‘I’m as deep as a puddle,’ Penny said. If he wasn’t her forever man she wasn’t going to bare her soul to him. This isn’t what this was.

‘Oh, you’ve got a message,’ Thomas announced, nodding at her phone on the table. She caught sight of Francesco’s name and reached to turn it over, screen down.

‘Nothing important,’ she said. ‘Not when I’m here with you.’

Thomas grinned and held eye contact for a beat longer than was comfortable, then looked back down at the question list. He cleared his throat. ‘This is a good one,’ he said, pressing on.

‘They’re all pretty good, aren’t they?’ Penny said. ‘I can see how this works.’

He continued: ‘If a crystal ball could tell you the truth about yourself, your life, the future or anything else, what would you want to know?’

‘Hmmm,’ considered Penny. ‘I’d want to know if I will be a mother. I want that very, very much. I thought it would have happened by now, but … Well. Maybe soon. And … I’d want to know if I will be loved.’

‘I think you already are,’ said Thomas. ‘Your uncle, your sister, your friends … you’re a very loveable person.’

‘Thank you,’ Penny said. ‘I don’t … feel it, sometimes. I feel like everyone else knows what the deal is with love, and they find it easier than I do. I don’t understand how to find it, let alone what to do once I have it.’

‘Everyone feels like that.’

‘I don’t think they do.’

‘You’re not alone in how you feel alone.’

‘Everybody hurts?’

‘Something like that.’

Thomas reached out for her hand. ‘Don’t let anybody ever make you feel like less than you are,’ he said. ‘Because you are wonderful, and kind, and fun, and beautiful, and very, very loveable.’

Penny felt something prick at her eyes. Love was all she wanted. A family, something outside of work. She was thankful Thomas was here to add something other than the pub to her time in Havingley. In forcing her to remember life outside of the pub, Penny had started to remember the other hopes and dreams she had for herself.

‘I’m not fishing,’ she said, swallowing hard to release the lump in her throat. ‘I promise.’

‘I know,’ he said. ‘But even if you were, I appreciate the excuse to tell you anyway.’

Penny tilted her chin up, just slightly, an invitation. Thomas leaned in. It was deep and sensuous, and Penny felt her whole body respond to him.

‘Mmmmm, almond-y,’ he said, smiling.

‘Are we done with the game?’ Penny said. ‘I feel like we’re done with the game.’ She moved up closer to him and they kissed once more – harder this time. More intense. Penny leaned forward to put down her wine glass and moved so that she straddled him on the sofa.