‘I’m sure it will be, but you can understand why I want to get everything in place as soon as I can.’
He put the tea, a glass of water and two painkillers on the coffee table and sat down opposite her.
‘So, come on then, spill,’ she said when she’d swallowed the pills.
‘Tia wasn’t a happy bunny, I can tell you. I must admit the way you handled everything was inspired. I was all set to fight your corner, but I should have realised I didn’t need to.’
‘Well, it did come from something you said to me this morning, so I’d say it was teamwork.’
He smiled. ‘She certainly didn’t like being outmanoeuvred. In fact, she had a complete meltdown.’
Liz frowned. ‘That’s not like her. She’s usually so in control. But she has been acting oddly for a while now.’
‘I know, and, when Roberto and I joined forces and insisted that a tenancy agreement was the way forward, she really lost it. Said we were ganging up on her. That the restaurant and hotel were the only things she had control over in her life and we had no right to take that away from her.’
Liz frowned. ‘I don’t understand.’
‘It turns out Tia wants to meet “the one”, settle down and have children but she knows she’s running out of time.’
‘I can see how that would upset her.’
‘It’s more than that. I fear she’s on the verge of some sort of breakdown.’
‘Poor Tia,’ Liz said.
‘I know. I went into the meeting feeling aggrieved with her, but now... Well, I just feel sorry for her.’
‘Me too. So what happens now?’
‘Eventually Roberto and I managed to calm her down. We persuaded her to take some time to work things out. She’s going to book herself into a retreat in Bali.’
‘That sounds like just what she needs. But surely that puts more pressure on you, at a time when you need it least.’
‘It’s not ideal. But Roberto is going to spend more time at the restaurant and the hotel is running relatively smoothly. We’ve got a good management team, so hopefully I’ll only have to step in if there are any problems.
‘As long as you don’t overdo it yourself.’
‘I won’t. But at least we can sort out the terms of the lease together.’
‘That’s something,’ Liz said with a sigh of relief. ‘I do sympathise with Tia, but sorting out the lease will be a lot easier without her involved.’
‘Completely.’
‘And managing the business while I’m on maternity leave will be a lot easier for Jay if everything is operating from one place.’
‘Leaving us to be able to concentrate on our new addition to the family.’
Liz smiled. She loved her work, but she was more than ready to focus on this new chapter of her life.
Chapter Thirty-Five
Emma was running late and struggling to find some clean clothes for work. She wasn’t used to living in such a small space and she had far too much stuff. Having to share a washing machine with everyone else in the accommodation didn’t make life any easier either. She knew she needed to get organised but she was always so tired when she finished a shift, compounded by the fact that when she did go to bed she would spend hours lying awake thinking about Jay, only falling into the deepest of sleeps when it was nearly time to get up.
She’d finished her training in general admin and finance, and today was her first day in the HR department, which she hoped would be a slightly more interesting role. If nothing else, being in the hotel office area prevented her from bumping into Nick, at least while she was at work. It was a different matter when she was in the accommodation. If he was around she tended to spend most of her time in her room, which she found quite depressing. Despite the number of times she’d told him she wasn’t interested in anything romantic, he still didn’t seem to be getting the message.
Emma was beginning to regret moving into staff accommodation, and not just because of Nick. She was missing Jay, wondering if she’d acted too hastily in ending their relationship. She hadn’t contacted him, but he hadn’t been in touch with her either, not even when he’d dropped off her laptop charger. She had been adamant that she wanted her own space, so maybe he was just giving her what she’d told him she wanted. She couldn’t really have it both ways. She should just get on with her life and try to find a flatshare somewhere else, although the thought of living with strangers didn’t appeal to her either.
Having found some clothes that were just about passable, Emma hastily got ready for work. She promised herself that, ifthe washing machine wasn’t free when she finished her shift, she’d take her clothes to the launderette and have done with it.
