Laura had justified herself to the women in her group, time and time again, and all the while they’d made out they weren’t judging her, but of course they were. Or it had felt that way.

‘As soon as you get to the office you’ll be fine,’ Nate was saying as he reached behind and passed her a flask. ‘Decaf tea.’

She sighed. ‘You’re amazing, you know that?’

‘I do. Now go. You don’t want to be late on your first day back. Text me and tell me how you’re getting on,’ he called as she kissed him and walked away. ‘We miss you already.’

Laura held up a hand, but she couldn’t look back again.

The offices of Morris & Wood looked out over the Lymington River and to the quay on the other side. It was an idyllic location. Laura hadn’t believed her luck when, five years ago, Harry Wood branched out his successful advertising agency to the south coast. She had heard of the London agency long before the first plans were submitted to the council. Laura had been one of the very few who hoped the development would go ahead, because the chance of working for such a prestigious advertising company, which happened to be on her doorstep, was unbelievable. It felt like all the good jobs were in London, and Laura had been wasting away in a small family-run agency that tried its hardest to get some exciting clients, but never quite made it.

She had followed the plans with interest and then, once they were given the green light, had eagerly watched the build and put in her application as soon as she caught wind that Harry was recruiting.

Laura didn’t consider what Harry’s reasons were for setting up on the south coast – she didn’t particularly care. She just hoped she would get a job working for him. She hadn’t dared imagine that he would spot how talented she was so soon and, within a year, would give her a promotion, and then another two after that, which would eventually make her a director.

The last five years had been the best of her life, and being on the board meant that she and Nate could finally move out of their rented flat and buy a three-bedroom detached on the outskirts of town. Harry had given her these opportunities and she would never forget that.

The day Laura had found out she was pregnant, her heart had dipped slightly. It was a feeling she’d never once admitted to anyone, especially not to Nate, but as she’d driven to the office that morning, with the pregnancy stick wrapped in toilet paper and buried in her bag, she’d pushed the news to the back of her mind. She knew how awful it was that her first thought had been that she would have to give up her job.