I go outside, looking for the building that might contain the hydrotherapy pool. It makes sense that it would be close to the sauna, so I try the next door I come to.
Oops. I think this is the day spa. I’m about to leave again, but curiosity gets the better of me. I don’t have to tell anyone I snuck a peek. There’s no one currently here, so I edge my way inside the door to get a closer look at Lani’s vision.
Yikes.
It’s all black walls and shiny black tiles. The treatment beds are also black, and the ceiling has hidden purple lighting. It looks more like an urban nightclub than a relaxing island day spa.
I turn around, ready to go out and lock up again, when Noah appears. “Emily! What are you…?” He trails off when he sees his surroundings.
“I’m sorry. I was trying to find the hydrotherapy pool. I didn’t mean to come in here…”
He doesn’t seem to hear me. He walks around the room, slowly inspecting all the details, a slightly confused and shocked look on his face.
“Are you okay?” I check.
“This isn’t what I expected at all.” His mouth drops open when he sees a black-and-white print on the wall, featuring the profile of a naked male body.
“It definitely has a certain quality about it,” I say politely.
“We should leave,” he says suddenly. “She can’t know we were here.”
He ushers me out, and we ride back to reception in silence. I want to ask him whether he’s going to tell Lani he accidentally saw the day spa without her, but I don’t think he knows yet.
I put my bike back in the equipment shed. “Thanks so much for showing me around. It was very helpful.”
“No problem.” He still looks a little dazed.
“Don’t worry, I won’t say anything about…”
He nods his head. “Thanks. I have to go.”
He abruptly leaves, and it’s obvious he wasn’t impressed by the new day spa look. That’s going to be an awkward conversation, regardless of whether he tells Lani now or waits until she shows it to him.
There’s nothing I can do right now to help, other than pretend I never saw the place. But exploring the island today and talking to Noah about what it used to be like has got my brain running in overdrive.
I don’t care that Calvin expects me to sit around doing nothing for four weeks. That’s not happening. I have a lot to say, both in the coordination of the remaining restoration, and strategies we can implement leading up to and after reopening.
Calvin may not hear from me for a few days, but he better get ready to be dazzled.
Because Emily McIntosh is a force to be reckoned with when she puts her mind to something.
TEN
Noah
I need to talk to Lani. The question is, how do I hint that her current vision for the day spa is completely at odds with the rest of the resort’s aesthetic? Who thinks black and purple are suitable colours for the Whitsundays? Is she trying to be ironic?
I feel so stupid for letting her convince me she should do it all on her own. I even put my neck on the line with Cal when I sold the idea to him.
Although, knowing Cal, he’ll like it. I’m just not sure it will go down so well with the guests.
As I mentioned to Emily earlier, I saw what worked here back when Henry was in charge. And sure, that was over five years ago, but I still believe people have certain expectations when visiting a tropical location. They want natural fabrics and colours that reflect the environment. Black and purple are not it.
And I know Emily would agree with me. She was diplomatic with her reaction to the day spa, but I could tell she hated it too.
Jeez, this is a disaster. I’m going to be spending the rest of the day as well as the next few days repairing the jetty, and I still have all the watersports equipment to check and service. I also promised I’d help the construction crew with the final repairs on the hotel rooms. We need to clear the sand from the boardwalk down at the beach. The outdoor facilities have days of work each to get them up to standard…
I slump against a nearby wall. There really is no way to get it all done in time. I contemplate, not for the first time, whether it’s worth staying.
But there’s a small part of me that hopes we can get this place back to its former glory.
I take a deep breath and let it out again.
We can do this. And it’s going to be amazing.
***
I decide to wait until the next afternoon to talk to Lani. It gives me some time to work out what I’m going to say about the day spa, if anything. I feel like it would soften the blow if I agreed to take her back to Mackay to eat at the restaurant she wanted to try, but now more than ever, we can’t afford to waste time travelling and staying there overnight.
Plus, after discovering that waterfall with Emily yesterday, I can’t imagine Lani would be upset about that being our alternative date-night location. I text Monty, asking him to whip up a batch of chorizo and mozzarella gnocchi, Lani’s favourite meal. Monty owes me because I sanded and varnished some furniture for his restaurant the other day.
After he begrudgingly agrees, I finish up with the guys and head back to the staff quarters to shower and change. On the way, I stop by the poolside bar where I store my wine. I don’t want the rest of the staff drinking it by accident, because some of those bottles are worth a small fortune.
I pick out a 2012 Pinot Noir, normally worth around a hundred dollars. It’s sitting beside a bottle of 2002 Champagne Salon worth over a grand. I’m saving that for the night I propose.
I carry the bottle of Pinot back with me and leave it on my bed while I get ready.
When I return, Dash is standing in our room, looking at the bottle.
“Big date, huh?”
“I’m hoping she’ll forgive me for not taking her back to Mackay.”
“Good luck with that.”
“You know, you always make jokes about Lani being high-maintenance, but she’s not that bad. I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t constantly put me in a position where I have to defend her.”
“Sorry, dude. I was just stirring.”
“Well, don’t.”
Dash tilts his head to the side. “Are you okay?”
“Yeah, fine. Just stressed about everything.”
“You usually handle pressure well.”
“I guess everyone has their limit.” There’s no way I’m confiding in him about the day spa. I really hope Emily keeps her word and doesn’t say anything either.
“If you ever want to talk, let me know. I can be a good listener.”
“Thanks, buddy.”
I finish changing and take the bottle with me up to the top level, knocking on Lani’s door. It takes longer than it probably should for her to answer.
“Hey!” she says, flustered.
“Running late?” I guess.
“Sort of. Sorry. Come in.” She looks at her watch. “If we leave now, we should still be able to make the first sitting at the restaurant and get back before dark. I know you don’t want to stay…”
“Actually, I have somewhere I’d like to show you here on the island.”
She looks at me disbelievingly. “What? But you said we could go to Mackay!”
“I said I’d see how the repairs went before I made a decision.” I show her the bottle. “I brought some fancy wine. And Monty’s making your favourite gnocchi.”
She sighs. “I appreciate the effort, babe, but you don’t get that I need a change of scene every now and again. This place can feel like a prison if you don’t leave.”
My eyes widen. She feels like she’s in prison?
“What kind of prison is located in the Whitsundays and contains luxury villas?” I say lightly.
“You know what I mean.”
“I found this really cool spot yesterday. I swear you’ll think it’s a million times better than any restaurant in town.”
“We’ll see about that.” She looks down at the red bodycon
dress she’s wearing. “I suppose I should change into jeans if we’re just staying here.”
“No, no. You can keep wearing it. But maybe ditch the heels.”
“Do I need sneakers?”
“Flat sandals should be fine.”
“Okay.” She kicks off her heels and reluctantly slides into a pair of red patent-leather jelly sandals. “So glamorous.”
“I think you look beautiful.”
“You know, if you say it too often, it loses all meaning.”
I catch my tongue. I know she’s just disappointed about the change of plans. But as soon as she sees the waterfall, she’ll change her mind.
“We’ll just stop by the restaurant so I can pick up our food.”
“Lead the way.”
***
I almost miss the turn-off but see it just in time. Lani has been texting the whole way, and I’m surprised she hasn’t tripped on the path. There are lots of tree roots and rocks that need to be avoided.
“We’re going off-road?” she asks as I lead her along the tiny track.
“Just wait.”
“Are we going to be able to find our way back? Did you bring a torch?”
“It’s not far. But yes, I did bring a torch.” I’d gotten Monty to put one in the basket with our food. Not that we’ll be staying long past dark.
“I feel like a toddler, eating at five,” she says, picking her way past a branch.
“We would have eaten early at Mackay too,” I point out.
“I know. But then we could have gone out to a bar afterwards. Seen civilisation. I honestly don’t know how you can be so content just with the same people day after day. Although, I guess you did stay in town on the weekend. That’s why you don’t understand how I feel. I only get to go to Mackay for a few hours during the day for work every now and again. It’s been forever since I’ve been for fun.”
“I’m sorry, babe. Once we reopen, we can go back every week if you like.”
“I’m going to hold you to that.”
We finally reach the clearing, and I wave towards the waterfall. “Ta-da.”
She squints around and then slaps her arm. “I think there are mosquitoes here.”
My excitement fades. “I didn’t notice any earlier. I can go get some bug spray if you’re worried.”
“I don’t want to catch dengue fever. Or the Ross River virus.”
“I think you’re just as likely to catch them elsewhere on the island. Maybe even in Mackay.”
“Where are we supposed to sit?”
“Just here?” I put the basket down and start unfolding the picnic blanket.
“I probably should have changed into jeans,” she observes.
“Come on, Lani. I’m trying here.”
She suddenly seems to understand she’s pushed me too far.
“I’m sorry. It’s lovely.” She picks up the wine and finds the bottle opener. “I’m looking forward to trying this. And the gnocchi.”
I start to relax. Lani is the kind of person who likes to be in control of a situation, and once she feels comfortable, she can be a lot of fun.
I sit down on the blanket and unload the food, along with some cutlery.
Lani pours us each a glass of wine and hands me one.
“To the best boyfriend ever,” she declares.
“To the best girlfriend ever,” I say.
We clink glasses and take a sip. Lani wrinkles her nose. “Oh. I’m not sure I like that one.”
“More for me, then,” I say. I can’t believe she doesn’t like it. I think it’s one of the better Pinot Noirs I’ve tried.
Lani opens the two servings of food and immediately scoops some into her mouth. “This is amazing. I wonder if Monty will ever leave.”
“Why do you ask that?”
“Well, when we eventually move on, we could poach him to be our private chef. I assume you and I will get sick of living like this and will want our own place in Mackay. Maybe even in another city. I’ve always envisaged us settling down in a cute little apartment in Brisbane. I could open my own day spa, and you could get a job as one of those ferry drivers on the river.”
I frown. Setting aside the fact that Lani thinks we’d be able to afford a private chef, transporting a bunch of office workers to and from the city across a crowded brown river is one of the least appealing jobs I can imagine.
“You want to move to Brisbane?”
“Not right away. Obviously. Maybe in a couple of years, though.”
I try and focus on the positive aspect of this conversation. At least it means she sees a future with me. And maybe what she’s saying can provide me with a segue into talking about her design of the day spa here.
“So, your own day spa, huh? Renovating this one not enough for you?” I tease.
“Oh, it’s been fun. I’ve learned a lot about what does and doesn’t work. I think you’re going to really love what I’ve come up with.”
“Would it be similar to what you’d do with your own place?”
“I’m not sure. I do really like the black…” She catches herself. “Hey! Are you trying to trick me into revealing my secrets before I’m ready to share them?”
“You got me,” I say weakly.
“Don’t worry. You’ll see it all soon enough. I’m going to do an official unveiling for everyone at the same time. Make a bit of a show of it.”
“Sounds fun,” I say, thinking that will be an interesting event. “Hey, before I forget, Mum and Dinah are coming over to the island on Friday afternoon. I thought it would be nice for us to all eat together.”
“Oh? Yeah, okay.”
She doesn’t sound particularly fussed either way. It doesn’t help me figure out whether Dinah was being paranoid when she thought Lani snubbed her in town. I’m not going to mention it to Lani now, though. I’ve already manipulated the conversation more than I’m comfortable with.
And I’ll be able to see how everyone behaves for myself in a few days.
ELEVEN
Emily
I have been super busy this week, working on my ideas for the resort, and also assisting different staff with their jobs. I spent half of one day developing some operational manuals with Sasha because weirdly, they never even had any before the cyclone.
I got to know Ciara by helping her unpack new linen and towels and set up the beds and bathrooms throughout the resort. I even did a few hours with Allie, pruning hedges and negotiating a deal with a native nursery on the mainland to bulk order some lilly-pillies.
Everything I did helped me develop my strategy further. I was able to ascertain everyone’s strengths and weaknesses and identify where we could improve after reopening.
I’m convinced Cal will be dazzled by the information I present him. Surely when faced with something he barely has to lift a finger to achieve, he won’t be able to turn it down. I’m going to wait until Monday to talk to him, though, because I don’t feel people are receptive to anything new right before the weekend.
It’s Friday and the end of my first week at Coco Bay. I have to say, I don’t miss the rest of the world at all. It’s great having a purpose and working towards a common goal with a bunch of lovely people. I haven’t seen Cal at all since our first—and last—chat, and apart from Lani being a little standoffish, I have come to feel quite accepted. It’s a vast improvement on my office in Vancouver, where all my colleagues were incompetent and disinterested in doing their jobs properly.
Also, spending so much time living and working with the same people has forced me to abandon my normally cautious behaviour of keeping to myself.
I haven’t heard from my dad since I called at the end of last week. And while I know I told him I’d contact him once I was settled in, the least he could have done is send me a text to acknowledge he’d received my message.
Anyway, that’s something to worry about another day.
I head towards reception, which I’ve unofficially allocated as my home base for work. As th
e night manager, I will be spending a lot of time here anyway. Plus, Sasha is very easy to share a space with.
“Hey!” She waves as I approach. “I got you coffee.”
“You’re an angel.” I pick up the mug and take a long sip. “This is exactly what I needed.”
“You know what else you need? A trip to the mainland.”
“Really?”
“Yes! I have an appointment to get my hair done at 3pm, but then I thought I’d stay the night and make a thing of it. Will you come? We can go drinking and then crash at my sister’s place.”
“Oh. Are you sure I wouldn’t be imposing?”
“Of course not. Come on. It’ll be fun. I’ll only be an hour at the salon, and you can have a look around town in the meantime.”
I think about it for a second. “Yeah, okay. I like that idea.”
She claps her hands together. “Excellent. Pack a pretty dress. I’m taking you to a nightclub.”
“Does Mackay have a big night scene?”
“Not as big as I’d like. But decent enough.” She looks at her watch. “Noah is going over to pick up his mum and aunt to bring them back here for the evening, so he’ll be leaving around 2pm. Make sure you’re ready then.”
“Great.”
I haven’t seen a lot of Noah this week. I didn’t want to make life more difficult for him if Lani thought I was a threat. Which I’m not.
I spend the morning working through some possible initiatives to talk to Dash about after the resort reopens—things like theme nights and packages for couples or girls’ weekends. They won’t require a lot of effort and will hopefully pay off in increased bookings.
Just after 1pm, I go back to the staff quarters to have some lunch and pack a small bag. I’m waiting at the newly repaired jetty a few minutes before two.
Noah shows up, and my traitorous heart betrays me with a little flutter. I suppress the feeling and try to rationalise it as seeing a good-looking guy who just happened to be the first person I met in my new life. He’s been so nice to me that I’m bound to be grateful.
Welcome to Coco Bay Page 6