Page 22 of Second Chance Summer
He shook his head. ‘I thought you were supposed to have a complete break.’
‘I couldn’t justleave. Not without letting key people know I’d be back.’
‘Well, you’ll be back with them tomorrow.’
‘Yes, but I think I can allow myself today off. As I’m stuck here.’
Her eyes challenged him but he wasn’t fazed. ‘How long has it actually been since you took a proper holiday?’
‘Oh … I’m not sure.’ Lily appeared to be dredging a corner of her mind. ‘I went on a hen weekend to Barcelona last May, though I flew back earlier than everyone else toprepare for the team’s mid-year reviews. I was in France on business earlier this year.’ She sighed. ‘I missed my parents’ Ruby Wedding party. I regret that.’
Sam’s interest was piqued by this admission. ‘What happened?’
‘Iwasall set to go to the party. I even had my bags packed in the office – but a potential client asked me to fly urgently to Paris for a meeting.’
‘Couldn’t you have put them off?’ Sam said.
‘No.’ She sighed. ‘Well, I didn’t think so at the time, but afterwards … I wish I’d gone to the party. My auntie Tina had flown over from Australia and I missed that. And my great-uncle Matthew was there. He was a hundred and two.’ Her voice faltered. ‘Unfortunately he passed away the week after.’
‘That’s such a shame. I am sorry,’ Sam murmured, seeing the genuine regret in Lily’s eyes.
‘We all were, even though he’d had a wonderful life. He just keeled over while he was feeding the ducks in the grounds of his nursing home. I hadn’t seen him for a long time and because I missed the party … well, I never got to talk to him again. To tell him how much he’d inspired me. He used to love making things. He did wood turning and carving.’
Sam listened, surprised and moved to see her lift the corner of this veil on her private life.
‘Maybe that’s where you got your creative side from.’
‘Maybe.’ She shrugged and then declared, ‘So I’m going to make the most of this opportunity. Even though it will be short.’
‘I’ll try to make sure it’s not too awful,’ Sam said wryly, noting the reminder that she expected to leave the next morning. ‘Would you like to see the island with me after breakfast or explore on your own?’
‘Both, please. A tour and then a solo adventure.’ She stopped and rolled her eyes. ‘How embarrassing. Will you listen to me, sounding like a little kid?’
‘We all need to be kids again from time to time,’ he said, wondering when he’d last enjoyed a carefree day himself. ‘Though it may surprise you, I do plan on offering activities to guests. Nature and history walks, beachcombing …’
‘All of which sound great,’ Lily said.
He smiled, feeling genuine pleasure. ‘Before I leave you to enjoy the rest of your breakfast, I’d like to check this evening’s menu with you.’
She seemed more than happy with most of it: goat’s cheese salad, with a key lime cheesecake he’d brought over from the bakery. It was just as well, as the only dessert alternative he could have offered was cheese and biscuits.
However, she hesitated over the lamb shank he’d intended to braise for the main course.
‘Do you have any more of Rory’s fish?’ she asked. ‘It seems a shame not to eat more seafood when it’s so delicious and fresh.’
‘I could probably rustle up some sea bass,’ Sam said, thinking that while she was off exploring he could take out the fishing kayak and catch some. Not that he would admit to Lily that he’d have to go out ’specially.
‘Great.’ She rewarded him with a smile that almost made the effort worthwhile. ‘That’s one of my favourites.’
Sam left her, basking in her approval of his ideas for activities – when he could get them sorted – and of his plans for the evening menu. Even though these small aspects had gone well, he needed to get his supplies and logistics sorted. There were two big freezers in the utility building behind the kitchen, but they were virtually empty. It was one more sign of how badly he’d underestimated the amount of work and staff needed to run the retreat. One guest and one night had made him feel completely exposed.
And it had to bethisguest: a celebrity business owner with a big online presence. If she did choose to go public with her opinion of the retreat, any review could be shared far and wide. Perhaps he should thank Lily for shining a light on its – and his – failings so he could take steps to improve things.
At least the weather was on his side now and Lily looked happier than she had at any moment since he’d collected her from the heliport.
With the sun shining, and his guest warming to her island ‘prison’, today was his last chance to make a good impression before she flew home and offered her verdict.
CHAPTER SEVEN
