“I have amassed considerable experience working in hotels over the course of my career. I’m here to help.” It wasn’t a lie. She did intend to help.
“Right. So you’re not Gerald’s replacement. You’re not here to take Evie’s job? Because you have no idea how much she loves that place and how much it means to her.”
It was obvious that he’d step in front of a bus to protect Evie.
“What does it mean to her?” She was here to get information. The perspective of an outsider might be interesting and possibly relevant.
“She virtually grew up in that hotel. Her father raised her alone so occasionally he had to take her to work with him. Evie learned to walk along those corridors. The staff took turns to babysit her. The moment she was old enough, she took a job there. Weekends. Summer holidays. Plenty of the kids around here did the same.”
And so did she.It was almost as if he’d been describing her childhood, except that in her case she’d moved from hotel to hotel as her mother had gradually built up her business.
Unsettled by the similarities between her and Evie, she dragged herself back to the present.
“Did you work at the hotel, too?”
“No. I worked for my dad in this place.” He studied her. “Evie’s dream was to run the hotel one day. When she was ten she used to play ‘hotels.’ She made herself a sign that said Evie Hamilton—General Manager, and she made people come to her with problems. She’d kill me for telling you that.”
“I’m glad you did,” Abby said. “I see now how important this is to her.”
“She’s brimming with ideas. She used to talk about what she’d do differently if she was ever promoted. It didn’t happen quite the way she was hoping it would.”
“I can see that.” And it would have been a tricky situation to handle.
“She stepped up in a crisis, so there was no celebration. Her title is ‘acting’ general manager. Which means, I assume, that sooner or later the company will be appointing a permanent general manager. It should be her.”
She felt a flicker of envy.
Evie was lucky to have someone looking out for her. And it wasn’t even a romantic relationship. It was a friendship.
Abby cast her mind over her acquaintances and tried to think of one who might go out on a limb for her. She came up blank.
Unsettled, she pushed that thought aside. “I’m not Gerald’s replacement. And my intention is to support Evie. And if the time comes when the company needs to appoint a permanent general manager, it won’t be me making the decision.”
He watched her for a moment. “You don’t give much away, do you?”
“Discretion is important in the hotel business.”
“Discretion. If that’s important to you then you’re going to have a problem living here.” He smiled. “This is a small village where everyone knows everyone. Don’t be fooled by the number of tourists. Discretion isn’t a word you hear a lot, and you see it in practice even less.”
Having lived most of her life in a big city, Abby didn’t really understand what he was talking about, and she didn’t see the relevance for her.
She was going to be spending her time in the hotel, not the village. And she was here for the summer, not for the rest of her life.
“Thanks for the information. And the food.” She looked at him and tension pulsed between them.
He cleared his throat. “If you don’t want to eat alone you could come downstairs and join me in the pub. There’s a table by the window. Good views. Or we could sit outside.”
She reminded herself that the invitation wasn’t personal.
A pub was a social hub, and he was the landlord. In a place like this the pub was, in all likelihood, the heart of the community. He probably felt a responsibility towards his guests. Either that or he was trying to compensate for his less than warm welcome earlier.
“Thank you for the offer, but I’ll be fine here. And don’t worry—I’ll be sure to give you a glowing reference when I talk to Evie.”
“Good. Because she can be scary.” He didn’t move from thedoorway. “If you need anything else, let me know. And leave the tray outside your door when you’re done. That way your room won’t smell of fish.”
“Thank you. I appreciate the food. It was thoughtful of you.” It was, although she had a feeling that his attention had more to do with him keeping an eye on her than delivering good hospitality.
She carried the tray back into the room and was relieved to hear him close the door behind her.
