Winner Takes It All (20 page)

‘
I guess
you’re right. It’s just such a great location Jack.’

He paused, downed his
drink and stood up, reaching down and suddenly grasping her hand.
Alex wondered what the hell he was doing but still stumbled along
behind him. He pulled her into a small, claustrophobic lift and
pressed the button for the third floor.

‘
Where are we
going?’ she asked.

‘
To find you
an alternative to The Tilbrook. I’m new to this game Alex, but I
smell a rat and I’m going to save your bacon.’

The lift reached its
destination and Jack pulled Alex out along the cosy corridor
towards his room. She had no reason to keep on holding his hand,
but didn’t let go. It was so nice to touch him, and in this way it
was totally innocuous – after all, he’d made the first
move.

He opened the door to his
room and she saw it was exactly the sort of thing she was aiming
for. The bed linen looked as though it had come from Next or John
Lewis, the fittings were modern pine; the curtains were bright
which made the room look bigger. The door was open to the en suite
bathroom and she could see that was decorated in a soft buttermilk
colour that made it homely and comfortable. This was how she wanted
her hotels to look – cheap chic.

Jack sat on the bed and
patted for her to do the same. Somehow Alex felt like a shy
teenager at such an invitation and when she sat down she
consciously distanced herself from him - scared to be too close to
him. His laptop was on the bedside cabinet and he fired it
up.

‘
One thing you
will want in all your hotels is WiFi,’ he said. ‘Especially if you
want to attract those on business.’

‘
What did you
mean you said you smelt a rat?’ Alex asked.

Jack entered his password
onto the laptop and turned to look at her.

‘
You told me
your brother was outbid for an airline that the way I see it, was
his for the taking. Then the hotel is set on fire deliberately. Now
you’re being outbid on this hotel. Call it a sixth sense but
something doesn’t add up.’

‘
I see where
you’re coming from, but people are outbid all the time.’

‘
You’re
probably right, but I don’t know, I’ve got a sense about these
things. When you’re looking for snipers you get to sniff ‘em out
and I can sense danger.’

‘
So what do
you suggest I do?’

‘
Well there’s
an old saying ‘keep your friends close but your enemies closer’.
Who would want to ruin your business?’

‘
All our
competitors!’ she laughed incredulously. ‘It could be anyone
Jack.’

‘
Well let’s
find you somewhere else anyway.’

He logged onto a property
website and typed in all her requirements. Alex wasn’t sure if she
was offended that he thought she was incapable of doing this
herself or she was touched by his looking out for her.

‘
Does it have
to be Kensington?’ he asked.

‘
I want it to
be central.’

More clicking of the
mouse and pressing of buttons.

‘
What about
Earls Court?’ he suddenly piped up.

‘
Why what’s in
Earls Court?’ Alex sighed.

‘
This building
used to be a telephone exchange. It’s on the corner of Talgarth
Road and is on sale for one point six million.’

‘
Show
me.’

He swivelled the laptop
around and enlarged the picture. The building was shabby and old
fashioned, but like Walters up in Liverpool, there was something
about it. For the location, the price was a snip.

‘
Does it say
what sort of condition it’s in?’ she asked.

‘
It just says
it’s in need of extensive renovation.’

‘
Well there
would be no harm in looking at it.’

Jack picked up his phone
and dialled the number on the screen. Alex sat quietly thinking
about what he’d said. She’d never admit it, but Jack did have a
point. Just lately, from out of nowhere there had been an air of
malevolence surrounding Sheridans. Things used to go wrong
sporadically but it seemed week after week people were now out to
get them. She wished her father was well so she could ask his
advice. After nearly thirty five years of running the business, he
must have seen pretty much everything.

Jack got through to the
agent and smiled at Alex on his little victory.

‘
Hello, I was
wondering if my partner and me could come and have a look at the
building on Talgarth Road that’s for sale?’ There was a pause and
he looked at Alex, startling her with a wink. He looked back at the
phone. ‘Monday? What time?’

‘
I’m in a
meeting until twelve o’clock,’ Alex whispered.

‘
Two o’clock,’
Jack smiled. ‘Yep. We’ll meet you there at two o’clock
Monday.’

He ended the call and
looked at Alex, a smug smile on his face.

‘
We’re meeting
the agent – he’s called Richard – at two o’clock on
Monday.’

‘
I thought you
were going to Edinburgh?’

‘
That can
wait. It’s more important we get you sorted. Now get on the phone
and tell that Mr Muhammed you’re pulling out of The
Tilbrook.’

‘
Do you really
think I should?’

‘
Yes.’

Jack set about logging
off the Internet and shutting down his laptop while Alex called
Maurice Bannerman. She hoped he wouldn’t be too disappointed in her
– after all, he’d brokered this deal for her. She’d known Maurice
all her life and didn’t like the thought of upsetting him and she
only hoped he’d understand she didn’t want to end up wasting her
money.

‘
Maurice
Bannerman,’ he answered in that slick, professional
voice.

‘
It’s Alex,
I’m sorry to disturb you on a Saturday Maurice,’ she
apologised.

‘
Don’t worry
my dear Alex,’ he chuckled. ‘I’m only losing a round of terribly
played golf so your distraction is welcome. What can I do for
you?’

‘
Can you let
Mr Muhammed know I’m pulling out of The Tilbrook?’

There was silence on the
other end of the line and for a moment Alex thought he’d put the
phone down. Then he spoke.

‘
I beg your
pardon?’

‘
Mr Muhammed
clearly wants more than I’m prepared to pay and I want to pull
out.’

‘
But you’re so
close to winning it Alex.’

‘
There is no
point in paying millions of pounds for a hotel that is going to
take years to break even.’

‘
Well what are
you going to do? Your father wants you to open three
hotels.’

‘
I’m looking
at other properties.’

‘
Where?’

Out the corner of her
eye, she caught Jack shaking her head, instructing her not to tell
Bannerman. This seemed a ridiculous notion, but she did as she was
told.

‘
Nowhere
definite yet. It’s more important that I keep Sheridans running.
I’ll see you soon Maurice.’

She ended the call and
felt guilty for being short with a man who’d been like an uncle to
her. She looked at Jack and frowned.

‘
Surely you
don’t think Maurice Bannerman could be cheating me? He and daddy
have been friends since Harrow.’

‘
I’m sure he’s
perfectly okay Alex, but you don’t know who he talks to. He could
accidentally tell someone of your plans. It’s best to lie low and
keep things to yourself until they’re set in stone.’

‘
I hate all
this,’ she sighed. ‘I’m beginning to feel as if I can’t trust
anyone.’

‘
Welcome to
the real world Alex.’

They left the room and
met with Clint in the bar. He took them on a guided tour of the
hotel, explaining that the fixtures and fittings came from a
company called Harveys who were based in Bristol. As well as making
new stuff, they also bought up bankrupt stock and did house
clearances, restoring and selling off the things they bought. Alex
thought this a charming idea. She wanted her hotels to be homely
and by filling them with antiques this would achieve it.

By the time the tour was
over, Alex had a splitting headache. The stress of everything was
starting to get to her and she was beginning to question her
ability to cope with the responsibility of it all. Having no one to
share it with made it all the worse and for this she admired her
father even more than before. He had been much younger than her
when Lou had bestowed Sheridans upon him and what a wonderful job
he had done and he hadn’t cracked once.

‘
Why don’t you
have a sleep on my bed?’ Jack suggested once Clint had left them.
‘I can bring me laptop down here and do some work.’

‘
Are you
sure?’ she asked, rubbing her throbbing temples. ‘I don’t think I
can face driving back to Layton House.’

‘
Come on.
You’re as white as a sheet. An hour or so’s sleep will do you the
world of good.’

Keeping true to his word,
Jack took his laptop and left the room. Alex slipped in between the
covers, breathing in his scent. As far as she knew he hadn’t even
slept in the room and yet everything smelt of him. She didn’t even
know what aftershave he wore, but it was musky and spicy and had
imprinted itself upon her mind as ‘Jack’s smell’, so much so she
passed a man on the street the other day wearing the same scent and
for a moment she’d thought Jack was close to her. Comforted by his
imaginary presence, she pretended the heavy duvet was his strong
arms wrapped around her and fell asleep.

She was awoken by light
being shed onto the room. Opening her eyes, she realised it was
dark and wondered exactly how long she’d been asleep. She sat up,
rubbing her eyes and saw Jack standing before her, his laptop bag
in one hand, a plate with a sandwich on in the other.

‘
What time is
it?’ she yawned.

‘
Half nine,’
he replied. ‘I thought you might be hungry and got Clint to make
this up for you.’

‘
Bless you,’
she smiled, sitting up in bed. Jack sat beside her, passing her the
thick cheese and pickle sandwich.

‘
How’s your
head?’ he asked.

‘
Better. I
just needed to sleep. I don’t sleep much these days. I’ve got so
much on my mind.’

‘
You never
switch off, that’s your problem. Come on, eat yer
scran.’

Alex laughed and picked
up the sandwich. She really had no appetite but she knew if she
didn’t eat, her headache would return with a vengeance.

‘
Do you want
me to book into another room?’ Jack asked. ‘Then you can stay
here?’

Feeling like an idiot,
his kind words made tears come into her eyes. Sometimes she felt as
though no one cared and always expected her to be strong and
dependable, and to have someone willing to look after her for a
change made her feel emotional.

‘
Alex?’ he
frowned.

She wiped a tear away and
put the sandwich down. She felt so choked she really couldn’t eat
now.

‘
Stop being so
nice to me,’ she whimpered. ‘I can’t cope with it.’

‘
What are you
talking about girl?’ he laughed.

‘
No one ever
looks after me. I always have to be strong for everyone else and I
can’t cope when someone’s nice to me.’

‘
You silly
devil,’ he said, reaching out and brushing away the tear that had
fallen onto her cheek. ‘You’re tired and need some
sleep.’

‘
I’ve got to
drive back to Layton House.’

‘
You haven’t
got to do anything. I’ll go and see Clint, see if he’s got a spare
room.’

By now Alex couldn’t stop
herself from crying. She broke down, exhausted from all the stress
she had been placed under over the past couple of months. She found
running Sheridans a struggle and yet at the same time she hated the
thought of Michael ruining everything her family had built
up.

Jack pulled her to him,
holding her tightly and his strength and warmth reminded her of
being hugged by her grandfather when she was a small girl. He
stroked her fuzzy hair, laying his cheek upon the top of her
head.

‘
I know you
think I’m an idiot,’ he said. ‘And I’m sorry for winding you up
about being rich. But I like you a lot Alex and I’m always here if
you need someone to talk to.’

He eased her away,
looking at her sorry, tear-stained face.

‘
And as for
the hotels, stop trying to do it all yourself. You’ve got me and
Mel don’t forget.’

‘
I know,’ she
sniffed. ‘I’m sorry. I’m an idiot.’

‘
You’re not an
idiot,’ he replied. ‘You just take too much on.’

He lifted her face,
wiping her tears away with his thumbs. He was so kind and beautiful
and mature and it broke Alex’s heart that he was married. He was
just the sort of man she’d always wanted and now she’d found him,
he could never be hers.

As if he could read her
thoughts, he came closer to her and before Alex could react, they
were kissing. It felt so right as she wrapped her arms around his
neck, pulling herself up closer to him, kissing him passionately.
What she wouldn’t give to spend the night here with him? It would
just be the thing to ease her worried mind, but she knew Jack
couldn’t be a one night stand; she knew with him she would want
more, and she wasn’t prepared to be anyone’s mistress.