‘I didn’t mean to sound the alarm,’ I said, instead of ‘hello’. ‘I didn’t need you to call – not if you’re busy.’

She chuckled down the line. ‘Talking voice to voice is quicker than texting,’ she replied. ‘Chill. Where are you? At the office?’

I took off my clothes as I explained I was back at the hotel and that yes, Jules really was that gorgeous. As I grabbed some complimentary water from the fridge she giggled.

‘Yeah,’ she said. ‘When I was last in New York they were even talking about him. His reputation precedes him.’

‘Oh God,’ I said. ‘Is he a shagger?’

‘Oh, two hundred per cent,’ Adzo said. ‘A divorcé who looks like that? He gets his end away with somebody different on every single trip.’

‘What?’ I gasped. ‘Even—’

‘Yeah,’ she said. ‘Fine. You caught me. We hooked up when I was there. Can you blame me?’

In my pants and vest top I crawled between the crisp hotel sheets. ‘No,’ I admitted. ‘I can’t. But I do feel silly now. I felt like he was flirting with me, a bit? Maybe?’

‘Probably!’

‘Hmmm,’ I said, wondering if I should cancel the evening. The risk of spending time with a playboy didn’t feel appealing. I wondered if I’d have more fun on my own.

‘Jules aside, though, what are you thinking?’ Adzo asked.

I stared at the ceiling. ‘One minute I think it’s the best place ever,’ I said, ‘and the next I think there’s no way I’ll leave London. It’s going to suck without you there, but do I really want to be apart from Freddie? My uni girls?’

‘Patrick?’

‘I’m trying not to let him factor in. Even though he does, obviously. But my baby sister? Yeah. She definitely sways me. I love the feeling of being somewhere new, and the possibility of leaving everything behind to be someone new, but at the same time …’

‘That’s a lot,’ she supplied.

‘Yeah. Maybe I should just be who I am, where I’m from. I can’t keep running away.’

‘Interesting,’ said Adzo, furtively. ‘Very interesting.’

‘What do you mean?’

My eyelids were getting heavy. I knew I’d nap like my life depended on it.

‘Well,’ she started. ‘Let’s just say, if you did stay in London, I might be able to help on the flat front. So don’t let money play in to your decision, okay?’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I know about a place,’ she said. ‘It’s in your budget, and it’s nice. But don’t let that sway you! Appreciate Antwerp for Antwerp.’

‘How can I do that now you’ve told me you’ve found me a place?!’