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“I become your business partner. We’ll buy the building and look into other ways for the business to expand, like online orders. I don’t believe you even have a website at the moment, do you? I can get that sorted—”

“Woah, back up. What?” Lucy said, pacing around her living room. “Why on earth would you want to go into business with me?”

“Because your coffee shop is a good investment,” Dylan replied, simply. “I’ve been doing some research, and I’ve seen it in action since you opened. It’s in a prime location, it’s enticing, and what you serve is high-quality and competitively priced.”

“And you’re looking to invest?” She laughed sarcastically. What was this guy on?

“Yes,” he said. “I am. I’ve been looking for something for the last few months actually.”

“Really?” Lucy asked. Lord, this man was ridiculous. She knew from snippets she’d overheard from Carrie and Michael that Dylan was paid very well for his cybersecurity work and was trusted by some big, important companies, but buying into her business really was taking the whole macho male flex thing a step too far.

“Yeah.” Lucy suspected he was getting impatient. “We’d need to hash out the details, but I can become a partner in the business, and we can buy the building.”

“Us? As business partners?” Lucy was sounding incredulous for a reason. She felt the urge to laugh hysterically.

“Yes, us as business partners. It’s not that ridiculous an idea.”

“It sort of is . . . and not a cheap one either.” Lucy heard Dylan sigh down the phone.

“The offer’s there. Have a think about it and let me know.”

* * *

In an effort not to have to think about the very real possibility of at least contemplating Dylan’s suggestion, Lucy called yet more banks the following day to plead her case. One was willing to lend her more than she’d thought they would, thanks to how well her business had been growing, but Cornish coastal property prices being what they were, it wouldn’t be enough for her to buy the building by herself. If she wanted it, she’d have to invest with someone else. And she neither knew nor trusted anyone who’d have that sort of money available at such short notice. Her parents would want to help, but didn’t have the funds. She couldn’t possibly go into business with Dylan: it would be an absolute nightmare! He’d probably want her to name an iced coffee after him and put his stupid face on all the mugs or something. He knew nothing about running a coffee shop. And the First Sip was hers. It had been her dream and she’d made it happen by herself, proving that she didn’t need to rely on a man, and, in fact, was largely better off without one. And she’d made it a success — or she had, until this blow.

Could she rent a different building? Unfortunately, retail space didn’t come available often in Castle Cove and she hated the idea of leaving the town she’d come to call home. She’d also built up her clientele here — people knew how good her coffee was and where to find her. And the cost and time that went along with finding and setting up somewhere new, as well as having to move . . . it didn’t bear thinking about. She held her head in her hands.

The price being offered by the landlord was very fair. The building would likely go for more on the open market. From a financial point of view, it seemed there was only one sensible thing to do: to take Dylan up on his offer. Owning the property was a smart move, and one she’d want to take, if she was able. She certainly didn’t know anyone else with the kind of money needed. Turning down Dylan just because he was the most annoying, insufferable person she’d ever had the misfortune to meet and she was still hugely embarrassed that she’d ended up sleeping with him, was cutting off her own nose to spite her face. It certainly seemed like a partnership was the only way forward. But with Dylan? How on earth could she possibly work with him?

* * *

Ellen arrived for work the next morning, as cheerful as ever.

“Are you all right?” she asked Lucy, as soon as she was inside.

“Not really,” admitted Lucy, locking the door again. They wouldn’t open for another fifteen minutes or so.

“You’re still feeling under the weather?”

“It’s not that,” Lucy said, though the worry of the last few days continued to stop her sleeping and had now led to her feeling nauseous most of the time. She took a deep breath before explaining, “My landlord is selling the building.”

“Oh no,” said Ellen. “That’s terrible. What are you going to do?”

“Well, I’ve been given the chance to buy him out, which would be great, but I can’t afford it by myself. Dylan has offered to invest in the business though.”

“Dylan?” Ellen replied. “But you two—”

“Yeah, I know. He wouldn’t be my first choice of person to go into business with.”

“You do seem to enjoy winding each other up,” Ellen remarked, hanging up her coat and reaching for an apron.

“It seems he’s my only option, unless I move both my business and my home.” Lucy shrugged.

“Do you think you can manage to work together?” Ellen switched on the coffee machine and took a large bag of coffee beans down from the shelf above it.

“I mean, it’s not like he’ll be here working alongside me — us — every day, messing up the orders and parading around the place like a peacock . . .”

Lucy spotted Ellen’s withering look and stopped herself. She took a breath and continued, “But we’ll need to make decisions together, and how much will he want to be involved? Will he want to be consulted if I decide to try making a new seasonal muffin? Or offer a different plant milk?”