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“It’s not as elegant or imposing as Fox Hill,” she said, stating the obvious. “But the sea views are gorgeous and the clubhouse has its own unique charm.” She launched into her opinions of the staff and the way the place is run, only pausing briefly when Bella returned and handed her a coffee.
“What’s the manager like?” Bella asked between sips of her coffee.
“He’s fine,” Allie said.
Bella lifted a perfectly rounded eyebrow. “Not exactly a glowing report.”
“He’s a nice guy,” she went on, twisting her lips as she attempted to gather her thoughts on Kevin. “I guess he’s lacking some charisma … and backbone,” she said, realising that was what really annoyed her about him. “It’s as though he needs everyone to like him. Which isn’t a great quality in a manager, is it? For example, the cleaners complained about dog hairs, so instead of telling them to deal with it, he stopped letting dogs in the clubhouse. That’s a bit pathetic.”
Bella smiled lightly. “I wouldn’t want to get on the bad side of the cleaners, and I’m not saying they don’t deserve respect, but they’re also employed to do a job. It seems odd that they’d make such a fuss about a few dog hairs.”
“Exactly,” Allie said. “I get the impression he can’t stand confrontation, so he just agreed to whatever they wanted. He seems to have a similar relationship with the kitchen staff. They tell him what’s happening rather than the other way around.”
“Don’t be too hard on him,” her dad said. “He might not be perfect, but he’s done a decent job keeping things ticking along without much support.”
“The rest of the staff are great,” she said, her mind drifting to Daisy who she had a lot of respect for, even though she was slow to warm to Allie. “They’re dedicated and hard workers. I should probably check how much we’re paying them. I suspect some of them have earned a pay rise.”
“Steady on.” Her dad chuckled. “I thought you intended to maximise profits. I’m not sure giving all the staff a pay rise is going to achieve that. Also, has the sea air made you soft? Staff pay rises without them having to grovel for it?”
Allie reined in a grin, thinking that he was right; she’d softened in the last few weeks. While she’d like to think she’d always been a fair boss at Fox Hill, she hadn’t always been overly warm. The line between boss and staff had been a clear one.
“Anyway,” she said. “I think there can be a few improvements to Thurley Beach.” Her mind went to Hugh’s designs for the new course and she pondered whether to mention it. Could they really become a reality? Did she definitely want to take it on? Either way, now wasn’t the time to bring it up. Her dad needed rest, not work distractions. “We can talk about my ideas properly when you’re feeling better.”
Her dad’s brow creased as he cast a bemused look at her. Bella wore a similar expression.
“Why are you both looking at me like that?” Allie asked.
“The club doesn’t need improvements,” her dad said slowly.
“There are definitely a few areas that we could work on …” She looked to Bella, wondering what she was missing.
“It was all a ruse to get you away for a little while,” Bella said. “I told you that earlier …”
“Yeah, but …” But she’d thought there’d at least been a modicum of truth to it. “You really only sent me there to get rid of me while you dealt with your health issues?” She looked to her dad for confirmation. “You weren’t concerned about profits at all?”
“Sorry,” he said. “I also thought it would be good for you to have a break, and you know I’ve wanted you to go back to Hope Cove for a long time.”
Allie wasn’t even angry at the deceit; she was just struggling to get it straight in her head. “Why did you insist on me working as a waitress? It would have been far easier if you’d just sent me over there to check up on the place without lying to everyone.”
“You always take on so much responsibility,” he said, looking suddenly weary. “I thought it would do you good to get a break from that. You wouldn’t have got a holiday if you’d walked in there as the boss.”
Tears stung the back of Allie’s eyes and she pressed her teeth into her bottom lip when her chin wobbled.
“Sorry,” her dad said, reaching for her hand.
“It’s fine.” She pulled away from him, caught a tear from the corner of her eye, and took a steadying breath.
“Alegra,” he said, reaching for her again.
The use of her proper name made her insides twist. “I guess we should let you rest,” she said with a fake smile. “How long do you need to stay in hospital?”
“Just tonight. They’ll discharge me first thing in the morning.”
“Good.” She kissed his cheek. “Do you need anything?” Desperately, she wanted him to say no, since all she wanted was to get out of the stuffy room. She needed fresh air and a few minutes alone, and she needed it immediately.
“I’m fine.” Her dad searched her face, but she refused to meet his gaze.
“I’ll see you in the morning,” she said, then offered Bella an apologetic smile and left.
