He shook his head slowly. ‘In the UK, yes, but I’ve never been outside. Don’t see the point really. There’s so much to see here.’

Shock silenced her. He’d never been outside the UK? How had she not known this about him. Because you barely know him, a little voice whispered in glee. ‘Don’t you want to go to Italy, France or Spain even?’

He stopped with the fork halfway to his mouth. ‘No, I’ve seen it in the movies.’

There wasn’t much to say to that. She’d seen Venice, Florence, Paris, even Amsterdam in movies… there was little comparison to the reality of walking through them, of lingering over coffee in one of their magnificent squares and watching the world go by. ‘You do have a passport, though, don’t you?’

‘Sure.’ He shrugged. ‘I got it when a few mates were talking about going to Benidorm last year. In the end nothing came of it. Suited me. We stayed in the UK.’

But Jodie loved to travel. She’d pictured the two… three of them… exploring the world together.

Then Flynn smiled at her and reached across to take her hand in his big warm one and she melted. She was being an idiot. So, he didn’t fancy travelling. She loved him. She’d love him in Devon. Hell, she’d love him no matter where he wanted to go.

Later, curled up on the sofa, her head nestled into his shoulder and her hand resting on her belly, she thought of Rivka. It wouldn’t have been easy for her friend to do what she’d done, to give up their friendship for love. Then Victor’s seedy face appeared in her head.

He’d not given up his campaign, the letter and photograph had proved that. What could she do to make him understand? Flynn laughed at something on the TV. She looked up at him and smiled, the smile fading as she realised that, like Rivka, she’d do whatever was necessary.

41

Flynn had given up his share of the flat and moved all his belongings into Jodie’s house. They’d laughed as they tried to fit all his clothes into the wardrobes and the single drawer that Jodie offered him.

‘We’ll have to get more furniture,’ Jodie said, squashing his underwear down with a hand and pushing the drawer shut. ‘Maybe we could have a look in the shops at the weekend?’

They had and eventually, after three shops and much opening and shutting of doors, they’d purchased another wardrobe.

It was being delivered that day. Between ten and two they’d promised but it was five past the later hour when the doorbell finally rang. Jodie had been waiting impatiently, drinking water and lazily flicking through a catalogue that had landed on her mat that morning.