Page 114 of The Wake-Up Call

Hi, Izzy. I’ve just let Mrs. SB know that another investment opportunity has come up and my dad and I think it’s a better fit for us. Good luck, no hard feelings. Cheers, Louis.

I read it out to Izzy.

“ ‘No hard feelings’?” she says. “Whata—”

“Merda.” I clap a hand to my mouth. Thinking about the hotel has reminded me of something important. “Eu pedi demissão.I resigned!”

“What?” Izzy stares over at me in horror. “From the hotel?”

“Yes! I emailed Mrs. SB my letter of resignation at the airport.”

“Well, unresign!” Izzy says. “How am I meant to do my job without you getting in my way all the time? Call her! Call her!”

She points at her phone in my hand. I dial Mrs. SB’s number and switch to speakerphone.

“Izzy!” Mrs. SB shouts. “Are you with Lucas?”

We exchange a glance.

“Yes, actually,” Izzy says. “How did you—”

“Louis told me you’re a couple!”

Both our eyes narrow in unison.

“Louis?” I say, incredulous.

“That can wait!” Mrs. SB yells. “Lucas! Barty and I are racing to the airport to stop you. You can’t leave, Lucas, you mustn’t. If I could offer you a pay rise, I would, or some job security of longer than two weeks, frankly, but—please! It’s not over yet!”

“You’re racing to the airport?” I repeat, checking the time on the dashboard. “My flight departed forty minutes ago.”

“What? Did it? Barty!”

“It’s the time difference!” Barty protests in the background. “It’s very confusing!”

“He’s not leaving, Mrs. SB,” Izzy says with a smile in her voice. “I’m bringing him home.”

“Izzy, youangel. If there’s a Forest Manor Hotel in the world, it needs you two in it, do you hear me?”

Both our smiles waver at the reminder of reality. The likelihood is there will be no job to return to within a matter of days.

“Stop thinking negative thoughts!” Mrs. SB says. “I can hear them from here. We still havedaysleft to save the hotel. It’s not too late. We’ve not sold some of the larger antiques yet, and there’s your last ring, too...”

Izzy pulls a face. Clearly she’s doing no better than me at finding the mysterious Goldilocks.

“Forest Manor Hotel is a survivor,” Mrs. SB says. “She sheltered sixty children from the Blitz in her day. She’s weathered storms and pandemics and more expensive structural damage than this, let me tell you. Wewillbe open in the new year.”

“What was it you said about Louis, Mrs. SB?” Izzy asks.

“Oh, yes. He came in and told me you were romantically involved. He seemed to be under the impression that I’d fire you both,” Mrs. SB says. “He was most disappointed when Barty and I cheered loudly enough to bring the ceiling down all over again. I don’t knowwhatthat young man thinks he’s up to, but since this afternoon, he’s also contacted the local press with a story about our front desk going unmanned and sent the food safety inspector around.”

“What?” Izzy says, startled. “That vindictive little...weasel!”

“Don’t worry,” Barty shouts. “Eventhe Forest Local Newsdidn’t think that story was worth printing. And you know the inspector has a soft spot for Arjun’s truffles. He’s been installed on table sixteen for hours.”

I can’t resist. “I told you Louis was a dickhead,” I say.

“Brace yourself, Lucas, because I’m only going to say this once,” Izzy tells me. “You wereabsolutelyright.”

---