Whilst there had been no other woman in Derek’s life, Faith had felt betrayed by his death all the same. Derek had promised her a life of wedded bliss and she blamed him, in part, for making her a widow. Suing the car dealership had been her way of channelling that anger and frustration, but for April, they would need to find some other form of release.

Reaching her side, Faith went in for a hug just as April was slipping out of her jacket, and the embrace took her by surprise. When they untangled themselves, April was smiling.

‘I bet you didn’t expect to see me again.’

Faith spotted a damp autumn leaf stuck in April’s hair and pulled it off. ‘I would have hunted you down, if I hadn’t.’

‘Is Tara here yet?’

‘No, but she will be,’ Faith told her. ‘I take it you’ve met Nick.’

April was swallowed up in a second hug and kept her shoulders hunched when she pulled away.

‘I was wondering if I should have offered you a lift,’ Nick said.

‘Oh, no, it’s fine. I live all the way over in Eastham.’

‘It’s a nice place,’ said Nick. ‘Have you lived there long?’

‘Barring the time I lived with Jason, all my life. It’s my parents’ house,’ April said. ‘But I’m only staying there until I can afford to move out.’

‘I’m surprised you can’t. Didn’t you say your husband worked for one of the councils? The Merseyside Pension Fund is a good investment …’ His words tailed off and his mouth twisted. ‘I’m so sorry, that was completely inappropriate. I used to be an investment banker and I was forgetting where I was.’

‘Yes, you were,’ admonished Faith.

‘It’s OK,’ replied April, blushing on behalf of Nick. Her eyes narrowed when she added, ‘Unfortunately Jason opted out of the pension scheme when he started work, not thinking through the consequences of his actions.’

‘That’s men for you,’ added Faith.

‘On behalf of all mankind, I’m sorry,’ Nick said, holding Faith’s gaze until she gave in and smiled.

It was April who filled the pause. ‘I still haven’t worked out what to wear to these things.’ She pulled self-consciously at the hem of her man-sized Game of Thrones T-shirt, a memento from her marriage if Faith wasn’t mistaken. ‘I feel completely underdressed next to you two.’

‘Oh, don’t let this fool you,’ Nick said, loosening his tie. ‘I had to come straight from work.’

‘And what is it you do if you’re no longer in finance?’ asked Faith.

‘I run a fleet of limousines. Basically, I’m a glorified chauffeur.’

‘So you’re a businessman,’ Faith corrected. She didn’t agree with people underselling themselves.

‘Trying to be,’ he replied. ‘And what do you do, Faith?’