“I can imagine. She seems a straightforward and honest person.”
“She is, but she’s also astute about the business and she could see there was truth in what I was saying.”
His gaze was steady. “You said that was the official reason. What was the real reason?”
“That’s more complicated.” It didn’t come naturally to her to confide in people, but this was Edward. “If I tell you this, it mustn’t go any further.”
“I’ve kept our secret for thirty years, Alex. I think I can be trusted with this one.”
She nodded. “I did it for her. She isn’t happy at work. Oh, she works hard and she’s successful and there is no one who understands the business as well as she does. I have no doubt that she loves the work and she has a gift for curating an exceptional guest experience, but the team don’t include her.” It stressed her to talk about it, just as it had stressed her to watch it over the years. “There are times when they actively exclude her, because of who she is.”
“The boss’s daughter.”
“Yes. It’s a hindrance, not a help. They keep her at a distance. She pretends it doesn’t hurt, but I can see it does. And it hurts me, too. I don’t show it, of course, but it keeps me awake at night. I’ve felt helpless.” She took a deep breath and flashed him a smile. “And that’s something I wouldn’t admit to anyone but you.”
“Welcome to parenthood.”
“Yes. Watching your child suffer is the ultimate form of torture, even when they’re adults.”
“True. If anything, it’s harder when they’re adults.” He pushed the plate towards her. “Eat a little more.”
“I’m not very—”
“Eat. For me.”
She sighed and took another mouthful of food. “It is good.”
“Finish it.”
“Eddie—” She started to object but then decided it would be easier to do as he wanted. “No one usually cares whether I eat or not.”
“I care.” He watched while she cleared the plate and then nodded approval. “So back to Abby. You must have been tempted to fire your entire executive team.”
“Believe me, I considered it.”
He nodded. “But instead, you sent her here.”
“This place is special, we both know that. I thought if she was able to join as part of the team, as herself and not as my daughter, hopefully make friends and have a couple of months here over the summer, it might be exactly what she needed. And at the least it would give her a break from office politics. I knew it would be problematic when the truth finally came out, but I was hoping that by then she would have made sufficient connections to be able to weather it. I probably didn’t think that part through well enough. I let emotions drive my decision making, which is a first for me.”
“It worked out fine in the end. She and Evie have a bond.” It pleased her to hear it. “They always did, even as children.” He nodded. “Evie has gained some confidence working with Abby, and Abby has definitely relaxed since the day she arrived. And she’s something of a local hero since her dramatic rescue yesterday evening. I assume she told you about that?”
“Rescue? No.” She listened while he filled her in, feeling pride as he described her daughter’s bravery and then laughing as he filled her in on Abby’s moment of fame playing piano in the pub. “That doesn’t sound like her.”
“If your objective was to send her here so that she could let her hair down and live life a little, I’d say you’ve achieved that.”
“I’m glad. And I’m looking forward to hearing more about it.”
He finished his wine. “So you engineered this whole thing for her. And she doesn’t know?”
“I hope not. She’d be mortified. She’s independent and self-reliant.”
“No need to ask who she gets that from.”
“Indeed. But there’s no rule that says a mother can’t give her child a helping hand occasionally, even if that child is a fully functioning adult. Also, I had to give a reason to the executive group. I couldn’t exactly tell them I was sending her over here for a break from them.” She gave a faint smile. “Don’t tell anyone. I prefer people to think I don’t have a heart.”
He put his glass down slowly, his gaze fixed on hers. “I’ve never thought that.”
She swallowed. “Not even when I moved to Boston?”
