Julien gave a fleeting glance to Lisa and Ben. “I’ll return in just a few minutes after I see your families to their rooms.”
While he trotted off, I folded the papers and rested my arm on the back of my seat, facing Lisa and Ben.
“Okay, what is going on?” I asked.
“Well,” she bit her lip, “no one else but us wanted to spring for one, and since I knew you wouldn’t either we decided to do it for you.”
“Spring for one what?”
She clasped her hands together as she bounced with excitement in her seat. “We upgraded you to one of the overwater villas!”
“You what?”
“You’re staying in one of the premier overwater villas where you’ll have your own private room, bathroom, living room, and deck with a hot tub.”
“You guys didn’t have to do that.”
She waved off my words. “Oh yes, we did. And we don’t mind at all doing it for you.”
My eyes misted with tears as I looked away. It was a thoughtful gift I wouldn’t have given myself even if I had wanted, or worse, even if I had needed it.
“You okay, hon?” Lisa asked.
“Yeah. Fine. Thank you for doing that for me. You didn’t have to, but thank you.”
“You’re welcome. I’m so excited to see them. The rooms are to die for, I swear.”
“I know, I remember looking at the pictures.”
“This is going to be the best vacation ever.” Lisa sighed and leaned into Ben’s body, resting her head on his shoulder while he nodded in agreement.
“Better enjoy it, too, since it’s going to be quite a while before we can pay for another one.”
“Ain’t that the truth?” She snorted a laugh through her nose.
Julien climbed back into the cart and flipped the key once again. He stepped on the gas pedal, continuing down another path. A nervous tension fluttered in my stomach. Excitement began building up and up on its own energy as the cart rolled across the hotel grounds.
Finally, after driving for several yards, we pulled alongside a parking area under the shade of a palm tree. Nearby, a wooden dock stretched out into the ocean; the island version of a walkway that led to the vast array of huts standing on stilts above the water.
“I wonder which one is ours.” Lisa stepped out of the cart and bounced on her toes as she patted Ben’s chest with her hands.
“I don’t think it matters, dear.”
“No, I know, I’m just excited. I’m ready to see it.”
“And I’m ready to be alone for a while.”
The look on Ben’s face caused heat to spread through my own cheeks as I stepped away from them, giving them some space. Julien mimicked my retreat and nodded toward me.
“Shall we take you to yours first, then, Miss Wright?”
“Sure.”
His dress shoes clicked against the wind-beaten wood as we strolled. “I think you will enjoy your room. It has a beautiful view of the mountain and the lagoon off the back deck.”
“I’m sure a hovel would be beautiful in this place.”
“Yes, yes,” he chuckled. “You’re probably right about that.”
Ben and Lisa strolled along several feet behind us, lost in conversation.
“Ah, here we are.”
While Ben and Lisa stayed behind, I followed Julien down another long walkway that veered off to the front door of one of the huts. With a twist of the key and doorknob, Julien opened the door and motioned me inside.
“After you, Miss Wright.”
“Thank you.”
I stepped through the threshold and into the large living room. My eyes instantly gazed upon the view from the sliding glass door and I caught my breath. Like nothing I could even imagine, the green mountain and teal water of the lagoon proved more beautiful in real life than any picture could ever touch.
“Oh my.”
“This particular villa does tend to get that reaction a lot.”
“I can’t imagine why.”
“This is your private living area, which as you can see, steps out on to the private deck. In through here is your bedroom.”
He led me around the oversized couch and lounge chairs. Their huge red and white pillows matched the similar red and white pattern on the area rug. Vases of island flowers rested on the end tables and along a long cabinet that lined the back of the room next to a dining table with four matching chairs. The dark cherry wood color of each piece of furniture played in contrast to the sand-colored walls and bamboo hardwood floors.
Just as stunning as the view from the living room, the view from the bedroom left me gasping for breath.
“Well, that certainly will be nice to wake up to.” I stood at the foot of the king-sized bed and looked out onto the deck. “Seriously, I don’t know how I’m going to be able to leave this place in a week.”
“Just another reason for you to return, then.”
Considering what this vacation cost, I doubt that will happen for a while.
“Yes, I guess it is.”
“In through this door is the bathroom. Beside the shower is your whirlpool, plus your double sinks, and lavatory, of course.”
I peeked inside and my hand clutched my throat. Double sinks sat against the wall across from the oversized sunken bathtub. Next to the tub was a three by three foot space boxed in with solid marble border that stood bout four or five inches tall. Cobblestones tiled the bottom of the box, and a stainless steel drain was housed in the center.
“What is that?”
“Oh, that is the shower.” Julien pointed toward the tree leaf-like ceiling. “Your shower head is up there.”
“So there’s no shower curtain?”
“No, miss.”
My cheeks flushed with heat. “Interesting.”
“And what’s that?” I pointed to a teal colored glass plate between a few of the boards in the hardwood floor.
“A view of the ocean below.”
“Are you serious?”
He nodded. “Go have a look.”
As I tiptoed closer to the glass plate, fish darted past it. “Hey, there are fish down there.”
“Yes, Miss Wright. There are fish down there.”
“I’ve never had fish in my floor. That’s really cool.” I faced him. “I mean, I don’t really know why I would need fish in my bathroom floor, but it’s still cool.”
“There is another looking glass in the floor of the bedroom.”
“There is?”
“Shall I show you the deck before I leave you to your vacation?”
“Oh yes. I’m sure Lisa and Ben are waiting for you, too. I’m sorry.”
“It’s not a problem.”
I followed him back through the bedroom and out onto the deck.
“Aside from the lounge chairs, you have another dining table and another whirlpool tub.”
I spun a few circles around and placed my hands on my hips. “Can I just move here?”
He gave a slight nod and chuckled, dropping his gaze.
“I’m sorry. I’m sure you hear that a lot,” I continued.
“No apologies necessary, and yes, I do hear that a lot.” He pointed toward a sunken part of the deck. “You can access the ocean right there. A step ladder is attached on the side to help you in and out.”
“So I can just jump off my deck into the ocean?”
“Yes.”
“Well, now I really don’t know how I’m going to be able to leave this place in a week.”
“Hello? Helen? Julien? Where are you guys?” Lisa called from the front door as she tiptoed inside and glanced all around.
“My apologies, Miss Carter, I was just showing Miss Wright her amenities.”
“Oh, it’s no trouble. Take your time. I just wanted to see her room.” She smiled and bit her lip as her eyes danced from him to me.
I shook my head, knowing the gleam in the deep shade of blue.
Did she seriously think we were in here flirting with one an
other? Oh yes, that’s exactly what I needed—a boyfriend thousands of miles away from San Francisco. Not to mention, one with . . . yep, that’s a wedding ring on his finger. Way to catch that, Lisa.
“I know ours will be the same, but I just wanted to see it,” she continued. “And I have to say if it’s anything like this one, I don’t know how I’m going to leave this place.”
Julien clasped his hands together and turned toward me. “Do you have any questions before I leave you, Miss Wright?”
“No, none that I can think of.”
“You can reach the main desk through the telephone. There you can order room service, book activities, make reservations at one of our restaurants or the spa, or if you need anything like extra towels, laundry service, or the maid service. Should you need me personally, just ask for me and they will transfer you through.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
“Are you ready to see your villa, Miss Carter?”
“Is grass green?” she laughed. “Heck yes, I’m ready. Let’s go.” Lisa bounced as she followed Julien a few steps. “Oh wait.” She glanced over her shoulder and pointed at me. “Dinner tonight. You with us, okay?”
“Oh no, you guys should have dinner by yourselves.”
“We aren’t going to let you eat alone on your first night here. No way.”
“I’m more than capable of eating alone. I do it all the time.” Geez, do I ever sound lonely. “Not to mention, I have a lovely deck with a beautiful view where I can enjoy some nice and relaxing room service. You know, this is pretty much your honeymoon. You might as well enjoy it as such.”
“I know. Look, Ben and I plan on spending a lot of time alone, believe me, but tonight, our first night here isn’t one of them. All right?”
Her lips curved into a half smile as she slacked her jaw and narrowed her eyes. A look I knew well. Never one to back down when she set her mind to something, I knew there wasn’t any chance I would get out of having dinner with them tonight.
“Fine. I’ll go.”
“Great. Six o’clock at the Le Lagoon Bar and Restaurant.”
With a wink, she trotted down the pathway toward Ben and Julien.
I shut the door and spun around to face the room, inhaling and exhaling several deep breaths as I closed my eyes and squealed.
One whole week, one whole, wonderful week in this villa.
All the stress and worry faded, replaced with the hardwood floors, yellow painted walls, palm leaf ceiling, and luxurious furniture surrounding me.
I would sleep as late as I wanted. I would eat whatever I wanted, and I would eat those meals outside, on my deck, with the view more beautiful than I had even dreamed. I would dive into the ocean whenever I wanted, and would soak in the hot tub with fruity cocktails chilling in my hand.
I glanced over my shoulder toward the bathroom.
And I would shower without a curtain.
NINE
“WELCOME, MADEMOISELLE. DO you have a reservation?” Tall and slender, the beautiful brunette hostess stood behind her podium.
“Yes. I have reservations with Mr. Hogan and Miss Carter at six. The name is Miss Wright.”
The woman scanned her clipboard. Her dark brown eyes moved from name to name as she searched.
“Ah, yes, here you are. Dinner at six and it’s a party of three, correct?”
Yep, three. A couple in love and their third wheel.
“Yes, that’s right.”
“Monsieur Hogan and Mademoiselle Carter haven’t arrived yet, but we can seat you without them.”
“Oh, they aren’t here?”
“No, not that I’m aware of.”
“I can wait out here if you need to seat us all at once.”
She smiled and shook her head slightly. “No, that won’t be necessary. We can seat you now and that way you can enjoy an evening cocktail or a delicious appetizer if you like while you wait. Follow me, please.”
Her hips rocked from side to side as she glided along the floor. With every long stride, her shoes clicked on the Spanish style tile while my flat sandal soles made not a single sound. A beautiful stone fountain rested in the middle of the room, which played the perfect echo pitch for the cascading waterfall.
Giant windows replaced the walls, opening the restaurant up to the surrounding white sand beach outside and allowing a gentle ocean breeze to whisper inside. Some of the flames of lit candle centerpieces flickered as the hostess led me toward a table in the corner with a perfect view of a row of palm trees, their leaves swayed in a back and forth dance as I sat down.
“Enjoy your evening.”
“Thank you.”
As the hostess sauntered off, a gentleman approached with a broad smile across his face.
“Hello, mademoiselle. My name is Maurice, and I’ll be your server tonight. Can I start you off with something from the bar?”
“A glass of merlot, please.”
“But, of course, and are you waiting for another?”
“Oh, yes, two more. I know that she’ll order a Chardonnay, but I don’t know what her fiancé would like.”
“Well, I shall bring your merlot while you wait. Would you like for me to start an appetizer, too?”
“Oh. Um . . .” I flipped open the menu and scanned the first page. “How about an order of the grilled shrimp, please.”
“Certainly, I’ll get your order in immediately.”
While most of the other tables were empty, a few couples dined around me. Either in deep conversations over fruity cocktails and glasses of wine or enjoying their meal while they fed each other, none of them paid any attention to the single woman who’d just sat down.
I continued to scan through the menu. My stomach growled with each of the entrées that appealed to me—steak, seafood, pasta—picking just one to take pleasure in proved harder than I thought it would be. My concentration so focused, I almost didn’t notice Maurice place the wine glass on my table.
Scooping the glass in my hand, I noticed the minute hand on my watch.
That can’t be right? Twenty after six?
Lisa was never one to be late unless she had a good reason.
Then again, I supposed a big comfy bed in an overwater villa with a sexy, probably naked, fiancé was a good reason.
I looked out of the window across the beach. As I took another sip of wine, I contemplated whether to call their room.
“Miss Wright?” A deep voice asked.
I turned toward the sound. I don’t know whom I was expecting, but the hazel green eyes of the handsome Dr. Stark were not the person. Sheer shock slapped me in the face and the gulp of burgundy hit my throat then poured down the wrong pipe, choking me. The robust and sweet flavor burned my nose and tears blurred my vision as I coughed and coughed.
“Are you okay?” His hand hit my back several times while the hostess stared at me. Her wide eyes blinked as she clutched her chest.
“Miss Wright,” Dr. Stark asked again. “Are you okay?”
Still coughing, I nodded and raised my hand in a silent request for some time. He fetched me a glass of water from another table.
“Here drink this.”
My throat scratched something awful, but after a few sips, I finally gained control of my lungs. “Hello, Dr. Stark.” My voice cracked. “Thank you.”
Why is he here? Of all the restaurants in the world, why did he walk into this one?
He handed over my napkin, clearing his throat. “You’re welcome.”
Without saying another word, he stepped away, glancing over his shoulder at the hostess. Her eyes danced from me to him. “Let me know if you need anything,” she whispered before hurrying after him. “Right this way, sir. Your table is just right here.”
I rubbed my temples.
Why is he here? And why did he have to walk into this place while I’m sitting here, alone. Darn it, Lisa. Where are you?
He sat at a table mere feet from mine. Dressed in casual jeans that had just the perfect amount o
f bagginess and a button up cotton shirt, the sight of him weakened my knees. His muscular build was just enough in my line of sight, the notion of glancing at him toyed with me.
Don’t do it. Don’t look at him.
I shook the thoughts from my head. My fingers trembled down the spine of the menu. While the words popped from the page, my mind played a jumbled mess, unable to focus on the print that blurred together.
Where the heck is Lisa?
A plate with several grilled shrimp sitting on a bed of decorative lettuce hit the table in front of me. The fire-licked delicate spirals made my stomach growl.
“Have you decided on what you would like for your entrée?” Maurice asked.
In my peripheral vision, Doctor Stark turned his head toward me.
“Um, no, not yet. Can I have a moment, please?”
“Certainly.” With a slight bow, Maurice strolled away, his slim shoulders squared in a regal pose.
I clutched one of the small plates and a fork, before scooping a couple of grilled shrimp onto the bone white china. After setting the plate in front of me, I cut the delicious meat into small bite sized chunks then leaned back in my chair as I looked out onto the sandy beach.
“Excuse me, Miss Wright?” The hostess’s voice distracted me.
“Ye . . . yes?”
“I have a message for you from Miss Lisa Carter. She said to tell you she is incredibly sorry, but they won’t be making the reservation tonight.”
“Is everything okay?”
“She said to tell you everything is fine. They just lost track of time.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
As she nodded and sauntered off, my eyes traced over the rest of the shrimp on the plate. Should I order dinner and enjoy my evening? Or should I return to my room, order a buffet of room service and soak in my private hot tub?
“Ahem,” a deep voice cleared his throat behind me.
I glanced over my shoulder and heat rushed to my cheeks. “Is there something I can do for you, Doctor Stark?”
“I was just wondering if you . . . would you mind if I joined you for dinner? Since your other party has cancelled, I mean.”
The Parking Space Page 8