down to the stool. ‘If your grandmother knew she’d have kittens, and—’
‘But my grandmother doesn’t know,’ Wynne cut in, her heart twisting. ‘She’s never going to know. She...’
Her voice cracked and she coughed to cover it. She pressed her lips together, afraid that if she said another word the burning at the backs of her eyes would get the better of her. If Aggie knew Wynne had sold her beloved motel she’d... Well, there was no knowing what she’d do. Aggie had always been unpredictable in everything except her love for Aggie’s Retreat and for Wynne. One thing was certain, though—it would break her heart.
Wynne pulled in a deep breath. Alzheimer’s disease, however, ensured that Aggie would never know.
‘I’m sorry.’ Tina reached across to squeeze her hand. ‘That wasn’t fair of me.’
She knew what Tina was really thinking, but was too tactful to voice—Would it really have been so bad to move Aggie from her expensive private nursing home to a cheaper facility? If she’d done so, she wouldn’t have had to sell Aggie’s Retreat.
Wynne hoped that she lived a further thirty-three years before she was called upon to make another such soul-destroying decision—a damned if she did and damned if she didn’t decision: to keep the motel that was her beloved grandmother’s legacy or to ensure that her grandmother’s comfort and what little happiness remained to her was secured.
God forgive her, but she’d chosen the latter.
And today she’d come face to face with the man who’d bought Aggie’s Retreat.
Darkness threatened the edges of her vision and she had to concentrate on her breathing in an effort to counter it. You will not faint!
It wasn’t even that she cared so much for herself, but the sale of the motel didn’t only affect her, and that knowledge tormented her. She could start over easily enough. She was relatively young. She had plenty of experience in the industry. As hard as it would be to walk away from Aggie’s Retreat, she’d find another position in the blink of an eye if she needed to. But her staff...
Dear God! She pressed both hands to her stomach. She’d been told by more than one person in the industry that she employed the dregs of society. Her nostrils flared. She knew exactly what it was like to be considered not good enough. Her mother mightn’t have said the words out loud, but her actions had sent a loud and clear message. Duncan hadn’t had any such qualms. He hadn’t minced his words when he’d told her she wasn’t polished enough, sophisticated enough, good enough to mix in his world.
She swallowed. Her staff had proved over and over again that they were more than capable of doing the jobs assigned to them. She owed them. And she was determined that they would all rise above the spiteful criticisms and petty insults and prove exactly how worthy they were.
She just needed to convince her new boss to give them a chance. That was all.
She glanced across at Tina. ‘I know you’re worried about your position here, but I’m sure it’s as safe as houses.’
She said it with more confidence than she felt, but Xavier Ramos had signed her to a two-year contract as the motel’s manager. Which surely gave her hiring and firing rights. In which case Tina wouldn’t be going anywhere. Nor would April or Libby or Meg or Justin or Graeme.
Wynne crossed her fingers and her toes. Tina needed this job. She was locked in a vicious custody battle with her despicable ex-husband. This job not only provided proof of Tina’s ability to provide financially for herself and her children, but the flexibility in her hours meant she had few childcare worries.
‘What if he decides to bring in his own people?’
‘Like who? He’s Spanish. He doesn’t have his own people. At least not here in Australia. We’re his people.’
But they both knew that with a single snap of his fingers he could toss them all out on their ears. Their new boss had the wherewithal to throw around more money in a day than either she or Tina would make in ten years combined. Men like that set their own rules.
Wynne straightened. He had agreed to hire her as manager, and that would give her the opportunity to fight for the staff, to make a case for them if need be, to make him listen.
Tina scowled. ‘These tycoon types always have their own people. He probably comes from one of those huge extended families. I bet he has an army of nephews and nieces, aunts and uncles and endless cousins who all need jobs. There...there might even be an arm of the family that’s scandalous...and he’s looking for a way to exile them overseas...and means to use Aggie’s Retreat as a bribe. There could be vendettas and—’
Wynne started to laugh. ‘You’ve been watching too many soap operas. I hope he gets here soon, because we’re both starting to play the worst-case scenario game.’
Tina thrust her jaw out. ‘What if he decides to turn Aggie’s Retreat into one of those signature Ramos extravagances? None of us will come up to scratch if that happens.’
Unfortunately that was true. But... ‘This place is too small.’
If the Ramos chain had decided to move into the Gold Coast market with one of their signature hotels, they wouldn’t have chosen a tiny little motor inn as their starting point.
‘Aggie’s Retreat—’ she glanced around wondering why Xavier had bought it without even seeing it ‘—is way too small scale for the Ramos chain.’
‘I wish you’d been able to find out more,’ Tina grumbled.
So did Wynne. While she’d shared an extensive email and phone correspondence with Xavier, he’d been tight-lipped about his plans for the motel. She pulled in a breath.
‘Things will change—that’s inevitable—but some of those changes will be for the better. At least all the endless repairs that have started piling up will get done.’ And not before time. No longer to worry about leaky taps, wonky wiring and broken roof tiles—what bliss!
She sent Tina a suddenly mischievous grin. ‘Who knows? He might even make over the motel in a Spanish style.’
Tina finally laughed. ‘Aggie’s dream! Now, that would be fun.’
Wynne rubbed damp palms down the sides of her black trousers. ‘And don’t forget he assured me that our vision for the motel was in line. Why on earth would he hire me on a two-year contract otherwise?’
‘To get you to sign on the dotted line.’
But why? Why would someone with the Ramos name want this little old motor inn of no account?
She hadn’t questioned it too much at the time, had simply been grateful that the sale would provide her with the financial wherewithal to take care of her grandmother. She squared her shoulders.
‘Let’s stop second-guessing the man. Our questions will get answered soon enough. Today we’re simply going to wow him with our renowned hospitality.’
Tina gave a nod, before sending Wynne a sidelong glance. ‘Aren’t you even a little bit nervous about meeting him?’
She wanted to deny it, but found herself running a hand across her chest in a useless effort to ease the tension that had it clenched up tight.
‘Terrified.’ She clenched and unclenched her hands. ‘I thought signing the sale contract would be the worst moment in this whole sorry business, but this is coming in a very close second.’
Tina hugged her. ‘I’m sorry. I’ve been a tactless cow.’
‘Nonsense. You’re as nervous as I am—that’s all. And just as invested.’
But the moment Xavier Ramos strode through the front door Wynne would no longer be the owner of Aggie’s Retreat. Technically she wasn’t the owner now, but it wouldn’t feel real until Xavier strode through those doors to stake claim to it.
A