When she came out of the shower and opened the wardrobe, she found another beautiful dress, black this time, along with matching shoes. Tied to the hanger was a little evening bag. She looked inside and found a box containing a matching necklace and earrings. Costume jewellery, she told herself as she studied the sparkling stones, the colour of sapphires, set in a gold-coloured metal. The dress fitted, flattering her curves rather than making her feel chubby. James has quite an eye for clothes, she thought, but then she remembered he’d studied fashion design at university, and worked for a number of clothing manufacturers before he’d tired of the industry and decided he wanted to do something in the community that would also use his business skills.

She slipped her feet into the sparkly high heels and studied herself in the mirror, turning this way and that, amazed at the transformation a nice outfit could make. Aware that her half-hour must nearly be up, she dried her hair and applied a bit of make-up, just enough to add a touch of glamour to her face and hide the shadows beneath her eyes.

James knocked on the door as she was adding the last flicks of mascara to her lashes. ‘Nearly ready,’ she called, before slipping the evening bag over her shoulder and opening the door.

His eyes scanned her body, up and down and up again. He gave a low whistle. ‘Looking gorgeous, Sara.’ He grinned at her. ‘I knew that dress was just right for you the minute I saw it. Perfect. And I know I’ve put you in a difficult situation, asking you to come here with me, but does the dress help make up for it?’

A rush of emotion glued her lips together, the genuine look of appreciation on his face unexpected. She wasn’t used to compliments. Not any more. She’d been with Matt so long now she didn’t think he even noticed what she was wearing, let alone whether she looked good or not.

James gave a little bow and offered her his arm, and she took it, welcoming the extra support as she struggled to get the hang of walking in the high heels. But she felt good. She really did. And it was wonderful to be appreciated. Am I that shallow? she wondered as she stepped into the lift. When the doors closed, she was aware of the proximity of him, the delicious smell of his aftershave, the warmth of his body next to hers. She inched away, reminding herself that there were boundaries that must not be crossed, because that would surely undermine everything she had built. This was business. And somehow she had to move the conversation round to their deal, tell him that things had changed.