Page 41 of Coming Home to Maple Tree Lodge

After a delicious meal, Lily was enjoying the warmth both from the roaring fire and the congenial atmosphere around the table. For once, the awkward atmosphere between Ben and Walter was nowhere to be found.

She was also feeling warm on the inside as well, mostly from the extremely strong cocktail that Frankie had made them all.

‘Wow,’ muttered Hannah with a slight cough upon taking a sip of her drink. ‘That’s pretty strong.’

‘Alcohol is the glue holding this place together,’ said Frankie, with a wink.

‘Not love?’ asked Faye, with a soft smile.

‘Oh, that’s sweet,’ said Frankie, giving her friend a nudge with her elbow. ‘But no. You’re wrong. It’s definitely alcohol.’

Everyone laughed once more.

‘Just what did you put in this?’ asked Ben, staring at the cocktail glass he had just sipped from with wide eyes.

‘Everything, from what I’ve just tasted,’ replied Walter with a grimace, putting down his half-full glass carefully on the table as if it was about to detonate.

‘Is this something you’ve made before?’ asked Lily, taking another, much smaller tentative sip.

‘It’s an old recipe. I used to be a barmaid,’ Frankie told her. ‘Let me tell you, you never lose that magic touch.’

‘Is that what we’re calling it?’ asked Ben, locking eyes with Lily briefly to share a smile.

He seemed like a different person, thought Lily. Was it the soaking in the lake that they had had? The earlier talk to clear the air? Or perhaps just the strong alcohol, she told herself.

Either way, she was enjoying the new, relaxed Ben who was sitting across the table from her that evening.

‘What I don’t understand is what you were both doing in the boathouse in the first place?’ asked Frankie, looking from Ben to Lily.

‘Lily was looking for artistic inspiration when I left her in there,’ said Faye.

Lily glanced at Ben before taking a deep breath. ‘Then when Ben found me, I decided it was time to tell him the truth about my job.’

Hannah frowned. ‘What are you talking about?’ she asked, looking confused. ‘What truth?’

‘I lost my job,’ announced Lily, with a small gulp. ‘Two weeks ago. Just before you rang me, Hannah.’

She was about to carry on when Ben interrupted her. ‘Redundancies,’ he said.

The fierce look in his eyes made her not want to disagree with his small lie.

‘I’m sorry to hear that,’ said Faye. ‘That must have been a real shock for you.’

Lily looked at Hannah. ‘I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you but I was embarrassed. You were so keen for me to come here and I didn’t want to let you down.’

Hannah shook her head. ‘You should have told me,’ she said in a quiet tone.

‘She is telling you,’ said Ben. ‘Right now, in fact.’

Lily was grateful for his support but still felt bad about the hurt look in Hannah’s eyes. Once more, she felt bad that she hadn’t owned up before that moment and been truthful with her friend.

‘The most important thing is that Lily is going to help us redecorate the whole hotel from top to bottom,’ said Ben. ‘In her own style.’

They shared a secret smile. She was grateful that he wasn’t going to reveal her clandestine plan that had been at odds with his own ideas. They were finally on the same page, it felt.

‘And then what?’ asked Faye, looking at Lily.

‘Well, after this job, I’ve big plans to set up my own business,’ replied Lily. ‘I’ve always wanted my own interior design company so hopefully that dream will finally become a reality.’