The Hotel at Honeymoon Station : A totally heartwarming romance about new beginnings Read online

  ‘And you’re the one who taught me so much before I’d even set foot in a school. The teachers thought they were dealing with some genius child prodigy when I arrived.’

  ‘Dad used to tell me how they’d gush at parents’ evenings,’ Emma said with a fond smile.

  ‘And that was thanks to you.’ Elise looked suddenly serious. ‘I did wonder sometimes if you might hate me a little bit for being born because then Mum died. I remember whenever I asked you that, you’d hug me and tell me something lovely to make me feel better and I’d wonder then how I ever doubted you. You might laugh, and you might not see it, but you made me who I am today, Em. All this is down to you.’

  ‘I think Dad had a hand in it too…’

  ‘Yes, but it wasn’t the same. Dad provided but he worked so hard he never really had time to sit with me. That was all you.’

  Emma sniffed back tears. ‘It works both ways. You were the best little sister I could have asked for and only mildly annoying some of the time.’

  Elise laughed through her own new tears. ‘That’s good to hear.’ She pulled Emma into a brief hug. ‘I wish you could have come to the airport with us.’

  ‘Me too, but perhaps it’s for the best. We’d both be wrecks by the time the plane was ready for boarding. Besides, I’m pushing my luck getting an hour off to come and see you as it is.’

  ‘They take advantage of you at that company,’ Elise said with a frown.

  ‘They do. But if I wasn’t there they’d only have Margot… Imagine that.’

  ‘That’s bad management on the part of the company. If it was anywhere else Margot would have been fired years ago. It’s not sensible to carry someone like that and it’s not fair to expect you to prop up the department because she can’t do her job. They should think about what would happen if you left; it’s silly not to.’

  ‘They probably know that will never happen; I’m like part of the furniture.’

  ‘One day you will.’

  ‘I doubt it.’

  ‘You should think about it, though. You’re wasted there – I’ve always said it.’

  ‘It suits me.’

  ‘It can’t make you happy to be there.’

  ‘Well…’ Emma gave her a brave smile. ‘Those dreams that come true for some aren’t out there for everyone. Some of us are content to have a job we don’t hate if we can’t have one we love.’

  ‘See, now that makes me sad.’

  ‘I don’t want you to be sad, not over this. Today is about you, not me, and I want you to catch that flight full of confidence and positive thoughts. If I know you have, then that will be enough to make me very happy.’

  Elise reached to hug her again. As she pulled her close, Emma squeezed her eyes against fresh tears.

  ‘That’s not to say I won’t miss you like crazy,’ she whispered.

  Elise hugged her tighter still. ‘Not as much as I’ll miss you.’

  ‘You want to put a bet on that?’

  Emma heard now the muffled sound of Elise laugh-crying into her shoulder. She wished dearly she could have spent her sister’s final hours in England with her, that she could have gone to the airport with her dad to see Elise off properly but, as usual, life had decided not to indulge Emma. She wasn’t bitter; she felt only a little guilty and the keen loss of those extra moments with the sister she loved more than anyone else in the world.

  ‘What am I going to do without you?’ Elise asked, suddenly sounding like a young girl again and hurtling Emma into a barrage of memories of them growing up together, when Emma had been more a mother than a sister.

  ‘You’re going to do what you always do,’ Emma said with such fierce love it almost burned. ‘You’re going to shine.’

  Chapter Five

  Emma didn’t really know why she was here.

  Actually, she knew why she was supposed to be here – she’d suggested meeting up. Tia had been delighted and proposed that they meet at the ice-cream parlour by the park instead of a stuffy chain coffee shop. Emma had been surprised that Tia even knew what the inside of an ice-cream parlour looked like, because she had the figure of someone who lived on soya milk and nuts. In a way, it was quite comforting to know that Tia liked a sugary treat as much as everyone else.

  What Emma really didn’t know was quite what she was expecting from her afternoon with Tia. It got her out of the house, which had delighted Dougie because it meant he’d been able to spend Saturday afternoon fishing rather than half-heartedly doing the sorts of couple things Emma could tell he had little interest in. Apart from that, she had wondered whether she might end up leaving the meet-up feeling distinctly more useless than when she’d arrived, but she’d still wanted to come. She wanted to hear more about Tia and her life since school, and about the plans she had for the future. More than anything, she wanted to hear about those wonderful, impossible, impractical dreams of restoring Honeymoon Station, though it was hard to understand why. A bit of her hoped Tia still hadn’t found her business partner. And a bit of her wondered what mad thing she might do or say in the heat of the moment if she learned that Tia was still looking.

  When she got there Tia was already sitting at a pink table. Most of the other tables contained parents or grandparents with their young charges; the parlour overlooked a popular play park and Emma imagined most of them had been to play first or were heading there after they’d had their ice cream. The day was bright, if a little brisk, but probably perfect weather for racing about from swing to slide.

  ‘It’s lovely to see you again,’ Tia said, standing to greet her. ‘If you don’t mind me saying, quite unexpected too.’

  ‘We didn’t have a lot of time to catch up the other day when I saw you out, but I really enjoyed our chat and thought it might be nice to set more time aside to do it properly.’

  They sat down and Tia handed Emma a menu. ‘I’ve already chosen.’

  ‘What are you having?’

  ‘Banana split – that way I can kid myself I’ve had fruit and nuts and conveniently forget about the ice cream bit.’

  Emma smiled as she briefly scanned the list. It all looked wonderful but she wasn’t all that hungry.

  ‘I might get a scoop of strawberry,’ she decided.

  ‘One scoop? Seriously?’

  Emma looked up.

  ‘Come on.’ Tia laughed. ‘You can do better than that.’

  ‘OK,’ Emma said, her smile spreading. ‘Maybe I could be persuaded to have two.’

  A young girl wearing a pink apron (Emma was beginning to notice that everything in here was pink) over jeans and a white T-shirt came to their table.

  ‘Do you know what you’re having?’

  ‘Yes,’ Tia said. ‘Can we get a banana split and two scoops of strawberry in a bowl please?’

  The girl jotted it down on a pad and went again.

  ‘I’ve been saving myself,’ Tia said. ‘I love it in here.’

  Emma raised her eyebrows slightly. She hadn’t meant to, but Tia laughed.

  ‘I know, I’m such a pig.’

  ‘I was thinking the opposite,’ Emma said. ‘You have such an amazing figure I’m surprised you even know what ice cream is.’

  ‘Well I work hard at the gym and I figure I deserve a treat for it every now and again.’

  ‘I suppose that’s true. I do the treat bit but I skip the gym. I’ve joined more than one but I get so bored I never stick it longer than a month and then end up saddled with a contract until I can cancel my membership.’

  ‘I’d say you look in pretty good shape to me.’

  ‘That’s clever dressing – it’s a whole different story under these clothes.’

  ‘I’m sure it’s not.’

  Emma moved the menu to one side and rested her elbows on the table. ‘So… how have you been since I last saw you? Any update on your plans?’

  ‘Plans?’

  ‘You said you had a business plan… Is that anything to do with Honeymoon Station?’

  ‘Ah!�
�� Tia grinned. ‘You saw my photos on Facebook? It’s a bit pie in the sky really. Unless someone who’s as mad as me joins me I’ll probably have to forget about it. Back in the real world I’ll probably start up as a fitness coach again – as a freelancer this time – advertise for some new clients and build up a customer base.’

  ‘I’m sure you must be brilliant at that.’

  ‘It should be straightforward enough when I get a few on the books. Not exactly rocket science, as they say.’

  ‘If you don’t mind me saying, you don’t look as excited about that as I would expect you to be.’

  Tia shrugged. ‘It’s a great job… flexible, easy to set up, something I know well…’

  ‘But?’

  ‘I fancied a change.’

  ‘Why don’t you do something else then?’

  ‘I don’t know what else to do. I could keep my eyes peeled for something a bit like Honeymoon that requires a bit less capital. It might take a while but I bet it’s out there.’

  ‘I’m sure there must be loads of properties like that.’

  Tia twiddled with the corner of a menu. ‘I’d just sort of fallen in love with that one. Daft, I know. It’s just an old building. My mum’s family are originally from that area of Dorset and I can only think that’s why I’m so stuck on that particular place. They always said how lovely the villages were around there.’

  ‘You’ve never visited?’

  ‘No, more’s the pity. Never seemed to get the time.’

  The waitress came back and placed their orders on the table with the bill.

  ‘Blimey,’ Emma said as she marched away again, ‘they don’t want us to hang around, do they?’

  Tia laughed. ‘I don’t suppose it’s often anyone comes in and eats more than one so they’re probably used to us shipping out pretty quick.’

  ‘I had a good look at the station,’ Emma said. ‘I can see why you’re so keen to have a go; it could be beautiful. You still haven’t got anyone interested at all?’

  ‘It’s a risky venture halfway across the country and a lot of money to stump up…’ Tia dug a spoon into her dessert. ‘Hardly surprising when you look at it that way.’

  ‘I must admit that thought crossed my mind,’ Emma said. ‘A lot of money for not a lot of actual building when you look at what’s still standing.’

  ‘Very true,’ Tia said, licking her spoon. ‘Still, I think it could have been fun.’

  ‘Wouldn’t your parents… I don’t know… Would they be interested in it? Or could you borrow from them if they don’t want to get involved?’

  Tia gave a rueful smile. ‘We used to be quite rich, didn’t we? I suppose it must have been very obvious at school. Daddy’s business went under a couple of years ago. They managed to keep the house but not much else – I wouldn’t even contemplate asking them to get involved in something like this; it would be far too stressful for them now.’

  ‘Oh, Tia… I’m so sorry; I didn’t mean—’

  ‘Don’t be. It’s not your fault, and really, it’s only what everyone thinks. Never mind that now – tell me about how you’re doing. You’re married?’

  ‘Almost.’

  ‘No kids?’

  ‘Not yet.’

  ‘Me neither. I didn’t really want any – I suppose that sounds a bit selfish?’

  ‘God, no!’

  ‘And actually, I’m glad now because that was one less thing to worry about when the divorce was going through.’

  ‘Here’s me, not even married yet and you’ve been married and divorced. I’m a bit slow off the blocks, aren’t I?’

  ‘I married too young. Mum said it was a rebellion thing and I’m beginning to think she might have been right, though I’d never tell her; I couldn’t stand the crowing.’

  ‘We all do daft things when we’re young…’ Emma swirled her ice cream to mix the melted edges in. ‘Some of us carry on doing them when we’re old enough to know better too.’

  ‘Yes.’ Tia smiled. ‘Like trying to buy knackered old railway stations.’

  ‘So remind me what you’re planning to do with that. That’s your hotel project?’

  ‘I had thought it would make a lovely little hotel – something cosy and boutique. Quirky accommodation is all the rage; I’m certain guests would be queuing up to stay somewhere like that in such a gorgeous location.’

  ‘From what I saw it would take a huge amount of work to get it ready for paying customers.’

  ‘It would, but I’ve costed it all taking that into account. Although, Daddy says it’s bound to go way over my budget. I’m quite sure he’s right too.’

  Emma sucked on her spoon, her gaze on the park beyond a field of breeze-blown grass. The children playing there were little more than squealing coloured blobs, hurtling up and down while their adults looked protectively on.

  Honeymoon Station… The more she thought about what Tia had told her, the more she could see Tia’s vision, but it was a lot of money. Even half the auction guide was a lot of money and that was before they started to think about renovation funds. And, of course, auction guide prices were rarely the price the item fetched – it was just the minimum the seller was hoping for.

  Still…

  A few years back, just before Elise had embarked on her degree, their dad had offered to help them both out by releasing equity from the family home and gifting them both a sizeable chunk of money. It would see Elise through her course, he’d said, and enable Emma to pay off a chunk of her own mortgage, or spend it on anything else she thought would make her life better. Emma had refused her share. She hadn’t really needed it and hadn’t felt right accepting such a generous offer. Elise had done the same, insisting she’d work her way through university. Both sisters had agreed that their dad needed to keep his home safe and they weren’t certain this was the way to do it.

  Emma wondered vaguely if the offer would still stand. If she went to her dad now, would he still be willing to help? Circumstances had changed and he’d see that. Sitting here, listening to Tia, Emma couldn’t help but be swept up in the promise of a new start, of an adventure, and a chunk of money like the one her dad had offered those years ago would help her and Tia realise all that potential locked away in Honeymoon Station’s crumbling ruins. It wouldn’t cover it all, and Emma would have to find another way to raise the rest, but still…

  When she looked back, Tia was digging happily into her banana split. Emma watched her. This was madness, wasn’t it? She hardly knew this woman – she hadn’t even known her that well in school. It was a huge amount of money to throw at a wreck of a building neither of them had seen in the flesh. They had no experience whatsoever and absolutely no guarantees their enterprise wouldn’t ultimately fail. They could well lose everything.

  Perhaps, painful as it was, Emma had to face the notion that the draw of Tia and her mad project was more about being left behind by her high-flying little sister, stuck back home in their small town with the same old people in her modest house and modest job, and a boyfriend who would ‘just do’, than about a burning passion for the heritage of the Dorset countryside. And anyway, if Emma told her dad what she wanted the money for he’d rightly never agree to it because he’d see the folly of the thing.

  ‘Excuse me…’

  Two young boys of perhaps seven or eight approached their table.

  ‘Hello,’ Tia said brightly. ‘What can we do for you?’

  ‘We’re selling tickets,’ one of the boys said.

  ‘Tickets for a car,’ the other said. ‘And some money.’

  Tia smiled. ‘I like the sound of those tickets. We just buy a ticket and you give us a car? How much do they cost?’

  ‘One pound,’ the first boy said, looking pleased.

  A woman rushed over to them. ‘I’m sorry… I hope we’re not bothering you but we’re selling raffle tickets for the children’s ward of the hospital and the boys have taken it upon themselves to be chief salesmen.’

  ‘They’re doi
ng a good job,’ Emma said.

  ‘I was certainly hooked by the sales pitch,’ Tia agreed.

  ‘The first prize is ten thousand pounds,’ the woman said. ‘Second is a Mini Cooper.’

  ‘Wow!’ Emma glanced at Tia. ‘That certainly beats the second-hand potpourri you normally get!’

  ‘Yes, I’d take either of those right now,’ Tia said.

  ‘There are a lot of very good prizes,’ the woman said. ‘The consultants at the hospital pulled a few strings with local businesses.’

  ‘I could do with them pulling some strings for me if they can get donations like that,’ Tia said. She took some coins from her purse. ‘I’ll take a couple of tickets.’

  Emma looked in her own purse. She had only a ten-pound note. ‘I don’t suppose you have change for a ten?’ she asked the boys. They looked up at their guardian.

  ‘Now you’re asking,’ the woman said. ‘We’ve only just started selling and I’m not sure…’ She began to rummage in a very limp-looking money bag. ‘Maybe I could come back to you…’

  ‘Do you know what?’ Emma said, fired by a sudden rush of optimism. ‘I’m feeling lucky. I’ll have ten tickets so you needn’t worry about the change.’

  ‘Oh, thank you!’ the woman said. ‘I hope you win for being so kind.’

  She collected the money from them both and the boys took another minute to carefully tear all the tickets from the book, and then another five minutes to painstakingly write Emma and Tia’s phone numbers on the back of every ticket they’d bought. By the time they’d finished Emma felt as if she’d done a full day at work.

  ‘The draw’s on Monday actually,’ the woman said. ‘Today is our last big push to sell tickets.’

  ‘So we’ll be on top of the pile,’ Tia said. ‘Nice and easy to pick us out.’

  The woman laughed. ‘Oh yes. We’ll leave you in peace – thank you so much, ladies!’

  With that, she ushered the boys away to try their luck at another table.

  ‘Cute kids,’ Tia said.

  ‘Yes,’ Emma agreed. ‘Although that’s a tenner I’ll never see again.’

  ‘Ah, but you have to speculate to accumulate. That’s ten chances in the bag for you. And you’ve helped a good cause.’