I recoil on the inside. Why the hell is he asking her for? She’s fine, stood over there throwing her warnings out. It’s me, sat here with a dead arse, he ought to be asking. I’m even more stunned when she plasters on a ridiculously fake smile and walks over to him – all straight backed with her chest thrust forward.

‘Yes, sweetie. Ava and I were just discussing the new rooms. She has some fabulous ideas.’ She rubs his shoulder.

I want to prize her fake nails off of her fingers. The bloody lying bitch! He’s not going to fall for that, surely? The satisfied smile he gives her, before turning it on me, tells me he has. The blind twat!

‘She’s good.’ he says proudly. He’s making me feel like a fucking kid.

‘Yes, very talented.’ Sarah purrs, smiling slyly at me. ‘I’ll leave you to it.’ She leans up and kisses his cheek. I burn with rage. ‘Ava, it was lovely to see you again.’

I muster up the decency to smile at the beast. ‘And you, Sarah.’

I hope she detects the insincerity in my tone; I’ve never been more insincere in my life. She leaves the room and me alone with Jesse. Why did I come here, and what role does that woman play in Jesse’s life? She’s been here every time I have. And she was at the Lusso launch too. Will I ever escape the wily cow? She wants me gone, and there is only one reason she would want that…she wants Jesse. The thought of him being with anyone else makes my heart constrict in pain, makes me want to hurt someone. I’ve never been the jealous type, nor clingy or needy. But I can feel all of these new feelings racing to the surface, swamping my entire being. I’m not comfortable with it. I’m in big trouble here – big, fucking, shitting trouble. She said Jesse isn’t the sort of man you build your dreams on. I think I already know that.

‘Let’s have a look then, lady.’ He slides down the wall next to me, reaching over for the pad. ‘Wow! I love that bed.’

‘So do I.’ I admit sullenly. The enthusiasm for my idea has been sucked right out of me.

‘What’s all this?’ He points to the canopy on the bed.

‘It’s a lattice design. All the wooden beams overlap to form a grind like affect.’

‘So you can hang things from them?’ He looks at me inquisitively.

‘Yes, like material, or lights, maybe.’ I shrug.

His mouth forms an O as he grasps my concept. ‘What colours did you have in mind?’

‘Black and gold,’

‘I love it,’ He brushes his hand over the drawing. ‘When can we start?’

Huh? ‘It’s only a draft. I have to do some mood boards, scale drawings, lighting plans, that sort of thing.’ I don’t know if I’ll be doing any of those things. I’ve fallen into a deep state of depression after being ejected from his office and warned off by Sarah. I’ve got to seriously re-think what I’m doing here. ‘Will you take me home?’

His head shoots up, his green eyes laced with concern. ‘Are you okay?’

I push my numb backside up from the floor, using every ounce of strength I have to plaster a smile – as fake as Sarah’s – onto my face. ‘I’m fine. I’ve got some work stuff to sort out for tomorrow.’ I smooth my dress down.

‘I thought you didn’t work on weekends?’

‘It’s only work-ish.’

‘-ish?’ He looks up at me with a small smile. I could cry.

‘Yes, ish,’ I shrug.

Take me home so I can think without you there to distract me with your beautiful face and body.

‘Okay,’ He gets up from the floor with ease and hands me back the pad. ‘Are you sure you’re okay?’ he presses.

I maintain my fake smile. ‘I’m fine, why wouldn’t I be?’ I fight my hand back to my side when it reaches up to grab a piece of hair.

He eyes me suspiciously. ‘Come on then.’ He takes my bag and fills my empty hand with his.

‘The tray,’

‘Pete will get it.’ He dismisses my concern and leads me out of the room, back downstairs.

I want to release my hand from his, but I don’t want to give him any reason to suspect I’m anything other than fine. It’s hard, especially when I’m the furthest away from fine that I could possibly be. The more I touch him, the more attached to him I’m becoming.

As we land in the entrance hall, Jesse glances around nervously. ‘Wait here, I need to get my phone and keys. Actually, go and get in the car. It’s open.’ I frown as he ushers me out of the door before he jogs off towards his office.

I take myself down the steps of The Manor, across the gravel to the DBS. Before I make it to the car, I hear the laughing of a certain acid tongued, pouty faced beast. I tense from top to toe and swivel on the gravel, only to find her stood at the top of the steps with Jesse.

‘Okay, sweetie. See you later.’ She reaches up and kisses his cheek. I heave. ‘Hope to see you again, Ava.’ she calls.

Her icy stare penetrates me as Jesse approaches and gives me my bag before taking my hand again. I’m put in the car, and as soon as the engine is started, my ears are invaded with Radiohead’s Creep. I smile to myself. Yes, why I’m here, is a damn good question.

Chapter 22

I leave Jesse with a chaste kiss and a look of trepidation all over his stunning face. ‘I’ll call you.’ I say casually, jumping out of his car. I can’t get away quick enough. I shut the car door and hurry up the path to Kate’s house. I don’t look back, shutting the door swiftly behind me and sagging against it.

‘Hey!’ Kate appears at the top of the stairs with a towel wrapped around her. ‘You okay?’

I can’t plaster the fake smile on anymore. ‘No,’ I admit. I’m way past being okay.

She looks at me with a mixture of confusion and sympathy. ‘Tea?’

I nod, peeling myself from the door. ‘Please don’t be too nice to me.’ I warn. Tears are threatening, and I’m willing myself to keep them under control.

I knew this would happen. Not this soon, but this nasty aching heart business was inevitable. She smiles, knowingly, and jerks her head. I drag myself up the stairs, finding her in the kitchen making tea.

I collapse in one of the mismatching chairs. ‘Has Sam gone?’

She spoons three sugars into her mug, and even though her back is turned away from me, I know she’s grinning. ‘Yeah.’ she says, way too casually.

‘Good night?’

She turns, narrowing her bright blues on me before she grins. ‘The man’s an animal!’

I scoff at her description of Sam. There’s a certain someone else I could nail that descriptor to. ‘Good?’

She pours boiling water into the mugs and adds milk. ‘He’s all right.’ She shrugs. ‘That’s enough about me. Why did you leave this morning looking like you’d had a similar night to me, and return a few hours later looking like you’ve been slapped?’ She takes a seat, handing me my tea.

I sigh. ‘I’m not going to see him again.’

‘Why?’ she cries.

I look up at a shocked, pale face. Why is she so stunned by my declaration? ‘Because Kate, without a shadow of a doubt, I’m going to get stung really nastily. He’s hazardous.’