‘What’s troubling you, sweetheart?’ Stirring her tea, Anita sat back in one of the three easy chairs arranged round a coffee table, surveying Anna with concern.
‘Am I that easy to read?’ the younger woman
quipped.
‘Not always… But for some reason today I definitely sense that you’re anxious about something.’
‘It’s about Dante,’ Anna began, her fingers knotting together in her lap.
Her cheeks flamed red when Anita raised a curious eyebrow. The casual form of address had slipped out, because he’d been on her mind almost constantly since last night. Especially when she remembered that look on his face and the tremor in his voice when he’d passionately declared that he wanted Tia to know he was her father.
‘I mean Mr Romano,’ she corrected herself quickly.
‘What’s wrong? I know he’s been a little…shall we say abrasive with you, dear—but he can be extraordinarily thoughtful of people too. He’s already won friends here. And when he’s talked to me and Grant about plans for updating the hotel he’s consulted our opinion at every turn. There are exciting plans afoot!’ Her lips splitting in a grin reminiscent of an excited schoolgirl, Anita all but hugged herself. ‘We’re going to call a staff meeting later, to give everyone an update, but as you’re our assistant manager I may as well tell you confidentially that Dante has deemed it a good idea to close the Mirabelle for a month while the modernisation gets underway. All the staff will get paid leave.’
‘How do you feel about that?’
‘We’re perfectly happy. Not only is it necessary, but it’s a great idea too. Grant and I haven’t had a break in so long. We plan to devote some time to our much neglected garden, and spend some genuine quality time together. You should think about having a little holiday, Anna…you work so hard and you and Tia deserve it.’
‘Maybe I will.’ Shrugging lightly, Anna wished she could hear herself think over the clamouring of her heart. ‘Look, Anita…there’s no way of couching this or making it sound less surprising…I’ve got something important to tell you.’
‘You’re not handing in your notice? ‘
‘No.’ Anna took a nervous swallow. ‘It’s something much more personal. You know I’ve never told you before who Tia’s father is?’
Anita stared, her gaze intrigued. The ticking wall clock suddenly seemed noisily loud.
‘Well, it’s—’
‘Yes?’
‘It’s Dante Romano.’
Beneath her carefully applied make-up, her boss paled a little in shock. ‘Dante Romano? But how can that be? As far as I’m aware he’s never been here before, so how could you two have met?’
‘He has been here before.’ Clearing her throat, Anna smiled awkwardly. ‘It was about five years ago. I was working the late shift in the bar, and he—he was there having a drink. He’d just returned from Italy, where he’d been to his mother’s funeral, and had stopped en route to New York, where he was living at the time.’
‘And you and he…?’
Lifting her chin, because she wouldn’t be ashamed of that incredible life-changing night, Anna met her boss’s brown-eyed glance without flinching.
‘There was an immediate attraction and we slept together that was how I fell pregnant with Tia.’
‘ANNA, can I have a word?’
She was walking by Jason’s office when he opened the door and beckoned to her. Having had their staff meeting, everyone was now perfectly aware of the imminent plan to close the hotel for a month while it was being modernised, but she hadn’t had an opportunity to discuss it with the manager—especially the news that he’d been made project manager to oversee the refurbishments while everyone else was away. No doubt that was why he wanted to see her. It was a big step up for him, and a huge responsibility. But Anna had no doubts that Jason could do it.
Regarding her relationship with Dante, Anita Cathcart had suggested that they keep it to themselves for a while—at least until the changes were underway and the staff had returned from leave. It was cowardly, but Anna’s relief that she wouldn’t be the focus of curious speculation just yet was boundless.
Shutting the door behind them Jason invited Anna to sit down. ‘You look very nice,’ he commented, his glance running lightly over her outfit.
‘I’m collecting Tia, then we’re going out to have tea.’
‘Going anywhere special?’
‘I’m not sure yet, but we’ll find somewhere nice, I’m sure. We’re spoiled for choice in Covent Garden, aren’t we?’
Her heart was thudding a little at the idea of telling her little girl some time soon that Dante was her father, and her smile was uncertain. But Jason seemed preoccupied with own problems as he started to restlessly pace the floor.
When he stopped pacing to nervously return his attention to Anna his dark eyes were shining. ‘I’ve met someone,’ he said in a rush.
‘You have?’ He’d been single for a long time, and didn’t have much confidence in blind dates or being hooked up by some well-meaning friend as a means of finding ‘the one’, so Anna was genuinely pleased for him.
‘I won’t say any more just yet, in case I jinx things, but we’re seeing each other this weekend.’
‘Oh, Jason, that’s wonderful—and of course you won’t jinx things!’
Getting to her feet, she threw her arms round him in an affectionate hug.
Someone rapped on the door and stepped into the room before Jason could invite them. It was Dante. Anna had no reason in the world to feel guilty, but when his frosted gaze alighted on them, radiating obvious disapproval, she felt awkward and embarrassed—like a child caught red-handed, raiding the fridge after bedtime.
‘I’ve been looking for Anna,’ he said to Jason without preamble. ‘A staff member suggested I see if she was with you. Looks like I hit the jackpot.’
‘We were—we were just talking.’ Flashing him an uncomfortable smile, Jason stepped quickly away from the girl at his side.
‘Well, if you’ve finished talking, Anna and I have to go. We have some important business to attend to.’
‘Isn’t she taking her daughter out to tea?’ The younger man’s brow was furrowing.
‘I see that you like to keep completely up to date with Miss Bailey’s diary, Mr Cathcart. It would be nice if you could be as diligent in looking over that list of new equipment for the hotel that I left you, and let me have your thoughts first thing in the morning. This is an absolutely vital responsibility you’ve accepted, becoming project manager, and the work begins right here, right now. Don’t let me down.’ Holding the door open for Anna, Dante was impatient. ‘We really have to go,’ he said firmly.
‘You didn’t have to be so snooty or condescending to Jason. We’ve done nothing wrong.’
She had to practically run to keep up with Dante’s