Page 85 of Christmas at Sturcombe Bay
“I had a peek in at the annexe. I like the new tiles for the swimming pool.”
“We have to get new covers for the drains. The flat ones can be dangerous. Too much suction apparently. The new ones are dome-shaped.”
“Are they starting on the windows and rewiring straight after Christmas?”
“Uh-huh. Then we’ll start on upgrading the décor throughout. The main public areas will be first — reception and dining room, and the ballroom. Dan Tuckett’s a local guy. He was at school with me and Liam and Tom. We aim to use local labour as much as possible.”
“That’s good. But if you’re going to upgrade, you’ll be putting up the prices.” Her brow furrowed. “Then what about people like the Wrights? They probably wouldn’t be able to afford it.”
“Ah, we have a plan.” He took a long sip of his wine. “We’re going to award our long-term regulars Gold Star Status, with special discount prices which would bring them down to the same price bracket as they’re paying now.”
“That’s a great idea!” Her eyes were bright. He had guessed that she would like that scheme. “What about the Turkey-and-Tinsel groups?”
“We’ve discussed that with the agents. They also do premium groups, so we’ll be looking to upgrade with the new contract.”
They carried on chatting as they ate. Talking about the hotel felt like a safe distraction from thinking about where this might be heading. He wasn’t ready to look that far ahead yet.
He brought out a tiramisu for dessert. His culinary skills didn’t extend to sweet stuff, so he usually kept one in the fridge for when he had a date round for dinner.
They finished the bottle of wine as the conversation moved on to talking about his football career, the places he’d been, and Jess told him about a motorbike trip she’d done through France and Spain.
“We were planning to go on to Morrocco, but the heat was a bit too much. And after fifteen hundred miles on a motorbike, your bum begins to ache!”
He’d intended to suggest a move into the sitting room to settle on the sofa and watch a film, but by the time he glanced up at the clock on the wall it was almost eleven o’clock.
“Oh . . .” Jess’s eyes widened in surprise. “I . . . I ought to be going. We have the first of the T’n’T groups arriving this weekend, and it’s likely to be a bit full on, getting everything ready.”
Instinct told him not to try to persuade her to stay — this had to go at her pace. She gulped down the last of her wine and rose to her feet. He followed her out to the hall, lifted her jacket downfrom the hook, and helped her to shrug into it. Then he reached for his own overcoat.
“Oh . . . Uh . . . You don’t need to . . . It isn’t far.”
He smiled, shaking his head. “A gentleman always walks a lady home.”
She rolled her eyes, but didn’t argue.
* * *
Instead of turning down Cliff Road, Jess crossed over to rest her hands for a moment on the rough stone wall. A cold wind was blowing in from the Channel, nipping at her nose and ears, whipping up the waves to thump against the cliffs below.
Over there on the far side of the bay stood the Carleton, spotlit in white, still proud and elegant as she reigned over the small town. It was good that Paul and Alex Crocombe were buying it, saving it from being demolished.
She had seen how important it was to the local community, how it was the focus of the town, sitting up there on its cliff, surrounded by its gardens, watching out over the sea.
And that story old Arthur had told, about its role during the war — she could understand how that had fired people up to defend the place. She had felt it herself, and she’d only been here for a few weeks.
Paul came to stand beside her. “So, are you going to tell me that was a pleasant evening?” he teased, smiling down at her.
“It was.”
“Very pleasant? Extremely pleasant?” His face held a doleful expression that she had no trouble in recognising as entirely bogus. “Mildly pleasant?”
Her eyes narrowed. “Your sister told me you used to talk her out of her last red jelly baby when you were kids.”
“She did? The traitor! Family aren’t supposed to grass up family.”
“I’m glad she warned me.”
He picked up her hand and lifted it to his lips, brushing a light kiss across her knuckles. “For me, I would say it was an exceptionally pleasant evening. I’ve rarely enjoyed an evening so much.”
