“Good morning,” she said with a professional smile. “How can I help you?”

“Hi.” I leaned against the desk. “Is Tabitha around?”

“She’s in her office. Would you like me to get her for you?”

I hesitated. If she was busy, I didn’t want to interrupt, but it would be so good to see a friendly face. “Can you just check and see if she’s free?”

“Of course.” She stood, smoothed her impeccable black dress, and glided away.

When she returned a couple of minutes later, I was pleased to see Tabitha was beside her. My former boss had aged well. She must be in her late fifties or early sixties, but she still had soft brown hair, a slender figure, and a welcoming smile.

“Kennedy,” she exclaimed. “It’s so good to see you. I always knew you’d come back.”

She did? Well, then she’d known more than I had.

“I missed you, Tabby.” I enveloped her in a hug, breathing in the twin scents of a perfume and fresh mountain air. Tabitha had always given the impression of being both classy and practical, and I’d loved that about her.

She let me hold her for a moment, then pulled back and scolded me. “What have I told you about calling me that?”

My lips twitched. “That you’re a person, not a cat.”

“Exactly.” She winked. “When I heard you were in Destiny Falls, I’d hoped I’d see you sooner or later. Come on.” She gestured toward a hall that led down to a wing of accommodation rooms and the coffee shop where I’d once worked. “Let’s get a hot drink and chat, shall we?”

I smiled. “I’d like that.”

We walked down the corridor together. Not much seemed to have changed. The resort had a sense of timelessness. But when we turned a corner and entered a well-lit restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the hillside, my breath hitched.

“Wow.”

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” Tabitha sounded proud. “We had enough guests requesting more than basic cafe facilities that it seemed a worthwhile investment. It’s become more successful than I ever could have dreamed. We have a first-class chef and foodies travel here to eat at the restaurant even if they don’t want to stay overnight.”

“What kind of meals do you serve?” I asked, curious what approach she’d decided to take.

“Simple gourmet classics and locally grown produce.” She guided me to a seat near the window and nodded to one of the waiters. “A long black for me, thanks.” She turned to me. “What will you have?”

“A skinny latte, please.”

He nodded. As with the receptionist, if he recognized me, he did a good job of hiding it. “We’ll be out with those shortly.”

“Thank you.” As he left, I shot Tabitha a conspiratorial smile. “Your staff are well trained.”