Page 59 of Happier Days

‘Do you think she’ll ever find the courage to start her own business? She could do that anywhere. She doesn’t have to be in London.’

‘I’m not sure how serious it is, and she might change her mind when she returns to a big city, but she’s been chatting through going freelance with me. You have to admit, she is good and a great worker who gets things done. And maybe I could findher some design work. It’s a pity her job here is coming to an end so soon.’

‘Maybe we can help her with that.’ She paused and stared at him for a moment. ‘Once the hotel is refurbished, there will be lots for her to do promotion wise.’

Jack frowned, then gave his mum a wily grin. ‘You mean you like the proposal?’

Stella nodded. ‘Let’s finish the extension.’

‘Well, you have been thinking about things.’

‘Your dad and I have, yes. He’s not the pushover everyone thinks he is. Once he gets something in his head that he wants to do, he just has to offer a few words of his wisdom, and I know he’s speaking the truth.’

‘It has to be both of you who want it to happen.’ Jack gnawed at his bottom lip. ‘I can’t do it if you’re not fully behind it.’

Stella went over to the desk and picked up the paperwork she was working on when he’d first arrived. ‘See this? It’s costings for the lounge and restaurant. I thought Ava and Eliza might help me to choose patterns and colours. What do you think?’

‘That wasn’t in the proposal.’

‘I know, but in for a penny, in for a pound.’

Jack sat back in his chair, his long legs out in front of him, and popped his hands behind his head. This had gone much better than he’d hoped. His parents were on board, which meant the hotel wouldn’t feel so gloomy. Ava would be involved, too, if she wanted to be.

He smiled at his mum. ‘I think it’s going to be a good day.’

‘Send your sister in to see me. I’d quite like to make her day better as well.’

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

As he walked back to collect Graham, Jack was collared by Eliza who was behind the reception desk. Before he could say anything, she marched across the floor.

‘I want a word with you.’ Eliza grabbed his arm, pulling him none too gently towards the storeroom. She opened the door, shoved him inside, and closed it to give them some privacy.

‘What the hell is—’ Jack began.

But Eliza didn’t give him time to finish. She pointed a finger in his face. ‘I might have known it would be your idea to sell the hotel.’

‘What? No, that’s not come from me.’

‘I heard you and Mum talking. I was just about to go into the office when I heard Mum say that she thought it would be better to spruce the place up. I thought surely they can’t be thinking of selling the hotel without including me in the conversation. Then I heard her say thatyou’dput up the money. Is it true?’

‘Yes, but you’ve got the wrong end of the?—’

‘If I had a stick right now, I’d beat you with it.’ Tears filled her eyes. ‘This is my home, and my livelihood. Of course you’ll be okay because you have this big author career going on now, so you don’t need to worry. But I don’t have anyone to fall back on.There’s just me. Have you any idea how hard it would be to find another job around here, let alone somewhere else to live, if the new owners won’t take me on?’

Jack let her get everything off her chest. Her actions spoke louder than words as she groaned, rolled her eyes, and did more of the pointing in his face. Finally, she paused for breath.

‘Aren’t you going to say anything?’ she finished.

‘I would if I could get a word in. But maybe it would be better to show you something instead.’ He took her hand this time, leading her out of the room.

Once outside the hotel, Jack strode up to the road. All the while, Eliza tried to keep up with him, silently fuming. Finally, when they turned left, she gave up.

‘Where are we going?’

‘I want to show you something.’

They stopped outside the cottage Jack had bought. He pushed open the rickety gate, careful not to knock it off its hinge.

---