obviously in the process of tasting the contents of the pot. His face lit up when he saw Jack.