‘Only too well. I was living in this imaginary world—thinking things were fine. But Clive was living a completely different life. A life I didn’t even see.’ She looped her arms around her legs and rested her chin on her knees. ‘I suppose part of the problem was that we just didn’t communicate. We fell into marriage because I was pregnant and because it was what my parents expected. I made assumptions about him. He made assumptions about me.’ Jenna turned her head and looked at him. ‘So you told Connie you wanted a divorce?’

‘Yes. I discovered that although I’d achieved what could be considered huge success in my professional life, my personal life was a disaster. I hadn’t even thought about what I wanted, and suddenly I realised that what I wanted was the thing I didn’t have—someone alongside me who loved me, who wanted to share their life with me. I wanted to come home at night to someone who cared about what sort of day I’d had. I didn’t want our only communication to be via voicemail. And I wanted children. Connie thought I was being ridiculous—her exact words were, “It’s not as if you’re ever going to change a nappy, Ryan, and I’m certainly not doing it, so why would we want children?’”

‘She didn’t want a divorce?’

‘I was flying high in my career and she liked that. I looked good on her CV.’ There was a bitter note to his voice and his eyes were flint-hard. ‘Being with me opened doors for her.’

‘Did she love you?’

‘I have no idea. If she did then it was a very selfish kind of a love. She wanted me for what I added to her, if that makes sense.’

‘Yes, it makes sense. I don’t know much about relationships…’ Jenna thought about her own relationship with Clive ‘…but I do know that real love is about giving. It’s about wanting someone else’s happiness more than your own. If you care about someone, you want what’s right for them.’

And that was the way she felt about Ryan, she realised. She wanted him to be happy.

Ryan put his arm around her shoulders and drew her against him. ‘That’s what you do with Lexi, all the time. You’re lucky to have her. Lucky to have that bond.’

‘Yes.’ She melted as he kissed her, knowing that everything was changing. Once again life had taken her in a direction she hadn’t anticipated, but this time the future wasn’t terrifying. It was exciting. ‘I’m going to talk to her. I’ve decided. I think maybe she’s old enough to understand.’ Strengthened by her feelings and his, she suddenly felt it was the right thing to do.

‘You’re going to talk to her about us?’