Harrison held open the door for her, his expression telling her that he most definitely wasn’t comfortable with the praise. ‘Thank you. I’m relieved you like it.’
‘You don’t know of the closest place to get a coffee, do you?’ Charlotte asked, glancing back at him before stepping through. ‘It’s been a long day already, and I think I’ll have to break my rule of not drinking caffeine in the afternoon.’
‘It just so happens I do,’ he said. ‘Come with me, I’ll take you there.’
‘I don’t want to be an imposition, you could just point me?—’
‘Not a chance. I have back-to-back meetings all afternoon, and trust me when I say I could use the fresh airandthe caffeine.’
They walked down the street, sunshine making it seem warmer than it was, until they reached a small café that hadn’tbeen there the last time Charlotte was in the city. And after they’d ordered, they stood near the counter and waited, making small talk, until their names were called. Charlotte almost wished they hadn’t ordered takeout cups so they could have stretched out their time together longer.
‘Well, I’d better head back to the hotel,’ Harrison said, turning to her as they stood on the footpath, ready to go their separate ways. ‘But it was a lovely surprise meeting you today, Charlotte. I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I hope you take the job. Daniel’s right, I have a feeling you’d be perfect for it.’
‘Did he plan this? For you to show me around, impress me with the hotel, and then convince me to say yes to him? I’m starting to feel like this was a set-up.’
‘I promise you, it wasn’t planned, but if it helped to get you across the line…’
He smiled and took a sip of his coffee, and she suddenly had an idea.
‘Harrison, may I cook for you?’ Charlotte asked. ‘If I’m going to seriously consider this offer, I need someone who’s not my grandmother to taste my new recipes and provide honest feedback before I make my decision on Friday. I want to work in the kitchen first.’
‘I don’t know if I’m qualified to?—’
‘You’re the type of clientele who’ll be staying here, not to mention you’re the visionary for this entire hotel. You’re the perfect test subject.’
Harrison’s eyes met hers, and she suddenly wasn’t sure whether she was asking him from a professional connection, or because she just didn’t want their time together to end. Not that she’d ever admit to the latter.
‘What do you say?’
‘Well, when you put it like that…’ He laughed. ‘Yes. Daniel would kill me if I said no, and I’m also incredibly curious to see what you have planned.’
Charlotte grinned. ‘See you at the hotel kitchen tomorrow then? Early evening? Pending Daniel’s approval to use the space, of course.’
‘I’ll be there.’ He went to turn, one hand casually pushed into his jeans pocket, before looking back at her. ‘It was really nice to meet you, Charlotte.’
His smile made her heart flutter a little, but before she had time to respond, he was walking away and she was left standing in the street, staring up at the incredible hotel he’d designed and wondering what she’d been thinking, offering to cook for him.
Just admit you wanted to see him again.
She took a sip of coffee and lifted her face to the sun, feeling happier and more content than she had in a long time. Perhaps coming home wasn’t the worst thing in the world.
Perhaps this is where I’m supposed to be; I was just too stubborn to see what was right in front of me.
Or maybe it was something different. Maybe she was simply ready to show her home city what she’d learnt, to give back to the place that had still been her home even when she’d tried to pretend that it wasn’t.
And even though she had no intention of telling Daniel until she’d had time to think about it, Charlotte already knew the decision she was going to make.
9
THE MAJESTETISK HOTEL, SOGNEFJORD, NORWAY, 1950
When Amalie stepped outside, Oskar was already waiting for her. She had a moment before he saw her, and she was able to drink in the sight of him—the way he stood with his hands in his pockets, staring out at the fjord, his back to her and the hotel. There was something about him that made her want to know more, a way he made her feel when she was with him, and she’d be lying to say she’d thought of anything other than him all day. She’d hurried through her work making beds and cleaning rooms, not hearing her name being called and missing half of what the other girls had said to her, because she couldn’t stop thinking about meeting him.
And now here he was.
Amalie cleared her throat as she stepped out onto the grass, smiling shyly when he turned. But she needn’t have been shy or nervous that he didn’t want to see her, because Oskar returned her small smile with a wide one, his eyes lighting up. It wasn’t like they hadn’t seen each other, either. They’d been catching stolen moments all week, even if it had only been an hour to sit together after their shift ended, or for him to walk her the long way back to her room, but tonight was the first time they’dplanned to spend longer together. It was why her heart was racing and her stomach was full of knots.
‘I wasn’t sure if you’d come,’ he said, walking towards her.
