Geoff flicked a glance at Robert. ‘Nice to meet you.’

Robert stepped aside to let him out. ‘And you.’

Anna closed the door behind Geoff and turned back to Robert. They were silent for a moment.

‘I’m sorry I hadn’t told you yet,’ Anna said.

He held up a hand. ‘No need, it’s not…’ He shook his head slightly as he trailed off. ‘You’re okay? The baby’s okay? After everything—’

‘Yes. We’re both fine. Thank you.’

‘Good. And you’re happy?’

Anna smiled. ‘Yes. A bit scared, maybe. But very happy.’

He smiled back. ‘Then so am I.’

They lapsed into silence again. ‘I’d better go,’ Robert said, after a moment. ‘Fraser and Emma are dropping the wee boy off soon.’

‘Okay. Thanks again for the clams.’

‘You’re welcome,’ he said. And then, ‘If you need anything, you let me know. Anything. Any time. Okay?’

Anna smiled again as something in her chest swelled and then contracted, leaving an ache she couldn’t quite explain. ‘Thank you. That means a lot.’

Robert MacKenzie nodded again, frowned a little, smiled a little. Then he was gone, into the twilight wind.

‘That bastard,’ Cathy said immediately, when Anna told her of Geoff’s offer. ‘He’s looking for a way to be able to say that your success is down to him. He wants you somewhere he can control you, Anna. You’d develop the menu together, sure – but we both know what that means. You’ll come up with it, and he’d be the one who cooks it on TV. His name will be three times bigger than yours whenever they appear together, and that will only be when he can’t ditch your name completely.’

Anna fiddled absently with the hem of her shirt. It felt tighter than usual. ‘I know. I know. And that’s why I told him to get lost.’

‘Good,’ Cathy said, the relief clear in her voice. ‘I hate the way that sorry excuse for a man can get into your head.’

‘I won’t ever let that happen again,’ Anna assured her. ‘But I can’t help but think…’ She sighed. ‘Cathy, with the baby I’m going to need work sooner rather than later now. And I’m never going to get another offer like that one.’

‘You don’t know that,’ her friend insisted. ‘Look what you’ve achieved in just a few months!’

‘What I’ve achieved?’ Anna repeated, with a slight laugh. ‘Come on – he’s not exactly wrong about that, either, is he? All I’ve actually managed to do is serve six covers three days a week and get myself knocked up.’

‘This is him talking,’ Cathy said, irritated. ‘He has got inside your head!’