“Not much to tell.” She pulled her hand away. Part of her was tempted to shut down the conversation, but another part thought she might as well be straight with him so that he could walk away now. “We’d known each other since school. We were friends. I’d always had a thing for him, which unfortunately people noticed because I’m not great at hiding my feelings.”
He smiled. “I like that about you.”
“Really? There are times when I’d like to be better at hiding my feelings. Anyway, according to everyone, we were perfect for each other. They’d been trying to set us up for ages. And eventually it happened. We dated for a year. Every time we bumped into someone in the village, it would be the same—winks, knowing smiles,when are you two going to make it official.Martin hated it. He wasn’t used to it, of course. He hadn’t grown up with it. And to be fair it isn’t always easy for outsiders, and I think that was how he felt. He said it was my fault for being so embedded in the community. He told me I should keep to myself more.”
“He didn’t just roll his eyes and laugh it off?”
“No. He suggested moving away, but I didn’t want to do that. My family is here. My whole life.” And yet she was thinking of doing exactly that now. Moving away. Leaving. “He ended it. And everyone kept asking him why he’d ended it when I’m ‘such a lovely girl’ and he seemed to think I was behind it and that I was turning him into the bad guy and somehow trying to manipulate him into getting back together. He made a scene in the pub. He’d drunk too much of course, and it was all very upsetting. People stepped in, because that’s what happens around here. He resigned from his job the next day and moved to France. No one has seen Martin since. So you see?” She looked at him and shrugged. “People have arelationship with me and then they have to blow up their lives and move away. Be warned. Stick around and you might find yourself heading for Argentina.”
The waiter delivered another course and Luca waited until he’d left before speaking.
“And you really think this is why the relationship ended? Because of other people?”
For a while she’d thought that. She’d never really focused on people’s meddling because she’d considered it good-natured and part of village life, but because Martin was sensitive to it, she became sensitive, too. It had changed her relationship with people. Before Martin she’d loved being part of the community. She’d seen them as her extended family and he’d tainted that. He’d made her wary.
She gazed at the tiny pieces of chicken on her plate and then at him. “He didn’t like being in a place where everyone knows everyone. I was part of that.”
He shook his head. “How could anyone think he was the right person for you?”
She’d thought it.
She’d enjoyed the chemistry, and being in a relationship with someone. She’d focused on what they had in common. She hadn’t considered their differences. Hadn’t realised they might be an obstacle. She’d had the optimism of youth and the naïve belief that love could conquer everything.
Unprepared, she’d been devastated when he’d ended it. And the fact that the whole thing had played out in public had made it much harder to deal with.
She hadn’t had a relationship since.
Luca was looking at her, waiting, and she realised she hadn’t answered his question.
“Why did they think Martin was the right person? Well, he was single and didn’t have any obviously unfortunate habits.There is a limited pool to fish in around here. If you’re single, you get pushed together. That made him the right person. And it gave everyone a purpose for a while. They focused their attention on fixing me up with someone else.” She finished her food. “That was delicious, but nowhere near as delicious as that salmon dish you make with lemongrass and fresh ginger. When you go out to restaurants don’t you ever thinkI could have cooked better at home?”
“Sometimes, but not tonight.” His gaze lingered on her face and she put her fork down, her heart thumping.
“What’s different about tonight?”
“The company. I’m not here for the food. I’m here because I want to spend time with you.” He spoke softly. “And I don’t care who’s watching.” The look in his eyes made her feel breathless.
“Why do you want to spend time with me?”
“Where do I start?” His gaze was warm. “You’re fun. I like you. I’m drawn to your energy and enthusiasm. You’re an all-or-nothing person. I love the way you look in that hot-pink dress. I love the way you love food.”
She swallowed. “All or nothing?”
“You love something, or you hate it. You feel things deeply. You’re happy or you’re sad. There is no flat middle ground. And you care about people. You’re loyal. I see it all the time. The way you handle the staff. The way you are flexible when they have problems. I hear them say ‘talk to Evie, and she will help.’ They’re lucky to have you as a boss, and they know it.”
She shifted uncomfortably. “Because I’m a total pushover.”
He looked at her thoughtfully. “I don’t think that’s it. And I like the way you see solutions, not problems. You have high standards. If something isn’t right, you try and fix it.”
She thought about all the things she wanted to do with the hotel. “I don’t usually succeed.”
“But you keep trying. You will never be satisfied with mediocre.” He gave a slight shrug. “I’m the same. I want passionate people in my kitchen. People who care deeply about what they do, and who want to do it to the best of their ability whether it’s making a complicated sauce or peeling a carrot. I want the food to be the best it can be. And I am clear about that with people who work with me. We have to share the same goal and be going in the same direction. And it’s my job to be clear about what that direction is.”
Was she clear about the direction? About her goals for the hotel?
Maybe not.
She thought again about how direct Abby had been in her dealings with Mandy.This is what we want to achieve.
