Once your emotions are involved, you cease to make the right decisions for the business.
She dried her hair quickly, switched the robe for a white linen shirt that had been washed to a state of delicious softness and fell to mid thigh. Then she sat down at the little table by the window and opened her laptop. She was tired, but she knew she wouldn’t sleep and if she wasn’t going to sleep she might as well work.
First she dealt with her emails. Then she typed up her notes, leaving nothing out. She described the gardens, the food, the way she’d felt as she’d walked into the hotel for the first time. She mentioned each member of staff that she’d met, and her first impressions.
When she’d finished, she opened a new document and picked out the key points that would impact the business. Her mother wouldn’t be interested in the smoothness of the clotted cream, or the sweetness of the jam that Evie had told her was made in their own kitchens from strawberries grown in thehotel gardens. She wouldn’t care about the wild flowers on the cliffs or the way the sun had sparkled on the sea.
She wouldn’t care that Abby and Evie had laughed together, that Evie had confided in her and that Abby had found herself hoping they would be friends. In fact, an admission like that would probably horrify her.
Abby pulled herself together.
Her mother would care about how the hotel was operating.
Facts.
The acting general manager Evie is motivated and bright. It’s clear that the sudden departure of the manager Gerald had a significant emotional impact on the team. He was well-liked by everyone—
She paused, then deleted that last sentence. Her mother wouldn’t care whether the staff loved him or hated him. She only cared about outcomes.
She carried on typing.
Of note is the fact that Evie reached out to head office several times but received no response. We need to review the systems we have in place for offering support during potentially challenging periods, but particularly when requested.
She stared at the page. That observation pointed the finger directly at Jack and wasn’t going to win her any friends, but she was used to that. And it didn’t matter. She was here to do what was best for the business, not what was best for her own relationships.
Jack would no doubt be defensive, but his feelings weren’t her problem to deal with.
Evie had done the right thing and her actions should be on the record. Abby felt strongly that people should be given the tools and the support to do the job they were hired to do. Clearly that hadn’t happened in this case.
She stood up and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. Her neck ached and her head throbbed.
The sun dipped behind the horizon and she flicked on the table lamp.
She was about to finish her report when there was a knock on the door.
Abby closed her laptop quickly and opened the door.
Tristan stood there holding a tray. “I brought you a peace offering.”
He seemed a lot taller than he had downstairs, but then she realised it was because she’d taken off her shoes.
She glanced at the tray. “An apple?”
“You said you wanted an apple. I took you literally.”
“That’s thoughtful of you. Thank you.”
“I also brought a small taster portion of fish pie, in case you decided you wanted something more substantial. Evie said you took an overnight flight and have been travelling for most of the day. You should eat something.” His voice was gruff. “It will help you sleep.”
“You’re worried about the state of my health?”
“Not really, but I’m worried about the state of my own health if Evie thinks I haven’t been looking after you.” His smile was a surprise. “And I owe you an apology for being grumpy earlier. You caught me at a bad moment.”
“It’s not a problem. You and Evie are clearly close.”
“I’ve known her for a long time. She’s a good person. I look out for her.” Something in his tone made her wonder if he saw her as some kind of threat to Evie’s wellbeing. Was he giving her a warning?
“Don’t tell me—she’s the little sister you never had?”
