‘No,’ he snapped at me. I raised an eyebrow and he spoke again in a calmer tone. ‘It just made me realise how I’ve changed these past few months.’ He coughed and ran a hand through his hair. ‘It’s been a difficult time.’

‘Because of the article?’ I asked curiously.

‘Because of what led up to me telling Davis those things.’ He looked across at me. ‘I suppose I’ve always kept business apart from my personal life, but you met me at a very low point. I was angry and bitter and hurt. I guess I leaned even more into shutting everyone and everything out.’

Curiosity flooded through my veins again. What had happened in his personal life that lead to Kelly publishing that article? Why was it better for the world to believe that he hated romance books? ‘Why do you find it so hard to open up?’ I asked him.

‘Maybe no one has encouraged me to do so before. You find it easy to open up, don’t you?’

I was startled by the direct question. I looked over at him and our eyes met. He asked the question confidently, like he already knew me. I half liked it, and was half annoyed that I didn’t feel the same about him. ‘I suppose I have always worn my heart on my sleeve. But I’m trying harder not to… Since I moved to London and got this job with Hayley, I want to be more professional, less honest and stop saying exactly what I think.’

‘Why would you want to do that?’

‘Shouldn’t I be more professional?’

‘Well, maybe talking about your romantic life in the office isn’t always the best idea.’ He grinned at me and I shook my head, my cheeks turning a little bit pink remembering what he had overheard that day. ‘But you should be yourself, okay?’

Jake seemed sincere but it was strange that he was so keen for me to stay honest when he hadn’t been. ‘Maybe you should take your own advice,’ I suggested.

‘Maybe you’ll rub off on me,’ he replied, a smile playing on his lips.

I shook my head but I couldn’t help smiling back. He was still infuriatingly silent on why he said those things about romance but he had admitted it all had made him different these past few months. And it made me want to find out who the true Jake was even more.

14

We passed by the edge of Central Park then, and I looked at the buildings towering above green trees. ‘I’ve seen this city so much in films or read about it books; I’ve always wanted to be here. It feels somehow so familiar. Like I already know it,’ I said as we walked side by side.