Page 16 of The Damaged Hearts Bargain

Cal bit her lip. She wasn’t going to get into this with Rosalee.

“You should leave,” Rosalee said. “It might have been an accident this time, but people are angry with you in this town. You have a reputation, Callan.”

Cal gritted her teeth. “And no one can ever change, can they?” she spat. She was tired, angry and hurting. “I’ve got every right to be here, Rosalee. I’m going about my business and everyone else can think what they like.”

Rosalee held up both hands. “Alright, alright, keep your hair on. I was just trying to be helpful.”

“Oh, like when you were gossiping after I came in?”

Rosalee had the grace to blush. “Jim has the right to know who’s staying in his pub.”

Cal shook her head. “This is why I left. Everyone always thinks they know everything in a small town, don’t they? But no one actually bothers to find out the truth. They just assume the gossips know what they’re talking about.”

Rosalee scooped up the rubbish from the table. “Just do what you need to do and then go back to your life, Callan.”

“That’s exactly what I was intending to do.”

Chapter Seven

“Should I be calling the council about a medal then?” George asked when Lucy came home. “Or maybe there’s an award going around? Duke of Edinburgh? Is that for shoplifters?”

“I think that’s for camping or something,” Lucy said, dropping her bag on the kitchen table. “I wouldn’t say no to an OBE though.”

“I’ll give the palace a call and see what they can do.” George raised his eyebrows at her. “So?”

“So what?”

He sighed. “One, you apprehend a shoplifter on the street. Two, you don’t text me all day. And three, you’re home early. Don’t you have a job to do?”

“Don’t you? Haven’t you got books to manage or something?”

Billy came in from the garden. “Ash is giving him time off in lieu, you know, to make up for when he’s going to have to work when she and Pen are away on their honeymoon.”

“Their secret honeymoon,” Lucy said, remembering her conversation with Pen and still trying to picture the two of them as parents.

“It’s not secret,” George scoffed. “They’re going to South America, there’s nothing secret about that.”

“Try asking them why,” Lucy said. “And for your information, Mr. Gupta let me off early on account of how I chased down thatshoplifter.”

“Mr. Gupta must have been pleased,” Billy said. “Did Arjun come and arrest him?”

“Mr. Gupta?” George asked.

“No, the shoplifter.”

“Not exactly,” Lucy said, sitting down at the kitchen table. “Is there any tea going? I’m parched.”

“Pot’s just brewed,” Billy said, pouring a cup and placing it in front of her. “And why didn’t this shoplifting bloke get arrested then? Honestly, the world nowadays. I’m all for light sentencing for minor crimes, but letting shoplifters go scot-free is another thing altogether.”

“First, he’s a she, and second, she’s not exactly a shoplifter.” Lucy picked up her mug, took a big mouthful, sighed in pleasure, then filled Billy and George in on what had actually happened that morning.

“So, just to get this straight,” George said when she was done. “You performed a full flying tackle on an innocent woman who was just walking down the street minding her own business?”

Lucy pulled a face but nodded.

“The palace isn’t going to give you an OBE for that,” George observed.

“Oh, leave her alone,” said Billy. “It was brave anyway. And I’ve forgotten to turn the hose off again.” He went back out into the garden.

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