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‘Really? The steaks are great here.’

‘Chicken’s fine,’ Evelyn replied, already questioning her decision.

‘OK.’ Jake shrugged. ‘Any starters? Sides?’

‘Oh no, not for me thanks.’ Evelyn heard herself answer while part of her was wondering what she was thinking and saying.

‘So your entire meal plan, with wine, is a bit of chicken and some rabbit food?’ Jake fixed her with that look again, and Evelyn could feel the colour rising in her cheeks. ‘Obviously you should order whatever you want, but Evelyn?’ He leaned forward.

‘Yes?’ She was immediately annoyed at the slight breathlessness in her voice, and hoped Jake hadn’t noticed it.

‘Is that really what you want? It’s not the type of food you ordered last time.’ When she didn’t answer, he pushed the question. ‘If you were here with Summer or Linda, celebrating a new job, is that what you’d be ordering?’

‘Probably not,’ Evelyn admitted.

‘So what would you order?’

She pursed her lips, before giving in to Jake’s contagious grin. ‘Medium-rare rib-eye, mushrooms, jacket potato and green veg.’

‘Sure you don’t want that?’ The glint in his eyes told Evelyn he already knew the answer.

‘You’re incorrigible.’ She laughed.

‘Is that a yes?’

‘Yes, please.’ She continued laughing. ‘And maybe split an order of the onion rings?’

‘Finally! The real you.’ He laughed, rattled off the order to the patient waitress, and turned back to Evelyn. ‘Would you do me a favour?’

‘I owe you more than one favour, Jake.’ Evelyn remembered the joy on Summer’s face when Tilly finally recovered.

‘Do me this one, and we’ll call it even. OK?’ He waited for her nod. ‘Don’t take this the wrong way, but would you just try to relax and be yourself? Eat what you want, drink what you want, say what you want and don’t worry about offending me. I like you, Evelyn. I want us to have fun tonight, and not worry about trying to impress each other. Or anything else. OK?’

Evelyn took another swig of her drink while she considered Jake’s request. It was so different from the perfectly coiffed and polished behaviour her ex had preferred that his request was alien. But Jake seemed so honest and genuine that she found herself nodding. ‘OK.’

Jake watched as Evelyn ran her spoon around her dish and scooped out the last bit of chocolate mousse that clung to the edges. ‘That was absolutely delicious.’ She licked the last morsels from her spoon with such open, unabashed enjoyment that Jake had to swallow hard and remind himself he was a gentleman. For a few moments he’d been glad they were in a public place, because it made it that much easier not to grab her and kiss her as thoroughly as he wanted to.

‘Would you like anything else? A coffee, maybe?’ He’d enjoyed every moment with her so far, and really wanted to continue their date.

‘No, I’m all right thank you.’

‘Film?’

Evelyn wriggled slightly in her chair. ‘I think I’d rather head back to Broclington, if that’s all right with you?’

‘Of course, whatever you like.’ He signalled for the bill, trying to hide his disappointment.

‘I’m just going to freshen up.’ Evelyn stood and grabbed her bag. ‘Don’t you pay the bill. This one’s on me.’

‘Absolutely not. I asked you out, there’s no way I’m letting you pay.’

‘Please Jake, I owe you this.’ She rested one hand on a slim hip, and her lips came together in a small frown that he instantly wanted to kiss away.

‘You’re not going to win this one, Evelyn. So thank you for your offer, but no.’

‘Thank you.’ She placed a quick kiss on his cheek and sashayed to the ladies’ room, with Jake’s eyes tracking her movement.

He could still feel the slight tingle of her lips against his cheek as he settled the bill, and tried to work out how to convince her to stay out a little longer. Obviously she’d be thinking about Summer, but even she had pleaded that Evelyn shouldn’t race home. He planned on doing everything he could to extend this date.