We met Jake around the corner from his publisher’s office outside a Starbucks. It was a warm summer’s day and my suit was making me hot and bothered. When I saw him standing there, hands in his pockets, the sun beaming down on his dark hair, I felt decidedly sweaty. Jake was in a linen suit and his facial hair was slightly scruffy. Annoyingly, it suited him as much as when he had it styled to perfection.

‘Jake,’ Hayley said, giving his hand a firm shake. ‘Ready to give them hell?’ she asked, her eyes twinkling.

‘Lead the way,’ Jake replied, but didn’t return her smile. He glanced at me and did the same double take Hayley had done. ‘Freya?’ he said, but it sounded like a question.

I nodded. ‘Hi, Jake,’ I said, keeping my eyes on a spot just over his shoulder so we didn’t make full eye contact. That might have made my new cool, calm demeanour crumble.

‘Enough chit-chat,’ Hayley said. ‘We need to be on time.’ She set off but Jake kept looking at me.

‘What?’ I said, uncomfortable at his scrutiny, snapping my eyes onto his for a second. I felt a jolt of electricity that I tried desperately to ignore.

‘Nothing.’ Jake shook his head and set off after Hayley, shoving his hands into his pockets.

I sighed but hurried after them, wondering how things had got so awkward between us so fast. This man had been naked in my bed but now we were barely speaking. I hated it but I tried to push the memories of New York out of my mind. I had to focus right now. I just needed to be the consummate professional in this meeting, and then get out and hopefully never be in such close contact with Jake Richards ever again.

His publishing company was in a Victorian building in the city. They had published some of my favourite books and this was my first time inside. There was a delicious old-book smell and the walls were lined with them as we were walked across the open-plan office floor by the receptionist and shown into the boardroom to wait for the team that looked after Jake’s books. There were old sash windows and the floor was polished wood: a nice change from the usual carpet tiles in offices. The long, shiny, wooden table had been laid out with water for us, plates of cakes and biscuits and Jake’s books scattered around. On the TV screen at one end was a presentation ready to be played.

‘Jake! Hayley!’ A man in a grey suit with strawberry-blond hair walked in, followed by four other people. ‘It’s a pleasure to see you both again.’