Page 98

Erin

It was opening day, and I was a bag of nervous energy. I’d been eager for the change of ownership to be a success ever since I walked into the lobby and saw the wonderful transformation the brothers had made to the hotel, but now that Tristan and I were involved, there was an extra layer of emotion added because I wanted him to succeed.

I got there bright and early, ready to guide the staff through the final stages of preparation before the first guests started to arrive at noon.

Entering my office, I smiled because someone had left a flat white and a pistachio croissant on my desk. I knew it was Tristan. He’d spent last night in my bed, showing me all the ways he appreciated my body, before rising at the ungodly hour of 5:00 a.m. to head to the hotel. I was still half asleep when I kissed him goodbye before falling back into my pillow for another hour and a half.

I smiled to myself, feeling spoiled, both from the breakfast and the number of orgasms he’d given me last night. If this was how he was in relationships, then I didn’t have anything to worry about. I didn’t think Tristan would give me the chance to become the giver because he was too busy embracing the role himself.

The door opened, and Katy walked in. I hadn’t seen her since the morning after the disco when I’d caught her and Lou saying goodbye after spending the night together. Unlike that morning, she didn’t have a button or a hair out of place. A neat ponytail adorned her head, while her makeup was so perfect I considered asking her for a tutorial because I could never get my liquid eyeliner that even.

“Rinnie,” she greeted, her shoulders stiff as she walked to her seat and set her bag down.

“Morning, Katy,” I replied, typing out an email while taking a bite from my croissant. She opened her laptop and started working, a few minutes of quiet passing before she blew out a breath and closed her laptop with an impatient huff.

“Are you even going to say anything?”

“Pardon?”

“I spent the night with Lou. It was a terrible decision. You caught me, and I’m mortified.”

“Why would you be mortified? Lou’s an attractive guy. He’s funny and generous with the people he cares about. Besides, it’s not like I wasn’t doing the exact same thing as you were.”

She blinked, pausing a moment like she hadn’t thought of that, too lost in her own mortification to make the connection. Did she think I was so obsessed with my job that I’d pulled an all-nighter and stayed at the hotel until morning to work?

“You and Tristan?”

I nodded. “You’re not the only one who threw caution to the wind that night.”

“But he never … everyone knows he doesn’t …”

“Sleep with his employees? Yes, well, it’s a little more complicated with us.”

“Complicated how?”

I blew out a breath, fiddling with one of the pens on my desk before replying, “Tristan and I knew each other long before I ever worked for him. We met when we were teenagers, and we grew very close, but it didn’t work out back then. I never expected to see him again and certainly not as my new boss.”

Her eyes rounded. “Oh my goodness. I had no idea you knew him.”

“We always had a connection, even when we were young. I didn’t intend to get so close to him again this time around, but sometimes there’s no fighting these things.”

“I’m sorry.”

“What for?”

“For judging you back when I first came here. If it’s really been that long, and you’re still drawn to each other, then you clearly have something deep. And I know I apologised already, but I hate that I was so judgemental, basically insinuating you were trying to sleep your way to the top.”

“I’m the manager. There’s nowhere higher to go except for becoming the owner, and I’m not that great in the sack that Tristan would sign the hotel over to me,” I joked, and it actually drew a chuckle from her. A very small one, but still, I took it as a win.

“Anyway, I was being a catty bitch, and I hate myself for it. When Tristan and Derek asked me to come here and train you, I jumped at the chance, but I have to confess, I had another motive.”

My eyebrows jumped. “You did?”

“I grew up around here. My family live only a half an hour away, and I thought maybe if I could convince the brothers that I’d be a better manager than you, then I could move home from Cork and finally be close to my parents and siblings again.”

Oh. That was surprising. It turned out that Sloane had been right. Katy was angling for my job, only it hadn’t worked out for her. Also, I could hardly blame her. I was a stranger, and she wanted to move home. If I were her, I might’ve tried the same thing.

“Well, I respect you for coming clean,” I said, and she slumped back in her seat, staring at the pattern on her blouse.