Minnie looked up at him. His playful tone was gone; the sparkling blue of his eyes clouded over by a film of grey.

‘You don’t need to explain, and you didn’t need to bail me out either,’ she said.

The dynamic between them felt so different. Doing deliveries together they’d been equals, they’d joked around. Now he was a client and a very generous one at that. Sitting opposite him in this apartment-sized office, she didn’t feel like an equal any more, she felt like the hired help.

‘I know,’ said Quinn, a slight frown creasing between his dark brows. Just looking across at him, with his dimpled smile and his strong long legs in those tailor-made trousers, Minnie felt the owls in her stomach waking up, ruffling their wings.

‘And I don’t need you pimping me out to your friends,’ she said haughtily. ‘I didn’t set up my business to cook for rich city boys.’

She got to her feet and started pacing back and forth behind the sofa.

‘Wow,’ said Quinn, putting his hands behind his head and stretching his legs out in front of him. ‘You know it makes you walk slightly off centre?’

‘What?’

‘The massive chip you carry around on your shoulder.’

Minnie’s mouth dropped open. Ingrained resentments bubbled up inside her, her mother’s voice in her head like a dripping tap she couldn’t turn off.

‘I don’t have a chip on my shoulder. I’m just saying this kind of gig isn’t what I set out to do. If I’d wanted to cook for entitled men in suits, I’d have stayed in the restaurant business.’

Quinn laughed, brushing a hand through his sandy-brown hair.

‘I can see why your business isn’t thriving if this is the rapport you have with clients.’

‘Excuse me?’ Minnie said, her fists on her hips. Quinn stood up and walked around behind the back of the sofa towards her.

‘Look, your pies are good. You clearly have a market, yet you’re not making money – evidently you’re doing something wrong.’

‘Thank you, but I don’t need you to management-consultancy me.’

‘Why not?’ Quinn spread out his arms in an exaggerated shrug. ‘I charge five hundred pounds an hour and I’m offering you free advice. It’s sheer petulance not to take it.’

Minnie felt her face grow red, her chin jutting forward.

‘Is that the way you speak to all your clients?’

Quinn took a step towards her. Minnie stepped backwards towards the wall. She had that strange feeling again, except this time more intensely. Almost as though he was moving in to kiss her. Of course her brain knew he wasn’t, but her body felt as though he was and it sent a heady mixture of indignation and anticipation pumping through her veins.