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The cat made a noise so rude that Jamie didn’t need any magical senses to understand her.

‘I know the designs aren’t right. I’ve been trying to fix them. I just don’t understand what’s wrong with them.’

Mist knocked his phone out of its stand and pawed at it.

‘Hey!’

The look she gave Jamie was enough to make him take half a step back. Who was he to be messing with her? He knew damn well she was far from an ordinary cat. She batted his phone a few more times until the screen unlocked and his address book opened.

‘How did you…?’

She gave him a look so smug that it could have turned milk into cream.

He looked down: it was Mia’s details on the screen.

‘Do you want me to call Mia and Aiden to come fetch you?’

Despite how long he’d known her, he’d never realised the cat could roll her eyes.

‘Right, so not a lift home. What else would…?’ Amrita. OK, so maybe that was the problem after all.

He didn’t totally understand her comments about the designs not being future-proofed or suitable for Sylvie. He’d included ramps and made sure there were no steps or trip hazards. He wasn’t sure what else he was supposed to have done. He’d included all the suitable green technologies he could think of – a heat pump, solar panels and net-zero construction. But he couldn’t stop thinking about what she’d said. And the niggling feeling that he was missing something that was obvious to her was driving him crazy.

‘I have to talk to her, don’t I?’

Mist butted against his hand, and he automatically petted her.

‘Right. So I should call Mia and ask her for Amrita’s number.’

Mist purred loudly.

Right. So now he had a good reason to call one of the most beautiful women he’d ever laid eyes on and talk to her. And if he focussed on his desire to do the best job possible for Mia’s future mother-in-law, he could just about kid himself that professional pride was the only reason he was so excited to talk to – and maybe see – Amrita again.

And not anything else.

Especially not the way his gift had flared when he’d shaken her hand, flooding him with images far more intense than anything he’d experienced before, or the way his heart had stepped up its rhythm when she’d glared at him and scolded him before stalking off, her hair swaying behind her like braided ebony silk. Or the way she kept popping into his thoughts whenever he let his mind wander.

No, it was definitely just professional.

Mist gave him another look – one that told him in no uncertain terms that she knew exactly what he was thinking – before jumping off the desk and scattering papers. He shook his head and dialled Mia’s number before he talked himself out of it.

‘Hey, Jamie.’ It sounded like she was smiling. ‘Is it anything urgent? Only, without wanting to be rude, I was just heading to an appointment…’

‘Sorry, Mimi. Not urgent, but hopefully quick.’ With luck, Mia being busy would work in his favour. ‘I was hoping to get in contact with Amrita. To talk about the designs for Sylvie.’

‘Riiiight. Designs. Of course. Not because you like her or anything.’

‘It’s purely professional.’

‘So I imagined you turning into a gibbering wreck in Sylvie’s kitchen?’ She giggled. ‘Honestly, J, I haven’t seen you act like that since you had a crush on the rather gorgeous Kirsty in junior school.’

‘Bloody heck, Mimi…’ He laughed. ‘You would have to bring that up!’

‘It’s not often I see you tongue-tied. It was funny!’ He could hear her moving about.

‘Do you think she noticed?’

‘Well…’ He heard her car beep. ‘Honestly, Sylvie told me about the argument. It doesn’t sound like your best ever first impression.’