Kate glanced back at him, quickly, like she wasn't supposed to be doing that, before nodding a few times at her dad.

"Uh huh. We'll be right down." Pause. "Food, yay."

Oh look, someone was trying too hard.

Max looked from one to the other, then shook his head and shrugged. "Okay," he said, turning to leave, but before he did... "Kate? A word, later."

And with those ominous words, he exited. Kate felt like collapsing.