Once, so very long ago, she had watched him like this when he came to pick her up from a date. Her stomach fluttered and burned with infatuation and desire. She would watch him walk up the path and think,'This must be love.'But that was so very long ago. Now Liz is wary and afraid. She has made a terrible mistake and it cannot be undone.Alex believes that today will be the day she comes back to him. Today will be the day his wife and young son finally come home. Today they will be a family again.But Liz knows that some things can never be mended. Some marriages are too broken. Some people are too damaged. Now the most important thing in her life is her son, Luke, and she will do anything in her power to protect him.So when Alex is a few minutes late bringing Luke back Liz begins to worry and when he is an hour late her concern grows and when he is later still she can feel her whole life changing because: what if Alex is not just late?

Nicole Trope is a former high school teacher with a Masters Degree in Children's Literature. In 2005 she was one of the winners of the Varuna Awards for Manuscript Development. Nicole has written six novels, including The Boy Under The Table, Three Hours Late, The Secrets in Silence, Hush, Little Bird and Blame.