Ned wasn’t sure about the hotel, but he felt that if he could just keep the rest of the family together, everything would be OK.

Chapter 14

The following morning, the hotel shone beneath the crisp springtime sun. Wispy white clouds floated behind it, threaded through the endless blue sky. It seemed to stand just a tiny bit straighter this morning, with an aura of hope almost, as though there was just a tiny suggestion that something good might be about to happen.

When Elle woke around eight a.m., her first thought was not of the hotel but of Rob. Had it really happened? Had he really kissed her last night? And she had kissed him back . . .

She couldn’t tell how she really felt about that now. She probed at the memory of the night before, as though it might give some clue. Certainly, she had felt completely at peace in his arms, and being honest, she hadn’t felt like that in a long, long time. Perhaps this more than anything was the proof she needed that her relationship with Sebastian wasn’t meant to be. In truth, she’d barely thought of her ex these past few days. But where was all of this headed with Rob? This morning she felt a fresh layer of anxiety settle over the events of the night before. She didn’t want for them to become involved again while she was here, only to have their relationship come to a halt when she returned to London. She’d already just come out of a messy situation, so she would have to put a stop to everything now before it went too far and began to interfere with what they were trying to do with the hotel.

There was more at stake here than just her feelings. It was her family’s livelihood, her father and sister’s happiness. And she couldn’t risk hurting Rob or herself again for the sake of a short fling.

Elle got up and greeted the day with the feeling that she had made a difficult, but ultimately sensible decision.

‘Good morning!’ Penny greeted smilingly when Elle went downstairs for breakfast.

‘You’re very chirpy this morning.’

‘I just feel a renewed sense of optimism after our chat last night. And speaking of last night,’ her sister added, eyeing Elle, ‘Rob seemed quite distracted when he left. Did you two find any great treasures in the attic?’