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Adriano told me about property developers and the tension rising between them and local businesses like his.

When José was rambling on about his projects, why didn’t I think to check whether his Burgau ambitions lay anywhere in the vicinity of the surf shop?

I would have cut the date short as soon as I found that out, fully aware that I might be jeopardising my relationship with my interviewee and his family.

Why didn’t I put two and two together?!

I was daydreaming about Leo. That’s why. My stupid little crush has caused me a major professional slip up. But it’s not too late to save it.

Pushing my chair back, I stand up.

‘I’m sorry, José, I have to go.’

He looks up at me in surprise. ‘What?’

‘Thank you for such a wonderful evening, but I won’t be able to see you again like this,’ I say, picking up my bag and looping the delicate strap over my shoulder. ‘You know how I mentioned I was out here to interview a surfer? That was the surfer.’

‘You’re writing an article on Leo Silva.’ He sits back, unimpressed.

‘I hope you understand that I can’t do anything to upset him. It’s important that we’re on good terms otherwise he might not talk to me for the article.’

He slowly exhales the air in his cheeks. ‘I… I suppose.’

‘Thank you. It was a really lovely evening, thanks so much.’

‘I’m sorry it has ended this way.’

I give a polite smile in response, unable to say the same.

‘Iris,’ he says, making to rise to his feet, ‘I should walk you home.’

‘No! No, that’s fine, thank you, enjoy the rest of your drink. Please,’ I say, placing a palm on my chest. ‘I’ll feel even worse if you don’t.’

Paused midway to standing, he settles back in his chair.

‘If you insist.’

‘I do,’ I assure him. ‘I really do.’

‘Goodnight, then.’

‘Goodnight,’ I say, walking out onto the street without looking back.

If he notices I’m going the wrong way, he doesn’t say anything. I didn’t want him to walk me home, because that’s not where I’m headed.

*

By the time I get to Leo’s building on my injured foot in heels, having conquered all these stupid cobbled hilly streets, I genuinely wonder whether it might have been quicker to charter a fucking jet and fly there.

‘Leo, it’s me, let me in,’ I instruct grumpily as he answers the buzzer. ‘I think my foot might need amputating.’

It’s dramatic but it does the job. The door opens and I push through it. That’s when I realise God is on my side because the elevator is in full working order today.

‘Thank you, thank you,’ I breathe, shuffling in and pressing the top floor.

I collapse against the back wall, enjoying a moment of rest. I fully started out on the walk in the mindset that I needed to speak to Leo to apologise to him for making such a misjudged decision and to re-emphasise the commitment I had to the article.

But it’s taken so long to get here and I’m in such a bad mood because of the pain in my foot that now my mindset has switched and I’m annoyed at him for putting me in this position.

The way he spoke to me was out of order.

When the doors ping open, Leo is waiting on the other side of them. His presence takes me by surprise.

‘What are you doing?’ he growls, folding his arms.

‘I needed to speak to you,’ I begin, quickly trying to gather my thoughts. ‘I wanted to explain why I was with José tonight and—’

‘No, I meant what are you doing walking all the way here on your foot ?’ he clarifies crossly, before his eyes fall to my feet and he throws his hands up in exasperation. ‘And in those shoes, are you serious? Would runners kill you?’

‘Yes, actually,’ I bristle defensively. ‘I wear trainers for exercise, but you know they wouldn’t go with this dress and…’

My sentence trails off because a tingling warmth is pooling in my stomach, rising through my chest. He’s angrier about me potentially hurting myself than upsetting him.

He really cares about me.

I swallow the lump rising in my throat.

The lift doors start to close, but he holds out his arm to stop them. They rumble open again. The interruption pulls me to my senses.

‘Look, I came here to emphasise that I had no idea who José was in relation to you, so, as such, I think you owe me an apology,’ I state, flicking my hair back over my shoulder.

His eyes widen in disbelief. ‘You think I owe you an apology.’

‘Yes.’

‘You were out on a date with the man who’s trying to destroy my family’s business!’

‘I didn’t know that! You shouldn’t have spoken to me in that way.’

‘In what way?’

‘That thing you said about how you thought I was better than that. That wasn’t fair.’

His jaw clenches. ‘Fine. Maybe it wasn’t fair, but I was angry. Because of you.’

With a loud ping, the doors start closing again. He stops one of them with his fist, and they both retreat. ‘Fucking things,’ he mutters.

‘Surely it was obvious from my reaction at the bar that I didn’t know who he was when you explained how you knew him,’ I point out. ‘So how come you were so angry at me?’

‘I wasn’t angry at you.’

‘You just said you were angry because of me.’

‘Yes, angry because of you, not at you.’

‘That’s the same thing.’

‘No, it’s not! I was angry at the situation.’

‘What situation? That I was on a date with José?’

‘That you were on a date with anyone!’ he cries.

The infuriating ping of the lift doors breaks the silence. He puts his arm out to stop it, this time pressing his palm against the door firmly as it draws back into the side to stop it from even attempting to slide out again.

I stare at him, my heart hammering, blood pounding in my ears. His eyes are fixed on mine, his chest rising up and down with the shallow rasps of his breath.

‘You… you were jealous,’ I stammer, my brain trying to catch up.

‘Yes,’ he says in a low, gravelly voice. ‘I was jealous.’

My heart swells and, my eyes locked on his, I let out the tiniest sigh of relief. ‘Good,’ I whisper.

‘Good?’

Something flashes across his expression: surprise. Confusion, maybe.

Then it gives way to another: hope.

‘Yeah, good,’ I breathe, butterflies filling my stomach. ‘That makes me happy.’

His throat bobs. ‘Why would me being jealous make you happy, London?’

‘Why do you think, Leo?’

His eyes widen, ablaze with heat and determination.

And the next thing I know, he is abandoning his post at the doors of the lift and striding in towards me. His hand wraps round my neck and he draws my mouth to his.