I bent my head in order to get a better look at the dog’s face in the moonlight. He was asleep. Great. I sat there for a while longer, reluctant to disturb Clive from what seemed a very peaceful rest, but eventually my leg went to sleep and I had to move him in order to get up and force some blood back into the system. He gave me a look, rested his nose upwards against my hip and, automatically, I reached down and scratched the top of his head. Content, he then plodded back to his bed, turned round three times and plopped down heavily before drifting back to sleep. I watched him for a moment, feeling calmness resonating from his furry body, the steady rhythm of his tummy going up and down in peaceful rest.

‘Oh, no,’ I whispered to myself suddenly. ‘No, no, no. Don’t go down that route, Lily.’ I took my glass and plate over to the dishwasher, loaded it in and headed back upstairs, determined not to dream of chocolate brown puppy dog eyes and silky fur.

15

The next morning, when I got up, Jack was already at the hob with what looked like the makings of a very large English breakfast. Clive was in his bed, watching intently, his nose twitching as delicious smells drifted across towards him.

‘Morning,’ I said, entering the kitchen and heading towards the kettle to make a cup of tea.

‘Good morning,’ Jack returned, the slightest hint of hesitation in his voice. ‘Your tea is there on the side. I’ve just made it. I heard you moving about.’

‘You didn’t have to do that.’

Jack turned from his cooking for a moment and I looked up to meet his eyes. I could see he was holding on to his patience.

‘But thank you,’ I said, remembering my manners. I might still be cross with him but that didn’t mean I had to be ungracious as well.

‘I thought I’d cook breakfast. You didn’t eat last night, so you must be hungry, before you refuse it.’

Don’t you just hate it when people are right when you don’t want them to be?

‘I am a little hungry,’ I conceded. My stomach decided to back me up by emitting a long, low grumble.

‘That sounds like more than a little.’

I picked up my tea and walked over to the sofa and sat down. Clive padded out of his bed and took up residence next to my leg, his weight leaning against it before he rested his head gently again as he had last night on my leg.

‘Looks like someone likes you.’

‘Oh, don’t even start. Dogs like most people. You still have to take him back.’

Jack rested his head back for a moment, staring at the built-in fan in the ceiling. ‘Right. Well, the lady is away this weekend so it will have to wait until Monday. If you’ve got a problem with that, I’ll find a hotel that takes pets for the next couple of nights.’