‘Seriously, Freya, what will Hayley say if she finds out? I thought you were focused on your career,’ Liv continued. ‘You shouldn’t date Hayley’s client when you want her to promote you to become an agent yourself! Especially not at a conference where everyone in publishing could find out and gossip about it! And he’s so much older…’

I spun around. ‘Your boyfriend is older than you!’ I reminded Liv.

She shrugged. ‘Not ten years older. Plus, Jake is like a grown-up.’

‘And I’m not?’ I demanded. Then I sighed. ‘Actually, don’t answer that. I never feel like one, to be honest.’

‘Nor do I,’ Tessa said with sympathy. ‘I don’t think anyone will find out; they are working closely together here, right? And you both have to eat…’

‘Exactly,’ I said, nodding as I turned back to carry on with my hair. ‘It’s just dinner, Liv, don’t worry.’

‘I can’t help it. I know how much you want to be an agent one day; I don’t want this to mess that up. I hope Jake isn’t taking advantage of you. Didn’t Davis Mulberry say he likes to pretend to women he’s romantic like his books, but just uses them for sex then dumps them?’

‘Freya won’t let him do that,’ Tessa said. ‘They’re just going out tonight; it doesn’t have to lead to anything.’

I swallowed hard. ‘We can’t trust anything Davis Mulberry says,’ I mumbled.

‘I know you fancy him; I can see the lust in your eyes but…’ Liv began. Then she leaned a little bit closer. ‘You look flushed. You’re not telling us something, I can tell.’

‘God, are you a detective now?’ I snapped as I slid pins into my hair, wishing that I didn’t have a family member on this trip; Liv knew me far too well.

‘Freya,’ Liv said, giving me a look that told me to cut the BS.

I sighed. ‘Fine, fine. We have slept together,’ I admitted, turning from the mirror now my hair was finished, bracing myself for their disapproval.

There was a moment of shocked silence.

‘How was it?’ Liv and Tessa asked in unison.

I couldn’t help but smile. ‘Bloody brilliant, if I’m honest. What am I going to do?’

‘It depends if this is just a New York thing,’ Tessa said slowly. ‘If it was, would you be okay with that? I don’t want to see you getting hurt.’

Her question echoed my own thoughts and I had no idea how to answer her so I deflected. ‘Your relationship started on holiday, didn’t it?’ I asked, suddenly remembering that Tessa met her boyfriend in Paris when they inadvertently ended up having to share an Airbnb together. Liv told me all about it because it sounded like a plot of romance novel.

‘It did,’ Tessa said with a shy but happy smile.