‘I didn’t goad you into doing anything.’

‘Oh, yes you did.’ I laughed, over my shoulder. ‘You knew if you wound me up enough, I’d do it just to prove you wrong.’

‘It didn’t work, did it? I mean the proving me wrong bit.’

‘Don’t be smug,’ I said, taking the pillow off him and shoving it at him. ‘Now get up and stop making my kitchen look untidy.’

He grinned and briefly touched my hand before hopping out the other side. ‘I’ll put this back up when I come back down. OK?’ Jack said, as he disappeared out into the hall and up the stairs.

‘Uh-huh,’ I replied, peering round the corner to make sure he’d gone and then proceeded to strip the bed and refold it into a sofa before running upstairs to get changed and clean my teeth.

When I came back, Felix, Poppy and Jack were sitting around the island, apparently once again at ease with each other and watching the kids pelting about the garden with Clive. Jack saw me enter the room first.

‘I see you took no notice of me.’ He inclined his head towards the sofa before taking a sip of strong black coffee.

I shrugged. ‘I can’t hang around waiting for you.’

‘I was literally five minutes.’

‘By which time it was already done.’

‘You’re impossible, woman.’

‘I’ve told her that before. Many times.’

‘Yes, all right,’ I said, flicking Felix lightly on the ear as I passed. ‘You don’t have to join in. I’m used to doing things for myself. That’s not a bad quality, you know.’

‘So, I hear Clive is going back today?’ Felix said.

‘Um… well… yes, he was supposed to.’ I glanced at the clock. ‘Don’t you have a client today?’ I asked Jack.

‘No, I took the day off today as I was kind of hoping to be helping you settle Clive in.’

‘Oh. I see.’ I looked out to where the three bundles of energy were now playing catch and walked towards the door, opening it a little to watch better and feeling a sudden need for fresh air. Hearing, or sensing movement, Clive stopped and then charged towards me, his tail wagging madly as he ran. Approaching me, he slowed at a pace car makers would be proud of and nuzzled his head under my elbow into my tummy as I crouched. I laughed, rubbing his fur as I sat back and looked at his beautiful face, its big smile accessorised with a large pink tongue. This dog definitely smiled, and I loved it. But I couldn’t keep him. It was too much. I knew how much I already felt for him, and I knew how dangerous that could be. Even a good life for a dog was nowhere near long enough… I bent and kissed his head and Clive zoomed back to the kids and continued the game with his new friends.

Turning back, I met three pairs of eyes.

‘No. He’s not staying. It wouldn’t work. But… as he’s having fun with the children and had a stressful night, it might be an idea for him to stay today, especially as Jack is going to be here. I mean,’ I said, looking at him, ‘you know, as you’ve taken the day off anyway.’ I gave a shrug to punctuate things.