‘Absolutely not.’ Jim was firm. ‘I’ve got a plumber coming out tomorrow, all being well, and so hopefully you should be in the flat soon. In the meantime I have taken the liberty of booking you into the Brodie Hotel for a few days. The last thing you need is being stuck in a freezing apartment when you’ve only just arrived. I don’t want to put you off before you’ve even begun.’
Beth was completely touched but also taken aback. The Brodie was the hotel she used to work in all those summers ago, and had now been completely transformed. She’d looked at it recently online, out of curiosity, and had a nosy at the boutique bedrooms and annexe cabins. It was described as a cosy and secluded hotel, perfect for romantic escapes. She had also noticed the price tag and baulked slightly at the cost. She wasn’t quite sure her credit card could take anything else right now and wondered how much this was going to cost her. Especially when she wasn’t particularly in the market for a romantic or luxury break. The last thing she wanted to be was awkward, but she would have been happy to rent a caravan or stay in a hostel. That would have been better for her finances. Then she rememberedthe envelope of cash her dad had insisted on giving her earlier. That may well come in handy.
‘The company will pick up the tab. This is for us to worry about, not you,’ said Jim smoothly. ‘I know the manager, we play golf together, and he has given us a deal for one of their cabins now that it’s autumn and not quite so busy. It’s lucky you came at the start of November and not December, when things ramp up for Christmas. Otherwise I’d be putting you in my spare bedroom.’
‘Sounds good,’ said a relieved Beth. ‘And what a treat. Thank you so much. I have to admit it will be interesting to see it again after all these years.’
‘Of course, I’m totally forgetting about your summer job there. That must feel like a lifetime ago now. Anyway, I think you’ll notice a huge change since you last worked there. It was left empty for quite a few years, then bought over by the current owners around ten years ago. They have done a tremendous job with it.’ He glanced at his watch and looked outside. ‘Let’s get you up there and settled and we can grab some lunch in the bar. I’ll just jump in my car and you can follow me round. Let’s make a dash for it as it looks like the rain has stopped. For now.’
Five minutes later, Beth pulled into the red gravel driveway of the hotel and parked next to Jim. Before she got out the car, she quickly sent her dad a text to let him know she had arrived safely.
‘It didnotlook like this when I worked here.’ Beth looked up in wonder at the red sandstone building. During the two summers she spent working there she waitressed, covered the bar and also did a stint in housekeeping. They all mucked in and did what was needed and she realised that, actually, none of them had complained as it didn’t actually feel like work. Now as she looked up at the hotel, she couldn’t believe how much the building had completely transformed. She looked around in aweat the grounds, landscaped with beautiful shrubs and manicured lawns that, despite the weather, still looked immaculate — as though they had been combed — as well as neatly shaped hedges. The hotel was set in a peaceful location. The gardens had paved seating areas, possibly for al-fresco dining in the summer, with views across the sea. Beth recalled that the outdoor space was a real sun trap. Feelings of nostalgia came rushing back as she remembered how she and the other girls would soak up the sun whenever they had a break, making sure they got the best of summer tans. She shuddered to think of their lack of sunscreen protection back then and how they used a coconut-smelling cream, which maybe had factor one in it at the most. They must have fried their skin.
She was pulled from her sentimental thoughts when a tall and handsome man, with wavy black hair and a navy overcoat, came striding out the front door. He carried a huge golf umbrella shielding him from the rain that had started to fall again.
‘Welcome.’ He walked over to Jim and Beth and placed the huge umbrella over them. ‘You must be Beth?’
She smiled and met his dark brown eyes as he reached to shake her hand. ‘Hello.’ He was very good-looking in a chiselled and groomed way.
‘Beth. This is my friend Alessandro, who is also the hotel manager.’
‘We are so pleased you’re staying with us.’ His smile was warm and engaging. ‘Come on. Let me show you to your room and get you inside before the rain gets heavy again. Do you have bags?’
Beth quickly opened the boot, which was stuffed with all her possessions, and grabbed a holdall. ‘This will do for now.’
‘Jim, I will show Beth to her cabin. You wait in the bar and we’ll be right back. That saves you getting wet and your hair being ruined.’
Jim, whose hair was very shortly cropped, let out a guffaw. ‘Thanks for your consideration, mate. See you soon Beth.’ He dashed towards the entrance.
Chapter Eight
Alessandro took Beth’s bag from her. She followed as he led her down the path to the side of the building and the grounds at the back. It tapered off into a gravel walkway that was lined with shrubs and small lanterns, which were already glowing thanks to the lack of sunlight. As they followed the turn in the path through a small, wooded area, Beth gasped when it opened out to a grassy patch with three small log cabins. Each had a covered seating area at the front with a bench and small table.
‘Wow,’ she said. ‘These are amazing.’
He nodded in approval. ‘Yes, we have been very pleased with them. We had them built just before lockdown happened and they’ve been extremely popular with our guests. Especially when everyone was having a staycation these past few years.’
Beth gazed around and tried to recall what this part of the hotel used to be. She remembered that the hotel did have vast grounds, but she didn’t appreciate just how much land it backed onto. When she worked here, this must have all been left to grow wild. Alessandro continued to the furthest cabin in the corner, which had a covered porch area, sheltering them from the rain. He gave the umbrella a shake and popped it down, placing it in the handy holder that sat right outside the door.
‘You’ve really thought of everything,’ said Beth admiringly.
‘We like to make things as easy as possible for our guests. Nobody wants to take their wet umbrellas into the cabins and spoil the ambience with big wet puddles.’ Alessandro slotted the keys in the lock and swung the door open. ‘Here you are. Home for a few days. The larger cabins are booked out so I hope you don’t mind this smaller one, which is more of a studio.’ He placed her bag down by the door, pointing out where the heating switch was. He swivelled the dial round. ‘I will increase thetemperature now for you so it’s toasty when you get back from lunch.’
It took a moment or two for Beth to absorb her surroundings — she didn’t say anything. It was so far removed from what her life had become in London. For a moment she felt overcome with gratitude and joy. ‘Crikey,’ she said in awe. ‘It is amazing.’
Alessandro looked at her curiously. ‘Through here is the shower room.’ He beckoned her through, pointing at the luxurious walk-in shower that had a huge round head. ‘It should all just work with the flick of a switch, like so.’
Beth watched as he turned the water on and off. Then she caught sight of her reflection in the mirror. Her brown shoulder-length hair looked wild and unkempt. As her eyes connected with his as he looked at her, she felt her cheeks flush. It felt weirdly intimate to be in this tiny space with a man she had only just met. As she backed out into the main living area, she caught a whiff of his citrus aftershave, which smelt very familiar yet disconcertingly also filled her with dread. She tried to distract herself by quickly raking her fingers through her hair — hoping to tidy it up a bit — and looking around the studio. It was bright, spacious and open-plan, with a compact kitchen, a huge comfy sofa bed and a flat screen TV. It felt stylish yet homely, and she knew she would enjoy relaxing here the next few evenings, especially when it was so dark outside. Everything was decorated in a neutral colour, which helped to create a relaxing and tranquil feel.
‘I do hope you will be very comfortable, Beth. I have taken the liberty of putting a few essentials in the fridge to keep you going as you won’t want to be outside in this weather. But anything you need just let me know.’ Alessandro smiled, showing his very white teeth. ‘My number is here so do feel free to call meanytime.’
Beth wondered if he had overly lingered on the word “anytime” or whether she was just imagining it and she had to fight to suppress a sudden giggle.What was wrong with her?
He dropped his card on the coffee table and turned up the collar of his jacket. ‘I will let you freshen up before you meet Jim in the bar.’
‘Thank you,’ she said gratefully, wondering what his story was and what had brought him to Arran. ‘I really appreciate this. You are very kind.’ Suddenly she wanted to know more. ‘Have you worked here long?’
‘A couple of years,’ he said. ‘Though on days like this it feels about a hundred years.’ Alessandro laughed. ‘I hope you’ve brought your boots and a big rain jacket.’
