“Sorry.”
“If you give me time to speak, I’m trying to tell you that I agree with everything you’re saying. Evie is excellent, and I’ve made a point in my life never to waste talent. I will be talking to her.”
“Oh. Good.” Abby frowned as her mother’s words caught up with her. “Wait—did you say Jack had gone? You fired him?”
“I didn’t need to. Fortunately, he made the decision himself. I suspect he’ll be moving to Scotland. Either way that chapter is closed.”
Abby wasn’t sorry to hear it.
But the position would need to be filled, and she thought about that for a moment. “We need someone good to take over,” she said. “Someone who can genuinely offer support where it’s needed.”
“I agree.” Her mother paused. “Perhaps it’s something we can talk about in more detail at some point. I value your opinion. You’re an excellent judge of people.”
Her mother praised sparingly, but that made it all the more precious when it happened.
Abby hugged the feeling close. “So what happens now?” She looked at her mother. “How long will you stay?”
“As long as I feel it’s necessary to be here.”
Abby wondered what that meant for her.
She’d expected to be here for the whole summer. Her brief had been to learn what she could about the hotel while under-cover and she’d done that. Her job was done, wasn’t it? So now what? She hadn’t anticipated leaving this place so soon.
She thought of her evenings spent with Evie. Running along the coast path. Eating supper in her pretty garden. The laughs she shared with her colleagues. Playing the piano in the pub. And she thought about Tristan—
There was a hollow feeling inside her. A strange ache she couldn’t quite identify.
She wanted to say something to her mother, but what could she say?
Her mother’s focus was the business, and Abby was her successor. The next thing on their list was to replace Jack. Then there would be something else, and something else—
“I love it here,” she said quietly, and her mother smiled.
“Even as a child, you used to love the beach. We used to build sandcastles together.”
“I wish I could remember that.” Abby pondered. “Did I ever go to a party with balloons? I had this weird flashback when we were setting up for a party and I didn’t understand it, but now I’m wondering.”
“It could have been your fourth birthday party. The staff filled the place with balloons for you. It was a few weeks before we moved to Boston.”
It was odd to think she had ties to the hotel that went right back to childhood. Were those ties the reason she was feeling disappointment at the thought of going back to her old life?
No. She knew it was more complicated than that.
“I’m tired,” her mother said. “I hate admitting it, but I really am tired.”
“After all that stress and emotion it’s hardly surprising. You need to sleep.” Abby stood up. “I’ll take you back to the hotel.”
Her mother stood up, too. “You need to get back to work.You’re needed there and it isn’t fair on Evie that I’ve taken you away.”
“We can have dinner later? We can eat in the restaurant if you like.”
“Not tonight. I have paperwork to catch up on, and there’s something I need to do. I hope you’re not offended.”
“Of course not.” She hesitated. Normally at this point she would back off and respect her mother’s wish for privacy, but the last few hours had changed everything. “I know you keep saying that you’re fine, but this is a lot to deal with. Telling me must have been hard. I want you to know that you can talk to me, anytime. About anything.” She held her breath, nervous of the reaction her words might elicit, but her mother’s expression softened.
“Thank you.”
“I’m serious. You’ve protected me all your life, but I’m an adult now. You don’t need to protect me anymore. These are such deeply personal things there probably aren’t many people you can share your feelings with. I want you to know that you can share them with me.” She saw her mother’s eyes glisten.
