‘Is it? I don’t know about us personally but work stuff, Freya, we should really think about it. I meant what I said that you’d make a good agent. You’re honest and loyal and you know what readers want. You gave me some bloody good advice. And I liked how you were always yourself. This…’ He gestured to me again. ‘Today, this wasn’t you. I know you don’t care what I think, that I’m nothing more than someone you work with now, but as an author, you could take my advice. I don’t think working with Hayley is the best thing for you.’

I hesitated. Jake spoke sincerely like he cared about me but I knew that he didn’t so it just made it harder to accept what he was saying. It made my heart ache for those moments back in New York when I was in his arms feeling like there was just us two in the world together. Now, I had woken up from that dream. Now, the world was very much in between us.

‘Hayley is successful,’ I said, shaking my head. ‘She wants to help me be successful too.’

‘Does she, though?’ Jake countered. ‘She certainly was comfortable with taking credit for your work back in there. Does that seem like someone who wants to support and guide you? Just be careful, Freya. Whatever you think of me, I don’t want Hayley to treat you badly.’

‘Why are you making me feel like I’ve done something wrong?’ I asked, hoping I wouldn’t start crying.

‘Freya…’ Jake lifted his arm like he was going to touch me but then he hastily put his hand back down. ‘I’m trying to get you to see that you should be yourself. Remember how you pushed me in New York? You wanted me to be honest. And you were right. I’m trying to do the same for you here. Be honest with yourself about what you really want. Do you want to be like Hayley, or do you want to be yourself? Who was the one who fixed my career, by the way. Remember that, okay? You did it, not Hayley.’

My body suddenly craved his touch all over again. I wanted to crawl back into his embrace and let him hold me and make it all okay. But I knew that was impossible. Jake was making it really hard for me not to miss what we had together the past few days. Suddenly, all the confidence I had summoned before our meeting felt like it had been sucked out of me.

‘I don’t know what I can do,’ I admitted, my anger fading fast. I had given him some home truths and that was what he was doing for me. I couldn’t be annoyed about that. And what if he was right?