The Big Dreams Beach Hotel

by Lilly Bartlett

  ‘It’s actually the people I’m worried about, Curtis.’

  ‘And the hotel,’ Rory adds.

  ‘Right, and the hotel,’ I say.

  ‘It’s not your fault, dudette, because you don’t know how things work between me and my brother. It’s a complicated arrangement.’

  ‘You don’t really owe us an explanation,’ Rory says.

  ‘Shh, Rory, don’t interrupt the man when he’s talking.’ I, for one, want to hear this. ‘You were saying?’

  Curtis takes the tinsel off his head. This must be serious. ‘You know that PK and I own our parents’ business together. Mom and Dad were always trying to get us to share.’ He laughs. ‘It took them dying to get their wish. So we’re equal partners in the business. But we’re not really equal.’

  I could have told him that. ‘PK runs everything?’ I say.

  ‘No, dammit, he doesn’t! I do.’

  ‘Pardon?’ Rory and I say together.

  ‘Excuse my language,’ says Curtis, mistaking our surprise for offence. ‘But I’m the one running the company, not PK. It might not look like it from the outside, but trust me. It’s the way my parents always wanted it, because PK’s very … sensitive. His feelings would be hurt if he thought he wasn’t the boss, and Mom didn’t want that. Believe me, none of us want to deal with that.’

  ‘But how can you be the one running things when we’ve been reporting to him all along?’ I ask. It’s hard to believe that this flaky surfer is the brains behind the Philanskys’ hotels. I think he’s been sniffing too much surfboard wax.

  Now Curtis smiles. ‘How do I explain about my brother? Basically, he’s an asshole. Excuse my language again. He’s not some misunderstood guy with a heart of gold once you get to know him. He’s also an asshole when you get to know him. He’s always been a huge show-off, ever since we were little. He throws a tantrum when he’s not the centre of attention, so it’s easier to make him think he is. Especially since I’m the one who has to deal with him. And to be fair, he does have lots of ideas. That’s why he’s in charge of the renovation of the new hotels. Or at least, he thinks he is. My brother has shiny object syndrome. He’s always bored by the time the hotel opens, and wants to move on to something new. You haven’t heard from him since the grand opening, I assume? Didn’t think so. He always leaves it to me. I’m your boss now.’

  Well, who’d have guessed that mild-mannered Curtis had it in him? I didn’t need to tell him to get some bollocks. He’s had them hidden in those surf shorts all along. ‘But what’s PK going to do now?’ I imagine him flouncing around their offices with his bottom lip sticking out, complaining about how bored he is. If he gets bored enough, he might come back to haunt us.

  ‘We’re negotiating to buy another hotel,’ Curtis tells us. ‘I wanted to talk to you about that, Rory. To be honest, I’ve had you in mind ever since we started negotiations. It’s going to be an epic transition. Right up your alley. You’d be perfect to do it.’

  Of course Rory is perfect for whatever Curtis has in mind. I’ve been kidding myself thinking he was going to be happy here, in this little town, managing our little hotel, when he’s worked all over the world building his career.

  I plaster a smile on my face. It needs plaster. Otherwise there’s no way it’d stick.

  ‘It’d be a year or more,’ Curtis goes on about Rory’s dream job. ‘And if everything goes to plan, we’ll close on the deal soon. This is something to really get your teeth into.’

  As opposed to checking in weekend guests, where the most challenging thing will be making sure their shoes are shined by the time they come down for breakfast. That might be exactly what I want to do, but it’s not for Rory. He’s being nice to say he wants to stay in Scarborough, but he’s only doing it for me. I can’t let him. Aren’t I the one who’s always saying I shouldn’t give up my career for another person? ‘It sounds like a great opportunity,’ I tell Curtis. ‘Rory would be great.’

  ‘Thanks, Rosie, but I’m going to manage this hotel.’ When Rory’s eyes search mine, I give my head the tiniest shake. That’s not, ultimately, what either of us would want.

  ‘You’d be crazy not to take the transition job,’ I say.

  ‘You really would,’ Curtis adds. ‘It’s a big project and a humungous step up for your career … don’t you even want to know where it is?’

  ‘No, thanks, Curtis. It wouldn’t matter if it was in Tahiti. I’ve accepted the management job here, and it’s where I want to be. I’m sure there are loads of other people who could do as good a job.’

  ‘Well, that’s a shame, little buddy. I really thought it would be the perfect job for you, since you already know how these Victorian hotels work. It’s like your hotel but much, much bigger. In fact, if you look outside, I bet you can see it from your conservatory.’

  ‘From our–?’

  ‘What?’

  ‘I might be wrong,’ Curtis says. ‘I’ve only seen it on a map, so there could be a hill in the way or something. I really do need to grow some bollocks, like Rosie says, and fly over there to see it in person. In the meantime, you’ll have to be my eyes.’

  ‘The hotel is here?’ Rory asks. ‘In Scarborough?’

  ‘Right up the road, buddy. I guess you’ve heard of the Imperial Hotel?’ He’s doing a terrible job of keeping a straight face.

  Rory and I stare at each other. The Imperial! It’s only one of the biggest, most impressive, hotels in town. It’s Victorian, like ours, and from the outside it looks fit for the Queen. Inside, though, it’s not fit for her Corgis. ‘You’re actually buying the Imperial?!’ I say. I’m not even sure who its owners are – I’ve never seen them.

  ‘We’ll own it as soon as we hammer out the final details with the owner. She’s a tough cookie, but we’re getting there. Like I said, once it goes through, we’ll need someone working on the transition. It’ll be a humungous job … though it’s not Tahiti.’

  ‘Ha! I’ve always found tropical paradises overrated,’ Rory says. ‘Who wants perfect weather or warm oceans all the time? I bet you can’t even get a decent pint there.’

  I’m still trying to get my head around the fact that Rory’s job offer isn’t across time zones, but only a few intersections. ‘The pints are pretty good in Scarborough,’ I say.

  ‘It sounds like the job prospects are too,’ Rory answers.

  ‘I’m sensing a change in your position, little buddy. I’ll take that as a possible yes for now. You might even want to manage the Imperial once it’s up and running.’ Then he looks at me. ‘I’m so sorry, Rosie, what am I thinking? I don’t mean that you couldn’t run it, if you wanted to. You might want to go for the job too.’

  Rory and I glance at each other. ‘Ta, Curtis,’ I say. ‘But Rory and I won’t be competing for any more jobs. We’re on the same side now.’ Just to prove it, I take his hand right there in plain sight where Curtis can see.

  Curtis’s eyes widen. ‘You’re not …? You don’t mean?’ He shakes his shaggy head. ‘That’s totally against the rules, dudes! We have a strict No Dating policy in our hotels.’

  Uh-oh. My fingers loosen around Rory’s just as his clasp tightens. Right. The horse is sort of out of the barn now anyway.

  Rory straightens up. ‘I think you’ll find, Curtis, that you’ve just offered me a position in another hotel. And I’ve accepted. So, Rosie and I won’t technically be breaking any rules, as soon as you close on your deal. Until then, well, you’ll just have to put up with us. Besides, those rules never work in the UK anyway.’

  A ghost of a smile plays around Curtis’s lips. ‘I need to take any policy change under advisement. But if you say everyone dates their colleagues there, then I guess we’ll have to heed the customs of your country.’

  ‘Plus,’ Rory continues, ‘we’re not dating.’

  What? This is news to me.

  ‘We’re in love,’ he says.

  ‘Seriously?’ Now Curtis is smiling for all he’s worth. ‘Yeah, of course yo
u are. I can see it on your faces. Right on, little dudes, that’s awesome! May your waves always be clean and your winds offshore.’

  Chapter 27

  Curtis is missing the whole point of December. While the rest of us were doing as little work as possible and scoffing our own weight in chocolate and alcohol, he was talking to the Imperial’s owner. We didn’t expect to hear anything more about the purchase until January at the earliest, but Curtis Skyped on Christmas Eve to say that they’d agreed a deal. I guess the owner wants a fresh start for the New Year and didn’t mind working in the run-up to Christmas to get it.

  That means potentially a fresh start for Rory and me too. Even without knowing the details yet, or what he’s letting himself in for, he agreed to be the transition manager for the new hotel. To hear him talk, it’s what he’s always wanted to do. ‘And then I can manage it,’ he says. ‘Imagine how great that’ll feel, designing the hotel that you’ll actually get to run.’

  ‘I can’t imagine,’ I joke.

  ‘Right, of course you know. Although it’ll be different at the Imperial. We won’t have residents to worry about. PK can run amok without hurting anyone.’

  ‘Ha! You don’t know that. What if the Council has a deal with them too? They’re a big hotel. They could have dozens of residents to deal with. Sitting tenants, your favourite.’ I feel bad when I see his face fall. ‘But don’t worry, you know how to handle PK now.’

  I’m just glad I won’t have to handle him anymore. Curtis was right about PK falling off the face of the earth as far as the hotel is concerned. Good riddance, I say, though of course he’ll be terrorising the hotel down the road instead. And I’ll be there with a shoulder to cry on when Rory runs up against the ginger tyrant.

  But I’m not thinking about that tonight. It’s New Year’s Eve! The bar and conservatory are heaving with hotel guests and our neighbours. There’s no way to know which is which, though, and with the rules relaxed now, it doesn’t really matter.

  ‘Picture!’ Lill cries, aiming an old-fashioned camera at Chef. ‘For posterity. Who knows when we’ll all be dressed up again.’

  ‘Next New Year’s Eve, I’m guessing,’ Chef says, tugging the black dicky bow away from his neck. Janey and Cheryl bounce over to take their place on either side of him, red sequinned pops of colour against his black and whiteness.

  We’ve hired temp waitresses to serve drinks, so Janey and Cheryl can have the night off to celebrate with us. It’s only fair. They have been working their tails off over the set menu since we opened. I wouldn’t put them in a Michelin-star restaurant yet, but they’re holding their own now.

  ‘Let me get a photo of you and the Colonel,’ I tell Lill. Stiffly, the Colonel pulls himself up from his chair to join Lill. They do make a handsome couple – he in his dinner jacket and Lill wearing a dove-grey satin gown and bright-red lipstick.

  ‘Why so formal?’ Lill asks the Colonel, who’s standing with his arms by his side. ‘This isn’t a Victorian portrait.’

  ‘Quite right, Lillian,’ he says. Then he deftly encircles her with his arms and dips her. Some of the people around us whistle and clap as I snap the photo. I hope I’m as happy as they are at their age. I’ve always thought Lill was remarkable, with her utter belief in herself and refusal to give up, no matter how many times she gets knocked back. But the Colonel is also an inspiration. Selling his home in his eighties, he’s proving it’s never too late to change course.

  ‘Having fun, Mum?’ I ask when she comes to the bar for another round for Dad and their friends.

  My parents arrived the week before Christmas and, as predicted, we’ve been driving each other mad. In other words, it’s a perfectly normal visit. It’s nobody’s fault – we’re all used to living on our own now. Still, I know I’ll miss them like crazy when they leave next week, and we’ll all want to do this exactly the same way next year.

  Maybe with one addition, though. Rory did come to meet them, just like he promised he would, and they practically begged him to stay all the way through the holiday next year. It shows a remarkable lack of loyalty, if you ask me, given that I’m the one who’s been around for twenty-eight years, but they’ve taken to my boyfriend like he’s their long-lost son.

  ‘This reminds me of the parties they used to have when you were small.’ Mum smiles at the memory. ‘It’s nice seeing everyone having fun again. You should be as proud of yourself as we are of you.’

  ‘Thanks, Mum. It’s taken a while for me to get here.’

  She shrugs. ‘That’s called life, my darling. Nothing goes exactly the way we plan, but it usually works out in the end.’ Kissing my cheek, she goes back to Dad and their friends.

  That’s what Digby said when I emailed him back over Christmas. Once we caught up on each other’s lives, it started to feel like the last three years apart had never happened. Living in Paris hasn’t softened his directness, and he didn’t pull any punches when I told him about Chuck. He wasn’t sorry that things didn’t work out, though he did feel bad for me having to go through that. ‘It’s all for the best,’ he’d said, when I told him about the hotel, and Rory. ‘Look at everything you’ve got now.’

  That’s exactly what I’m looking at. Even though I saw him about five minutes ago, Rory’s smile when he sees me makes me catch my breath. His shock of hair is standing on end as usual, and his specs are just as thick, but to me he’s perfectly gorgeous. ‘I think I love you in a dinner jacket,’ I say as he kisses me. We’re both a bit surprised by my words. They just slipped out. Naturally.

  ‘I’ll wear it every day, then.’

  But I shake my head. ‘I love you without it too.’

  You’d think he’s just won EuroMillions. ‘I love you too, Rosie.’

  We’re both rich beyond measure.

  There’s a minor tremor amongst us when Miracle makes her entrance. Freed from the hotel’s dress code now, she’s back in her riotous colours. But it’s not her outfit we’re most interested in. It’s the woman she’s got with her.

  We don’t need introductions to know that’s her daughter. ‘I’m Cherise,’ the woman says, taking our hands in turn. ‘Nice to meet you.’ Her wide-open smile and kind eyes are identical to her mother’s. ‘And you’re Colonel Bambury?’

  ‘Very nice to see you, my dear,’ he says, taking her hand. ‘I’m glad you could come.’

  We all glance his way, but he doesn’t say anything more. It’s obvious that Miracle is over the moon to have her daughter here. We’re not about to remind her about what an anomaly it is.

  ‘Did you invite her?’ I hear Lill murmur to the Colonel after Miracle leads Cherise over to meet Peter and Barry.

  He nods. ‘I know what it is to want something, my dear.’

  It’s a quarter to midnight and we’re all getting excited.

  ‘Does everyone have their New Year’s resolutions ready?’ Peter asks, as we sit in the flamingo chairs gathered near the Christmas tree. ‘I doubt we’ll top Britain’s Got Talent next year, so my resolution is to get Barry certified.’ Barry leans his head into his human’s hand to have his soft ear fondled. These days, he usually wears his service-dog-in-training jacket, but tonight he’s in his favourite hat and looking as sharp as the rest of the guests.

  Everyone starts thinking about Peter’s question, except Rory, who says right away, ‘I’ve got two. First, give the Imperial Hotel as much heart as this one has.’

  His ambition is greeted with a good-natured chorus of Good luck with that, mate, and No chance.

  ‘Well, I’m going to try, so I’m sorry to say that you’re going to have stiff competition.’

  ‘I’m not afraid of you,’ I say.

  ‘Glad to hear it, because my second resolution, Rosie, is to make you happy.’

  Everyone ahhs. Not me, though. I pucker for a kiss.

  ‘We’re gonna miss you, when you go,’ Miracle says to him.

  ‘Look at them,’ scoffs Lill. ‘I know true love when I see it. He might not work
here anymore, but he’s not leaving Rosie’s side. What about you, Colonel? Any resolutions?’

  ‘I’ll get back to you on that, Lillian,’ he says. ‘Rose Dear?’

  While everyone else has probably been thinking ahead, I’ve been thinking about the past few years, when I didn’t have any resolutions. There were months when I didn’t dare look beyond lunchtime. It was this hotel, and everyone in it, that put me back together after I came back from New York a broken woman. They didn’t even mean to, or probably know they were doing it, but these are my friends. It was only because of them that I realised I did have a dream. And it was because of them that I had the bloody-mindedness to make it come true.

  ‘I feel like I’ve already got my resolutions,’ I tell them. ‘It sounds lame, but I just wanted to get through the transition and run the hotel. Now I’ve got my career back. That feels good.’ I glance shyly at Rory. ‘And I’ve got Rory. That feels pretty great too.’

  Two dreams fulfilled. What a greedy guts I am!

  ‘I have a resolution,’ Miracle’s daughter says. ‘I’m going to see more of my family.’ She takes her mum’s hand. ‘A lot more. Thank you, Colonel Bambury, for inviting me tonight. You shouldn’t have had to do it. I should have come a lot sooner.’

  ‘My dear, regret has never won a war. Pick yourself up and be ready for the next campaign.’

  ‘Hallelujah to that!’ Miracle says.

  ‘TEN! NINE! EIGHT! SEVEN! SIX! FIVE! FOUR! THREE! TWO! ONE! Happy New Year!’ the party erupts in a flurry of hugs and kisses.

  Rory sweeps me up in his arms. ‘Happy New Year, Rosie,’ he says. ‘This year is going to be great for us, but mostly I’m just excited to spend it with you.’

  He’s taken the words right out of my mouth. So instead I say, ‘I love you.’ And it feels like the easiest thing in the world.

  The spotlight shines on Lill as she takes the microphone. ‘Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind.’ Her voice rises strongly above the crowd. There’s no music. She doesn’t need it. It sends a shiver down my spine.