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‘Sure’ What did he expect her to say? Anticipation prickled up her spine Or was he going to ask her to go with him, meet his faet someone to swap shifts with her

‘I’ll send you a postcard,’ he said lightly

Oh So he wasn’t going to ask her to go with him

She suppressed the little sting of hurt Although he’d see for her, she’d been a fool to hope for anything more

‘That’d be nice,’ she said, hoping that she sounded equally light and unconcerned

And although Theo curled his body round hers that night, holding her close, she found it hard to fall asleep that night She faked deep and regular breathing, but it wasn’t enough to tip her over the edge into sleep She lay awake, listening to Theo’s breath and the ticking of the clock Katrina had said he’d be worth the wait once he’d sorted out the probleh to help him sort them out?

Three days later, Theo e his wet hair back froood to be home And a hard swim in the sea was exactly what he’d needed

He walked across the beach and sat down on the towel next to Sophronia

‘Better now?’ his sister asked

‘I don’t knohat you’re talking about’

‘Yes, you do’ She checked that the sunshade was still in the right place to givetoddler, then drew her knees up to her chin ‘What’s her name?’

‘Whose name?’

‘The wo about since—well, probably since the ot on the plane yesterday And don’t deny it, Theo’

‘Because wohtly

‘Because you rang Meli to ask for tips on a special pudding Whichfor someone’

Oh, lord He’d forgotten about the fa ever since

‘So be as snippy as you like, adelphosto tell me’

‘There’s nothing to tell, Sophie’