‘Yes. Thanks. Bit of a surprise.’

‘I don’t know why she’s surprised,’ my brother said through a mouthful of biscuit. ‘They pretty much always do. Early reviewers were raving about it before it was even released. And of course, once the film premieres, that will bolster up book sales too.’

‘Only if people like it.’

Felix sighed and took another biscuit. ‘Of course they’ll like it. How many tickets do you get to the premiere, by the way?’

‘I’ve no idea. It’s not like I’ll be going, anyway.’

‘Oh!’ Poppy’s face fell. ‘Really? I thought we might all get dressed up and have a swish night out.’

I sat on the sofa and tucked my knees up. ‘Sorry.’ And I really was. ‘You know, it’s just not my sort of thing.’

‘Very little is your sort of thing these days,’ Felix mumbled.

I fiddled with my hair, embarrassed that we were having this discussion in front of a virtual stranger, at least a virtual stranger to me.

‘So are you still in New Zealand?’ I asked Jack in a vain attempt to turn the spotlight off myself.

‘Yeah, I’m just at the airport. I fly tomorrow.’

This explained the nondescript background, magnolia walls, with a slightly post-modernist artwork interpretation on the wall to the left of his shoulder vainly attempting to inject some personality into the otherwise bland and soulless room.

‘Long flight.’ I mentally gave myself a head slap. For someone who worked with words for a living, my conversation skills were as flat as a two-day-old lemonade.

Jack didn’t seem to mind. ‘Yep. Good job I’ve got a good book,’ he said, holding up a copy of my latest novel.

‘Oh!’ I was genuinely surprised.

He smiled, and as much as my mortifying encounter with him all those years ago was still etched into my brain, I couldn’t help smiling back.

‘You seem shocked,’ he said, laughing.

‘Pleased,’ I corrected him. ‘I just didn’t think it would really be your sort of thing.’

‘I guess it’s nice to know that I can get to this age and still throw out the old surprise.’

‘You’re hardly old!’ Poppy poked a finger at the screen. ‘And don’t you dare argue with that because I’m only a few months younger than you.’

He grinned. ‘I wouldn’t dream of it.’

‘Did you decide where you’re staying?’ Felix asked.

‘I’ve got a hotel booked not far from you for a couple of days. I’m hoping I’ll be able to sort out a room to rent in that time.’

I looked up through my lashes at the screen. Was he resentful that I hadn’t agreed to let him stay here? He was either a really good actor or he genuinely wasn’t bothered.

‘I’ve been in contact with some of my old clients and they seem pretty happy for me to restart with them again, which is good news. I’m effectively building the business up from scratch again, so a mortgage is pretty much out of the question, especially with having been out of the country for so long.’