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“What are you trying to do to me?” She asked her brother. “Is this you saying you want us to get together?”

She couldn’t see any other reason for it.

Her hands shook as she messaged Luke.

We’ve got a reservation at Per Se for 7pm. A x

Yes, she added the kiss, because it looked pointed not to, now. And fine, also because she enjoyed flirting with him.

His message pinged back five minutes later.

Per what?

PS I see we’re still kissing?

As if it imagined his mouth there, her tongue swept across her lips.

Per Se is a fancy restaurant. Stupidly expensive. A x

This time his reply came straight back.

This is a joke, yes?

She took a photo of the message Colin had written and pinged it back with a comment.

No joke. Note behind advent window says Colin’s paid already. A x

His messages buzzed a second later.

Guess the jacket will get another wear.

PS you need to stop kissing me. I’ll get the wrong idea.

PPS Take it easy on me tonight. Wear something that covers your legs.

PPPS And nothing low cut.

PPPPS Your brother is torturing me.

Torturing us both, she thought, slipping her phone into her pocket.

She’d need to find herself something to wear again. Maybe she’d combine a visit to her patients with one to her studio and rummage through her wardrobe there because aside from last night’s dress, all she had here were leggings, Christmas sweaters. And the suit she’d worn to Colin’s funeral.

When she’d packed to take care of her dying brother in his last few weeks, she’d not anticipated doing any fine dining. Or wanting to look good for Colin’s stony-faced friend.

She was on her way out of the building when she bumped into Pearl coming the other way.

“Hi honey, how are you?”

She smiled at her neighbor, who looked glamorous in a pair of flared red velvet trousers and a flowing long black cardigan. “Good, thank you.”

Pearl winked. “Still sharing your brother’s place with his dishy friend?”

She felt way too unbalanced to discuss Luke Harris. “If you mean the tall guy who doesn’t talk much, yes.”

“That’s the same tall guy with big capable hands and a taut, nicely rounded butt?” Pearl countered, a wicked gleam in her eye.

“Maybe.” Anna shifted awkwardly. “Sorry, but I have to go.”