‘But—’

‘No,’ Anna whispered harshly and put a finger over Gabi’s lips. ‘All I want you to tell me is this: do you think he is who he says he is? Is he telling me the truth about himself?’

Gabi nodded. ‘Yes. I think so.’

‘Then that’s all I need to know,’ Anna said calmly, even though her insides were anything but.

Gabi exhaled, looking unconvinced. ‘Okay. If that’s what you want.’

‘It’s what I want,’ Anna said and tucked the book she was holding back onto the shelf where it belonged. ‘Now let’s grab lunch before I have to head back to the office,’ she said and led Gabi out of the shop.

Later, however, when she’d finished work, she found herself walking past the bookshop again. Then she found herself going inside. By the time she headed home, there was a hardback book nestled in the bottom of her shopping bag.

ANNA SAT IN the sprawling café of Tullet’s Garden Centre, just a stone’s throw away from where Scott and Teresa lived near Westerham, a pleasant commuter village near the M25. She and Teresa had organised a catch-up the Saturday after the party. Had it only been a week? Anna thought incredulously. It truly felt more like a month since she’d walked out of the Warlingham Court Hotel with Jeremy hot on her heels.

Teresa was off buying a couple of cappuccinos and Anna had bagged a table and was minding her nephew.

‘He’s just so deliciously chubby,’ she told Teresa when she returned with a tray and two mugs of steaming coffee, and then quickly added, ‘Sorry! Hope that’s not the baby version of fat-shaming!’

Teresa laughed. ‘He’s almost five months now. He’s supposed to be chubby.’ She reached for her cappuccino and took a sip. ‘And talking of delicious men, how is it going with the one you brought to my party?’

‘Good,’ she said. ‘It’s all very casual at the moment, though. Nothing too serious.’

‘Why not? Isn’t he as delicious as he seems?’

‘No, he is del— I mean, lovely. Charming, polite, interesting…’

Teresa smiled at her. ‘You deserve someone lovely. You really do.’

‘I know,’ Anna replied, and realized she actually believed that. ‘But…’

‘But…?’ Teresa said, frowning. ‘Do I detect a bit of hesitation? Because I had a quick chat with him at the bar when he came to get a round of drinks. He seems perfect for you.’

Anna sighed. ‘I know. He’s lovely. I should be crazy about him.’

‘You just need to give yourself time. Dating someone new was always going to be a big step after Spencer. You guys were just so disgustingly in love.’

‘Maybe that’s it,’ she said, nodding. ‘Maybe I’m overthinking things.’

Little Spencer began to fuss and wriggle, so Teresa took him from Anna, strapped him into his pram and stood up so she could rock it backwards and forwards. ‘And he looked after you, took you home without a fuss, after what happened with Gayle last Saturday night. Patient and understanding are not qualities to be sniffed at.’