After putting the tomatoes and basil back where he’d found them, he returned with bacon, more eggs and a carton of heavy cream. The shop assistant smiled at him. ‘Did you find everything you wanted? Apart from the wine, of course.’

‘We’ll soldier on,’ Jack said.

‘Hæ?’

‘It’s fine. Thank you for your help.’ Jack waited while his purchases were added up.

Armed with two bags filled with groceries and a few other things, he headed back to the surgery. It was time to cook.

Ninni was waiting in the reception when he arrived. She looked at the heavy bags. ‘What did you do – buy the whole shop?’

‘They don’t really have anything here, so we have to make do the best we can.’

Jack put the bags on the counter and rummaged through one. ‘Here. I hope this helps.’

He handed her a large bar of chocolate and smiled when her eyes lit up. Ninni opened the chocolate and broke off a piece. She handed it to him. ‘Better than almost anything,’ she said.

He put the piece in his mouth. It melted on his tongue. ‘Almost,’ he said.

Ninni peered into one of the bags. ‘Why would you buy a frying pan?’

Jack frowned. ‘I had to. All they have here is a saucepan. You need proper tools to do a proper job, you know.’

Ninni munched on another piece of the chocolate. ‘What are you cooking?’

‘It’s a surprise. In the meantime, I bought these for you. As I’m not sure about your size, I bought two different ones. I hope it’s okay.’

Ninni took the packages and looked at them. She laughed. ‘Did you really buy knickers and socks for me?’

‘You’re as soaked as I am, and dry underwear and socks always help,’ he said, grinning back at her.

Ninni looked at him. It was that moment again. Something unspoken. She lifted her hand and put it to his cheek, just for a moment. ‘You are quite unexpected,’ she said.

Jack frowned. ‘I have no idea what that means,’ he said.

‘It’s a compliment.’ Ninni clutched her gifts. ‘I’m going to change into this and you should do the same. You’re right. Dry underwear is one of the keys to happiness.’

‘And I thought it was all about the cooking,’ Jack said.

Ninni smiled. ‘Another joke. You’re improving.’

Jack picked up the bags. ‘I do my best. Dinner should be ready in about an hour.’

‘Thank you.’ Ninni smiled. ‘You are a really nice man.’

He shrugged. ‘Not too nice, I hope.’

Nice man, he thought. The death of everything. He knew he shouldn’t have bought the knickers.

Ninni took a deep breath. She clutched the socks and the knickers to her chest. Wow, she thought. He can’t be for real. She paid a quick visit to the bathroom and changed out of the last wet items of clothing.

And he cooks, she thought when she came back out. He might be close to perfect. Even when he was wearing trousers that were too short and he looked ridiculous.