“I’ll remember that.” Her mother took her hand. “I’m not the only one who has had an emotional day. You have, too. Are you sureyou’reall right?”
Her mother rarely asked her that, but in the last few hours it felt as if their whole relationship had shifted.
“Yes, I am. I’m glad I know it all.” And she needed to process it. Was it wrong that she felt a little relieved that her mother wanted to be by herself this evening? It would give Abby the space she needed to think through everything that had happened.
A chance to get her head around the fact she’d be leaving Cornwall soon.
Instead of returning to the harbour, they took the footpath that led across the fields to the hotel.
Abby glanced at her mother. There was something softer about her. Something different.
“Are you sure you’ll be okay this evening?”
“Definitely.” They’d reached the hotel and she surprised Abby by stepping forward and giving her a hug. In public.
Abby hugged her back, her throat thickening. “I love you, Mom.”
“I love you, too. You’ve been the most important thing in my life since the moment you were born. Anyway, that’s more than enough sentiment for one day. It’s emotionally exhausting and I’m out of practice.” Her mother stepped back but there was a sparkle in her eyes. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to take a proper look at my first hotel. It has been a while.”
“Of course. Call if you need me.”
Abby watched as her mother walked away from her and was surprised again when she turned and gave a small wave.
It had been an emotional day, that was true, but it was worth it to feel this new level of connection with her mother.
21
Alexandra
She was exhausted but her brain was racing and she knew there was no way she’d sleep, so she lay on the bed, her mind travelling back to the beginning.
There was a delicious irony to the fact that she was staying in a room she’d once cleaned, although it was barely recognisable from those days so long ago.
As she’d scrubbed bathrooms, changed bed linen, filled bowls with fruit and vases with flowers, it had seemed to her that some people had everything while others had nothing and it made no sense. She’d started looking at the guests with fevered curiosity, wondering what they did to earn the money that allowed them to spend a week in a sea view suite ordering room service and expensive bottles of wine. Mostly she’d envied the families who spent whole weeks together and enjoyed each other’s company.
It had seemed to her that life was a lottery and when Bryancame into her life she’d felt, for a moment at least, as if maybe it was her turn and she was holding a winning ticket. She’d been in love for the first time, and that feeling of connection after years of loneliness had been more precious than anything.
When he’d let her down as badly as her father had she’d decided that although there were plenty of things in life over which you had no control, there were things you could control. For the sake of her daughter she was determined to focus on what she could control. And part of that was relying only on herself. No more hoping that a man might live up to her expectations. She was going to live up to her own expectations.
It was a long time ago and yet some of the memories were uncomfortably clear.
She stood up and opened the doors that led onto a balcony. Flowers spilled and tumbled from pots and a small table with two chairs was strategically positioned to take advantage of the spectacular sea view.
When Bryan’s wife had left her the hotel she’d been given a chance, and she’d taken it.
She might have been content with this one hotel, but her hard work and creativity had caught the eye of an investor. He’d seen her potential, and from there the business had taken off.
She’d made choices, difficult choices, and she hadn’t allowed herself to question them until recently when her past had slipped into her present, forcing her to confront things she’d avoided.
Given that her entire life had been ripped open in the past few hours, there was one more thing she had to do.
Turning away from the balcony, she took a shower and dressed in a cool linen shift dress. She took time over her hair and make-up before heading back down to the village as late afternoon turned to evening.
The narrow streets were busy. Families were returning froma day at the beach, parents loaded down with damp towels and picnic rugs. Tired children with sandy feet clutched fishing nets and buckets.
The smell of the sea hovered in the air, that tangy salt scent that she’d breathed daily and only now realised she missed.
It was crowded, but she knew where she was going. Even after all these years her sense of direction didn’t falter.
