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“I imagine you’d need to decide on that between the two of you,” Ellen suggested.

“Well, I’m not going to cut back on the quality of the products we use just to squeeze a little more profit out and—”

Ellen interrupted her gently, “I’ve known Dylan for quite a while now, and I like him. He doesn’t seem the type to be overly dictatorial or difficult. Maybe he has skills that might come in useful. He’s very successful at what he does, you know.”

Lucy went to open her mouth to argue, but Ellen continued, “You and Dylan might not always see eye to eye, but he’s going to want the coffee shop to succeed as much as you. And I’m sure he realises what a good job you do running it. It’s going to be difficult to share control over something you’ve worked so hard to produce by yourself. It would be tricky to do that with anyone. But surely it’s a better option than losing it altogether?”

Lucy nodded. There was some truth to what Ellen said. Yes, she wasn’t thrilled that it was Dylan she’d need to partner with, but it would be hard for her to share her coffee shop with anyone — especially given what had happened to her last business because of trusting someone else. But maybe there was a way they could make it work? Dylan would make money, and she would retain control over her business.

She supposed the real question she needed answering wasn’t whether or not she liked Dylan (that was easy enough to form a response to), but whether she could trust him.

She’d put a fair amount of effort over the last couple of years into ignoring everything she could about Dylan, but, handily, she knew someone she did trust, who’d known Dylan most of his life.

“Could you open up?” she asked Ellen. “I just need to pop out for a bit.”

“No problem,” said Ellen, easily.

Lucy took off her apron, and walked two doors down to Michael’s bookbinders. She peeped in the window and was pleased to see Michael behind his book-and-paper-strewn desk.

She opened the door and was greeted with a smile.

“Hey. How are you doing?” he said, getting up and coming over to give her a hug. He wore a thick wool jumper, one of many his wardrobe contained, and which somehow seemed to suit his bookish nature, tall stature, and unruly brown hair perfectly. “I couldn’t believe it when Carrie told me what your landlord’s planning.”

“It’s definitely been a shock.”

“If there was any way we could help out—”

“I know,” said Lucy, immediately. “You guys have got enough on your plate.”

“Any idea what you’re going to do?”

“I’ve got one option. Which is why I’m here. I wanted your opinion.”

Michael pulled over a chair from the corner for her, and returned to his own seat.

“Hit me with it,” he said as Lucy sat down opposite him.

“Dylan’s offered to invest in the business.”

“Ah . . .” Michael said, rubbing his chin.

“You don’t seem exactly surprised.”

“Well, no.” He gave a little shrug.

“That saviour complex of his?”

“Something like that.”

Lucy sighed. “Do you think I should accept his offer?”

“That’s something only you can decide. I mean, the whole town must know that you and Dylan don’t see eye to eye on anything. Can you get along enough to be in business together?”

“I’m not sure I’ve got much choice,” Lucy admitted. “My big concern is whether or not I can trust him.”

“What makes you think you can’t trust him?”

Lucy thought for a moment. “Actually, nothing,” she admitted. He may have been irritating, and a shameless flirt who told the worst jokes known to man, but he’d never given her cause to not feel safe around him.