Jacinta swizzled the straw around in her strawberry milkshake, staring blankly at the bubbles.

‘Don’t you like it?’ her father asked. ‘We can get something else.’

The girl shook her head. ‘It’s fine.’

‘How’s school?’ he said, hoping his daughter would give more than a one-word reply.

They were sitting at a booth at the far end of the Cupcake Cafe, which was busy with parents and children getting snacks after school. A small boy, no more than four years old, began to wail. Jacinta watched him, wondering if he was about to launch into full tantrum mode, but his mother shoved an ice-cream into his hand and he stopped the performance.

‘Earth to Jacinta,’ her father said, waving a hand in front of her face.

‘School’s fine,’ she replied, returning her attention to the frothy pink drink in front of her.

Neville racked his brain, trying to remember something that his daughter was interested in. ‘How’s your dancing going?’

‘It’s gymnastics and acrobatics, not dancing,’ Jacinta said without looking up. ‘I was the Junior National Champion, not that you would know seeing as though you didn’t even bother to watch me compete. You know, I was the only child without any family members there to support me. Thank goodness for Mrs Howard and Miss Wall.’

Neville swept his hand through his hair. ‘Of course I remember, sweetheart. We sent you a huge bouquet of flowers afterwards. Your mother and I were so proud.’

Jacinta shook her head. ‘Wrong again. You and Mummy were at Cannes Film Festival. Your assistant, Bridget, sent me the flowers.’

Neville groaned inwardly. ‘Look, Jacinta, I acknowledge I’ve been a less-than-ideal father and I apologise for that, but I want to make it up to you,’ he said, reaching across the table and taking her hands in his. ‘I want things to be different between us going forward. Better.’

‘Why now?’ The girl sat back and folded her arms across her chest. ‘You’ve never been interested in me. What’s changed?’

Neville rested his elbows on the table and cradled his chin in his hands. ‘I suppose you get older and people you love aren’t around any more and it makes you think about what’s important … I miss you and your mother. I want us to be a family again.’

‘We’ve never been a family,’ Jacinta said, her brow furrowing. ‘You and Mummy dumped me in boarding school as soon as I was old enough and hardly ever came to get me for the holidays. When I did go home, I was left with the nanny or your PA. Although there was that one time that the PA thought I was with the nanny and vice versa and I ended up staying home on my own for three days before Great-Aunt Minnie called in and realised that no one was looking after me. How is she, by the way?’

Neville coughed and covered his mouth. ‘She’s fine. Sends her regards,’ he mumbled, taking a sip of his espresso.

‘She must be ancient by now,’ Jacinta said. ‘I remember she smelt funny – like pine trees.’

‘You know I never meant to hurt you and I was always thinking of you, sweetheart,’ the man said. ‘You’ve got to let it go. Holding on to past resentments isn’t good for you.’

Jacinta sighed. ‘I have every right to be angry. You’ve been an awful father.’

Neville could feel a trickle of perspiration running down the back of his neck. He clenched his teeth. ‘You’re right. I was a terrible father.’

‘And husband,’ Jacinta added.

‘I thought Ambrosia deserved better,’ the man said.

Jacinta rolled her eyes. ‘No, you didn’t. You dumped Mummy on your anniversary and then you stopped paying for me as soon as she got a job,’ she said, and took a sip of her milkshake.

‘Okay, so my timing was off, but I was in a bad place,’ Neville pleaded. ‘I’d just done the biggest deal of my life and I didn’t know what was next. I felt lost and your mother was so obsessed with being at all the premiere parties and events … I was tired and I just wanted a break from it all,’ the man said with a sigh. ‘It was impossible to keep up with her.’

It sounded like one excuse after the other and, frankly, Jacinta had heard enough. ‘Could you take me back to school, please?’ she asked.

Neville looked crestfallen. ‘Oh, I thought we could go to Claude’s over in Downsfordvale for dinner, seeing that the Middle Eastern place in Winchesterfield burned down. I have permission from Mrs Clark.’

Jacinta finished her milkshake with a loud slurp and stood up. ‘It’s Mrs Clarkson, and the fire is the reason I have to get back. We’re organising a fundraiser for the Abbouds to help rebuild their house and business.’

Neville’s brow furrowed. ‘Why? I don’t pay school fees for you to spend your time working on charity events.’

‘You don’t pay my school fees, full stop,’ the girl retorted. ‘Mummy does and she thinks it’s a wonderful idea. I can’t believe you haven’t even asked about the fire.’

‘What about it?’ Neville said, then slapped his forehead. ‘You were there, weren’t you? Sorry, I’ve just got a lot of things on my mind at the moment.’

‘Yes, I was there,’ Jacinta said, standing up. ‘We’re organising a concert, but it’s sort of more like a festival with lots of activities. I’m in charge of the face painting and I thought we might have a balloon artist and a couple of craft tents to keep the little kids entertained. And I need to talk to Lucas and see if his father has any contacts with some of the performers on our wish list.’

Neville was incredulous. ‘You’re going to do all that? At least get my PA, Trista, to help you.’

Jacinta wondered what fate had befallen Bridget, her father’s previous assistant, who had babysat her more times than she’d seen her own father. The pair hopped into Neville’s shiny Aston Martin that was parked outside the cafe.

‘I know you’re angry with me, sweetheart, but you have to believe me when I say I’m a changed man,’ Neville said as he fired up the engine. ‘Your mother and I are going out for dinner tomorrow night and I’ll be back again on the weekend to take you to sport or out for lunch – you can just let me know what you’d like. And I meant it about Trista helping with your fundraiser.’

Jacinta looked over at him and remembered what Alice-Miranda had said. You can only take people as you find them. ‘Thanks, Dad,’ she said quietly.

‘My pleasure.’ Neville smiled across at his daughter. ‘I promise you, Jacinta, we’re going to be a family again. You just wait and see.’