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sake, get the champagne, Fred, and pour. I’ll deal with Harry if I have to. Hector’s not paying for his own celebration.’

      ‘Now that’s the sister I like best.’ Freddie jumped up and was back with a bottle of champagne in seconds.

      Pippa thought this was the least they could do for Hector. Not only did he pay them, and not only did he entertain the guests, but he also put the hotel firmly in the limelight via social media. And he’d do anything to help them, after all. He deserved this – more than this.

      ‘In fact, I think we owe you a few crates of the stuff. And seeing as you do all that social media for us, I’m going to put it down as a marketing expense,’ Pippa said. ‘You can have whatever you want at any time.’

      ‘Including you?’ Hector raised his eyebrows hopefully.

      Pippa didn’t know how to respond without being rude, so she just ignored him. She knew that Hector only wanted her because she was the only woman who resisted his charms. It was flattering, she guessed, but she needed a man and Hector was still a boy in too many ways. Besides, she’d explained to her entire family when they questioned why she wouldn’t even consider him. The minute she succumbed to him, he’d go off her. That’s what happened with men like Hector. She couldn’t cope with the rejection that would inevitably come.

      ‘Gus just texted. He said he and Amanda are going to grab a bite to eat at the pub. Shall we join?’ Freddie said, saving Pippa.

      ‘Let’s go,’ Pippa said. ‘Then it’ll feel like a proper celebration.’ And it would hopefully stop Hector looking at her with his moony eyes.

      ‘Harry and Connor aren’t coming. She’s probably got that baby stuck to her again,’ Freddie moaned.

      ‘Oh, Freddie, you’re so mean about your darling nephew. Connor and Harry are new parents, they need time to get used to it, and I think it’s wonderful the way they spend time together. As a family.’

      Again, Gemma looked wistful, so Pippa quickly mobilised them. This wasn’t a safe discussion. Having Hector declare his ‘love’ for her was almost preferable, in fact. Life had been good, if not great since the hotel opened, but Pippa could sense a shift. She didn’t know what, but Gemma seemed almost as besotted with Toby as Harriet and as she didn’t have any family, she was pretty sure that she was more ready than Fred to have a child of her own, or at least for him to make a commitment to her. But she brushed those fears aside. Instead, they were going to have a nice meal and toast Hector’s success. Nothing would ruin that.

      However, as it turned out, Gus managed to ruin it. As soon as they walked into The Parker’s Arms, Amanda shot Pippa an anxious glance and as Gus’s head was almost stuck in his pint glass, she could tell that he wasn’t happy.

      ‘You look terrible,’ Freddie said as they all sat down at the table.

      ‘Thanks, mate.’

      Hector was dispatched to get drinks, with Gemma offering to help. Pippa grabbed menus and when they were all settled, she turned to Gus.

      ‘What’s wrong?’

      ‘My little girl,’ Gus said, and then he opened his mouth and closed it again.

      Amanda patted his arm.

      ‘Fleur has a boyfriend. Not a date but an actual boyfriend. He’s seventeen,’ Amanda explained.

      ‘Far too old for her.’

      ‘Um, she’s sixteen,’ Pippa pointed out.

      ‘Nooo,’ Gus said and took a huge slug of his drink.

      If it had driven Gus to drink, it had to be bad.

      ‘Alfie, that’s his name. Lives just outside Parker’s Hollow. They met in the village shop, which is so innocent,’ Amanda explained.

      ‘There’s nothing innocent about teenage boys,’ Gus said, waggling a finger at them. ‘He was probably trying to buy booze and cigarettes with a fake ID that he’s paid for by selling drugs.’

      ‘That’s true,’ Freddie replied and Hector nodded.

      There was certainly nothing innocent about Fred when he was a teenager, that was sure.

      ‘He’s at the local sixth form, doing A-levels. Wants to be an architect and from what I can tell, he’s a nice boy.’

      Amanda sounded slightly harsh. She had the patience of a saint when it came to Gus, but even she had a limit. And Gus was famous for being an overprotective father; although, of course, he adored Fleur.

      ‘He didn’t call me Mr Singer when he first met me,’ Gus said.

      ‘I’d have him shot,’ Freddie joked.

      ‘He’s probably on drugs,’ Gus added.

      ‘We all were at that age,’ Hector pointed out unhelpfully.

      Pippa gave him a prod on his arm and hissed at him to shut up.

      ‘Oh, God, I need a whisky,’ Gus said.

      ‘No, you need to eat. Now, let’s order and stop talking nonsense. Gus, your daughter was going to have a boyfriend at some point and I really don’t think Alfie’s a delinquent. We might have to deal with the fact that at some point soon, Hayley will, too.’

      ‘Oh God, no.’ Gus put his head in his hands.

      Hayley, his stepdaughter, was privy to the same kind of overprotectiveness as Fleur from him, but as she was more interested in sport than boys it hadn’t really been a problem.

      ‘Alfie’s decent. His mum and dad are both teachers. He doesn’t have any tattoos or a criminal record and as far as I can tell, it’s just a bit of hand-holding and snogging at the moment,’ Amanda said.

      ‘Don’t say that, please,’ Gus begged.

      ‘I give up!’ Amanda threw her hands in the air. ‘Right, I’m going to have the vegetarian pasta. Anyone else ready to order?’

      ‘Sorry,’ Gus said. ‘I know I’m being unreasonable, but it’s so hard to watch my little girl grow up.’

      ‘Listen, mate,’ Hector said. ‘You’re pretty lucky that Fleur’s sensible, clever and a credit to you. I know you’ll always worry; after all, we were teenage boys once. Actually, I acted like one until fairly recently. All you can do is trust her, support her and get either Amanda, Harry or Pip to do the girl talk with her.’

      ‘Oh God, not me. I mean we get on pretty well, but I’m still the evil stepmother,’ Amanda stated quickly.

      ‘I’ll do it,’ Pippa offered. ‘If you get Harriet to do it she might turn into a bit of a ball-breaker. You know, teach Fleur how to make boys cry.’

      Not that Harriet was like that anymore, but then she still thought she was. She was quite soppy about Connor, but she’d never admit it.

      ‘Maybe I should get Harry to do it, then.’ Gus cheered up. ‘OK, thanks, Hector, you do make sense. And yes, my darling wife, let’s eat.’

      ‘Nightcap?’ Hector asked when they were back at Meadowbrook.

      It was nearly eleven and as the hotel was empty bar Hector, there were no staff around. When it was like this, Pippa had struggled being alone, even for the odd night. The house was so big and although it was home, had always been home, she still felt jumpy at every little noise. She was glad that Hector was here. They had a few bookings at the weekend but until then, it was just the two of them.

      ‘Sure, we’ll drink the good brandy. It’s not in the bar, I keep it in the office, just like Dad used to.’ She led the way.

      They settled into the sofa, nursing their drinks. Pippa had tucked her legs underneath her while Hector stretched his long legs out before him.

      ‘This reminds me of Dad,’ Pippa said after a while.

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