“I can do that for you.” I sound like a little girl promising a parent to be better after a scolding. Watery, sniffly and very vulnerable. Alexi is treating me with kid gloves and brushes my tears away softly.

“I never doubted it.” He kisses me on the tip of my nose, pulling a smile from me unexpectedly. Such a goofy and weirdly sweet kiss, and I give him one last cuddle, wiping my face as I do so on the back of my hand.

The car pulls to a sudden stop, and Alexi deposits ...