Derek snorted as he overfilled the soap cannister. “Right! ‘Spotting trends.’ That’s one way of putting it.” He hesitated. “I’m surprised you’d even consider it; after what you told me about him, about George.”

Faye looked at him, narrowing her eyes.

“Don’t say you’ve forgotten that, too?” said her husband.

She had, Derek insisted, become increasingly absentminded since joining the sales team. It was, he said, as if she was so preoccupied with work that she regularly forgot things she told him and worse, things he told her. Faye was surprised. She wasn’t forgetful about other things in her life. But when she considered how much time she spent thinking about work, even when she wasn’t there, she realised it was possible it dominated her thoughts. She vowed to herself to be more mindful at home with Derek. But clearly she hadn’t been attentive enough, because she had no idea what she’d told Derek about George that might discourage her from travelling with him.

“I’m sorry, love, but I don’t know what you’re referring to. What did I say about George?”

He drummed his fingers on the kitchen counter. “Of course, that’s convenient.”

Faye glanced down. “Sorry.”

“You told me that George was quite the ladies’ man. That he couldn’t keep his hands to himself.”

She stared at him, horrified. “But he’s not. He’s nothing like that. George is—”

“Hey!” he said, holding up his hands. “I’m only repeating what you told me.”

Faye began wiping the kitchen counters. She felt lightheaded. What was wrong with her? Why would she spout such nonsense about George to Derek? Surely he was mistaken. But then why say such a thing?

The next day, she told George she’d rather not go to Germany.

“Why?”

She swallowed. “It doesn’t make sense. I mean, I should be here handling key accounts while you’re away, shouldn’t I?”

George peered at her from beneath his bushy eyebrows. “Hmm. Everything okay at home?”

“No. No, it’s nothing like that. It’s just—”

“It’s okay. I think it’s a pity, but it’s okay.”

When, after seven years with the company, Faye left GNS Medical Supplies to give birth to Zach, she’d been sales manager for two years, following George’s promotion to director. She and Derek owned a three-bedroomed house not far from where he’d grown up and close to the schools he’d attended, which was just as he wanted it, insisting that his offspring would attend the same schools as he and his father had.

“I wish you hadn’t resigned,” said George, when he took her to lunch shortly before she left. “We would have given you unlimited maternity leave.”

“It wouldn’t be fair.”