‘She keeps saying she’s realised what a mistake she made and she’s back for good.’

‘Huh! I’ll believe that when I see it,’ Trish said, leaning on the back of Len’s chair and grabbing her wine glass for a hefty mouthful. ‘She’s never been happy living here. Not properly. She’s never got involved in anything and I can’t see that changing. And the cosy glow of Christmas will wear off and she’ll be stuck here in deepest darkest winter when the lanes are muddy quagmires and it rains every school run, and she won’t like that one bit. That’s when she’ll be off again, you mark my words.’

‘God, I hope not. It would break Freddie’s heart. For Freddie’s sake I have to believe what she says.’

‘And do you believe you two can be a couple again? Do you actually believe she loves you?’

Nick grabbed a handful of hair and tugged. ‘I just don’t know. And even if she doesn’t love me, Freddie deserves a proper family.’

‘There are lots of different types of families these days, Nick,’ Len said. ‘How long’s dinner, love, I’m starving.’

‘You’re always starving.’ After fiddling with pans of steaming veg on the hob, Trish sat down. ‘Do you love her enough to try again?’

Nick didn’t reply at first. Although he’d told himself he didn’t love Paige anymore it felt like a betrayal to Freddie to say it out loud. ‘I might have to learn to. Maybe if I try again, it’ll happen one day.’

‘Rubbish!’

Len’s hand shot out. ‘Whoa, steady on, love.’

‘All right, I’m sorry. It’s just seeing her lord it around the village like we’re all so lucky to have her here again, has really got my back up. Not to mention that I love you like a brother, Nick, and I hate what she’s doing to you and Freddie.’ Trish rested her hand on his arm. ‘All I’m trying to say is that you deserve to be happy, and what’s best for Freddie is a happy mum and dad. He’s been mucked around enough. Do you think you could be happy together?’

‘I don’t know. Possibly.’

‘I don’t believe you.’ Trish released him and sat back, but her voice was still soft. ‘I think you do know, and you just don’t want to admit it because Paige has always bamboozled you. You’ve never felt good enough for her.’

‘It didn’t sound that convincing to me either, mate,’ Len added. ‘What about that list you made? Doesn’t it show you just how bad things had got?’

‘Lots of couples try again and make it work.’