When Bella turned back, Nick took a tentative step towards her. ‘Hello.’

‘Hi.’ Something passed across his face, and she wondered if her professional tone had hurt him. She hadn’t intended to. She just didn’t know how to act around him now. Their relationship had grown so much closer, and then rocketed backwards leaving her almost dizzy. ‘I just wanted to—’ He glanced at the hall door and his hand came out, clearly motioning to Paige whether he meant to or not. ‘We haven’t had a chance to talk.’

‘It’s none of my business, Nick.’ Though her voice was soft, that seemed to wound him too, but Paige was staying at his house, at their home. She was Freddie’s mum. His wife. There was nothing Bella could do, and she was, after all, only his neighbour. The kiss had been exceptional, monumental, but without a chance to talk she had no idea what it had meant to him. She’d thought it had meant a future, but everything had halted and their chance had slipped away.

‘I just thought …’ The words tapered into silence.

‘You thought?’

Her heart sped up, pounding against her chest. What had he thought? Had he hoped as much as she had that they were starting something special? That a future together was somehow building for them. Had she misread the situation with Paige? Maybe he didn’t still love her. She hated how hopeful it made her, knowing that it would mean even deeper pain if she was wrong, which she probably was.

The door swung open again and Seymour Cole came out of the hall. Bella shrank back. ‘Ah, Nick, there you are.’

This was not what she needed right now and if he started on Nick again on school grounds, she’d have no option but to intervene.

Seymour glanced towards her, his cheeks colouring as he remembered their last encounter. ‘Just wanted to say, no hard feelings, yeah? Better just to forget all about it.’ He held out his hand for Nick to shake. Nick eyed it suspiciously like it was all some kind of trick.

He withheld his hand for a moment. ‘No police?’

‘No police. Silly really. Just – you know how we all get about our kids.’ Seymour glanced at Bella again. ‘Miss Moore came to see me and we … discussed how silly it all was. My fault of course. Apologies.’

Nick glanced between Seymour and her and then shook Seymour’s hand. ‘My apologies too. I shouldn’t have pushed you.’

‘All forgotten. All forgotten.’ After shaking his hand, Seymour headed back into the hall, leaving them alone once more.

‘You spoke to him?’ Nick asked her. He sounded shocked. ‘When?’

‘I just tried to defuse the situation.’