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Yes.

“No.”

“And then there were the Hospitality Awards,” Chloe continues. “I may have meddled a little there.”

I narrow my eyes. “What did you do?”

“Oliver was clearly interested in you, so I gave him a small push. I thought flirting with another man might help you realize that Eric was the one you actually wanted.”

“What kind of push?”

She hesitates. “I may have told him you were completely desperate.”

“You what?”

“It gave him confidence.”

“It made me sound pathetic.”

“You weren’t supposed to find out.”

“Chloe.”

“I had no idea Eric would be there when I spoke to Oliver. Then he appeared, and God, the jealousy. The second Oliver put his hand on the back of your chair, Eric looked ready to throw him through a window. It couldn’t have worked out better if I’d planned it.”

She beams at me. “Anyway, Tom distracted me. By the time I looked for you again, you and Eric had both disappeared.” Her smile grows. “I assumed he’d taken you somewhere private to admit he was mad about you. Was I right?”

I nod. She doesn’t need to know what happened on that conference table.

“And after that, you became very busy. You stopped telling me how you spent your evenings and started smiling at your phone. I knew Eric was the reason. I kept waiting for you to tell me, but I assumed you’d convinced yourself that falling for a Voss was some terrible betrayal of the Hartwell name, so you kept it to yourself.”

Of course she figured it out.

“I love him,” I admit.

Chloe sets down her glass and pulls me into her arms.

“I’m so happy for you,” she says, holding me tighter. When she draws back, her pleased smile returns. “And do you know how many women would claw each other’s eyes out for a chance with Eric Voss? This may be my finest work.”

“You didn’t match us.”

“I gave fate a push and I’m taking the credit.”

I laugh, but the feeling doesn’t last. My eyes drift to the untouched food on the table.

“Do you think Grandma will come around?”

Chloe pauses. “Of course she will. She’s just shocked.”

I wish she sounded more certain about that.

“The staff took it surprisingly well,” I say. “The news had already spread by the time I got back to the hotel. I told them that being with Eric didn’t mean I’d fought any less for the Hartwell. Most of them were surprised, but they’re all quite fond of him. No one acted as though I’d betrayed the hotel…like Grandma.”

Chloe squeezes my hand. “She found out on the same day that the hotel was approved. That’s a lot to take in. Give her time.”

“I hope that’s all she needs.”

“She loves you more than she hates Voss. She’ll come around.” Chloe points her chopsticks at me. “She’ll have to. I need her on my side when we discuss the wedding colors.”