Ros had kindly offered to help Darla clean the yacht as the meeting with Patrick was going to eat into her cleaning time. ‘And then I’ll buy you lunch and a glass of wine, hopefully with some of the money Patrick’s going to give me.’

‘This is where I’ll leave you,’ said Ros. ‘Set a timer for ten minutes before you follow.’

‘I know, and don’t look at you or acknowledge you in the café. Got it.’ Darla hugged her friend and watched her stride away.

The ten minutes dragged. Darla messed about on her phone and watched the minutes count down. At last she could start walking to the café. She tried to clear her mind and listen to the birds but all she could hear was the rumble of traffic and the odd screaming child. She concentrated on her steps and was soon outside the little coffee shop. She took a deep breath and went inside.

She was pretty sure she hated Patrick for everything he’d done and for how he’d betrayed her trust, but the moment she saw him she got butterflies. He didn’t spot her at first, which was good because it gave her a moment to see that Ros was sitting back to back with him and that instantly reassured her – at least she wasn’t alone. Patrick looked up and smiled at her. He appeared genuinely pleased to see her. She was now fighting conflicting emotions. Part of her had gone all giggling schoolgirl but the rest of her wanted to batter him with the nearest thing to hand, which was sadly nothing more substantial than the pastries currently on display.

He came forward to hug her and she stepped back. ‘Hello, Patrick.’

‘Darla, babe, it’s so good to see you.’

Darla sat down in the seat opposite his so it was clear that she wouldn’t be giving him a hug.

‘What did you want to drink?’ asked Patrick. ‘They’re on me.’

‘A large mocha with cream please.’ It was the most expensive thing she could think of. Maybe it was petty but he owed her.

He ordered at the till and came back to sit opposite her. ‘You’re looking amazing. Have you lost a few pounds?’

She had but she wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of being right. ‘No, and let’s cut the small talk. I have somewhere I need to be.’

He looked puzzled. ‘But I’ve just ordered you a large mocha.’

Bugger it, she thought. ‘I can always get it to go. Now, say what you came to say.’

Their drinks arrived, which gave him time to gather his thoughts. Patrick relaxed back into his seat and for a moment she feared he was going to bump his chair into Ros’s. ‘I was convinced you weren’t going to show up,’ said Patrick. ‘And I wouldn’t have blamed you for that. It was all a bit crazy at the end. But you have to believe me when I say I had no choice but to leave.’

‘Rubbish. You could have told me rather than let me open the door to bailiffs. What the hell happened to all the money?’

‘I’m glad you asked that. It’s all good. I’ve invested it.’

She let out a derisory laugh. ‘I don’t believe you, Patrick.’

‘Honestly. I have. Well, some of it anyway.’

Darla was losing what was left of her patience. ‘In what? Stocks and shares? Premium bonds?’

‘You’ve heard of cryptocurrency, right?’

‘Oh for heaven’s sake, you’ve not invested in that?’

‘No, it’s something like that but better,’ he said. ‘We just need to wait it out and we’ll make a fortune.’

‘I don’t take risks, so I’ll have my share back now please.’ Darla held out her palm.

Patrick glanced at it and carried on. ‘I can’t I’m afraid, because that’s part of the agreement that you have to leave it invested.’

‘Show me proof that it’s in my name.’ She stared him down.

‘Yeah, you don’t understand. It doesn’t work like that. But trust me, your money is safe.’

‘No, it’s not, because it wasn’t even my money. It was off credit cards and maxed-out overdrafts, you moron. What money do you have to give me?’ she asked, sitting up straight. Clocking Ros’s raised thumbs up from behind his head spurred her on.

‘Sorry, I never said I had any money for you.’ Patrick winced.

‘Yes you did!’ Her last shred of patience was disintegrating.

‘But that’s the money I’ve invested for you. For us.’

The cheek of this guy was unbelievable. ‘If you don’t actually have any cash on you now, how were you proposing to fix things?’

‘By explaining that I had no choice but to leave and that your money is safe. You just need to fob off the banks and credit card companies for a while longer and then it’ll be sorted.’

Darla was astonished. ‘Is that what you think I’ve been doing all these months? Fobbing people off?’

Patrick appeared confused.

‘Bloody hell, Patrick. I lost the flat and everything in it, all my personal stuff including my grandmother’s clock.’ She swallowed hard to keep her focus. ‘Ever since then I’ve been paying off whatever I could so I didn’t go sodding bankrupt.’

Patrick sat back. ‘But you’re okay now. You’re settled here. Got somewhere to live?’

‘I can’t afford anywhere to live. And while we’re on that, how the hell did you know I was staying in Southampton?’

He looked a little smug. ‘As well as keeping an eye on our joint account, I can still get into one of your online shopping accounts and you’ve changed the address to somewhere near here. Sounded posh actually. You ordered some book about goats. I figured you were doing all right. Are you? Are you doing okay, Darla? Because I have been worried about you.’

She made a mental note to change all her passwords as soon as she got in. She’d changed most of them, but clearly she’d missed one. ‘I’m fine, thanks. If that’s it, I think I will get this put into a takeaway cup and get going.’ Darla pointed at her large mocha where the cream was melting and dripping down the sides.

‘Actually, there was one thing.’ He gestured for her to stay sitting down. ‘There’s this amazing opportunity that came up and all I need is—’

‘You are unbelievable. How can you rock up here and ask me for money?!’

‘You’ve not heard how much yet.’ Patrick seemed surprised when she got up and took her drink to the counter. He followed her and waited while the waitress swapped her drink to a takeaway cup. ‘Come on, Darla. I bet you’ve got a bit tucked away. I’ll double your money.’

‘No, apparently I’ve already got a large investment in something like cryptocurrency that’s going to make my fortune so I’m all good thanks.’ She rolled her eyes. What an idiot she’d been to think for a moment he might not be the complete wanker he’d proved himself to be.

‘Ha, you’re funny. So . . .’ He wobbled his head. ‘Will you come back to me on the cash or . . . ?’

‘No, Patrick,’ she said, taking her mocha in the to-go cup and mouthing her thanks at the waitress. ‘It’s a big fat no, and it will always be a no, so unless you have a few thousand quid for me in good old reliable cash, then please don’t ever contact me again.’

She went to turn away and he grabbed her arm and leaned in. ‘The thing is, I need some cash urgently.’

‘Not my problem. But while you’re here I would like to say that you are a total and utter wanker.’ Darla wrenched her arm free and stormed out of the coffee shop. She walked for a bit, her heart thumping. She checked over her shoulder and he wasn’t following her, which was a relief. She headed down to the quay where she and Ros had planned to meet. Once on the boat she went inside the saloon and sat for a moment with her large mocha to try and calm herself down. She was furious with Patrick but she was also cross with herself for daring to hope that he would pay up. With shaking hands she got her phone out, went into her online shopping account and changed the password. The last thing she needed was him ordering stuff on there.

The boat rocked slightly as someone boarded and she gasped. ‘It’s me,’ called out Ros.

‘Down here,’ called back Darla.