‘Are you about to make a move on the guest house?’
‘Do you have some prior hold on it?’ he said, watching her closely.
‘So you are thinking of investing?’
‘Margaret has expressed an interest and I have money to invest.’
If Luke and his stormtroopers moved in how real would her independence be then? As if she didn’t know. ‘It doesn’t always come down to money, Luke.’
‘Try doing anything without it, Lucia,’ he flashed impatiently. ‘Good intentions don’t mend buildings. How are you going to set the guest house back on its feet?’
‘By working every spare hour I’ve got. I’ve had a lot of extra shifts at the club recently.’
‘I don’t question your work ethic. I don’t question your ability to turn things round, either, if funds are available—and I’d make sure they were. I’ve seen the work you’ve done on the estancia, and on the guest quarters at the family house on Isla del Fuego.’
‘Desperation drove me to do that,’ Lucia admitted, lightening up as she thought back. ‘My brothers would be quite happy for their guests to live like horses in a barn if I didn’t handle the décor and the organisation of the hospitality side of things for them.’
‘Exactly,’ Luke agreed. ‘So I don’t understand why the possibility of us working together here in Cornwall has never occurred to you.’
She couldn’t have been more shocked. ‘What are you suggesting?’
‘Come and work for me,’ Luke explained. ‘I’d trust you to look after my best interests if I’m not around.’
Oh, great. Work for Luke, but without him being around. She would be just one more employee amongst the hundreds working for Forster, Inc.
She should be grateful for the opportunity, Lucia reminded herself. So how come she wasn’t?
Because she wanted to paddle her own canoe, maybe?
‘I’ve always been able to trust you, Lucia,’ Luke continued, picking up on her change of heart. ‘Nothing’s changed where’s that’s concerned, has it?’
‘Of course not.’ She blanked London from her mind.
‘Well?’ he pressed.
‘I’ll think about it. But not if it means putting an official seal on you ordering me about.’
Luke laughed at that. ‘Just don’t take too long coming to a decision. I’ve got the money and resources waiting and ready to go. You’ve got the training and the flair. We both care about the guest house. It makes sense that you should work for me.’
‘I could work with you, maybe,’ she finessed.
‘It’s my investment on the line,’ Luke stated firmly.
And Margaret’s future. This wasn’t about her pride, Lucia concluded. So could she work for Luke? The thought grated, but if she had an official role she could maybe dilute the Luke effect if he tried to wade in and take over. Didn’t she owe that much to an old lady with no one else on her side?
‘What’s this?’
While she’d been thinking Luke had been making himself at home, and now he was staring at his centrefold, stuck to the wall with chewing gum. Why on earth hadn’t she thought to pull the damn thing down before opening the door to him?
‘That’s my new dartboard,’ she said lightly. ‘Do you like it?’
‘I didn’t know you cared.’
‘I don’t.’
‘You always were a terrible liar, Lucia.’
As Luke stared at her, she improvised, ‘The girl who had the van before me must have stuck it up. I expect she used it to cover a crack.’