Chapter 31
PAUL
I led Willow and Karl out to the back office and kitchen area and switched on the light.
The music and chatter of the café faded a little bit out here.
It had been a busy day getting things ready and it was messy out here but the look on Willow’s face stopped me from refusing to let them talk in private.
She looked really upset and when I’d glanced at Holly, she seemed resigned that something bad was going on.
My protective instinct flooded back and I didn’t want to leave her alone with them. But I wasn’t sure what she wanted.
‘What’s going on?’ Holly broke the silence as she stopped beside me.
She stood so close, her arm pressed against my shoulder like she was using it to steady her.
I wanted to steady her. Looking back at that photo when we were young had made me want to reassure her that her heart was safe with me.
She’d looked like she was close to tears and I understood.
So much time had passed for those two kids but now we were back together.
I didn’t want to let go again, and God, I wanted to know if she felt the same way too.
But that didn’t matter right now. I wasn’t going anywhere unless she told me to.
‘I put the article about Mistletoe Lane up early,’ Karl said.
‘I was going to surprise you both tonight with the news. I thought your winter wonderland looks great and people in Birchbrook will love it. I thought I’d share it tonight then post about the café opening tomorrow…
’ Karl said, giving me a nod. I was tensing up too as I wondered where this was going.
He said the winter wonderland article had had a good write-up but why did both him and Willow look so serious then?
Karl cleared his throat and glanced at Willow.
‘It’s only been up for an hour but he’s had an email from someone about you,’ Willow said, shifting her feet awkwardly.
Holly let out a puff of air. She nodded. ‘Was it Grant Rivers?’ she asked, her voice ending with a slight shake.
‘Yes,’ Karl confirmed. ‘He said he let you go from his company because you were embezzling funds.’
All eyes turned to Holly, including mine.
She visibly swallowed. ‘He’s a liar.’ She stepped backwards. Her face had turned pale and her eyes welled up. ‘You won’t believe that though, will you? You’ll think I’m just like my father? Someone who can’t be trusted…’ She turned to go.
Instinct made me shoot out an arm to try to stop her but she wiggled out of my reach and headed for the door.
Not again, was my immediate thought. I didn’t want her to run again.
‘Holly, stop,’ I said firmly. She paused but wouldn’t look at me. ‘Talk to us. We are on your side.’ I glanced at Willow, who bit her lip but she nodded. ‘We want to hear what you have to say.’
Holly shook her head. ‘You’ll believe him, not me.’ She sounded so small, I wanted to envelop her in my arms. But I hesitated, unsure what to do. I just didn’t want her to leave again. Not like this.
‘Don’t run,’ I urged.
Willow stepped forward then. ‘Tell us what’s going on,’ she said. ‘How can we help you otherwise?’
Holly looked at Willow, then at me. She seemed so confused. ‘Why would you want to help me?’ She turned to Karl. ‘Aren’t you going to write an article telling no one to ever hire me?’
‘No,’ he replied. ‘I was shocked at the email so I spoke to Willow, who said we needed to get the facts from you. I’d never take someone’s word for anything.
’ He shrugged. ‘Willow wouldn’t hire anyone who would screw someone over, so I knew there was more of a story here than Mr Rivers was telling me. ’
Holly still seemed bewildered. ‘But you would just… trust me?’ She ended the sentence with a whisper.
I couldn’t just stand here any longer. I touched Holly’s arm gently. ‘Hols, I know you. You wouldn’t steal money from anyone! Who is this guy? Why has he emailed Karl? Just explain it all then we can help you.’
Her eyes widened and she glanced at my hand on her arm but she didn’t remove it.
She took another deep breath. ‘He was my old boss. He… he made a pass at me,’ she blurted out.
I tried not to react but I could see where this was going.
I closed my eyes. ‘I told him I wasn’t interested and then he acted like I’d made a mistake, and he hadn’t done it at all.
But after that, he was really off with me.
I had planned to leave and start my own company and he’d been really supportive, like a mentor to me, but when I told him I was going…
he went mad. Said I’d amount to nothing without him.
He’s been blacklisting me around the city, stopping people from working with me.
At first, I couldn’t prove it but one of my colleagues said she heard him bad-mouthing me.
And now he’s sent that email to you…’ She trailed off.
‘I worked really hard for him. I would never take any money. You can trust me,’ she added, turning to Willow.
‘What a creep!’ Willow cried, shaking her head. ‘I can’t believe he’d do that just because you wouldn’t kiss him and you left his company to go out on your own.’
I opened my eyes, trying to remain calm which was fucking difficult. ‘He can’t get away with this,’ I said, anger bubbling under my skin at the thought of him treating Holly like that.
‘In my experience,’ Karl said, ‘men like that rarely do things just the once. I wonder if there are any people who have worked for him who have had similar experiences. I could do some digging into it all. You never told anyone?’ he asked Holly.
She seemed stunned again. ‘But you… believe me?’
‘Of course we do,’ I said firmly. I gave her arm a little squeeze. ‘I know you’d never steal money. And it sounds like once this guy didn’t get what he wanted from you, he decided to take revenge. What a…’ I struggled not to spit out a stream of expletives. ‘…loser.’
The door behind us opened, letting in the café noise again. ‘Oh, are you all okay?’ my mum asked in surprise. ‘Your dad wants to make a speech,’ she added to me with a concerned frown at seeing the three of us out here.
‘I’ll be out in ten minutes,’ I said shorty. She opened her mouth to say more but I just shook my head. Quickly, Mum ducked back out.
‘Can you look into it for us?’ Willow asked Karl. ‘And maybe you could talk to Grant Rivers again, see if you can get him to admit anything.’
He nodded. ‘Who was the colleague who warned you what your old boss was saying about you?’ Karl asked.
‘I can speak to her,’ Holly said. ‘I don’t know if she would want to be involved, though…’
‘Let’s keep in touch.’ Karl handed Holly his card then he nodded at us. ‘I need to head off but don’t worry, I won’t amend my article. Mistletoe Lane looks great. I’ll be coming along with my family when you open.’
‘Thanks, Karl,’ Willow said gratefully. We watched him leave. ‘Holly, you can’t let this Grant get away with this.’ She glanced at me when Holly just looked at the floor. ‘Well, I need to sit down. Pregnant lady and all that. See you out there!’ She hurried out, giving me a nod.
I waited until I was alone with Holly then I reached down and took her hand. ‘Hols, will you look at me?’ She was still staring at the floor. I could see her eyes were still misty. I took hold of her other hand too and squeezed both of her hands in mine. ‘Please,’ I begged her.
Finally, she lifted her eyes up.
‘We believe you, okay? You get that, right? You don’t need to run. We’ve got you.’
‘Don’t say that,’ she urged. ‘I can’t let you look after me.’ She took her hands from mine and used one to wipe at her eyes. ‘This is all too much.’
‘Is it? Or is it just right?’ I asked her. ‘I want to look after you. I want to protect you. God, I want to march right into your old boss’s office and punch him.’
She looked startled again. ‘Why?’
‘Why? Because he’s hurt you. He’s treated you appallingly. He’s a dick! And I don’t want anyone upsetting you. I want to hold you right now but I can tell you don’t want me to. And it’s driving me crazy.’
There was a stunned silence. I knew I’d said too much but how was I supposed to keep calm and keep my distance when she looked like her world had just folded in on her?
‘Listen to me, Holly. I know people round here weren’t nice when your dad left but I swear, things are different now.
This community looks out for one another.
There were a few small-minded people back then but even so, none of them blamed you for what your dad did or thought you were anything like him.
You have always been an amazing woman. There’s no one I trust more.
And you can trust me. I know you’re scared.
And so am I. But I am here for you. We can be here for one another.
’ I told her the blunt truth, laying my cards out.
I hoped she had taken in what I had said.
‘I better go back out there but take your time, okay. Whatever you need.’
Holly sniffed but didn’t respond. She still looked shell-shocked.
I leaned down slightly and kissed her softly on her forehead. ‘I won’t say any more. Just think about what I’ve said, please,’ I begged before I pushed open the door and left her there even though it was the last thing I wanted to do.