The morning after Jane came to dinner, I arrived at my office just after eight, planning to get some work done before Annie arrived. Harry had left at six that morning to fly to Edinburgh for a couple of days of back-to-back meetings. I was prepared for a long day at work and had a bag of ginger biscuits and raspberry tea for emergencies. I’d put on some makeup, but nothing could disguise my pallor. I’d been feeling queasy all night. I was trying to decide whether I’d tell Annie that I was pregnant or whether I’d fudge the issue and say I wasn’t well. I knew I wouldn’t get away with saying nothing, but didn’t want her to worry that I’d pass on a bug. My mind was on the reassurances I would give her for meeting the deadline when, frankly, I looked as though I was on my last legs.

In the office car park I opened the trunk to pick up a box of stationery that I’d bought for work. I walked toward the door to the building and saw Tom. I jumped so hard I nearly dropped the box.

He was standing across the road, leaning against his car; I recognized it from the driveway outside his house a few weeks before. He was wearing a leather jacket and jeans, and his dark hair shone in the early-morning sunlight. He was looking pretty good, really. I remained still by my car, unable to think what the etiquette was of bumping into someone who was essentially a one-night stand. Should I wave? Ignore him?

The decision was taken out of my hands then as he crossed the road toward me.

“Hi,” he said.

“Hi.” I gave him a quick glance and then looked furtively around. Anyone looking at me just then would know immediately that I’d been up to no good. The last thing I wanted was for Annie to see me talking to him; I knew I wouldn’t be able to answer her questions. “What are you doing here?”

“I’ve just had an early appointment with John Holt.” He nodded to the building adjacent to ours. “Then I realized you work next door and thought I’d try to see you.” He smiled at me. “How are you?”

“Fine, thanks,” I said automatically.

“Do you have time for coffee?”

I hesitated. I really didn’t want to talk to him but I didn’t want to be rude. I glanced at my watch. Annie would be taking her kids to school and wouldn’t be at the office just yet. “I have half an hour.” I winced. It sounded so miserly, to restrict his time like that. So unfriendly, particularly given the last time we met. “Sorry, you’ve caught me off guard here. I’m supposed to be meeting a colleague at nine.”