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Mandy didn’t relent. “Spill!”
“Fine. Yes, Frances is a lesbian, apparently, and yes, I think she is fricking hot. She’s also a lot older than me — oh, and did I mention? She’s my boss!”
“What’s any of that got to do with the path of true love? Well, except maybe for the boss bit.” Mandy’s gaze drifted over to where Lucie’s dad was sitting. “Anyway, she won’t be your boss for long,” she added, looking back. “It’s only a matter of weeks.”
“Why would she even look twice at someone like me? We’re from completely different worlds. She was born in the hall and me in the village pub. This isn’t Downton Abbey.”
“It’s also the twenty-first century, and you are a catch, you know.”
Lucie rolled her eyes. Mandy would say that, being practically a mother figure — or more like an older sister. She’d always sat somewhere between, giving Lucie the best of both worlds.
“It’s about time you found someone to settle down with,” she continued. “A hot millionaire... who could resist?”
“Apparently the hall is now owned by a trust, not her family,” Lucie corrected, “so I don’t suppose she is a millionaire. Not that money matters to me.”
“Of course! As it shouldn’t. I’d happily take a pauper.”
Lucie stifled a grin with her hand as Mandy’s eyes drifted back over to the fireplace.
“That reminds me. Could you get me some tickets for the Winter Wonderland? I thought I’d treat your dad.”
“Sure. If you go on one of my nights off, I can show you around. Unless, of course, I’d be in the way. Three’s a crowd and all that.”
“Ha!” Mandy scoffed, tilting her head. “It would be lovely for us all to spend some time together again. I’ve missed it.”
“Me too,” Lucie agreed, remembering how they’d felt like one big, messy family while her gran was still alive. “I get a free family pass; we can use that.”
“Great! Thanks.”
Even if it would have done her dad and Mandy some good to have time alone away from the pub, a spark of excitement flickered at the idea of showing them where she worked.
“You never know,” Mandy said. “We might bump into Frances. You can introduce us.”
Lucie narrowed her eyes at her. She hadn’t considered that, though it was unlikely Frances would leave her mum in the evenings now.
“Introduce who?” Her dad’s voice cut in as he set a stack of pint glasses down on the bar.
“No one.” Lucie shot Mandy a warning look.
“Whilst you’re here, love, I wanted to check that you will be joining Mandy and me for Christmas Day.”
He glanced at Mandy, and they exchanged a look so ridiculously tender that Lucie had to fight the urge to roll her eyes.
“Of course. The hall is closed all day.”
“Good. We’ll open the pub at six. There’s no point in us closing all day.”
“If we had a proper kitchen here, we could be serving lunch,” Mandy added.
With a brief laugh and a roll of the eyes, her dad wandered off.
“He always does that whenever I mention it,” Mandy huffed. “He’s missing a great opportunity.”
“Dad’s older than you, Mands. He has different priorities.”
“I know, but he says he has no intention of retiring or selling the place, so why not make the most of it? And he wouldn’t need to get involved. I’d run the food side. I just see how hard he works and how quiet this place can be.”
Mandy had a point.
