Page 5 of Where the Waves Kiss the Shore
“Why? What are you going to do with the Waterside?” She’d been wanting to ask him since he’d shared the news that he’d inherited the family hotel on a tiny island off Ireland’s west coast. But she’d been about to head off on vacation, and she’d figured it would wait. While her dad was an efficient businessman in all other areas, the complicated nature of his relationship with his family and the island was likely to make any decisions around the hotel difficult. Tierney loved the island; she’d spent her childhood holidays there, loved and nurtured by her granny.
Now Granny was gone, and her hotel was all that was left of her memory. Tierney wanted the Waterside to have a future, butshe wondered if her dad had been away for too long to remember how special it was.
Her dad shuffled papers on his desk. “I haven’t made a decision.”
“Then why do you need me to go, Dad?” She heard the whine in her own voice, but she couldn’t bear the thought of turning up on the island to face the wrath of her uncles and the questions everyone would have about the hotel. Questions she couldn’t answer.
“I want you to go and find out how the hotel is being run. When the estate is settled, that manager will be my employee. I want to know if she’s worth keeping on.”
“And what if your brothers question me?”
“Tell them you don’t know anything. It’s not as if that’s not believable.”
Megan squeezed her knee, so Tierney bit her lip at the insult. “They’re going to be furious at having been overlooked for their share of the hotel.” Her uncles had always intimidated her, especially the elder one, Desmond.
“Nonsense. Anto inherited the ferry business when Dad passed, and Des got his payouts when he bought his first hotel. They had their fair share. It’s only right I get something.”
“The first thing they’ll want to know is when you’re coming over. What am I supposed to say? You haven’t been to Inishderry since I was old enough to fly alone, and neither of us made it to Granny’s funeral.” The guilt came flooding back, and she sucked in her breath to hold back a sob.
“Just go and see what’s happening and report back to me. Can you do that, Tierney?” His tone made it clear the conversation was over.
She would go; they both knew it. As soon as he was satisfied she would book the flights, he hung up.
“How are you feeling about going back without your granny there?” Megan unfolded herself from the sofa and busied herself with putting away the laptop.
Tierney rested her head on the back of the couch and squeezed the bridge of her nose. “Thanks for asking. It wouldn’t even occur to him that it might be difficult for me.” She rolled her head to the side to watch Megan. “Mixed feelings, I guess. I’ve missed the island, but it’s gonna be so different without her.”
“You need to get over the guilt of missing her funeral.”
“I can’t imagine that seeing the hotel without her there is going to help with that.” Grief burned in her chest as it did every time she thought of her granny. It had been over six months. Surely it would start to fade soon.
“But you know there was no way you could’ve gotten there in time. You’ve beaten yourself up enough.” Megan sat back down opposite her. “When we were little and you and all the kids with families in Inishderry used to spend your summers there, I was so pissed my parents could never afford to go. I thought I was missing out on so much. But now I’m kind of glad I don’t have the bond. It seems like a lot of work.”
“And when you finally got there, you hated the place and rarely went back.” Tierney pushed out of the seat. “Can we stop talking about that fucking island and go and get wasted, please?”
Megan followed her to the door. “Or we could just get a good meal and have a lovely evening.”
“Yeah, I guess.” She led the way down to the restaurant unthinkingly, her mind on other things. Her return to her family’s home was long overdue, even if her dad had long ago cut his own ties. Her last stay more than four years ago had been a flying visit. She’d been too eager to avoid Joey, her childhood friend, and any awkward conversations with them.
“Should I just order and let you sit there moping?” Megan waved her menu in front of Tierney’s face. “We’ve got two nights of our vacation left. Could you please be present?”
You sound like Dad.“Sorry. I was just thinking about the island and Granny.”
“You’ll be there in a few days. Make the most of the end of our break.”
Tierney shook herself out of her mood. Megan was right. Who knew when they’d get another break together. Tierney had trips planned around her freelance photography jobs, but Megan was a full-time employee of the business and subject to her dad’s less than generous vacation time policy. “Okay, I’m all yours. Let’s eat and then get down to your beloved bar. Perhaps you’ll meet a sexy Frenchman to share your last nights with.”
“I couldn’t think of anything worse.” Megan was still laughing as the server came to take their order.
Tierney decided to put aside thoughts of the island until she arrived. But when she did, she’d make the trip worthwhile. It was too late to spend more time with her granny, but she could make things right with Joey.
THREE
Kasia pulledthe covers up around her shoulders as Melissa swung the window wide and leaned out to light her cigarette. She was wearing a fleece jacket and nothing else. Kasia idly admired the curve of her exposed ass cheek as she stretched outside. Their mainland meet-ups on a Sunday night could become a regular occurrence now. The hotel rarely had visitors beyond the weekend, and the promise of winter was in the air.
Melissa blew smoke out through her nose and turned back to Kasia. “Have you heard anything yet?”
Kasia hated cigarettes. She didn’t like the way she could taste them on Melissa’s breath or the way her clothes smelled when she’d been out for some “fresh air.” But she appreciated that Melissa made an effort not to smoke inside her house. She shrugged. “I’ve heard nothing. I think they’re avoiding me. I wish I’d never found that damned will.”
