Slowly, Kaz raised enormous eyes to her. ‘Are you serious?’

Clancy felt excitement bubbling inside her. ‘Absolutely, yes! It would be a big commitment and there would be a lot to discuss but I’m being bought out of the business I used to be part of in London and I’m looking for something else. I could do all your marketing as well as play a role in the day-to-day running.’ She barrelled on, suggesting aspects to her role, then, collecting herself as she realised Kaz was wide-eyed and stumped for words. ‘Talk to Oli. It would be a massive step for you guys. Just let me know if you want to open the conversation.’

Kaz’s face blazed with a sudden grin. ‘I’m pretty sure he’ll want to! We’d be bonkers not to. Oh, blimey, Clancy, you could save us! Give me a few days to discuss it with Oli, then I’ll come back to you.’

Clancy beamed. ‘And it could be stupendous for me if I love the B&B even half as much as you do!’ She left a little later after a further, excited outpouring of ideas from both her and Kaz. Nelson pranced on his lead in joy that the walk had resumed while Clancy’s mind whirred. Had she really just taken a step towards buying into Nelson’s Bar? It didn’t fit with her citified life since uni. But it felt great. Her heart soared right up into the blue summer sky.

Nelson’s Bar could be her home.

Aaron had been back for a while when Clancy returned to his house. Nelson greeted him, then yawned and went to bed. ‘Did you take him for an especially long walk?’ Aaron opened his arms to receive Clancy, who showed more enthusiasm in her greeting.

In fact, her eyes were sparkling. ‘We went twice around the cliffs and down and up Zig-zag Path too,’ she admitted. ‘I needed to blow off steam.’ She fairly hummed with nervous excitement. ‘I haven’t done anything that can’t be undone. And I don’t want you to think I’m taking anything for granted about you and me. And if things didn’t work out, I’d try really hard not to make you feel guilty.’

He dropped a kiss on her forehead. ‘I haven’t the first idea what you’re talking about.’

Her eyes searched his. She took a deep breath then burst out, ‘I might be buying into the B&B.’

Surprise washed through him. ‘Are you serious?’

She laughed, shifting from foot to foot as if unable to keep still. ‘Exactly what Kaz said!’ Then she danced away to make coffee. ‘I’d work alongside Kaz and Oli to some extent. Though I’m wondering if it could be part time and I’d take on some kind of other work online,’ she went on, forgetting to switch the kettle on. ‘The idea kept coming into my mind all the time I was looking into funding for Kaz and Oli. I thought out their ideal investor and then I realised … well, it was me! I love it here and Kaz and Oli need capital to expand, but then I began to wonder if you’d feel a bit … hunted.’