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‘Yeah, she’s all about being sensible in your love life,’ Robin added.

Sienna raised an eyebrow. ‘Yes. It’s much less fun than your daughter’s show.’

Robin thought that was a crack for a moment. But then she realised that Sienna was actually being kind, talking Robin up for her mother.

Robin realised she needed to stop waiting for an attack. She and Sienna had had their moments. But she wasn’t a nasty person, not really. She wouldn’t have sat down if she was.

‘Are you attached, Sienna?’ Brenda asked.

‘Attached?’ Robin muttered to herself, feeling a spike of panic in her chest. Mum, please, do not do this.

‘Just me, currently,’ Sienna said smoothly, taking a menu from the waiter. ‘Though I do have an African Grey parrot named Barnaby who keeps me company.’

Robin quickly focused on the bird rather than Sienna’s singleness. ‘You have a parrot?’

Sienna flicked her dark eyes toward Robin. ‘Yep. Got him from a rescue. Used to belong to a drug dealer who went to prison.’

Robin laughed, delighted. ‘Does he talk?’

‘Unfortunately,’ Sienna added. ‘He picked up a lot of phrases from his former owner, so I often hear about his price list and where he stashed his cash.’

‘Christ, have you been round to check the place in case the police missed it?’ Robin laughed.

‘The thought had crossed my mind,’ Sienna said with a light smile.

Robin stared at her, her heart doing a stupid, fluttering thing. She really needed to get a grip.

‘Pets are such a comfort,’ Brenda said.

Robin gave Sienna a secret eye roll at her mother bypassing the joke. Sienna stifled a laugh as her tea arrived.

‘Robin’s always had dogs, haven’t you, sweetie? She’s got her Jack Russell cross, Kiki, at home now. I bought her first dog when her father ran off.’

Robin’s smile instantly vanished. ‘Mum—’

‘She was only eight,’ Brenda carried on breezily, completely oblivious to Robin’s discomfort. She leaned in toward Sienna like she was sharing a secret over the garden fence. ‘Her father was an absolute nightmare. A terrible womaniser. Left us for a twenty-two-year-old till girl and cleared out the joint account on his way out the door.’

‘Mum, stop,’ Robin hissed, her face burning a deep crimson. Laying out her family’s tacky laundry in front of Sienna Vance was a living nightmare.

‘It’s not our shame, darling!’ Brenda said, patting Robin’s arm dismissively. She turned back to Sienna. ‘But it obviously left a mark. I think it’s why she could only ever stick with a dog. Needed something loyal in the house for once, didn’t you?’

‘If you see a waiter, could you ask him for a knife to cut out her vocal cords?’ Robin asked Sienna, nodding to her mother.

Sienna smiled. ‘We’ve all got our stuff,’ she said amiably.

‘Do tell,’ Brenda said.

‘Mother! Jesus!’ Robin cried.

‘Well, my mother was very cold,’ Sienna said evenly, taking a sip of her tea.

‘Oh no,’ Brenda cried in sincere distress. ‘Didn’t hug you much?’

Sienna shook her head. ‘Never.’

‘That’s terrible, Sienna. I’m so sorry,’ Brenda said, touching Sienna on the arm.

Sienna smiled. ‘Thank you.’