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‘Yeah.’

‘Mind if I use your bathroom?’

‘Sure. Through the kitchen.’

‘Thanks.’

By the time he was done, she was in the kitchen. ‘Did you… um… want a drink or anything?’ She blushed, turning a gorgeous shade of pink that he found utterly adorable.

‘I should get going.’ He pulled a face. ‘I sort of have dinner plans.’

‘Oh. OK.’

‘It’s not a big deal, just a meal at home.’ He wanted to reassure her. ‘But I already promised.’

‘I didn’t ask, but OK.’

‘I know, but I just wanted you to know that it’s not a date or anything like that. I would stay if I hadn’t already committed myself elsewhere.’

‘You don’t need to explain.’ Mia smiled reassuringly. ‘It was just sex. Really, really good sex and exactly what I needed. But still just sex.’

‘You’re sure we’re good?’ He didn’t usually worry, but he didn’t usually shag friends for exactly this reason.

‘Yes. Are you?’

‘Yeah.’ He nodded. ‘Do you remember that favour I mentioned?’

‘The reiki?’ she asked.

‘Yeah. Would you still be up for it?’

‘Of course.’

‘Great. I’ll message you.’

‘OK.’ She shook her head, an odd look crossing her face.

‘What?’

‘Just thinking how surreal it is to be having such a normal conversation given what we were doing a few minutes ago. Is it usually like this?’

‘Discussing reiki sessions and dinner plans?’ He chuckled. ‘No. Not usually. I should probably get going.’

‘Yeah.’ Mia nodded and he followed her back to the small hallway. ‘See you next week.’ She leaned close and placed a kiss on his cheek. ‘Thanks, Aiden. Have a good weekend.’

‘You too, Princess.’ He kissed her back – another gentle, polite kiss between friends – and strolled back to where he’d left his bike, grinning the whole time.

He didn’t spot that his familiar, usually well-behaved shadow escaped for a few moments to do a jubilant hop, skip and heel kick before resuming its traditional role.

6

Aiden made the best of his few days off, working on jobs that had piled up in his ma’s little house – the ones he’d been meaning to get to for ages. Now, the kitchen door no longer squeaked, his bedroom door was rehung to actually shut again, and the trim was repainted. He’d spent hours in the garden with his ma – partly helping her, and partly stripping and servicing his bike.

Basically, plenty of things to keep busy to avoid thinking about Mia – or messaging her anything other than the usual polite pleasantries and jokes. Even so, he was tempted, and had opened the app more than once to start writing messages he really shouldn’t send. And he’d spent too many hours too late into the night trying to read, or doomscrolling, while trying not to think about her.

So he was more than a little tired when he walked into Glimmers, earbuds in and blasting music loud enough to hopefully wake him up and rattle some sense into his brain. He went through his usual tasks on autopilot: feeding Rayenne’s garden birds, and Mist, and getting the store ready to open.

He jumped when Rayenne rested her hand on his shoulder – the same spot that had been irritatingly itchy the last few days with an invisible pimple. ‘Good morning.’