Nanny Behaving Badly (19 page)

His expression underlined her assumption. ‘Marco and Lyle are working on a deal for him to buy the restaurant from your uncle and I have concerns.’

Maddie stopped the attentions to her hair and just stared. ‘Lyle buying the trattoria? You must be wrong. Marco would never sell and Lyle’s in the coffee business, not a restaurateur.’

Stef looked unconvinced. ‘I heard a conversation when I was out back on the terrace. Lyle and Marco were talking plans. It’s true. They had lawyers there discussing arrangements. It’s not just at planning stage, it’s being discussed in detail.’

Shades of the water cooler conversation caused a slow boil of shock to jump straight to simmer inside her. It couldn’t really be true, surely? Secrets? Why?

‘So basically what I’m asking is, is it true? What’ll happen to our jobs? Is Lyle keeping the business as is, or selling the building off? Your reaction suggests you’re in the dark too.’

Maddie sat down on the chair opposite him. ‘Isn’t there any chance you misheard? I mean, Marco’s never mentioned any intentions to sell? He loves this place with a passion; it’s his home. I’m sure they’d be open and upfront in any arrangements.’

Stefano’s expression read doubtful. ‘Don’t be so sure, Maddie. We already know Marco’s had continued interest from developers, it’s prime location for apartments. Marco’s has got stacks of unused storeys, only renting two small apartments to us at meagre rents. Maybe Lyle’s interested in expansion or developing? Will we be able to continue to rent here?’

‘Marco’s put everything into this place. Why on earth would he sell? Lyle’s no property mogul. I’m sure it’s a mistake and they wouldn’t act in secret. Plus, Lyle would tell me if this was true. He’s helped me save a mortgage deposit. You must have got it wrong, Stefano.’

Stefano rose and shrugged. ‘Don’t be too hasty to defend him. I know Lyle Sutherland plans to be the next owner here. I just think you need to talk to your uncle. Make sure he’s seeing sense and not being taken advantage of.’

Maddie shook her head to refute all she’d heard. ‘Marco’s astute. He’s built this place from nothing. You’ve gotten it wrong.’

‘Marco’s been forgetting things lately. He’s tired all the time too. I haven’t said anything but your uncle’s showing some early signs that something’s up. I wouldn’t want him to be schmoozed by your smooth-talking boyfriend without support and advice.’

Stef’s harsh accusations smarted hard. She might be reeling from his assertions but she wasn’t ready to damn Lyle yet. ‘You make Lyle sound like some asset stripper. He’s not and I know him, I trust him.’

‘Then why hasn’t he told you before?’

Maddie swallowed on a sandpaper tongue to make her voice work. ‘Stef, this is a really bad time.’ She tried to scrabble her assembly shy thoughts. ‘I appreciate you telling me. I can totally see your concern. But there’ll be some logical explanation. Marco’s been in business for years longer than Lyle. I’ll find out and I’ll get back to you.’

Stef walked to the door. ‘I hope your confidence proves founded.’

When the door closed, Maddie stood quaking. She could feel the doubts and mistrust creeping in. Had she been taken for a sucker?

Everything right now was riding on Lyle’s reactions.

She strode to the dresser and took out her mother’s photograph – the mother she’d believed in but who had ultimately concealed stark lies. Concealed her adoption as an infant. Concealed the unimagined truth.

Was Lyle guilty of duping her too?

Lyle had only popped into the Ice Café prior to meeting Maddie in town for dinner before Paula’s party.

He hadn’t expected so much Christmas merriment to be underway. His team was full of Christmas high spirits and had urged him to participate in their carol singing coffee night for regulars. The local media were attending for festive photograph opportunities.

Lyle grinned at his new temp recruit Genoa, an Italian Edinburgh Uni student, working during her study break.

‘You really want me to wear this?’ He held up a flashing Santa hat.

Genoa nodded. ‘Absolutely. You’ll spoil the photo otherwise, so get it on!’

She’d been egging him on because all the staff were sporting Christmas costumes and giving out lollipops to children. She’d promised a donation to charity if he posed for a team photo and, given that she was a student, he knew he’d be slammed as a Scrooge if he declined.

It took ten minutes to get the photo nailed, and it was only when Lyle turned laughing at one of Jim’s groaner jokes that he noticed Maddie across the courtyard. He hadn’t even seen her arrive.

‘Maddie. Great to see you. All dressed up for the party? I’ll be free in a few seconds, okay?’

Her expression and her body language – hugging her coat tight and with teeth pinching her lip – jarred with his peace of mind. Her remote look had him on high alert. Where was her usual dazzle? Where was her special gaze, the one that shone and soothed him?

He was at her side in seconds, knowing something was wrong. ‘Maddie, something’s happened?’

She shook her head. ‘I can see my timing’s lousy.’

‘Don’t be silly. You seem shocked, what is it?’

‘I need to ask you something but I don’t want to have a scene. I need privacy.’

‘My office,’ he offered but her eyes grew narrowed and immediately accused him.

‘Anywhere but there. By the ice rink – the far side.’

Lyle wanted to force her to snap out of the daze and confess, quiz her and get answers. Seeing her this way gnawed at his insides so he could barely function rationally without knowing the truth. ‘I’ll get my jacket.’

‘If you must.’

‘C’mon Maddie, what’s up here?’

Maddie snapped from withdrawn shock to mighty vitriolic deadlock. Her face froze tight, her eyes slanting accusatorily. Her fingertips gripped the edge of her coat. ‘I want to know about your secret restaurant purchase plans,’ she replied, in a static voice that wasn’t recognisably hers. His stomach turned over at her words. ‘I want to know why you’re hustling my uncle. Why you’ve been spinning me lies. I need to know how low Lyle Sutherland can really go.’

She stalked off, and in the aftermath he was too shocked to follow or to reply. Because she had it wrong. So very wrong.

Maddie was standing by the ice rink partition wall. Lyle approached her with purpose in his eyes. It seemed a suitable place for a frosty, bleak encounter. Maddie almost couldn’t believe this was happening; her trust reserves were too feeble to withstand the flaming arrows of doubt.

Part of her wanted to believe her prior convictions – that Lyle was upstanding and honest and true
.
But experience clicked to override the optimism –
m
ake him justify himself and give you his reasons.

The loaded silence between them pilloried her trust. Anger spiked and determination clamped deep, chaining her mind. She wanted to know his reasons but was terrified of the outcome too.

‘How did you find out?’ he asked finally. He met her eyes without ‘connection’. Something made him distant. Guilt most likely.

‘You were overheard. Stefano gauged the facts. He thinks you’re out to fleece Marco.’ Maddie turned to nail him with her stare.

Lyle shoved back his shoulders and sighed hard. ‘Stef – the ardent admirer and hopeful victor. I wondered when he’d launch a counter-attack and get boiled up enough to start something.’

Maddie bit back in accusation. ‘Stefano isn’t the issue. It’s the stealth in your dealings. Why on earth would you do this without my knowledge?’

She tried not to watch but had already observed that his hair looked annoyingly good today. As much as she shouldn’t, she still wanted to thread her fingers through it and pull him close, feel his warmth. Warmth, ha! It had clearly been a mirage. He had seduced her in order to get closer to her uncle and then swoop for profit.

She’d gotten her priorities lost in the chemistry between them. But it had just been sex. Yet she’d believed; seen the promise of their future together. Such crass stupidity. Never believe a guy again when he says ‘Trust me’, she told herself.

‘Why didn’t you tell me? When were you going to come clean?’ she asked him, horrified. ‘Did you figure I was naïve enough to shrug and nod?’

Lyle paused, staring at the ice. Two skaters were racing each other, one in hot pursuit but repeatedly lagging. ‘Sometimes things aren’t as clear-cut as we’d like them to be. This is complicated, Maddie, and I dislike the fact that you’ve already judged me guilty.’

Maddie’s muttered reply was deadly sharp. ‘Cryptic as well as duplicitous.’

‘Get real!’

Incredulity seemed to spike in his voice. He closed the gap between them and laid a hand on her arm. She pulled it away on reflex and was vividly reminded of the tension in Lyle after their stockroom debacle. He’d jumped from her as though her touch had been loaded with electricity. She felt the sharp sting of assaulted belief.

Maddie kept a tight rein on her anger and hurt. ‘I think you’ve risked what we’ve shared for business gain. Plain and simple.’

Lyle’s face darkened. ‘The sale proposal came from Marco. I’d never have planned the idea – he told me his issues, and we came to a confidential agreement. Restaurant purchase was never a goal for me, but Marco won me over.’

‘So convincing.’ Maddie shivered as the two skaters whizzed past, knocking her equilibrium further into disoriented mayhem. ‘You’ve made me feel like an accessory to achieving your aims. I lived with a professional despot long enough to know the signs. You’re not so very different from my father. You just smile more and then knife me when my back is turned.’

‘Stop acting the victim, Maddie!’ Lyle blew out a rough breath. ‘Can’t you recognise that in buying the trattoria I’m trying to secure things for both you and Marco? You’ll get your apartment outright. Free up your uncle whilst respecting Bonafonte’s traditions. I’ve temporarily delayed the third Ice Café venture, now the trattoria is a solution for all of us. It’s costing me dearly too.’

‘Don’t ruin yourself on my account.’ Maddie’s mouth twisted. She couldn’t straighten it no matter how high the stakes.

‘Did we really mean so little?’ he asked softly, pleading.

‘Us? I noticed your flirt-fest with the new girl back in the café – maybe her uncle has a prime business you intend to own too?’

She knew it was emotions and hormones whirling – the result of worry about her absent period, anger over her past foolishness. But right now everything smarted and revenge was necessary. Even if it also felt cheap. Even if it was purely fuelled by envy because the girl in the café had been super-slim and had openly flirted with Lyle.

‘Now you’re being ridiculous.’ Lyle bit back at her accusation, retaliation in that granite glare. ‘Genoa has nothing to do with this. You and Josh mean far more to me than anything else. Don’t belittle our relationship because you’re still caught up in remembering your father, always assuming the worst. You need to get over that.’

Maybe that was the real root of so many of her confused thoughts, she had to concede. But it still didn’t give him the right to trample her underfoot.

Maddie felt her lip tremble. She’d cried in front of Lyle once after Nadia’s appearance. No way would she behave that vulnerably again – she forced the betraying emotions into abeyance. ‘I wanted the apartment, not to become your tenant without consultation.’

Lyle had put himself firmly in the driving seat. Trust was her cornerstone. Trust and security counted above all else – and now Lyle had jettisoned both. He had torn past scars wide open, like the feelings she’d had about her mom, unable to recover from that deception. Lyle had mimicked her father’s self-seeking approach. Once again she was being left by the wayside. No amount of great sex was worth this much pain.

So it was true; Lyle had done all this planning behind her back, which meant one thing only. His agenda counted most.

It speared her like a trident blow: the man was a liar, a charmer, interested only in his own needs. All images of rare partnership that she and Lyle had shared were fakes. Not talented masterpieces at all.

‘So you were keeping the negotiations quiet until they were watertight.’ Maddie hid her deep hurt and continued as calmly as she could. ‘I’m shocked at how blind I’ve been. I was a fool to parade the place in front of you.’

Lyle’s jaw clenched. ‘Marco was the one who wanted complete discretion on this deal. He doesn’t want his competitors thinking Bonafonte’s is in trouble, Maddie. And he is in trouble, the place is running him into the ground.’

The words hit Maddie like a mugger’s blow. ‘Marco isn’t in trouble.’ The words didn’t add up to anything comprehensible.

Lyle’s nod filled her with anguish. ‘HisHe’s been worrying for a while. Marco’s retirement fund is dwindling. He wants a life after retirement, but times are hard and the restaurant is failing. He needed an opt-out.’ Lyle’s expression confirmed reality was way worse than the nightmare outcome she’d imagined. ‘I’m offended you seem to think I’m the one with an agenda here. Is your view of me so low?’

Maddie whispered because her voice was too unsteady to rely on. ‘I don’t believe you. Marco would have told me.’

Lyle went to reach out for her again but this time he flinched back, lowered his hand. That hurt her as much as the facts he’d just unravelled. ‘He knows how much the place matters to you. He’s a proud man, Maddie.’

How had all this chaos begun? One minute her life had been normal, even simple. The next moment, reality had become a fiction epic with an undesirable twist. One that tore out the happy ending and ripped it to pieces.

Lyle’s eyes pleaded reason. ‘I’m not out to fleece your uncle or ride roughshod over his company. I’m completely inspired by Bonafonte’s and if I can add it to my portfolio, I’m not out to asset strip or tear the place apart. I’d have thought you would support me, especially as you’ll have the home you’ve craved.’

‘You want me to support my uncle relying on a stranger to bail him out? Reward me with property deeds to make it okay?’ Maddie’s gaze accused him. In truth she did accuse and blame him. She accused him of being there for Marco – blocking her out of her rightful place.