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‘I owe you hugely for this,’ he told her earnestly as he finally, finally locked the bakery up.

‘No, you don’t. I’m not interested in collecting any more favours from you.’

‘Right, of course. Phillip.’

She fell into step alongside him. ‘I meant I’m not really interested in counting favours between friends.’

‘I like that.’ He flung his arm around her shoulder and she squeezed him briefly round the waist. ‘Where’s your car?’

‘At home.’

‘You’re planning on walking?’

She pulled away from him and twisted weirdly, ending up spinning in a circle.

‘What are you doing?’

‘Checking to see if my wings had grown in yet. I had a patient call me an angel the other day, and you seem to think walking isn’t my only option.’

‘Haha. Come on.’ He fell back into step with her. ‘I’ll walk you home.’

‘You need to get home and sleep yourself. And this is Hudsbury.’

‘I’d feel a lot better if you let me see you home safely.’ Mia didn’t complain as they crossed the town square, so Aiden assumed she was OK with his company, but he wanted to reassure her. ‘Just to your door. I won’t make things awkward. I know you’re looking forward to your next date with maybe-prince Phillip.’

‘I didn’t think you’d try anything,’ Mia told him honestly.

It really was an odd thing to him, having such a normal conversation with a woman he’d had sex with – but he was glad she still trusted him as a friend. He realised with a guilty start that he hadn’t been listening.

‘Sorry, I missed that.’

‘You look like you’re miles away.’

‘Halfway to being asleep.’ That was probably why the streetlights seemed to be glowing softly pink, instead of their usual bright white, making the walk seem almost romantic. It might have been, if they’d not been talking about her dates with another man.

‘Which is even more reason why you don’t need to walk with me.’

‘We’re nearly there. No point leaving a job half done. Besides, if my ma found out I let a pretty girl walk herself home at this time of night – especially after she’d been helping me – she’d give me hell.’

‘I like the sound of your ma.’ Mia giggled again. ‘But, you know, you could just not tell her.’

‘Oh, she’d find out. She always seems to know what I’m up to, even when I’d much rather she didn’t. And she doesn’t hold back when she’s annoyed with me.’

‘The bike or your dating habits?’

‘Hmm?’

‘I was wondering which one got you in the most trouble. If it were my mum, those would probably be highest on her worry list.’

‘She’s never loved the bike,’ he admitted. ‘And I don’t think she knows about my… dating habits. Anyway, yours are more interesting than mine. When are you seeing Prince-wannabe again?’

‘In fewer hours than I would have liked.’

‘You’re seeing him today? Mia, you should have said.’

‘Why? So you could have sent me home earlier for beauty sleep?’

‘Yes.’