by Karen King
Ellie’s mother went down to take charge of the delivery while Ellie waited for the bed to be brought up.
“Where do you want it?” one of the delivery men asked as they edged the bed through the doorway.
“In the middle of the room please,” Ellie told them. That’s where the bed had been placed previously and utilised the space in the room better than putting it over in one of the corners.
Sue popped her head in to look at the bed.
“You can’t see it much, it’s wrapped in plastic,” Ellie told her. “They’re just about to put it down.”
“I can see that it’s going to look lovely,” Sue said. She frowned as she saw a receipt stuck to the base of the bed. “R.S. Incorporated. I recognise that name from somewhere.”
The bed had just been put in place when Reece arrived and between them they moved the furniture back into the room while Sue went back downstairs.
“It looks fantastic,” Ellie said. She phoned her Mum. “It’s all done, come and take a look.”
She was upstairs in five minutes, with Mandy hot on her heels.
“It looks great, really nice. I can’t believe the difference the carpet and bed make,” Mandy announced.
Sue was over the moon. She had tears in her eyes as she looked around. “I can’t thank you all enough,” she said. “Especially you, Reece. You’re a guest here, a stranger, but you’ve done so much to help. Like a friend to us.”
“Think nothing of it. I’m glad to help,” he told her.
“Now I’m going to fix some lunch for us all,” Sue announced. “You’ll need it after all your hard work.”
“Mum’s answer to everything is a cup of tea and a sandwich,” Ellie smiled as Sue went out of the room.
Reece pulled her into his arms and kissed her. “I’ve been waiting to do that all morning,” he murmured.
She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Did your meeting go well?”
“Yes it’s all tied up now.” He kissed her again then pulled back and looked at her intently. “Ellie, I want to talk to you. Can we go for a walk for half an hour or so?”
Something in his eyes and tone surprised Ellie. What did he want to talk to her about? She nodded. “Yes, of course. Give me fifteen mins to shower and change. We can have a stroll across the beach.”
Reece had looked serious, what could it be? Ellie wondered as she showered. Had his company complained about him passing the company discount onto her mum? She knew some would frown at this. Oh God, she hoped he wasn’t going to say they had to pay the full amount after all.
Don’t jump to conclusions, she told herself. He probably wants to discuss how we’re going to keep in touch when we both go home on Sunday.
Even so, it was with a bit of trepidation she joined Reece in the foyer.
“Let’s talk over lunch,” he said. “Shall we go to that seafood restaurant again?”
They both turned as the entrance door opened and a tall, dark haired woman walked in. Ellie heard Reece gasp as he stared at her. And she could see why. The woman was stunning, her short spiky cut emphasising cheekbones so sharp you could cut bread on them, her big brown eyes fringed by eyelashes to die for, skinny jeans clinging to legs that went up to her armpits and a v necked white designer top that showed off a perfect golden tan. She was pulling a hard white suitcase with a lilac coloured butterfly on the front of it and had a lilac, very expensive, designer bag slung over her shoulder.
Definitely not their usual clientele.
“Cindy.” Reece exclaimed, surprise evident in his voice. “What are you doing here?”
He knew her?
The woman’s face broke into a beaming smile. “If the mountain won’t come to Mohammed…” She stood the case upright and held out her arms. “Haven’t you got a hug for me?”
Ellie heard Reece curse under his breath as Cindy ran over and threw herself at him, winding her arms around his neck. “I’ve missed you so much, darling.” She exclaimed. “I came back yesterday and simply couldn’t wait any longer to see you so I’ve booked myself in for a few days.”
Ellie drew in her breath. Reece had promised he was unattached but judging by the way this girl was kissing him he was very much attached. The rat!
Finally, Cindy let go of Reece and looked around the room. “So is this hotel next on your hit list? Very quaint!”
Chapter Twenty Four
Damn! Why did Cindy have to turn up now? An hour later and he would have told Ellie everything. He could tell by the stunned silence and the way Ellie and Sue, who was sitting on the sofa in the corner reading a magazine, were looking at him that they had heard what Cindy had said. The hurt he saw in Ellie’s eyes cut him to the core and Sue looked furious.
Sue rose shakily, her hand gripping the arm of the sofa for support. “I knew I recognised the name on the invoice. You’re the hotel group that bought out Atlantic Bay View at a knockdown price.” Her voice rose in anger. “You were sniffing around them as soon as you heard they were in trouble. Is that what you’re doing here? Why you’ve been helping Ellie?”
Reece shot a glance at Ellie. She was pale, her lips trembling. He knew that she believed it too. Damn he cursed again, why hadn’t he told her what he was doing earlier? Explained instead of avoiding the subject every time she asked him about his work.
Because you knew she would react this way.
He shot a furious look at Cindy and took a step towards Ellie. “Look it isn’t how it seems.”
“Really? So you don’t work for a company that buys hotels which are struggling for a knock-down price?”
“Work for the company?” Cindy laughed shrilly. “Darling he owns it!”
The look that swept over Ellie’s face made Reece feel a total heel. He had to make her understand.
“And you hadn’t planned on trying to buy Gwel Teg?” Her hazel eyes fixed on his, demanding the truth.
“I was but it’s not the way you think.” He reached out for her hand. “Ellie, let me explain.” He couldn’t stand the way she was looking at him, as if he’d deceived her. Used her.
Which is exactly what he had done.
Deceived anyway. Used no. He’d enjoyed every minute he’d spent with her. He’d genuinely wanted to help. He liked Ellie A lot.
Maybe more than liked? That’s why he wanted to continue seeing her.
A cold mask set over her face as she pulled her hand away. “There’s nothing to explain,” she told him in a voice devoid of emotion. Only the glisten in her eyes betrayed her true feelings. She was angry, hurt. And she had every right to be.
“Please let me explain..,”
“Ooops, have I put my foot in it?” Cindy hooked her arm possessively around his waist. “Sorry darling. I didn’t realise it was supposed to be a secret.” She looked around disdainfully. “I must say this is a bit smaller than you usually go for, darling. Mind you, the location is superb.”
Deep breath. He inhaled slowly then shook off Cindy’s embrace. Ellie and her mother were staring at him like he was the lowest scum.
Take control. He’d been in more awkward situations than this. He could deal with it.
“I think you’d better leave,” Ellie said stiffly. “Pack your bags and check out.” She turned on her heels and head held high walked across the reception and out through the door.
He wanted to run after her, make her listen to him but right now he needed to get rid of Cindy before she did any more damage.
He tore his eyes away from the swinging door that Ellie had just walked through and turned his attention back to her mother and Mandy.
“It really isn’t how it looks…”
“I agree with Ellie. I’d like you to check out. Your girlfriend too,” Sue Truman said. “You’re not welcome here.”
“If you would allow me to explain…”
“Believe me Mr Mitchell, there’s no way you can possibly explain this away.” Sue’s tones were icy cold. She flicked her glance over at Cindy. “Now if you an
d your girlfriend would kindly leave. Mandy will book you out.”
“Oh dear, I didn’t mean to upset anyone.” Cindy said in a ‘little girl’ voice.
Reece rounded on her, fists balled at his side, fighting to keep the anger out of his voice. “Why did you come here, Cindy?”
She pouted her red glossy lips. “Don’t be like that, darling,” she said petulantly. “I thought you’d be pleased to see me.”
“Let me make this clear, Cindy. We are not an item any more. You can’t just turn up like this. Now please go.”
“Fine. I’ll wait outside for you then!” She flounced off.
When Reece turned around Sue had gone too and Mandy was glaring at him from the reception desk. What did he do now?
“Mr Mitchell?”
Harry was standing before him, looking very disapproving. “Mrs Truman said that I have to accompany you to your room to pack your bags then escort you off the premises.”
How dare they treat him like this? Not even give him chance to explain? After all he’d done for them. Anger seared through him and he fought to control it. If that’s the way they wanted it, it was their loss.
“An escort isn’t necessary. If you wait here I’ll be down in five minutes,” he replied curtly.
Ellie was furious. How she walked out of the reception without throwing something at Reece and his false, gushy girlfriend she’d never know. All the time he was charming her, helping her, bedding her … it was a ploy to get his hands on Gwel Teg.
Unwanted images of Reece’s lips on hers, his hands caressing her, of them making love flitted across her mind. How could she have been so stupid? She thought he was attracted to her. That they had something special between them.
Why had she fallen for his act?
She sank down onto a chair at the table, her head in her hands. She felt such a fool.
She remembered how arrogant Reece had been when she first met him. How he’d blasted his horn at her, snapped about the shower not working. That was the real Reece. Now she came to think of it he had only changed his attitude when he found out that her mother was ill in hospital and the hotel was struggling. Since then he hadn’t been able to do enough for her. What had possessed her to confide in him like that? He’d seen his chance to make a killing and taken it. No wonder he’d tried to talk her out of giving up her job and moving down to Cornwall to help her mum with the hotel. That would have really scuppered his plans.
Then why had he talked the Smythes out of suing the hotel for compensation and let them use his business account to do the repairs? The hotel would have been worth even less then.
Because she’d told him Mum would never sell and he wanted to earn their trust, that’s why. He was hoping to get Ellie onside so she could persuade her mum that selling up was the best thing to do. That the hotel was too much for her to cope with.
Well he had no chance. Hell would freeze over before she let her mum sell Gwel Teg to Reece.
She should have realised he was more than an employee for a hotel group. The hot shot suits he wore, the Mercedes, the important business meetings. And as for that Barbie-girl Cindy, clinging like a limpet onto Reece’s arm, well he was welcome to her.
Ellie was literally shaking. She wasn’t sure whether it was with anger, shock or distress. It hurt more than she cared to admit, even to herself, that Reece had deceived her in this way. She’d trusted him entirely. Fallen for his charming and helpful manner.
Fallen for him.
As the words flashed into her head she knew they were true. She had never felt the same way for any man as she’d felt in Reece’s arms. In his bed.
Her cheeks burned as she remembered how readily she’d fallen for those charms. How eagerly she’d returned his kisses. And…
She shook away the memory of their naked tangled limbs, of the feel of him inside her. What was the use of tormenting herself with recriminations? Yes, she’d been stupid to let her guard down and trust him, stupid to let him into her heart.
She looked up as the kitchen door opened and her mum stepped in, her eyes full of concern.
“Are you all right, Ellie? It must have been a shock for you.” She picked up the kettle and filled it with water. “I’ll make you a cup of tea.”
Tea? She could do with a bottle of wine. It had been more of a blow than a shock, a blow to her heart. Not that Mum needed to know that. As far as she was concerned, Ellie and Reece had just been hanging out together.
“Has he gone?” Even to her ears the words sounded flat, distant.
“I’ve asked Harry to escort him out. And that woman. How dare he try to pull a trick like that!” She turned around. “Are you okay, love? You and Reece were a bit close, weren’t you?”
Ellie nodded numbly. Close was a good word for it. “I’m so sorry, Mum. I had no idea he was planning to buy you out of the hotel. I thought…” She took a deep breath to still the tremor in her voice. That he was helping us because he cared about me, had feelings for me.
Sue took two clean mugs out of the dishwasher and dropped a teabag in each. Ellie sank her head in her hands. What a fool she’d been.
“Don’t take this too hard, Ellie,” Sue said, placing a mug of tea in front of Ellie. “Reece is a businessman and when he saw the state this hotel was in he seized the opportunity. That’s how businesses make money. He can’t make me sell.”
“I know, Mum, and if he’d come straight out with it. Been upfront and told me what he did for a living, made us an offer, I wouldn’t have minded. But he didn’t. He kept it a secret from me. Let me think that he was a …friend. That he was helping because he cared, not because he was trying to get us onside so we’d be more inclined to accept his offer. I trusted him.” She swallowed. “And on top of all that he said he wasn’t in a relationship. He was single. Another lie.” She added bitterly.
“I guess like with a lot of men it’s out of sight, out of mind.” Sue patted her hand. “Well that’s the last we’ll see of him I expect. Put it down to experience.”
She’d do that all right. She would never trust a man again.
How could she have got it so wrong?
Chapter Twenty Five
“They’ve gone,” Mandy announced, sweeping in a few minutes later. “Harry sent them packing.” She held out an envelope to Ellie. “Reece left you this note.”
Ellie stared at the cream coloured embossed envelope. Even his perishing notepaper was designer!
“I don’t want it. I’m not used to listening to his excuses. Chuck it in the bin.”
Mandy waved the envelope in front of her. “He said I wasn’t to let you do that. It was about the carpet order.”
The carpet? She guessed it was the bill. Now he had no chance of buying the hotel, would he charge them full price for the carpet. And the bed? She doubted if Mum could afford that. Everything was such a mess. No wonder she’d fallen for Reece’s act. He’d been a ray of hope in all their cloud of gloom.
Reluctantly, Ellie ripped open the envelope and took out the matching paper. A business card fell out onto the floor. She left it there.
The note was short, written in a crisp black script.
I’m sorry you had to find out like this, Ellie. I truly had your best interests at heart. It’s obvious the hotel is too much for your Mum and I wanted to help. I was about to tell you when Cindy showed up. And believe me, she is not my girlfriend. We finished weeks ago.
I’ll write off the bill for the carpet, bed and everything else as an apology. You owe me nothing. However, I hope you will give me a few minutes of your time to allow me to explain the deal I was about to offer you. It really is worth considering.
Please phone me. I’ve booked into another hotel for tonight. If I don’t hear from you I will be going home tomorrow evening.
Yours
Reece
So that was it. All about the business. No ‘love Reece’. Not even one solitary kiss. No apology, No mention of how he felt about her. No begging her to give him
another chance. He wanted her to phone him so he could talk her into letting him buy the hotel. It was all about business. It always had been.
“Well, go on. Put us out of our misery, lovely,” Mandy urged. “Unless it’s personal, of course.”
It couldn’t be less personal. Reece had made it clear that he had no ‘personal’ interest in her at all.
She read it out in as emotionless tone as she could manage.
“I’m not phoning him. I never want to speak to him again.” She ripped the letter in half, walked over to the bin and dropped it.
“Well, I’ll pay for the carpet and everything else. He can keep his gifts. I’ll manage. I can increase the overdraft,” Sue said.
“Then you’ll have to contact him yourself. I don’t want anything to do with him.” Ellie told her. How could she have been such a fool? “I need to get some fresh air. I’m going for a walk. I won’t be long.”
As she stepped out of the hotel her phone zinged to announce an incoming message.
Reece?
She picked up the phone and swiped the screen. It was Kate,
How’s it going, hun?
It wasn’t Reece. And a good job too, she didn’t want him to contact her. In fact, she’d make sure he couldn’t. Before she could talk herself out of it, Ellie blocked then deleted Reece’s number.
She walked down the hill towards the beach, thinking about Kate’s message. She wanted to leave right now. To put a distance between her and Reece, to get back to the Midlands and on with her life. Here, it was all too raw. Back at home, in her flat, going to work and getting on with her life, she would be able to forget about everything.
She’d felt like this once before, she remembered. When Lee had cheated on her. She’d run away then and not come back for a year. She knew that had hurt her parents but she hadn’t been able to face it. She wasn’t going to do that again. Mum needed her. She would go home Sunday as planned, but not before that.
She had reached the rail now and leaned against it, looking over at the beach, remembering the day she and Reece had walked around to the secluded cove. The day she’d got her skirt wet. The day she’d told him her worries about Mum being ill and not being able to manage the hotel herself, how she’d tried to persuade her to sell it.