‘I’ve one thing going for me.’
‘Which is?’
‘For some reason, Oliver Perry-Warnes likes me. Even though we’re on opposite sides.’
‘The impression I’ve had is that “like” won’t stop him. You don’t get to the top of his industry by playing nice. He needs this project done. He won’t let anything stand in his way. Sam says he doesn’t just hate losing — he simply doesn’t ever lose. Lucy, Mr Oliver Perry-Warnes likes winning more than he likes you. Or anyone.’
‘Yes, I’d gathered that.’ She drummed her fingers on the table. ‘But I have to try. Because if he wins, the future of my café is on the line and, with it, all the other shops.’ Her voice thickened. ‘The heart of the community is threatened.’
Dan reached over and pulled her into a hug.
‘I have to try, Dan,’ she said into his shoulder. ‘I just have to.’
‘We all will.’
She looked up. ‘So you’re staying around for a while?’
‘Yeah.’ His grin flashed, the one that made people forgive him anything. ‘Can’t leave you all in the lurch now, can I?’
‘Certainly not. And you’ll have help. I’ve asked Augi to look into his personal life to see if he has an Achilles heel.’
‘Remind me never to be your enemy, Luce,’ Dan said fondly.
‘As if.’
‘Lucy!’ Marcus called from the kitchen. ‘Someone to see you.’
‘Ah,’ said Lucy, finishing her coffee. ‘That’ll be Augi — the librarian I told you about. She’s digging into Public Enemy Number One.’
‘Right. I’ll get on, then.’
They walked through the kitchen into the café.
‘Augi,’ Lucy called, spotting her standing slightly apart from the crowd, self-contained and poised.
Augustini smiled and walked over. Lucy almost went in for a hug, then remembered it wasn’t Augi’s thing.
‘Have you met my brother?’ she asked, turning to Dan.
He stood there with a slightly glazed look on his face. Lucy frowned. ‘This is Dan,’ she said, studying him. He didn’t smile, just looked… somewhere else. She waited for him to speak. He didn’t.
She turned back to Augi, whose olive complexion was a shade warmer than usual. ‘You usually can’t shut him up. If he wasn’t away with the fairies, he’d smile and say, “Good to meet you, Augi,” so let’s take that as read.’
Augi’s entire face lit when she smiled. Her dark eyes crinkled, making her look younger and softer.
‘Dan,’ she said in her accented English, offering her hand. ‘Lovely to meet you.’
Dan cleared his throat. ‘You too.’ It was the least Lucy had heard him say in months.
‘Right,’ Lucy said briskly, deciding she’d had enough of whatever this was, ‘have you had lunch, Augi?’
‘Yes, thanks.’
‘I haven’t,’ put in Dan quickly.
‘I thought you had somewhere to be.’
‘How can I leave without lunch at my favourite café? Besides, I can work here.’ He tapped his laptop.
