Oliver shook his head. ‘No. I was just wondering. There was no mention of romance or a partner in that statement. Does that mean you’re not interested?’
Pippa shrugged. ‘I don’t think I have any spare time to give to anyone.’ She gestured towards her laptop. ‘I mean, take now for example. This is supposed to be my, or should I sayourfree time and yet here we are, working.’
‘Or not,’ Oliver smiled.
Pippa shook her head with a grin. ‘No, we aren’t working, we’re skiving. Come on, let’s do this. If we get this all finished today with time to spare for a shower before we start the evening shift, I’ll treat you and Jess to breakfast at Katherine’s café in the morning, followed by a walk on the beach.’
‘Deal.’ Oliver held his hand out to shake on it.
They spent the next two hours absorbed in their tasks. Each one giving input on what the other was doing. By the time they’d finished, they had a new modern and updated website. Ads placed for the food side of the pub. Plans for future events they could hold in the pub that were guaranteed to draw in more custom, and an ad for a chef sent out to recruitment companies and posted wherever they thought they could attract one.
Oliver closed his laptop. ‘Okay, that’s me done. I’ll see you later. Shall we say about 8’o’clock tomorrow morning for breakfast, too?’ He winked in triumph.
Pippa nodded. ‘On the dot.’ She rose from her seat as well. ‘I’ll see you to the door.’
As soon as she closed it behind her, she checked her phone. There was a missed call from her aunt. She hit call back.
‘Sorry I missed your call, aunt. I was doing some work and I left my phone on silent.’
‘No worries, my darling. I was just calling to update you.’
‘Yes, how’s it going? Does he like it there? You know how fussy he can be with accommodation.’
‘He likes the room, and he’s actually doing really well with the memory tasks.’
‘Oh, that is a relief.’
‘How did the lunch time shift go? Was it busy?’ asked Morgan.
‘My goodness was it ever? After we closed, Oliver and I worked together to improve the website and do some marketing to drive new custom. Not that you need much more at the moment. I’ve never known it so at busy at this time of the year. I’ve made an advertisement to hire a temporary chef with the view to the position becoming permanent, as well.’
Pippa could hear the confusion and exasperation in her aunt’s voice. ‘I don’t understand why you would do that Pippa, when I’m trying to persuade your father to retire and sell up.’
‘I thought that’s what you alluded to in the week when you said you’d work alongside whoever in the kitchen when it was the dog show.’
‘Did I? Oh I’m sorry, Kiddo. I don’t know if I’m coming or going lately.’
‘You are also run off your feet at the moment seeing to dad’s care needs. If you are serious about selling up, isn’t it better to sell a flourishing business than a sinking ship? If I’m not here for any reason, it won’t be easy for you on your own to keep up with this demand and oversee the food side of things, in addition to the hotel and my dad.’
Her aunt giggled. ‘You remind me so much of your mother. She was always the brains, whilst your father was the entertainer. Of course, we need a chef. What was I thinking? Sorry for interfering Pippa, and I know you’re not going to be here forever, so I’m grateful for everything you are doing right now.’
‘Don’t you dare apologise or thank me, Aunt. We are family andyouhave been dealing with a lot. It’smewho should be apologising to you for my absence these past couple of years, thinking I could run away and create my own little impenetrable bubble where I could forget about all the memories from here and try to work through my grief isolated. It was very selfish of me to leave you and dad and abandon ship.’
‘Hey, don’t beat yourself up, Kiddo. We all deal with grief in our own way. Besides, the business is your mother’s and father’s. They didn’t expect help from either you or your brother. You have your own lives to live, and anyway, I’ve always been here to help. We used to joke we were the three musketeers.’
‘Thanks Aunt, you always have a way of making me feel better. Don’t worry about anything. Oliver and I have things under control.’
‘Oliver and you, eh? Hearing you say that takes me back.’ Morgan chuckled.
Pippa laughed too. ‘I thought you didn’t remember about Oliver and my past relationship? You didn’t appear to when I mentioned him...I’m ending this call now, before you remind me of how besotted Iusedto be about him. See you on Monday.’
Morgan laughed. ‘Bye, Kiddo.’
Pippa ended the call and looked at her phone, shaking her head with a grin.
