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Turning on her heel, she started to stomp back to her flat, hurrying now because there were things to do, people to see.

If Pen had taught her anything it was that being optimistic wasn’t a bad thing, not if you were willing to do the work to make the world the kind of place that you wanted it to be. And Ash knew how she wanted her world to be. Knew without the slightest doubt.

The river continued its journey on and on, and Ash turned off the embankment, speed walking toward home. Except she didn’t think she could really call it home anymore.

SHE WAS JUST locking the front door behind her when Amanda came up the stairs. “The lift’s still broken.”

“I know,” Ash said. “It’s a pain in the backside.” She was in a hurry now that she had a plan, her keys clutched in her hands. There was a lot to do.

“Fancy a coffee?” Amanda said. “I’ve put aside a couple of books for you that I think you might like.”

Ash smiled. “Thanks, that’s kind. But I’ve got a lot on this afternoon.”

Amanda frowned a little. “You know, I’m not sure I’ve seen you looking happy before. It’s a nice change. What’s going on?”

“Nothing,” Ash said. “Well, everything.” She couldn’t stop smiling now that she’d started. “I just… Well, you know the other day when you said you liked the mixture of reality and fantasy?”

Amanda nodded. “Yeah, you asked me why I read romance.”

“I think you might be right about the balance between the two,” Ash said. “I’ve had an awful lot of reality, maybe it’s time to let a bit of something else in.”

Amanda’s eyes widened. “Don’t tell me, you’re chasing down your Prince Charming.”

“Um, it’s a Princess actually,” said Ash.

“Oh, Christ, sorry, I shouldn’t have assumed. I didn’t know,” stumbled Amanda.

“It’s alright,” beamed Ash. “I didn’t know until recently either. It’s sort of a… new thing.”

“And this is in with the new and out with the old, is it?”

Ash laughed. “Yes, I think that about sums it up.”

“And it’s not just sparkles and funny feelings in your tummy, right?”

Ash thought about Pen turning up all the time with cakes, thought about how she’d give until she had nothing left to give, about her massive debt problems, about how she never saw the bad side of anything, and shook her head. “No, there’s some reality thrown in as well.”

“She sounds perfect then,” said Amanda. “Best of luck. Um, anything I can do?”

It went against everything Ash was to ask for real help, but here she was and Amanda was offering and, well, in the end, nobody could stand alone, could they? “Actually, there might be a few things you can do. I’m thinking of selling this place.”

Amanda smiled. “That I definitely can help with.”

“You can?” Ash asked. She’d been about to ask if Amanda would mind being the key holder so that the estate agent could show people around, sort of a contact person. She hadn’t expected more than that.

“Um, Jason’s an estate agent, remember?” laughed Amanda.

Ash cursed herself. All those dinners and recorder concerts and she’d never really paid much attention. “Ah, right, yes, of course he is.”

“I’ll get him to give you a knock when he gets home tonight,” Amanda said. She paused as she put the key in her own door. “You’ll be missed though, Ash.”

“Thank you,” said Ash. “I’ll miss you too.” Which was, surprisingly, actually the truth.

ALL THOSE YEARS of never asking for help, and here she was doing it twice in one day. Ash crossed her legs and tapped her fingers on the arm of the chair impatiently. She checked the clock again.

“Can I get you a coffee?” asked the receptionist.

“No, thank you,” Ash said. The last thing she needed was more coffee to add to her jitters.