Laura opened her mouth to speak, but closed it again sharply, sinking back into the seat. What was the point of going over the same ground with Harry when every time he’d shift the conversation? The thought had been crossing Laura’s mind lately that if she wanted to get a proper answer as to why she’d been so easily shifted off the Coopers account, then there was only one person she could ask. But the thought of addressing Tess Wills was too humiliating.

‘Laura? Another drink?’ Harry asked.

She glanced at her mobile, her heart plummeting when she saw the time. It was eight o’clock and she had forgotten to take her phone off silent, after a meeting she’d had earlier that afternoon. She’d missed another text from Nate half an hour ago.

‘Shit!’ she muttered ‘I can’t. I really have to go.’ She texted back a quick reply. So sorry. Am on way now xx.

‘Come on then,’ Harry said and they left the bar, walking back to the offices where their cars were parked. ‘Miles is doing me a big favour putting this opportunity my way,’ he went on. It was as if he were letting her know she couldn’t cock this up. That if Laura didn’t think she could do it, she should say so now, so he could get someone else on the job. Someone like Mia, most likely. He took her arm and pulled her out of the way of a couple walking in the opposite direction on the thin path by the river, as Laura’s phone started ringing.

She stared at the screen. Nate.

‘You going to answer that?’

Laura nodded uncertainly and eventually picked up. ‘Hi.’

‘Are you in the car?’

‘Nearly,’ she said.

‘I thought you said you were on your way back.’

‘I am – I’m literally at my car,’ she lied. It was at least another five minutes before they reached the office.

‘Say hi to Nate for me,’ Harry said beside her.

Laura felt herself tense as Nate went silent on the other end of the line. ‘Nate, I’ll be ten minutes,’ she said as she hung up, her pulse quickening, picking up her steps as Harry raced to keep up with her.

Eighteen minutes later Laura pulled into the driveway and hurriedly scrambled out of the car. Nate wouldn’t be happy and she couldn’t blame him. He had never liked Harry, had always said he didn’t trust him, insinuating that Harry’s intentions crossed a boundary. Tonight would only add fuel to his argument that Harry was seeing more of Laura than he was. What made it worse was that she didn’t even want to go out for a sodding drink with her boss in the first place, and Harry hadn’t spoken to her about anything that couldn’t be said in the office.