Page 66 of Too Busy for Love

‘It’s fine. Just use the same pitch you used on Dad. I mean, you might want to adapt it a little bit, obviously. Take whatshisname out and make it look like Emilio was in the plan from the start. These top chefs can be a bit diva-ish. Can you do it?’

‘I don’t know. I can try.’

Abby turns her attention back to the phone. ‘Donna. Tell Emilio we’ll be there, and can you find me a hotel room inMargate for tonight? Yeah, Beatrice and I need to work on her presentation. Thanks. Oh, and can you email over the contracts for Beatrice to sign as soon as you’ve finished them? Ta.’

She slips the phone back into her bag and smiles. ‘Congratulations and welcome on board, Beatrice. You are officially Atkinson Hotels’ first employee.’

Although I’m pleased on a professional level, I feel a little disloyal to Jock by going with Abby’s decision without putting up more of a fight, but perhaps it would have been selfish to expect him to relocate down here. After all, all the reasons I shared with Reginald about not moving to Scotland apply to him coming here, and what if our relationship didn’t work out? Also, dealing with Abby this afternoon has felt a little like being hit by a runaway train, and I’m conscious that I could plan to use the change of chef as leverage. A thought comes into my mind and, although it’s audacious, I decide it’s worth a try.

‘Abby?’ I begin.

‘Yes?’

‘Here’s the thing. You’ve said to me that this project would be dead in the water without me, right?’

‘Yes.’

‘So you need me, for this to succeed.’

‘Yes. What are you getting at?’

‘I just think that maybe I’m bringing more to the table than a mere employee, and that should be reflected in my role.’

Her eyes narrow but, now that I’ve started, I’m warming to my theme.

‘At the start of this meeting,’ I continue, ‘you said that you were going to be the sole director of Atkinson Hotels. Am I remembering that correctly?’

‘It’s my family business that owns the hotel, and my family business that’ll be putting up the cash to pay your salary and refurbish it. So yes, I will have the controlling interest.’

‘But it’s me that’s bringing the expertise and the industry knowledge. You might be financing it, but the success of this project depends on me bringing all the different moving parts together.’

‘Go on.’

‘So, in light of that, I think you should appoint me as co-director of Atkinson Hotels.’

She stares at me for so long without speaking that I start to wonder if I’ve overplayed my hand. The longer the silence goes on, though, the more convinced I am that this is a concession she needs to make.

‘This sounds a bit like blackmail. What happens if I say no?’ she asks eventually.

‘It’s not blackmail. I’m simply asking you to recognise what I bring to the table. It’s up to you whether you do that or not. I’ve said I’m in and I’m a woman of my word. The question is what value you place on me.’

‘So you’d do it even if I said no? What’s my motivation to say yes?’

‘Because it’s the right thing to do.’

There’s another long silence. I know I’ve shot myself in the foot by saying I’d work for her anyway. In an ideal world, I’d have thought of this before saying yes in the first place, but these things are always easier in hindsight, aren’t they? As I wait for her to make up her mind, I decide that her next move will play a big part in how long I stay. If she says no, it will definitely dent my opinion of her. I’ll still get the hotel up and running so it looks good on my CV, but I’ll look to move on as soon as I can after that. I like her, but she’s shown her ruthless side today, and I don’t want to be her doormat.

After what seems like an age, she pulls her phone back out of her bag and dials another number.

‘Hi, Dad. Slight change of particulars for the new company. Yeah, I’m appointing Beatrice as co-director. No, it’s not up for discussion. This is merely a courtesy call to let you know. Yes, we’re meeting Emilio tomorrow. I’ll keep you posted. Bye.’

‘Any other curve balls you want to throw before we get down to work?’ she asks.

I feel vindicated. If I’m going to sacrifice a chance of love on the altar of my career, I need to score a concession to soften the blow, and this is a cracker. ‘No, that’s it,’ I tell her sweetly.

‘Right then, partner,’ she says and I’m relieved to see she’s smiling. ‘Let’s start putting together this pitch for Emilio.’

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