I took a sip of wine. ‘And then there’s the question of why should I help save the career of a man who is completely ungrateful about it? If he hates romance, then readers should bloody hate him.’

‘I’m as passionate about romance as you but I think Hayley is right. You need to think about yourself and your career. If she’s seeing this trip as a chance for you to prove to her you can be an agent yourself one day, then you should go ahead and prove it to her,’ Liv replied.

Worry hit me instantly. Could I prove it to her? ‘What if I can’t, though? Jake Richards not only broke my heart when he slagged off romance books, but half the romance community is boycotting his books now.’

‘Well, that should make you feel far less intimidated by him,’ Liv said firmly.

‘What do you mean?’

‘It’s last chance saloon for his writing career so he should be on his knees begging you to help him. He should be intimidated by you. You are there to help him. You have the control here; he doesn’t.’

‘Wow. Maybe I should see it like that,’ I mused. ‘But I bet he can’t believe Hayley has asked me to go with him. I’m ten years younger, inexperienced at this job, a nobody…’

‘Then you’ll just have to show him you are a somebody. Which you are! Like me.’ She winked.

‘So humble,’ I told her but I smiled. Liv’s cheerleading of me was helping to raise my confidence ever so slightly. ‘You’re right, though; this is for my career so I need to focus on that and how I can somehow turn the tide from everyone being against Jake Richards to being for him again – and not about what he thinks of me.’

‘We do not care what he thinks of you,’ Liv agreed, raising her wine glass. I clinked mine against hers in agreement. ‘And to think we’ll be going to New York finally, after all the times we’ve watched Serendipity.’

I smiled; it was one of our favourite Christmas films and was set in New York. We were a family who watched the same festive movies every year.

‘And I’m staying in the hotel from it!’

‘Oh my God, I need to book me and Jake in there too,’ I said, my eyes lighting up.

Liv clapped her hands. ‘Yes! It will be so much fun.’

‘I’ve always wanted to see the city; I can’t let being there with Jake take all the excitement away for me.’

‘You can make this trip what you want, Freya; you always find the light in whatever you do.’

‘Aw, Liv, that’s so sweet.’