She’d taken a long sip of her wine. ‘Umm, no actually,’ she said. ‘That’s not what this is about.’

‘All right, what is it about?’

‘You know what? Maybe we should forget I said anything.’

And in a flash his face changed and he’d reached across the table to take her hand. ‘I’m really sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. I think I was taken aback and I lashed out. That was immature of me.’

Andrea chewed on the inside of her cheek. For a moment, she wanted to tell him to shove his apology. But then she softened at the genuine guilt in his eyes. ‘Apology accepted. And just so you know, this isn’t about Violet. I know it might seem like I’m being mothering towards her, but I’m really not. I simply want to look out for the kid.’ Andrea hesitated. ‘The same way I wish someone had looked out for me.’

Tony was still holding her hand and now he squeezed it. ‘I can’t believe I’ve never thought about it that way. I’m an idiot.’

‘You’re not an idiot. I should have opened up more. Obviously I have all these unresolved feelings inside, which isn’t healthy. The truth is, I think that’s why I told you I didn’t want kids when we first met. Because of my mum. Because I was scared that . . .’

‘That you’d turn out like her?’

Andrea nodded and tears threatened again, but she bit down hard on her lip. She wasn’t usually such a teary person and crying in front of Kelly the other night had been bad enough. This wasn’t the type of restaurant you started blubbering in.

‘For the record, you wouldn’t,’ said Tony. ‘I know you’ve only told me bits and pieces about your mum. You’ve always hated talking about her. But even from that, I can tell that the two of you are worlds apart. You’re your own person. An incredible teacher, a beautiful aunt, an amazing wife.’

He stopped and Andrea saw the hesitant look in his eyes. He was finally saying all the things she’d wished he would say. But there was something else coming.

She managed a small smile. ‘Why do I feel like there’s about to be a “but”?’

He let out a long, slow puff of air. ‘I don’t want there to be a “but”, I really don’t. It’s just that . . . as much as I know you would be a wonderful mother, I don’t know if I could get there. I can’t explain why, I just never pictured myself as a father.’