has made it more than clear that you were fully entitled, under the circumstances, to just take off. I get that, but I need you back, Tess.’
Good old Joan. I wondered if she had known some of what Mum had gone through. Had she fronted up to Dad because she knew what sort of husband he had been? Had she witnessed some of Mum’s humiliation for herself?
‘You aren’t sick, are you?’ Dad practically demanded when I didn’t respond.
‘No,’ I told him, ‘I’m not sick.’
‘Then enough is enough. I know I’m your father, but I’m also your . . .’ He hesitated and I quickly jumped back in.
‘The thing is, I’m going to be away for a few more weeks—’
‘A few weeks!’
‘Yes,’ I said firmly. ‘I never should have tried to keep working after Mum died. That was a mistake and now it’s all come back to bite me. I need a proper rest to get my head straight.’
I didn’t specify exactly how long for, or drop the tiniest hint about the diary. I dreaded to think what I still had to discover printed on those pages. It was definitely best all round if I kept him at arm’s length while I worked my way through it all.
‘I see,’ he said tightly when I offered no further explanation and I felt my stomach clench in response to his tone.
It was a pain I hadn’t experienced since my arrival.
‘And you’re absolutely sure there’s nothing else you want to tell me, Tess?’
‘Yes,’ I said, ‘I’m sure.’
I wondered if he had guessed that I was having doubts about my job too. Perhaps he was coming to the conclusion that I hadn’t only left because I hadn’t faced up to losing Mum.
‘Are you at least going to tell me where you are?’
‘No,’ I said, ‘there’s no point and besides I’m moving somewhere else today.’
I had taken the precaution of packing my passport so if he did go looking around the apartment, he wouldn’t find it and would hopefully assume I was abroad.
‘You do know that if you don’t come back today, I’m going to have to hand your entire portfolio over to Chris, don’t you, Tess?’
‘Of course.’
‘He’s really come into his own since you’ve been gone.’
‘I had a feeling he might. You should have promoted him months ago.’
‘Perhaps.’
He sounded tired all of a sudden and resigned, but given what I’d recently discovered I couldn’t feel sorry about that.
‘Look,’ I said, ‘I have to go. I’ll ring in a few weeks, okay?’
‘This is all far from okay.’
I didn’t say anything. There was no point.
‘If you decide to stay away beyond June, Tess, then we’re seriously going to have to think about your long-term future with the firm.’
He was getting frustrated. No doubt annoyed that the Tyler work ethic in me wasn’t as firmly fixed as it was in him.
‘Are you going to fire me?’
‘No, of course not,’ he snapped. ‘But I do have to think about the business, the needs of our clients and the Tyler reputation.’
The way he still prioritized the firm over family, even after my dramatic desertion, made my stomach pull even tighter.
‘You know, it wouldn’t hurt you to take some time off too,’ I said bitingly.
‘That’s as maybe,’ he snapped back, ‘but someone has to stick around to hold the fort.’
‘If you say so,’ I swallowed, determined not to get upset. ‘Bye, Dad.’
There was a painful lump lodged in my throat as I turned the phone off again, tossed it back into the drawer, slammed it shut and grabbed the cottage keys. Hope had been right: I was in need of a pick-me-up.
‘So,’ Sam asked, ‘how did you get on?’
‘Was it as bad as you thought it would be?’ added Hope.
‘Worse,’ I huffed, wrinkling my nose. ‘Much worse.’
The call thankfully hadn’t resulted in a blazing row, but it had got me stirred up and feeling unsettled nonetheless.
Hope indicated the row of tempting optics behind her.
‘What can I get you?’ she asked.
‘Thanks,’ I said, ‘but I don’t think I’d better start on the hard stuff.’
I was tempted but knew I wouldn’t feel any better for it.
‘Coffee then?’ she suggested.
‘Yes, please. A really strong one.’
‘You didn’t get fired, did you?’ Sam asked.
‘No,’ I told him, ‘not quite, but if I stay too long, it might come to that. Not that I have any intention of leaving early.’
At least if Dad did give me the boot that would be one less decision I would have to make. I shook my head and Sam leant over