Chapter 13
THIRTEEN
Erica
Faced with a crisis, Erica felt more in control than she had for weeks.
The subject of her father, making contact with her sister, the confusing emotions—that all tied her up in knots.
But this—this, she could handle. This was a crisis that required clear thinking and action, and that was her strength.
She had the ability to cut through emotions and drama and see what needed to be done. She knew she could help Hattie.
And maybe she could calm her conscience at the same time because she felt awful about the way she’d reacted when Hattie had knocked on her door. It hadn’t crossed her mind that Hattie might know of her existence, but clearly she’d been told about Madeleine.
She heard her mother’s voice in her head.
We each chose a name. He chose Madeleine, I chose Erica. Madeleine Erica. You became Erica the moment he walked out that door.
She owed Hattie an apology, but that would have to wait because right now she didn’t like what she was seeing.
Hattie had held it together well during that unpleasant exchange with Stephanie, but now she looked as if she might crumble on the spot.
Stephanie’s vicious attack had made so many holes in her self-esteem you could almost see the confidence draining away.
Her eyes had a glassy look and her breathing was fast and shallow.
Erica reckoned she was a few short breaths away from a full-blown panic attack.
She opened her mouth to speak, but Noah got there first.
“You handled that well, Hattie. I almost cheered. I bet everyone else did, too.” He put his hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay. Everything is fine.”
Erica would have said the same herself, only without the shoulder rub.
Unfortunately, neither seemed to soothe Hattie.
“Everything is not fine.” There was a note of hysteria in her voice and she breathed in short, rapid snatches. “I just lost my housekeeper and apparently, I’ve already lost my chef, only unlike Stephanie he didn’t have the courtesy to shout at me before he drove into the sunset.”
Noah’s hand was still on her shoulder, strong and supportive. “A housekeeper who has been giving you grief for two years, and a chef who constantly behaved like a toddler midtantrum.”
“Maybe, but he’s a great chef.” Hattie wrapped her arms around her middle. “Brent thought he was a creative genius.”
“He was unpredictable and a liability.” Noah was blunt. “And as for Stephanie, you did what needed to be done. Said what needed to be said. Not easy. I was proud of you.”
Hattie didn’t appear to hear him. She didn’t seem aware of anything that was going on around her.
“She’s right.” She muttered the words to herself.
“I have let Brent down. I’ve tried to keep things going the way he wanted them, to do the things he would have done, but I’ve failed.
I’ve lost his two key members of staff. He was excited when he appointed them.
He said that they’d really put the place on the map.
And they’re gone because of me. And poor Helen, the sous-chef.
” She fumbled for her phone. “Did the pan he threw actually hit her? I need to check she is all right.”
Noah glanced out the window. “Her car is still in the parking lot, so she hasn’t left.”
“She’s fine,” Chloe said, “although there is a large dent in one of the kitchen cabinets.”
“I don’t care about the kitchen, as long as she’s all right.
I’ll talk to her in a minute, although I don’t know what I’m going to say.
Maybe she’ll sue us.” Hattie sank onto the sofa.
“I can’t do this. I don’t have what it takes.
I should hand it over to someone who is better than me at making decisions. ”
Erica decided Noah needed reinforcements.
“You’re making good decisions. They feel difficult, but that doesn’t mean they’re not right.
” She used the same calm tone she used when advising clients facing a crisis.
“You clearly have a vision for the inn, and it’s an appealing one.
This is the perfect opportunity to make that vision a reality.
To shape the business the way you’d like it to look.
You’ve made a good start. You’re doing well. ”
Her intervention seemed to snap Hattie out of her trance. She looked at Erica as if she’d finally remembered she was there.
“But you’re checking out tomorrow,” she said. “So I can’t be doing that well, can I?”
Erica felt a mixture of guilt and admiration. It was encouraging to see Hattie at least had some fight left in her.
“That’s nothing to do with the hospitality,” Claudia said. “That’s just Erica.”
Erica ignored that. “For now, the focus needs to be on what needs to be done to get through tonight. After that we can formulate a longer-term plan.”
“We?” Noah gave Erica a cool look, which made her suspect Hattie had told him everything in the short time they’d had together before the situation with Stephanie had erupted. He was suspicious of her, and given what had transpired, he probably had reason.
Erica thought about what she’d overheard at the bookstore. The women had talked about Noah. How protective he was. And now she saw it for herself. Not just in his words, but also in the way he stood close to Hattie, as if providing a physical barrier between her and the rest of the world.
No doubt Anna was already busy spinning romantic scenarios.
That wasn’t what interested Erica. “I can help. If you’d like me to.”
But Noah’s attention had returned to Hattie. “I know it seems daunting at the moment, but things will change for the better now. And she—Erica—is right.” He said the words reluctantly. “You figure out what needs doing, and do it. You solve the problems one at a time. You’re good at this, Hattie.”
“Good?” She gave a disbelieving laugh. “Did you not hear a word Stephanie said?”
“Stephanie is wrong. You need to do things the way you feel they should be done and trust your instincts. I predict the place will be even more successful.”
Hattie looked unconvinced. “I hope we survive long enough to find out. I can’t run an inn without staff.”
Someone needed to get on and do something, Erica thought, or it definitely wouldn’t be successful. Every minute they spent chewing over what had happened was a minute wasted.
It was a process, she understood that, but the process needed to be accelerated.
“You’re looking at what you’ve lost,” she said. “What you need to do is consider the resources still available to you, and how you might use them most effectively.”
“That’s me! I’m a resource, and I’m not leaving.
” Chloe spoke up from the doorway. “I can handle the housekeeping. I’ll work as many hours as needed.
There’s nothing Stephanie can do that I can’t do.
Except possibly the moody attitude part.
I’m not great at that. I’ll get so much more done without her pulling me aside to tell me where I’m going wrong all the time. ”
Erica liked Chloe. She was young, but Erica knew there were times when enthusiasm could trump experience, and this was one of those times. In her opinion Hattie should be making good use of Chloe.
Hattie seemed to agree. “Thank you, Chloe. But even if between us we could manage, there’s still the restaurant. I can’t run a restaurant without a head chef. And Chef Tucker is—was—a legend. People traveled from out of state to sample his tasting menu.”
“I never understood that,” Chloe said. “He cooked parts of the animal that should never have seen the light of day in my opinion. He would have had to pay me to eat that disgusting scrambled brain thing—” She shuddered and Hattie finally smiled.
“I knew there was a reason you’re not serving in the restaurant. Tonight on the menu we have a disgusting brain thing. Enjoy.”
“Legend or not, no one is indispensable.” Erica gently steered them back on topic. “There are other excellent chefs.” She looked at Claudia, who rolled her eyes and grinned.
“The answer is yes. I’ll do it if Hattie would like me to. I’m a chef,” she added. “I can help you out.”
Hattie glanced between her and Erica. “But you’re leaving.”
“Not tonight, and you need a chef for tonight. Those brains aren’t going to scramble themselves.”
Hattie looked a little dazed. “You’re really a chef?”
“Yes. A good one.” Claudia anchored a strand of hair behind her ear. “Don’t be fooled by my skinny frame. It’s not a reflection of my cooking ability. I’ve had a bad year.”
Hattie gave a faint smile. “I know the feeling. Where do you work?”
“I’ve been in California for a few years, but I was laid off from my job a few weeks ago.
Don’t worry, I didn’t poison anyone or throw a knife at them.
Shouting isn’t my style, although I’ve been on the receiving end of it.
I’m a good chef. French trained. My grandmother was French and I can speak it fluently if needed.
If we had more time I’d cook you something to prove it, but given that you don’t have a chef for this evening I suggest I prove myself on the job. ”
“She is a brilliant chef,” Anna said warmly. “The best.”
Hattie let out a long breath. She looked exhausted. “We only have a couple of hours until the restaurant opens.”
“Then I probably shouldn’t waste time chatting,” Claudia said. “All I need is a set of whites and access to the kitchen. I assume the rest of the kitchen crew are already there?”
“Unless they all walked out with Chef Tucker.” Hattie rubbed her fingers over her forehead, trying to focus. “Our pastry chef, Shelley, is fantastic. She bakes the bread, does all the breakfast pastries, the cakes for afternoon tea and desserts, obviously. Maybe we can just serve dessert.”
Claudia flashed a smile. “I’m sure we can do better than that. Where’s the kitchen? Left or right?”
“Are you sure about this?” Hattie glanced at the three women. “You’re supposed to be guests. You probably planned to curl up with the book you’re reading and discuss it.”
“That can wait,” Anna said. “And we are guests, just the helpful type.”
“In that case, thank you. I’d be crazy to refuse.
” Hattie seemed to pull herself together.
“I’ll take you to the kitchen and talk to the staff.
Hopefully, they haven’t all followed Chef Tucker.
And I need to check on Helen.” Hattie looked at Delphi, who scrambled onto the deep, soft sofa with a book in her hands.
“I want you to read to me.”
“Could I read to you? I’d love that,” Anna said. “Reading aloud is my favorite thing and I don’t often have the chance because my children are older than you.”
Delphi shrank back against the sofa. “I want Mommy.”
“I’m a good reader,” Anna said. “I do voices and actions. I’m known for my tiger impressions.”
“I like dinosaurs.”
“I do a great dinosaur,” Anna assured her. “Can I read to you for a little while and see how you like it? You can choose the book. Any book.”
Delphi considered and then nodded and held out her book. Anna sat down next to her and Hattie gave a grateful smile.
“Thank you. I’ll be back in a minute.”
“While you’re doing that, I’ll get that final room ready,” Chloe said. “And then I’ll draw up a plan for tomorrow. I’ll check the bookings, look at everyone’s preferences and make sure every room is perfect. If I have a problem, I’ll let you know. Don’t worry.”
“How can I not worry? You can’t do the work of two people,” Hattie said and Chloe flexed her biceps.
“Watch me. At least half of Stephanie’s work was managing me, so I figure that if I manage myself that’s a big chunk of the job done.”
Erica laughed and even Hattie looked more hopeful.