‘Oh, love languages – yeah, Sharon made me take a test about those once. I think the way I show I care is …’

Francesco interrupted, ‘Wait! Can I guess?’

‘Go on then.’

‘There’s five, right? Five basic ways most people demonstrate affection? So wait. It’s acts of service, so like, doing things for the other person … quality time together … words of affirmation, which could be yours – I feel like you respond well to words that confirm how excellent you are, since you’re a chef and all. What else? Oh, the sex one …’

‘Physical touch,’ Penny supplied.

‘Is that your love language?’

‘Maybe.’

Francesco waved a knife at her. ‘It so is,’ he said. ‘Now I think about the other night, how you kept touching my arm …’

Penny feigned outrage. ‘I did not!’

‘You totally did,’ Francesco said. ‘That’s how I knew it was okay to flirt with you.’

‘You said you weren’t trying to unnerve me!’

‘I lied,’ he ventured, wiggling his eyebrows in a way to communicate he wasn’t sorry for it, either. Penny’s phone rang before she could investigate the matter further.

‘Oh,’ she said, looking at the screen, intending to switch it to silent. ‘Do you mind? I will be five seconds.’ Francesco made a gesture to signify that that was fine. Before she answered she added, ‘And this conversation isn’t over, mister.’

Francesco pouted at her provocatively, and then carried on with his prep.

‘Penny! Darling!’ said Uncle David after she answered. ‘Just thought I’d catch you before lunch service!’ Penny’s Uncle David ran a gastro pub called The Red Panda in Derbyshire, which was where she’d learned about food and honed her natural talent for flavours and textures growing up. ‘Eric’s birthday next month, when Clemmie is home – shall we do it here? Or shall we come down to London for it?’

Eric, David’s husband, loved a big event for his birthday. Penny said, ‘Davvy? It’s not a great time right now actually. Can I take the question under advisement and let you know?’

‘Yes, of course darling,’ Uncle David replied. ‘Just wanted to tell you we miss you!’

Penny smiled. ‘I miss you too. We’ll make a few nights of it for Eric’s birthday, okay? Spend some proper time together.’

‘We’d like that, Pooh-Bear. Let me know what you and Clem are thinking.’

‘I will!’ Penny sing-songed. ‘Have a great shift!’

She hung up, flicked the ringer to her phone off, and made a point of putting it face down and out of reach.

‘My uncle,’ she said, as way of explanation.

‘So nice you’re close to your wider family,’ Francesco replied, slicing quickly at the chopping board. ‘Here,’ he said. ‘Try this. It’s the best salmon you’ll ever taste.’ He offered up the flat of the knife to Penny who swiped the salmon on offer.