Abby was confused. “So why did you send me here? I never really understood that.”
There was a long silence.
“You were the only person Icouldsend.” Her mother turned to look back across the ocean. “I didn’t want to come here myself, and I didn’t trust Jack—he’s gone by the way—so you were the obvious person. You’ve always had a gift for getting straight to the heart of what is wrong with a hotel, and what it needs. Your reports were helpful. Astute. It has been interesting reading them.”
“I was a little overenthusiastic in the most recent ones. You prefer facts, I know.”
“Your reports were illuminating.” There was a pause. “You seem to have enjoyed yourself.”
“They’re wonderful people.” Abby stopped herself. “I mean, they’re good at their jobs and they create a warm and welcoming guest experience that—”
“Abby—” Her mother stopped her. “I agree they’re wonderful people.”
“Right. Good. But you should also know that Evie is a brilliant manager. She has all the right qualities to be running the hotel. I don’t know what is happening with Gerald, but we should consider making her position permanent.”
Her mother looked at her. “I was thinking that—”
“I mean it, Mom.” The words rushed out of her. “I feel it really strongly. I know she’s young and not hugely experienced, but she’s brilliant. An asset to the hotel and to the business.”
“I think that maybe—”
“She was the one who appointed Luca, and he has transformed the dining experience. Then there’s—”
“Abby!” Her mother’s voice held a note of frustration and Abby immediately stopped talking.
But then she saw that her mother was smiling.
Her mother never smiled in conversations about the business. “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 undercoverand 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.”
