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“Oh, um—”

“It’s just that your uncle mentioned how special this place is to you, and I guess I’d like your opinion on the updates. We went out of our way to restore where we could, but in certain places, we needed to tear out and rebuild.”

She took a long beat to consider, then finally replied, “A tour would be nice.” In her gaze, she still seemed skittish, like an animal caught in a snare. Did I make her nervous? I’d never really considered myself an intimidating person. My brother was the stoic, broody, intimidating one who could channel his disapproval with a single stare and no words. I was the cheerful, charming, happy-go-lucky one who used fun and laughter to win people over. So, why did Rinnie always seem to react to my presence like a fugitive who’d been cornered by the law?

It didn’t make sense, and I continued to observe her as I led her out of the function room and down a hallway. “There was a roof terrace that was closed off to guests before,” I said, and Rinnie nodded, a pretty golden curl falling forward that she tucked behind her ear. The rest of her incredible hair was held back with two French hairpins. Yes, I knew about women’s hair things. I’d grown up with a twin sister, and Nuala and I had lived in each other’s pockets as kids. In fact, we were still incredibly close even though Nuala had declined to join the family business and chosen to become a primary school teacher instead.

“Right, the metal railing around it had become unstable, and Uncle Fred didn’t have the funds to repair it, so we had to close it off.”

“How long ago was that?”

“Oh, gosh, maybe seven years?”

I smiled. “Well, now I can’t wait to see your reaction.”

My enthusiasm appeared to thaw some of her ice, and I caught the faintest spark of excitement in her eyes. It was ridiculous how pleased that made me.

For the first time since we’d met, she wasn't looking at me like I was the man who’d turned her world upside down, the one who’d stolen her inheritance. Instead, she was looking past me, seeing the hotel she loved coming back to life, and I found myself holding my breath, hoping she’d approve of it all.

She noticed everything. The things we’d restored, items we’d had to replace, even the details most guests would never think twice about. It made sense. This wasn’t just a workplace to her. It was home. And unexpectedly, I wanted her to like what we’d done with it.

We reached the end of the hallway, and Rinnie stopped in her tracks. “Wait a second, did you install a new lift?”

“We did. In fact, there are two. You’ll find another on the south end of the building close to the restaurant. The old birdcage lift was actually quite beautiful,” I said, glancing at Rinnie and finding her staring at me before she quickly looked away. “Unfortunately, it had seen better days, and there wasn’t a lot we could do to salvage it. So, we had to replace it with a hydraulic lift, but it’s a lot safer and can carry more guests.”

“No, I totally understand the choice. I mean, you’re right. The birdcage was pretty, but to be honest, well, I hated that thing,” she confessed like it was shameful.

I chuckled softly, pressing the button on the wall before asking, “Why did you hate it?”

She gave a shudder just as the doors opened. “It used to rattle and make these ungodly grinding noises when it went up each time. I’d have these visions of a Final Destination-style death. And then one time, it broke when I was trying to go up to the second floor, and I was stuck on it for hours until our maintenance man, Collie, managed to get me out.”

“Oh, that’s awful,” I said as we both stepped into the lift, and the doors slid closed.

“And since I’m not a man, I didn’t have the luxury of peeing into a bottle,” she went on, surprising a loud chuckle out of me. A small smile pulled at her lips as she looked away, almost shyly.

“That is certainly a downside of being female,” I agreed as we reached the top floor and stepped out. I guided Rinnie to the entrance of the roof terrace, opening the door and motioning her through. She was very quiet as she looked around. Aside from the paved steps we’d had built at the back of the property that led down onto the beach, the roof terrace was the part of the renovations that I was most proud of.

Rinnie walked around, peering about all the while. I watched as she took in the sun loungers on one side and the cushioned seating on the other, the bar in the corner and the canopied area for shade. The jacuzzi where guests could relax and unwind after a long day. The best part was something we didn’t need to pay for though, and that was the view. The terrace looked out onto the coast, the sea a vibrant azure blue since it was a clear, bright day. In the distance, there was the seafront promenade, the golden sand of the beach, and further out was Bray Head, a perfect spot for hiking where tourists could walk to the top and take in the scenery.

She reached the newly installed wrought iron railing and looked out, taking a moment to absorb the view before she turned back around. “This is incredible. I honestly didn’t know what to expect. I feared you might strip away all the character of this place and turn it into something it’s not, but you haven’t done that at all. I can see that you’ve taken great care with these renovations, Mr Balfe, and I apologise for imagining the worst.”

There it was, her approval. It shimmered through me like a drug, and I was already addicted. “I’m very happy you like what we’ve done with the place, and please, call me Tristan.”

“I don’t just like it. I love it. You’ve brought the Astor Cove back to its former glory. No, not even that. You’ve brought it up to its full potential, which I’m pretty sure it’s never reached before. My aunt and uncle adored running this place, but they never would’ve had the ability to do something like this. So thank you. I was wrong to think you’d ruin it, and I was rude to you that day at the wedding when you told me about wanting to buy the hotel.” She gave a nervous little smile. “So, there you have it. I was wrong about you, and I’m sorry.”

I stepped closer, taking in her profile for a moment before looking out at the view. “It’s all water under the bridge. And besides, I think we’re going to be a great team running this place.”

I turned to her and caught her gaze, and again, I saw conflict in her expression. I couldn’t for the life of me understand its origins. As far as I could see, we’d just made a truce, not that there’d been much of a feud, but still. Showing her this roof terrace, I felt a thaw in her frosty attitude, but it still lingered, and I was really dying to ask why. But it wasn’t like I could just come out and say, Hey, Rinnie, why are you so weird around me?

So, instead, I motioned towards the door. “Shall I show you the rest?”

She nodded, and I led her out. As I hoped, she was particularly thrilled about the stairway down to the beach. Before, the guests had had to make their way down a small parting in the hill, which I was sure was daunting for any guests who were elderly or less mobile.

“It’s called a desire pathway,” Rinnie said, and I glanced up, no clue what she was referring to but definitely interested in her mention of desire. The word alone was an aphrodisiac uttered in her low, satiny voice. Sticking to my personal rule of not dating employees hadn’t been a problem for me before, but I feared it was going to be a challenge with her around.

“What’s that?” I asked.

“The gap that was here before you put the steps in. It was forged from decades of people making their way down to the beach. It happens a lot in forests and parks. People walk the most convenient route and eventually it becomes a path, worn down by constant footsteps.”