‘His own place, is it?’

‘Yes. All grown up.’

‘You know . . . if you ever get the urge to do the same . . .’

‘Get some bamboo flooring?’

‘You know what I mean. Move out of home. Get your own space. I wouldn’t mind.’

‘Are you kicking me out?’

‘Saw right through me.’

Becky glanced over at her mum, to see if this was a subtle hint. Despite the fact Kate was deliberately keeping her face low as she moulded the snowdog, Becky could tell she didn’t want her to leave at all. She smiled; she had no intention of going anywhere.

‘I’m quite happy here,’ she said, ‘otherwise, who else is there to drag me out of bed at an unsociable hour to make snowmen? There, that’s the head,’ and she plonked a large ball of snow on top of her earlier, larger ball. Next to it, Kate’s snowdog had acquired an impressively upright tail. ‘Anyway, maybe it’s me cramping your style,’ Becky continued, ‘now you’ve got this hot new man, Tim. Only, I notice you haven’t invited him over yet . . . is that because of me? Because I’m here taking up the other half of the sofa?’

‘You weren’t here last night. After midnight I heard you come in.’

‘I didn’t wake you?’ said Becky, concerned.

‘Not at all. Trust me, once you have children of your own, you’ll know it’s one of the perils of being a parent. You can never settle until they’re home safe. Doesn’t matter how old they are.’

‘Really? What about when I’m thirty?’

‘Probably still be awake.’

Becky imagined herself at thirty. ‘Maybe you’ll have grandchildren by then. They’ll be keeping you awake at night.’

‘You’ll still be living here when you have kids? Not with your other half?’

‘We’ll drop them off with you – while we go out on the town.’

Kate laughed. ‘I see.’ But there was something about the idea of looking after Becky’s children that filled her with warmth.

‘You can stay,’ she said graciously. ‘In fact, it might make it easier.’

‘For what?’

‘Dinner Friday week.’ Kate paused. ‘I’d like you to meet Tim.’

Becky stood up straight. ‘Wow.’

‘I know we’ve only been on a few dates, but I’d like to introduce him to you.’

‘He’s serious.’

‘I don’t know, like I say we’ve only been on a few dates—’

‘But introducing him to the family!’

‘Well, there’s only me and you . . .’

Becky and Mum, Mum and Becky. It had always been the two of them. She smiled. ‘Sounds good.’

‘You’re free?’

‘I’ll make sure I am,’ said Becky and her mum looked pleased.

‘So, what about you? Are you going to see this Adam again?’

There it was again. The fidgety feeling. She’d checked the text he’d sent that morning and he’d asked her out. Wanted to know if she was free on Tuesday after work to go to an evening event at the Science Museum.