It’s hot outside, way warmer than we’ve been used to, but that’s not why my temperature has risen quite so rapidly. My blood is boiling. We’re at his camper and as Elliott opens the door with the key, I bite the thin layer of skin on the inside of my bottom lip, working out how best to deal with the impending situation.

I knew that woman was trouble; her energy just radiates around her.

But Elliott can’t see it.

My temper is rising, like a glass of water being filled. It’s approaching the brim and as we step inside the privacy of Elliott’s camper, the water spills over and I open my mouth and the comments I’ve been bottling up spill out.

“What are you thinking? Don’t you have enough money? Why do you need to invest in such a shady deal when you could land up in prison?”

Elliott turns, the shock on his face evident. “Prison?”

“Yes Elliott. If a proposal isn’t legal that’s what tends to happen to people.” I stretch out both arms. Why can’t he see this?

“Clifford never mentioned jail. He said I needed to speak with my PR team. Which I will do. And then I’ll assess the risk to my reputation and to my bank balance. But, if the investment side is sound then I need to capitalize on these opportunities because I won’t be racing forever. Even if I am racing, I won’t be winning forever and so the pay checks will dwindle. It’s inevitable.”

So, this is about the money. It has nothing to do with the charity work he’s been killing himself with. He wants to make a quick buck and his ethical building campaign is a convenient excuse.

I shake my head. “Elliott, we don’t need the money. What you’ve got saved and invested so far is more than enough to pay for a comfortable life. You have houses we can sell if we need to. We have no use for such a large home. You said yourself; it was just an investment.”

“Yes, and what’s wrong with having more? If we don’t need to downsize because I’ve invested well, surely there's no problem?”

Oh dear. This is not a conversation we'll resolve today. It’s one of those rows that will go round in circles and escalate beyond what is sensible if we’re not careful.

“Look, let’s just draw a line under this for now and we’ll discuss it later when we’ve both had time to think about it when we’re not so tired.” I approach him and wrap my hands round his waist from behind. Our bodies move as one, both our breathing at a simultaneous increased speed. But where normally when we connect our physiques melt into one, this time, there’s an invisible barrier between us. It breaks our connection. The warm feelings I’m so used to when we’re close are missing and it’s as though my arms are wrapped around one of the trees we walked past to get to his camper.

He’s cold and distant, so I decide to give him some space, see if he can’t relocate our usual intimacy. “I’m going to head back to my quarters. I need to sleep.”

I let my arms fall to my side, but he doesn’t turn like he normally would. I wait a heartbeat, allowing him more time, willing him to turn.

He only twists on the spot when he hears my hand click on the lever of the exit. “I know you don’t like Daisy, Kyle, but business is different. Any personal feelings you have for her need to be pushed aside.”

I fling the door open and bounce down the steps before I scream in his face. That won’t help anything. But he’s so off point. He’s right in that I don’t like the woman nor her proposal. But unlike Elliott, I can’t separate my personal and business lives. If Elliott gets locked up because of money laundering then that affects my personal life. They are not individual entities.