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‘Hell, in five minutes. Got to go.’
    He snapped his laptop shut, glanced at his phone and was halfway out of the door before asking, ‘What are you doing home anyway?’
    Ellie shrugged. Now was not the right moment to break the bad redundancy news. ‘Tell you later. Hope they sign on the dotted line.’
    ‘Thanks. See you about six then.’
    But it was gone seven when Rod arrived home that evening. Ellie had set the table, lit a couple of candles and generally tried to make the apartment as cosy as she could for an intimate dinner before she told Rod about losing her job. The coq au vin, though, was in danger of becoming dehydrated despite the extra half bottle of merlot she’d poured over it.
    Ellie took one look at Rod’s face as he saw the table and the candles and knew there was something wrong.
    ‘This is a bit OTT for a Monday evening, isn’t it? We celebrating something?’ he asked.
    ‘No. I just had time today so I thought I’d spoil us both with a nice dinner. It’s been ages since we had an evening like this,’ Ellie said, handing him a glass of wine. As they chinked glasses, she said, ‘Not since the first month of me moving into the flat really. We’ve both been too busy.’
    ‘And today you’re not?’
    ‘No. I’m redundant,’ Ellie said, wishing she’d waited a bit longer before announcing it so bluntly, but the words had come out of her mouth of their own accord.
    ‘Ah. Well I’ve got some job news too.’
    ‘Oh god – you’re not redundant too?’ If he was, the flat would definitely have to go. No way could they afford to keep it on. ‘What are we going to do?’
    ‘I’ve been promoted to Branch Manager.’
    ‘Oh that’s brilliant,’ Ellie said, raising her glass in a toast. Judging by the long hours Rod had been putting in recently, she’d guessed the housing market was picking up. The prestigious estate agency he worked for must have realised how good he was at selling houses. At least he’d be earning more money while she found another job. ‘Which branch?’
    ‘Manchester.’
    ‘Where?’
    ‘Manchester.’
    Ellie waved her hand in disbelief. ‘I heard you the first time.’ She picked up the merlot bottle and topped up her glass. ‘When did this all kick off?’
    ‘Couple of weeks ago. Nothing definite until this week.’
    ‘Why didn’t you tell me before?’
    ‘No point until I knew for definite.’
    ‘When do you start?’
    ‘First of the month.’
    ‘That’s less than a fortnight away.’
    Rod nodded. ‘Yep. Lot of things to sort before then.’
    ‘But I don’t want to live in Manchester.’ Ellie took a drink of her wine as the silence between them lengthened.
    ‘You’re not coming,’ Rod said flatly. ‘You just have to move out of here.’
    ‘What?’
    ‘You couldn’t afford the rent without me even if you were working. Now you’re redundant,’ Rod shrugged.
    ‘But what about us? Are we breaking up because you’re moving to Manchester? Or were you taking the opportunity to break up with me?’
    Rod’s silence and the look on his face confirmed Ellie had hit on the truth with her last question.
    ‘Why didn’t you tell me straight? I thought you loved me? We could have talked – still can.’
    This time Rod did answer her. ‘No point. I’ve met someone else who is coming to Manchester with me.’

CHAPTER SIX
    BB
    Being a sociable kind of man, when Braxton Brael saw the woman from the kiosk and the captain of the
Queen of the River
in the hotel bar when he walked in, he didn’t hesitate to stroll over and say ‘Hi. Can I buy you guys a drink?’
    Sabine shook her head and smiled at him. ‘Not for me, thanks. Got things to do when I get home. Too many glasses of wine and I’ll be asleep.’
    ‘Half a lager for me would be very nice of you,’ Owen said.
    Braxton turned to the barman and ordered two lagers. ‘There you go, Skipper. Have to tell you how much I enjoyed my jaunt up the river. Learnt a lot from your