‘Not as such.’ He’d taken a train up Snowdon on a family holiday in Wales as a kid. That must surely count for something. ‘But I’m quite fit. You’re not climbing Everest. You’re only going to Base Camp. Isn’t that at the bottom? How difficult can it be?’

‘Why do you think I’m spending hours and hours in the gym?’

‘Because you’re a masochist who wants to look good in your mountain gear?’ Jake gave her a lecherous look.

‘You’re being ridiculous,’ Neve snapped. ‘We’re supposed to be keeping this a secret. Won’t everyone guess if we start going away on trips together?’

‘We’ll be discreet,’ he said. ‘We have been up to now.’

‘No,’ Neve said. ‘I won’t have it.’

‘What?’

‘I won’t have it. I won’t have you muscling in on my plans. I always go with the same group. You’ll change the dynamics.’

He had hoped she’d feel he’d change them for the better, but clearly it wasn’t going to be so.

‘Are you sure I’m not muscling in on your life too much?’

‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ Neve said with a tut. ‘I hate insecure men. Don’t lay this one on me.’

‘You do want me around?’

‘Of course I do!’ Neve’s voice softened. ‘Of course I do.’

Jake checked that no one was too close to overhear them. ‘I spent the entire weekend farting round the flat, not knowing what to do with myself.’

‘That’s your problem, Jake. You walked out without any of your stuff.’

‘I know,’ he conceded defeat. He was never going to win an argument with Neve. Several creative meetings had already flagged that one up to him. ‘I’m going to ring Lyssa and see if I can go round there tonight to collect some gear.’

‘Good,’ she said. ‘I’ll try to make you some room in the wardrobes.’

He bit back a sarcastic comment.

Neve leaned closer to him. ‘Look, I’m not great at relationships,’ she admitted. ‘I’ve spent too much time on my own. Like Frank Sinatra, I need to do things my way.’

Jake smiled. ‘I’m beginning to see that.’

‘It’ll be fine,’ Neve said.

‘Yeah.’ Jake wanted to hold her and he wondered how long they would really be able to keep their relationship a secret from their work colleagues and, more importantly, from their bosses. ‘Are you any good with eggs?’

‘I might be.’ Neve smiled.

‘Give me a hand then,’ Jake pleaded. ‘I’m sinking here.’

Neve pulled up a chair. ‘Sure.’

Pip walked past, head down, studying a clutch of papers.

‘Hey, Pip,’ Neve said. ‘Want to come and look at this campaign with us?’

‘Busy,’ Pip said. ‘Maybe later.’ And he hastened his pace.

‘What’s eating him?’ she asked.