The Christmas Inn. Stella MacLean

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СКАЧАТЬ kept a close eye on her. In those first months after the accident, she had desperately needed their help and support. Now, years later, it felt more like they simply wanted to run her life. “Why do it right before Christmas? A mystery guest? What does that mean?”

      “Angus is a perfectionist, and he leaves nothing to chance. He’s also very driven, and when he wants something, he goes after it. If he wants to sell this property he’ll do it Christmas Day if he has to. As for being a mystery guest, it means you behave like a regular guest, and the management doesn’t know who you are or what you’re doing there. Meanwhile, you collect information for me on how the inn functions, based on questionnaires the company will provide. Before you leave here, I’ll give you the questionnaires so you can read them over to know what aspects of the inn to evaluate. Once you’ve completed an area, such as the spa or the bar, for instance, you enter your responses online, and then email them to me on a daily basis. I’ll take care of the rest. I’ll be in touch with you each day to see how you’re making out with the survey, and we’ll take it from there.”

      “I don’t like sneaking around, trying to get proof that someone isn’t doing something right. Besides, why would I want to go north where it’s cold and I don’t know anyone?”

      “Because you need time to think before you sign this agreement.”

      “I can sign my agreement without going off alone to someplace cold first,” she said, feeling she’d got him on this one. “I don’t need to go away to think about my future.”

      “Well, I need you to think about my future and the future success of my company. Angus McAndrew is offering my firm a chance to do work for him, based on how well I handle this project, and how quickly. I need your help.”

      She blinked. “My help? Why me? You must have dozens of people you could order to go to the Berkshires.”

      He peered at his hands for a couple of minutes. “Peanut, you’re the one person I know who has the expertise to evaluate the inn’s hotel operations and its spa on such short notice.”

      Scott must really need her help if he was using the old nickname he’d given her when she was a kid with a leaky heart valve. He’d been so sweet to her back then. She had to admit that with his drive and encouragement her recovery had actually been kind of pleasant. He’d been so good to her, so full of fun ideas to help her forget that she’d just been through major surgery. She owed it to Scott to help him.

      “Okay,” she said “But there are conditions.”

      “Name them.” He eyed his cell phone.

      If she stayed at this inn, she’d be free of all the family pressures involved in getting ready for Christmas. That alone would be fantastic. But there was another equally attractive reason to do it. Despite what she’d said to Scott, she did need to escape for a little while. She’d put so much effort into proving that she could run a successful business that she’d neglected herself in the process. Thanks to her brother she was being handed an opportunity to relax and evaluate her life.

      “I want you to tell Mom and the rest of the family that you’ve sent me on an urgent assignment, and I won’t be back until Christmas.”

      “What? Mom won’t believe that.”

      “Why? It’s the truth.”

      With an exaggerated sigh, he said, “Yeah, but I was hoping you’d do the explaining.”

      “I’m working for you—you can deliver the news. All I want is a few days of peace and quiet away from the McLaughlan family, and that includes Mom. Agreed?”

      He squinted at her. “You’re sure that’s all?”

      “If you can pull it off.”

      “Of course I can.”

      “You’re going to keep Mom, Dad, Liam, Gordon and Alex off my case for the entire four days that I’m away doing this job for you?” she asked.

      “I will, but you’d better turn off your cell phone or I can’t be held responsible.”

      “I’ll manage my cell phone if you promise me that Mom won’t follow me to the inn.”

      “Nothing would drag Mom away from her kitchen this close to Christmas.” He patted her on the head. “I promise to keep everyone out of your life for four full days.”

      “Which four days?”

      “Okay, you’ll arrive there on December 21st, and do your survey work December 22nd, 23rd and 24th, getting back here as early as you can on the 24th.”

      “That close to Christmas?”

      Scott shrugged. “Afraid so.”

      “Angus McAndrew doesn’t celebrate Christmas?”

      “He does, but it seems that this deal is very important to him, and he hopes to have it to bed by the New Year. That means he needs the results Christmas week.”

      “If you say so.”

      “I do, and I wouldn’t be asking you to do this, but I need someone I can trust completely.”

      He brother trusted her and needed her, and she really owed him a lot. “Okay, I’ll go to your precious inn.”

      “And you have to keep everything confidential. You can’t tell anyone at the inn that you’re doing this, and under no circumstances are you to tell anyone that the inn is about to be sold. Understood?”

      She gave him a snappy salute. “Aye, Captain.”

      He wrapped her in a bear hug. “Thanks, Peanut.”

      “And there’s something else.”

      He looked at her as if she were a flawed business proposal. “Let’s hear it.”

      “Stop calling me Peanut.”

      His jaw worked, he frowned and rubbed his cheek. “Won’t happen again.”

      CHAPTER TWO

      A WEEK LATER JULIE CRAWFORD, Marnie’s best friend and Lady Gaga look-alike, sat on the foot of the bed while Marnie packed her bag for the trip to Wakesfield. “What do I tell your mother when she calls? I really like her, and this doesn’t seem fair.”

      Marnie rubbed her forehead in consternation. “Probably not, but I don’t know what else to do. It’s like this every Christmas. I’ve joked about running away from home at Christmas so many times, only this time it’s going to be true.”

      “Can you talk to her about how you feel?”

      “I’ve tried, but each time, I end up giving in, mostly because I don’t have a reason not to go along with her plans. This year I have, and I need to get away for a bit. This whole negotiation thing has been a lot more stressful that I expected.”

      “Still…”

      “Tell her that you can’t reach me, which will be true since I’m turning off СКАЧАТЬ