Frowning, Polly wondered just what it was he wanted to discuss with her. Beneath that teasing manner he adopted Phil was an extremely shrewd businessman. Was he, perhaps, despite what had already been said, thinking of expanding his operation into the British countryside? Did he have his sights on Fraser House? If so, then it was really Marcus he needed to talk with more than her.
She was very tempted to ignore Phil’s phone call and go straight back to Fraser House, where she could lick her wounds in private and brood on the folly of her own behaviour, but it had never been Polly’s style to give in to self-pity, and besides, if Phil was contemplating making a bid for Fraser House then she owed it to herself to be informed of what was happening.
‘Come straight up to the suite’, Phi had told her, and Polly did exactly that, knocking a little tentatively on the door, which was opened almost immediately by Phil, wearing a pair of jeans and a casual shirt and looking more than a little preoccupied.
‘Polly. Good. You came…Come on in.’ He gestured to the table in the centre of the suite’s sitting room which was loaded with an appetising assortment of fresh fruit and other brunch dishes.
‘Help yourself to something to eat,’ he offered, going over to the table himself and starting to pour two cups of coffee.
‘Let’s sit down,’ he added, waiting until she had done so before saying semi-quizzically, ‘Polly, let’s quit beating about the bush. The deal’s going through and I’ve bought out the hotel’s current owners but I can’t be here on hand to run a place like this the way it needs to be run, not with my other business interests. This hotel needs a top-class manager, someone who knows the hotel business inside out; someone who combines that experience and intelligence with flair and an intuitive knowledge of what the guests want.’
‘If you’re asking me to recommend someone…’ Polly began doubtfully. She had assumed without knowing how or why that Suzi must be in line for taking over the management of the hotel, but, from the tone of Phil’s conversation, it appeared that she had been wrong.
Just how wrong she was about to discover, as Phil shook his head and told her dryly, ‘Honey, I don’t need any recommendations. I already know exactly who I want to run this place. The only person I want to run this place.’
‘Oh?’ Polly looked blankly at him. If he knew, then why was he talking to her like this, unless it was just his way of using her as a sounding board to confirm his own decision?
‘Yes.’ Phil turned to look directly at her as he told her simply, ‘I want you Polly; no one else will do. I’ve seen what you’ve done at Fraser House and I’ve watched you…the way you work, the way you relate to the guests, the way you are. You’re the best…and the best is what I want for this place.’
Polly was speechless. This was the last thing she had expected.
‘Phil…Phil, hang on…’ Polly protested a little shakily. ‘You can’t really mean this. It’s—’
‘I do mean it,’ Phil insisted.
‘I…I’m flattered that you should think of me,’ Polly began, ‘but, Phil, I can’t. There’s Fraser House, for one thing, and—’
‘Fraser House?’ Phil interrupted her, with a small disparaging shrug. ‘You’ve done wonders with it, Polly, but you’re capable of doing so much more, especially now that Briony is off your hands and at college. Come on, admit it; you’d love the challenge of somewhere like this, of something you can really get your teeth into. You must want to spread your wings, Polly, and what, after all, is there to keep you tied to Fraser House now?’
What indeed? Polly reflected inwardly. Briony had gone and soon Marcus would be following her. All she would be left with would be her memories and her ridiculous, foolish hopes and dreams, her aching what-might-have-beens, whilst not so very far away Marcus began his new life with his new wife and no doubt his new family.
How would she feel seeing them walking into Fraser House as a close-knit loving unit? Marcus and Suzi bringing their children for lunch. Suzi basking in Marcus’s love whilst she was forced to stand on the sidelines and watch.
Yes. If she stayed she would have to endure scenes like that, and the kind of pain that…But if she left she would be leaving behind so many precious memories—memories of Briony’s childhood, of the difficult years when she and Marcus had built up the business together, years when Marcus had been there working alongside her, helping her, being there for Briony. So many memories, all of them bittersweet and edged with the pain of her loving him, yes, but yet, in so many ways, oh, so precious.