Page 10 of The Damaged Hearts Bargain

“Are you and Ash having problems?” Lucy said, straightening up. “Oh no, wait, it’s not George and Billy is it?”

Pen shook her head. “No, we’re all fine, as far as I know. It’s just that you might be romancing this all up a bit, you know. Being too romantic about romance.”

“I am not.”

“You sure?” asked Pen, picking up her coffee mug. “Because you’re still young and relationships come with responsibilities, with compromises. You still have your own dreams to work on.”

“George told you about the residency program.”

“George is a lovely man, but he’s also a fishnet and shouldn’t be trusted with anything vaguely secret,” Pen said.

Lucy looked out onto the sunny street, still fairly empty at this time of year. “I just want someone, Pen. Is that so wrong? Someone to laugh with. Someone to walk on the beach with.”

“It’s not wrong,” Pen said gently. “It’s not. And your time will come.”

“The tourists will be here soon,” Lucy said. “There’ll be more options then, I suppose.”

“You could join the apps.”

“What do you know about apps?”

Pen rolled her eyes. “Honestly? I’m in a relationship for four and half years and suddenly I become ancient?”

“If you’re ancient, what does that make me?” said a booming voice as Elspeth, the local primary school teacher, came into theshop.

“A relic,” Pen said, getting up again. “And aren’t you supposed to be training?”

“Training what?” asked Elspeth.

“It’s a teacher training day,” said Lucy.

“Oh, right, well that mostly just means an excuse to catch up with marking and sort out the teacher’s cupboard,” Elspeth said. “And for that, I’ll need sustenance. Two sticky buns please, Pen. And what’s making you ancient?”

“We were just talking about Lucy joining some dating apps,” Pen said, getting a paper bag ready for the buns.

“Oooo, like Tinder,” said Elspeth.

Lucy groaned. “You know about them too?”

“I might be over forty, but I’m not a nun,” said Elspeth. “And why aren’t you out meeting people instead of doing this online?”

“Because she’s dated every available woman in town,” put in Pen.

“You make me sound like a nymphomaniac,” Lucy said.

“You haven’t dated me,” Elspeth said, voice a little harder.

For an instant, Lucy stared at her, then her lips started to move of their own accord. “It’s not that… I mean… you’re very attractive, but… I think…”

Elspeth broke into a laugh. “Calm down, Lucy. I’m teasing you. I don’t think I’m your type, and you’re definitely not mine. I prefer someone a bit more… Matt Damon looking.”

“I could cut my hair off?” Lucy offered, joining in the laughter.

“I think I’m content to wait a bit longer for my Prince Charming,” Elspeth said, putting some coins on the counter to pay for her buns. “You should join those apps though, it’s not a bad idea. Lots of people meet their partners online nowadays. Just be sure what you want, I think that makes a difference. You don’t just want to pick someone willy-nilly.”

“She has a point,” Pen said, sitting down again after Elspeth left. “What are you looking for?”

“Someone kind,” Lucy said immediately. “Someone funny, someone who likes me as much as I like them.”

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