His mother took a moment to finish typing and close the notebook before she acknowledged his presence. ‘I was beginning to think you’d been eaten by the Loch Ness Monster.’
‘Wrong loch. Sorry I wasn’t here when you arrived. I would have been, if I’d known you were coming. I’ll have a word with Nora.’
Beverly’s eyes were wide with fake innocence. ‘I must have forgotten to tell her.’
His mother had her own PA, so she hadn’t needed Nora to make the travel arrangements, but the PAs did talk so he could only assume Nora had been deliberately kept out of the loop.
‘Do we have a problem?’ he asked.
‘I’m not sure. Do we? Doyou?’
‘Not at all.’
‘You see, I thought you might be floundering, in over your head. Otherwise, why the delay? You’ve been here two weeks, Rocco.’
‘I needed a break.’
‘Hmm.’ She wasn’t convinced, he could tell.
She was about to say more when he sensed someone approach from behind. Expecting it to be a waiter with their drinks, he glanced up and inhaled sharply when he saw who it was. ‘Claire!’
Claire placed a red-nailed hand on his shoulder and bent to kiss him, her scarlet lips landing just to the right of his mouth. ‘Mmm,’ she said, sotto voce, ‘You smell as though you’ve just come out of the shower.’
He blew out his cheeks. ‘I didn’t expect to see you here.’
‘Beverly thought you might benefit from my expertise.’
His mother smiled sweetly at him as Claire sat down, smoothing her tight-fitting skirt. Claire favoured slimline skirts, smart tailored jackets and power heels. And red. She liked red when it came to lips, nails and the soles of her shoes. Today’s suit was navy, the blouse cream and silky. Claire was attractive, efficient, highly intelligent and ambitious, and Beverly had employed her for those very qualities. And, Rocco suspected, for one or two that weren’t so obvious. But although Beverly held a certain sway over him because she was his CEO, he drew the line at his mother trying to organise his private life. Arranged marriages weren’t his cup of tea, even if it would be good for the business.
‘We’ll talk over dinner,’ Beverly said. ‘See how Claire can help. I’d like to freshen up first. That drive was interminably long.’
Rocco closed his eyes, drew in a deep breath, then opened them again. ‘Wait here.’
He headed back out to the foyer and approached the front desk. Even before he asked Avril the question, he knew what her answer would be. ‘We have just the one double room available,’ she told him.
‘Not a twin?’
‘Sorry, it’s a double.’
‘No room at the inn?’ Claire’s breath tickled his ear, making him jump.
Rocco scowled. Thinking aloud, he said, ‘I suppose you could have that, and my mother could have my room. I can sleep on the sofa in the sitting room.’
‘Beverly won’t like that.’
‘She hasn’t got any choice. If she’d discussed her visit with me first, I’d have told her the castle is almost at full capacity.’
Claire wound her arm through his. ‘Let your mother have the double. I can share with you.’
Aware that Avril was hanging on every word, he said to the receptionist, ‘Can you ensure the double room is ready and see if housekeeping can put fresh sheets on my bed, please?’
He’d get his mother and Claire settled, then he really needed to speak to Cal.
Giselle was startled when Avril barrelled into the studio. ‘I was going to phone across, then I saw your light on,’ she puffed.
She looked odd and Giselle got to her feet, concerned. ‘Are you all right?’
‘I’ve, um, got some news. About Rocco. His mother is here.’
