‘Maybe you should. Though I guess it’s easy for me to say –’ she grimaced as she went on – ‘but it’s two weeks of your life, not mine.’

‘I took a week of yours trying to remember.’

‘Yes, you did, but I don’t regret it.’ She sat straighter in the chair. ‘So? Would you like to know the details of our first meeting? You know how we met, but we never did get down to the nitty-gritty of how we spent our time together.’

Too right. He needed the details of why he’d created such an impact with a woman who at most should have been a fling. And why he’d bought a ring. ‘Yes, I would. If you’re happy to put it out there.’

The waiter arrived and they ordered. As soon he’d left she said, ‘As I said before, we met on a flight from Sydney. During the flight we had a few wines, talked a lot, and after it – we ended up in your bed instead of at dinner.’

He blinked. First night? Then he watched her cheeks flush, but her eyes didn’t waver. He had the feeling she’d rehearsed that line to get it out in one go and that was brave. She really was incredible.

He wanted to hug her and say he respected her fearlessness, except he was still replaying what she’d said. ‘That doesn’t sound like something the Ava I met at your family station or the one at work would normally do.’ He spread his hands. ‘I’d have to say it doesn’t sound like me, either.’ He lifted his chin and met her gaze. ‘We must have connected?’

‘Oh, we connected, all right.’ She looked away and he wished she hadn’t. But he guessed he owed her the privacy of her own thoughts when she was being so open. When she turned back to him, her face showed only a slight smile. ‘It was a crazy rush the first time, but –’ their eyes met – ‘even in the rush, we were responsible adults.’ Her meaning was delicate but clear. He had been concerned about contraception and felt himself relax.

She didn’t miss his relief and her smile disappeared. She went on in the same quiet voice, as if giving clinical handover on the ward for a patient. Her control impressive. ‘You gave me the idea that one night was a one-off, ships-in-the-night thing, and we made no plans to meet again.’

That he could believe. It was most likely his decision, not hers, judging by her care of him since.