part0008

Monday morning didn’t turn out as Isabella expected. She’d just opened the shop when mother and daughter stepped inside.

They greeted each other, and she took them through to the back room to talk without being interrupted.

Remy’s wife wasn’t at all how she had pictured her. Dinah Andvik was tall and slim. She’d probably been a model in her younger days. Not that she looked old now. On the contrary, she resembled a young woman in her twenties, but that couldn’t be. Fiona was sixteen. Unless she was Remy’s daughter from a previous relationship. But she didn’t think so. Dinah had a possessive attitude, implying that Fiona was hers.

Isabella caught herself staring at Dinah’s beautiful face. How could one get skin that smooth, without a single wrinkle? She must be more thorough with her face cleanser than Isabella was. She was probably using a number of expensive creams, like Russian face caviar. And a trip to the plastic surgeon now and then.

Her black hair was thick and straight, without bangs. Her bottle-green eyes resembled the lamps of the Norwegian Supreme Court when they were turned off.

“I’m so pleased to meet you,” Dinah said and gave her a pearly white smile. “I’m grateful that Fiona gets to work here this summer. This is such a pretty town. And it’s nice for her to be close to her father. My husband is the master chef here at the hotel. But of course, you know that.”

Isabella hid a smile. “Are you living with Remy?” She looked at Fiona to involve her in their conversation.

“No, Dad only has one bedroom in his apartment.”

“Naturally, we’re staying at the hotel,” Dinah answered, as if it was the most obvious thing to spend a whole summer at an expensive hotel.

Isabella’s eyes widened. It must cost a small fortune to stay here for so long. She couldn’t remember Miranda mentioning anything about a special price for long-term stays.

“Did you get a nice room, then?” She looked at Fiona, but her mother answered again.

“Of course. We’re staying in a suite with a sea view.”

Isabella was astonished and knew exactly which suite she was talking about. It was one of the biggest. “Both of you?”

“Yes, it’s way too big for Fiona by herself.”

Isabella agreed. What a weird family! She was hoping Fiona was more grounded. For a moment, she regretted not having met her mother before hiring the daughter, but it wasn’t Dinah she’d be working with. Isabella wondered what kind of job she had, since she was able to take off so many weeks. Could be some freelance stuff that allowed her to work remotely. It wasn’t appropriate to ask, so she focused on Fiona again.

“I think it’s about time I show you around the shop.”

Dinah took the hint. “I’ll explore the spa in the meanwhile, and I’ll see you at lunch. It’s okay if I fetch Fiona for an hour to eat, right? My husband, the master chef, makes the most delicious food. We’re used to the best.”

Isabella was about to laugh out loud but bit her tongue. Dinah was unbelievable! An hour lunch break was twice as much as a sixteen-year-old temporary help needed. But Isabella was flexible, and she had no desire to fall out with this demanding mother.

“It’s fine for today.”

Isabella spent the next hour teaching Fiona how they operated. She showed her the different flowers so that she could answer the customers’ questions. Fiona wouldn’t be making arrangements and bouquets on her own, but she should learn the basics.

It turned out she was a bright girl with an interest in plants, and cheerful and friendly. Isabella took to her and was pleased she was so unlike her mother.

The morning flew by, and suddenly Dinah appeared in the doorway.

“Ah, what a great spa. I could easily spend all day there. I’ve had my daily swim and body massage. Skincare will have to wait until this afternoon, as I’m hungry. Are you good to go, Fiona?”

The shop bell rang again, and Miranda poked her head in. “Do you fancy some lunch, Isabella?” She held the door open and let Dinah and Fiona out.

Isabella heard her stomach rumble. “Pernille just ate, so I’d love to join you.”

They picked a table at the restaurant, some distance from Dinah and Fiona. It was close enough to overhear parts of the conversation since the mother was far from low-voiced.

They’d already ordered by the time Dinah had managed to make up her mind. “How is it going?” Miranda asked.

Isabella smiled wearily and told her how the morning had been. “I didn’t even know Remy was married.”

“Apparently, he is. Dinah looks more than alive to me,” Miranda said.

They scrutinized them. Dinah was waving her hands while explaining to an uncomprehending waiter what she wanted. “My husband, the master chef, knows what I like. Please ask him to make something lean, preferably fish. And a non-fat dressing on the side, of course.” She tossed her head, making her long hair fall down her back.

Isabella bit her lip. “Did you hear that? She can’t be easy to live with.”

“Goodness. It’s not so much what she says, but the way she says it. Kind of snappy.”

“To think I imagined you fancied Remy,” Miranda said. “Or was it the other way around?”

An unwelcome blush crept into Isabella’s cheeks. “Not true! Just because he was attentive and gave me some cookies with my tea that one time doesn’t mean anything.”

“No? I don’t see him doing things like that for anybody else at the hotel.”

Isabella pretended not to hear and tasted the crab. “Mmm, but he sure knows how to cook.”

“He’s married, so it doesn’t matter anyway.” Miranda wasn’t completely done with Remy.

“How’s it going with you and Gabriel, by the way?”

“We’re taking it easy. The last few months have been strenuous.” Miranda took a sip of her sparkling water. She’d been through a terrible spring and needed time. A new house for herself and the teens had been a big transition, besides everything else that had gone wrong.

Their eyes turned to the kitchen door as it opened. Remy walked right up to Dinah and Fiona’s table and talked to them in his usual quiet way. They couldn’t hear what he said, but they heard Dinah’s side of the conversation.

“But darling, why can’t you make it for me? You always used to before.” Dinah grabbed his arm and stroked it as if it was a cat she’d captured.

Remy pulled away and straightened his back even more than normal. The man was broad-shouldered and imposing, and his body language exuded charisma, as if he owned the whole restaurant. With his straight nose and full lips, he looked French or Italian. He tended to frown when having a serious talk with someone, making his forehead crease. Isabella had always wondered how that was possible. The natural thing would be for the forehead to be smooth when the brows furrowed.

She watched the scene. His index finger moved up and down, like a teacher reprimanding his pupils. Was he teaching Dinah a lesson? His wife wasn’t bothered by his waving but she gave in, eventually.

“You're very difficult now, darling.” Dinah wasn’t happy. “Let me have the chicken salad, then. No dressing.”

“She’s quite a character,” Isabella said. “Both of them are, as a matter of fact.”

“I suppose that’s why they suit each other. It won’t get boring here this summer.” Miranda put down her napkin and stood. It was time to get back to work.

Fiona quickly found her way around the flower and gift shop. They had received several boxes of new giftware that were placed on separate tables between the fragrant flowers. This made the customers stroll around and look at things on their own. The product selection was nostalgic, and with its soft pastel colors, resembled the shabby-chic style. Several of the hotel guests had told her that visiting the shop made them cheerful.

Isabella was cheerful, too, working with what she loved. She adored flowers and enjoyed using her creative abilities to make exquisite bouquets and arrangements. She liked trying out new combinations to see how they worked. There was so much you could do if you had a little fantasy and courage. Isabella didn’t lack either, that was not where the problem lay. The challenge was how to get more of the locals to visit Anemone. She couldn’t live off the conference guests alone, especially now in the summer when there were barely any meetings scheduled. This was occupying her mind when Remy appeared in front of her.

He gave her a short nod. No smile, they were few and far between. “All is good?”

Isabella felt her heart jump, and she straightened automatically. She peered into his nut-brown eyes and wondered how such small eyes could be so intense. He held her gaze until she had to break it. She was lost for a moment, but then remembered why he was there. It wasn’t to admire her.

“Dad,” Fiona said and joined them. “It’s fun working here. Look at all the lovely things.” She pointed them out, and her father nodded slowly. He was a man who took his time; he was in no rush.

No one said anything, but he looked mischievously at Isabella. She felt herself blushing. A shade of apricot, like the rose she was holding in her hand, was covering her neck. Why couldn’t he look at the flowers instead? There were plenty to choose from. Or talk more with his daughter. That was why he’d come, to check how she was doing.

“See you later.” Remy left and headed for the restaurant, and Isabella silently let out her breath.

Fiona didn’t seem to find his behavior strange. She knew her father well.

They were about to continue work again when Fiona discovered King. Kitty had come to visit with her usual companion. “Oh, look at the cute dog.”

“This is my grandma. She lives in the suite next to yours. It was made specifically for her by her son, who built this hotel,” Isabella explained.

“Oh. Can I hold him?” Fiona looked eagerly at Kitty.

“Sure, but don’t let him run off in here. Otherwise you’ll have a lot of extra work the next few days.”

Isabella stroked his soft fur. “You’re right. I don’t even dare think of how that would turn out. Have you been to the spa, Kitty?”

“Yes, there was a difficult lady there today. Never seen her before. She must be a guest at the hotel, demanding this and that. I almost forgot my treatment, I was so fascinated.” Kitty laughed.

Isabella covered her mouth to hide a smile, but Fiona answered. “That was probably my mom.”

Kitty looked at her in surprise. “Oh dear. I suppose I’ve put my foot in my mouth again.”

“No worries. I know how she is,” the girl said.

“You’re bound to meet her again as she’ll be staying here for weeks,” Isabella said. She patted her grandma’s arm to soothe her.

At that moment, King jumped out of Fiona’s arms. Kitty gasped, but he was gone. All three of them started searching for him, each in a different direction. That wasn’t the smartest move, seeing as it made it even more fun for the tiny dog to avoid being caught. He scurried between the table legs and eventually got lost in the window display, where he bumped into a glass vase, which fell over and broke. The domino effect ensured the same fate for more vases. Cut flowers were all over the floor in puddles of water. Everything was chaos.

Isabella finally managed to catch King, and Fiona started crying.

“It’s my fault. I’m so sorry!” she sobbed.

Isabella had a hard time collecting her thoughts but knew she had to comfort the girl. “There, there, it’s okay. These things happen. It could’ve happened to anyone.” She put her arm around her, but Fiona still sobbed loudly. Pernille had already started cleaning up the water from the floor and the window display.

“I shouldn’t have brought King into the shop,” Kitty said with a faint voice. She looked as sad as Fiona. “But he’s been here many times before, and he’s always behaved.”

“He doesn’t know me,” Fiona said. “That might be the reason.”

“No, he’s not afraid of strangers. It must be something else that caught his attention.” Kitty held King in a firm grip and patted him instead of scolding the naughty dog. She’d always had her own view on how to raise dogs, which wasn’t necessarily in line with others’ opinions.

The door opened. “What happened here?” Dinah was standing in the doorway, staring at the mess.

Isabella’s heart sank. Fiona could have done just fine without her mother interfering. She wouldn’t even have had to find out about the incident.

“Mom, I’m to blame.” Fiona dried her tears and told her what had happened, sniffling.

“Oh, really?” Dinah was far from pleased and didn’t appear to be a consoling mother. “You should’ve thought this might happen. Now you’ll have to spend all the money you make this summer to pay for the vases.”

Fiona started crying again, and Isabella felt sorry for her. “No, it’s okay. The shop is insured, and it covers these kinds of mishaps.” She wasn’t at all sure about that. She would have to check with the insurance company later.

“You are?” Fiona dried her tears once more and looked hopefully at her employer.

Isabella confirmed it. “Don’t worry about it. Take the rest of the day off. It’s almost closing time anyway.”

After some persuading, they left. So did Kitty, after promising she’d pay for the damage.

Isabella plopped down on a chair behind the counter. Pernille had mopped the floor, but there was broken glass everywhere.

“Incredible how five vases can contain that much water,” Pernille commented.

“This is awful,” Isabella said and sighed. “Look at the mess.”

“It’ll prove expensive to have summer help,” Pernille said. “Those vases weren’t cheap.”

Isabella didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “No, I didn’t buy them at the supermarket.” She stared at the chaos in front of her. “It’s a small comfort that none of the giftware was broken. That would’ve been worse.”

She walked over to lock the door and nearly stumbled over Remy. Oh no, not another member of that family. She’d had her share today. Would both Fiona’s mother and father visit several times a day?

“What happened here?” Remy scowled.

“Just a small mishap. It happens. You know, there are a lot of things here, so it’s easy to knock something over.” She rambled on, something she did when she was jittery. Remy unnerved her, and she didn’t like it. What was it with this man?

“Where’s Fiona?”

“She left with your wife a while ago.” Isabella noticed his distinctive hairstyle. He didn’t have bangs, which could have prevented his hair from falling into his face all the time. She would have liked to run her fingers through it, but she wasn’t in the habit of messing with married men’s hair. And she wasn’t interested in new acquaintances. Far from it. She still had bad memories from her last relationship. She swallowed hard and pulled herself together. This was not the time to break down. At least, not in front of this man.

“What kind of work ethic is that, leaving before the end of the day?” Remy wasn’t impressed.

She stepped back. She didn’t want to tell him Fiona was the one to blame for the disarray around them. He didn’t need to know that. She assumed the girl had more than enough challenges as it was, with these parents. And Dinah had probably forgotten the whole incident by now. Most likely, she was enjoying spa life again. Hopefully, she’d taken her daughter to help her forget all about it.

“I insisted,” she said in Fiona’s defense.

“Hmm.” Remy slowly walked out the door without looking back.

“Gosh,” Pernille said. “What a guy.”

“I didn’t want to blame Fiona. It could just as well have happened when Kitty was holding the dog. She’s been here often enough, and she usually brings King.”