Then there was the video. Only one video was listed on the page linked to her hotel and she clicked to view it. Her stomach dropped to the floor and bounced back up again ricocheting off her throat. It was of her and Tom’s attempt at dinner last night at the Langdon Mansion Hotel and being asked to leave. The Langdon Mansion had been tagged too. She felt sick. Her throat closed over and she had to push through it to swallow. That person who’d been angling their phone must have recorded the whole thing and uploaded it.
‘Oh my God.’ Nell sat back and pointed at the screen. Tom moved closer and placed his arm around her, trying to calm her down. ‘Someone’s posted that video from last night, Tom. Why would they do that?’ Did they think it would expose the Langdon Mansion’s shoddy treatment of her? Even if they did, she still couldn’t figure out who’d left this review.
‘It’s the world we live in, I’m afraid,’ Tom replied.
They both knew how damaging this could be. She came out of it looking mildly better than the Langdon Mansion but there was still the possibility that people might think their accusation was true. They didn’t know her or how honest she was, or how much she loved her hotel. And now this bad review had popped up, it really didn’t help her situation at all. ‘The whole wide world has seen me be asked to leave for sabotaging my competitor.’
‘Being accused of,’ Tom corrected. ‘You did nothing wrong.’
‘But it’s the whole world, Tom. The whole wide world.’
Nadia turned the laptop back around. ‘Umm, yar, it is the world wide web after all. That’s the beauty of it, it doesn’t matter where you are, you can find out anything about anyone, anywhere.’
Nell pinned her, channelling Brenda’s death stare, and felt Tom’s hand stroke small circles on her back. He must have seen she was on the verge of ripping out Nadia’s throat then shoving her out by the scruff of her neck because he suddenly closed the laptop and stood up.
‘I think we should call it a day,’ said Tom, saving Nadia from a near certain death. ‘Thanks for coming. We’ll have a think about what you’ve said and come back to you, okay?’ Nadia looked at Manley, shocked that their sales pitch hadn’t worked. ‘Yes? Good. Thanks. This way. Don’t forget your coats.’ Tom shepherded them out while Nell paced around the room.
Anger and annoyance were pulsing through her muscles. She began fiercely placing the branches into their designated slots on the tree to take her mind off it, pulling them into place and spreading out the fronds. When Tom walked back in, she couldn’t look at him for fear he’d be nice, and she might cry. ‘What the hell is that video doing online? Why do people feel the need to do that type of thing?’ Tom began to help with the tree, gently easing out the branches that were higher up. ‘Do you think I should email the Langdon Mansion and let them know?’
‘Why would you do that?’
‘Because they might not know it’s been uploaded, and I want them to know it wasn’t me. We don’t need any more animosity.’
Tom scowled. ‘In my opinion, if they don’t know, then that’s just tough. They’re the ones who come out of it looking bad.’
‘Not to me. I’m so embarrassed, Tom.’ Just thinking of it sent a prickle up her spine that danced on the back of her neck. ‘And that’s if people believe I didn’t do it on purpose.’
‘Of course people will know that.’ Tom’s voice was rising, and Nell could tell he was getting a little bit cross with her doubting herself again.
‘But shouldn’t I show some professional courtesy and let the Langdon Mansion know I didn’t put it up there?’
‘No way, Nell.’ She widened her eyes at his forcefulness. ‘They should be apologising to you, not the other way around. If this damages their reputation, that’s tough luck on them. They shouldn’t have been complete arseholes.’
That was true. ‘Oh, shit! What if Mum and Dad see it?’ Nell could feel a pinch in the skin around her eyes, and she played the conversation in her mind. Her dad calling full of disappointment and her mother in full crisis management mode. They’d be up here like a shot. She couldn’t have that. She grabbed a bauble from the box and cradled it. ‘All I want is to have enough visitors to keep my hotel open. I don’t want to win tonnes of industry awards, I don’t want to rule the world, or colonise Mars or whatever it was Nadia was talking about. I just want enough to pay the staff and stay open and make the guests I do have happy. Is that too much to ask?’
‘No, it’s not, Nell.’ Tom reached his long arm around her shoulder and pulled her in close. ‘Look, I’ve always said we can figure out this marketing thing ourselves. Let me do some research and we’ll find the best places to advertise.’
‘Okay.’ It was time to pull herself together. ‘I’m going to email HotelRater and see if they can take the video down. Until then, we’ve got the wedding fair to think about and we can explore this dining room idea some more.’
‘That’s the spirit. You just have to hang on in there through this rough patch.’
He gave her a squeeze and Nell relaxed a little. ‘You’re right. I’ve got some guests booked in so I’m going to make sure they have the best time possible and leave me glowing reviews. The Summertons are here for a romantic stay and I’m going to make their room lovely for them for when they get back.’
‘But don’t go mental. That’s part of your problem. You always want everyone to have such a nice time you end up
