Page 48 of The Magical Bed & Breakfast

Had he discovered the tea shop on an internet search? Hard to imagine him bothering with that. Perhaps he had an assistant who had chosen for him. Still, he relished control. If he wanted to meet, he wouldn’t leave the location up to Kate, despite it now being her town.

Then she chuckled. Who was she kidding? If he wanted to go out, the Ivy Way Tea Shop, with its delightful lunch specials, is exactly the venue she would have chosen herself.

Kate strolled briskly across the green, the wind this time pushing against her. Usually it encouraged her to travel this direction, but instead of hustling her along today, the wind had turned contrary and buffeted against her. Kate rubbed her arms through her blazer. The cool air sliced right through the thick fabric. She shivered, pausing at the statue and hoping the wind would calm down. She read the inscription. Lovely, but it still seemed incomplete, like it needed another verse.

Kate set back out and the wind tousled her carefully coiffed hair. It blasted her hard, to the point where she struggled to make it the last bit across the square to Main Street.

At the tea shop, she gripped the door and wrenched it open. Ivy’s little chime tinkled merrily as Kate stumbled inside. Off-kilter from her walk in the wind, she took a moment to straighten her outfit and glance around the crowded shop. Ah, she spotted her father seated toward the back edge. At his nod, she headed toward his table. He wasn’t alone. A man was seated across from him. Kate paused. Wait, was that…?

*

Rory turned whenQuinton nodded at someone behind him. When the man rose, he did out of reflex as well, having spotted a woman dressed professionally out of the corner of his eye. Quin hadn’t said anything about bringing an assistant, but he had mentioned his daughter would be in the area today. Rory turned and blinked at the sleek businesswoman in front of him. From the tip of her head to her crisp business dress, she radiated efficiency and expertise right down to her shoes. It was only the look on her face that made him grip the table. She was not pleased.

“Kate?”

She frowned before her eyes flicked to Quinton.

“Ah, my daughter is here,” he said smoothly to Rory. Unbothered by the sudden animosity radiating in waves off of Kate, Quinton simply walked around the table and took her by the elbow to guide her to her seat. After a long moment, during which Rory thought she might spin on her heel and leave, she sat, folded her hands, and said nothing. It was clear from the tension in her shoulders and the way she held herself that she had plenty to say, but was holding it in.

Quinton seated himself and said to Rory. “My daughter Katrina. The best in the reputation management business.”

And, despite himself, Rory said “You’re Katrina?”

Kate shifted at his revelation and focused on the teapots all lined up in their rainbow colors on the shelf behind the register. She appeared to be wishing herself anywhere but here, and Rory knew how she loved the tea shop. It had to be seeing her father with him. It made sense now, why the voice on the message sounded familiar, but he never would have made the connection.

Obviously, Quin was manipulating the situation. It irked Rory. His stalker-fan situation didn’t belong anywhere near Kate. It was wrong to involve her in it. Why had Quin asked her to join them?

“What has he told you?” Kate’s words came out clipped, chilling.

Rory felt a shiver travel down his spine. This meeting already embodied the definition of ill-advised, and yet…Kate was Katrina, the one everyone had recommended, the reason Rory had hired this firm to begin with: to keep any potential stalker scandal out of the press. Mind-bending. And from the stiffness of her shoulders, this meeting was fast tumbling into a ditch.

Rory reached for her hand under the table. He didn’t know what made him do it, but once he touched her freezing cold fingers, he just wanted to warm them.

She snatched her hand back.

“I didn’t know,” he said as Quin cleared his throat.

Kate gave one quick nod to Rory in acknowledgment and turned her umbrage on her father, but he was talking, already smoothing over the awkwardness. Kate’s expression shuttered and became instantly confident and courteous. It was a transformation worthy of the best reputation manager.

She gave a brief professional smile. “Rory and I have met. He’s staying at my inn.”

“Yes, yes, so he said, which is fortuitous, is it not? Quite convenient. It’s all being managed perfectly.”

And Rory knew then, somehow, that her father had done this to Kate. That he was managing not only Rory’s potential scandal, but his daughter as well. Managing her perfectly, in fact, as all he could see now was Kate falling into the role she had likely spent years perfecting. The only problem was, he knew she had escaped it and never wanted to go back.

Rory also knew that he couldn’t be the reason she got sucked back into a life she abhorred. Even if she had been celebrated for it. All the raving reviews of the firm had been specifically of Kate. Her discretion, her quiet resolution of every contingency. He knew how strapped she was for cash to fix up the inn. If her father was bringing her in to assist, would she be able to hold her ground? How badly did she need the money from this job? Quinton knew Rory was staying at her inn. He had orchestrated the entire situation. And Rory had to admit the man was a master, but it was obviously a shock to Kate.

Rory hadn’t hired the man to manipulate his own daughter. He needed his professional situation managed, not the fragile connection he had with his innkeeper damaged. He spoke up. “This is unacceptable.” At Quinton’s sardonic brow, Rory forged on, annoyed at the man’s demeanor and determined not to drag Kate into his situation. “I expectyouto manage this situation, not pull someone else in to do the work for you.”

But Kate suddenly became the embodiment of everything he had heard. “Why don’t you both fill me in on the details, so I can help,” she said graciously.

“You don’t have to do this,” said Rory.

“I know,” Kate said quietly, “but I will.”

Rory searched her eyes, but she was all business. Quinton started talking. Rory held back his irritation at the man, certain that making a scene in the Ivy Way Tea Shop was the last thing Kate wanted.

They talked for a solid hour, Ivy swinging by with cheesy panini sandwiches and tomato basil soup. A pot of tea appeared, followed by a selection of scones. Once begun, the meeting went effortlessly. Kate voiced no objection to anything Quinton proposed. By the end of the meeting, Kate was handling the press releases for the band and would be in contact with Nolan. She’d review the recent podcasts and present ideas for other controlled appearances to promote the band during their lull between concerts. Rory had no doubt that all his problems would be handled. He had nothing to worry about. In fact, he was certain he’d be able to go back to his life and that all would be solved.

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