Grace poured herself a glass of mineral water and debated whether she should call her mother to see how Daisy was, but resisted the urge. After all, Daisy was only away overnight. If Grace called too often her mother thought she was checking up on her.

She heard the car in the driveway, then the sound of the door opening and closing as Lawrence came in and went straight to his office.

‘Hey, Lawrence, you’re not working, are you?’ She poked her head around the door. ‘Don’t forget we’re going to dinner tonight at the Robinsons’.’

He didn’t look up straight away, and it struck her that his hair was thinning on top. She knew he had the hairdresser put a colour rinse through it regularly to hide his greying temples, although she wondered why he bothered now he was only a few years away from fifty. He was also looking a bit pudgy these days, though, being tall, he carried it well. He just never did any kind of exercise other than walking to his car and the occasional game of tennis, she thought.

‘Hi,’ he said, glancing up and smiling at her. ‘Is Daisy with your mother?’

‘Yes. I thought it was better than getting a babysitter.’ Daisy adored her grandmother, who lived alone in her home on a clifftop overlooking the beach. Grace knew her mother and Daisy would go down to the surf first thing in the morning for a swim. ‘You promised to take me out for a fancy breakfast tomorrow, remember?’ Grace leaned against the door frame and crossed her arms.

‘Of course. I’m looking forward to it.’ He pushed his laptop aside but continued sifting through the papers on his desk, putting them in the briefcase she’d given him.

‘We should leave soon. Unless you want a sundowner before we go? They’re only a few blocks away.’

‘Thanks, but I’ll wait till we get there. Did you get the champagne for them?’

‘It’s in the fridge. I couldn’t find the one you wanted, but the one I bought is very good apparently.’

‘Are you sure?’

‘The guy in the bottle shop went on and on about it. It’s from 2012. Pierre someone and Sons. Do you really think the Robinsons will know a superior from a mediocre?’

‘Yes, actually, I do. Give me ten minutes or so to finish off here and get ready, and then we can go.’

He seemed a little distracted so she straightened up, quietly closed the door and went out onto the patio to watch the sunset. Typical Lawrence, wanting to spend money on an expensive bottle of champagne the Robinsons might not even care about. Grace was sure they would be just as happy to share cheap bubbles with friends. Socialising was all about friendship as far as Grace was concerned, while for Lawrence, it was about making an impression. Or as her best friend Melanie had once said, ‘Lawrence always has to big-note himself. He just can’t help it.’