“Hey!” His whole face lights up when he smiles.
“Hey. Thanks for taking me and Sasha back to the mainland.”
“No problem. I was going back anyway, and I know Sasha loves playing tour guide.”
“She’s taking me to a nightclub. Is there a particular one we should visit?”
“I haven’t been out for a while, but I did use to go to Marley’s every now and again. You can tell Adrian, the bartender, that you know me. He’ll look after you.”
“Thanks. Good to know.”
Sasha bounds over with a tiny suitcase. “Okay! Let’s do this!”
The two of us climb into the speedboat while Noah prepares for our departure. I notice this is still the only vessel in the vicinity. “I’ve been meaning to ask, where’s the resort catamaran?”
“It was damaged during the cyclone, along with everything else. It broke loose of its moorings and crashed into a nearby reef. The repairs should be completed in a few weeks. That’s one thing both Cal and Bruce understand needs to be operational, otherwise we won’t be able to get anyone over here.”
We set off across the ocean. It’s a little choppy today, and the sky is grey, but it’s not too bad. It turns out my stomach doesn’t mind a little upheaval. Good to know.
Once we reach Mackay, we jump out, and Noah’s phone beeps. He looks at the display.
“Apparently, my mum and aunt are running late. Something about an emergency at the second-hand clothing store where they volunteer.”
“What kind of emergency can you have at a second-hand clothing store?” I muse.
“I have no idea, but I’m sure I’ll find out later.”
“Why don’t you take Emily into town, then? Keep her busy for a while?” Sasha suggests.
“Oh, no. You don’t have to do that,” I say hurriedly.
“It’s no trouble,” Noah says easily. “I can show you where everything is. The supermarket, the bank, where to buy alcohol…”
“As long as you’re sure?”
“I’m sure.”
“Okay, well, I can meet you at the McDonald’s on the corner of Shakespeare and Juliet just after 4pm,” Sasha says to me. “Does that sound okay, Noah?”
“Yeah, I might have to leave a bit earlier, but I’ll make sure Emily gets there safely.”
“Perfect.” She gives us a little wave and heads off to the parking lot. It didn’t even occur to me that we’d need a car.
“Does everyone who lives on the island own a car?” I ask.
“Not everyone. But those who grew up around here do. The resort also has a couple of mopeds that they store in the marina parking lot in case staff need to get around on work errands.”
“What do you drive?”
Noah points to an old white Jeep nearby. “That.”
“Cool.”
“It’s not much to look at, but I don’t use it very often. It’s good for driving off-road, though.”
He unlocks the passenger side door for me and opens it, waiting for me to get in. Inside, it’s cleaner than I expected and smells like lemongrass. I’m impressed.
He closes my door and climbs in his side.
“Do you take it off-road very often?” I ask.
“Before I returned to the island, maybe once a month. I love camping where you’re not on top of everyone else.”
“That sounds nice. So, you’re not much of a crowds person, huh?”
He laughs as he drives out to the main road. “Not really. Cities make me claustrophobic.” He furrows his brow. “I mean, I could probably handle living in one, but I’d want to get away on the weekends as much as possible.”
“I guess you don’t have to worry about that right now, living on a tropical island and all,” I point out.
“Exactly. I love Coco Bay.”
We drive in silence. Mackay is a mostly low-rise city, with all the shops in small individual buildings along the neatly maintained streets.
“There’s one of the bigger supermarkets,” Noah says, tilting his head to the left. “And most of the banks are around here too. But there is a centre with a K-Mart and all your retail outlets just slightly northwest of here. Oh, and if you want hardware or furniture, they have one of those homemaker places about fifteen minutes west of the marina.”
“Good to know.”
“Hey, if you want, we could go have a look at a furniture place now? That way, you can get an idea of what you might want for your room when we upgrade your stuff.”
“Oh, no. That would be really boring for you.”
“No, it wouldn’t. I love that kind of thing.”
I look at him sceptically. “Really? You actually enjoy furniture shopping?”
“I do. Maybe it’s because I don’t get to do it very often. Apart from the last two years when the resort was closed, I’ve lived in the same room in the staff quarters most of my adult life.”
“And what did you do during those two years?”
“I rented an already-furnished two-bedroom apartment with Dash, and we both worked at a boat hire place. Dash took people out on fishing tours, and I looked after admin. I also did safety briefings before people went out on the water. But I always knew I’d go back to Coco Bay if I could. Dash, too.”
“It’s nice to discover something that makes you happy and that you can earn money from.”
“Exactly. I suspect you’re the same.”
“I am.” I look at all the places we pass. “If you really don’t mind, I would like to check out some furniture.”
“Great.” He makes a turn at the next intersection, and we drive along another road, over a bridge, and past a hospital.
We park outside a big furniture mega-mart and go inside. I’ve never been to one of these places with a guy before. When I was at university, I bought a few things for my apartment on campus with a girl who lived opposite me. But in Vancouver, I did all my furniture shopping alone.
We walk past the couches since I wouldn’t be able to fit one of those in my room. I pause at the armchairs and try out a couple. Any of these would be infinitely preferable to the rickety thing I have right now.
Noah flings himself into a big squishy recliner. “Look, this one swivels.” He spins the chair around in circles.
“You’re worse than a little kid,” I say, shaking my head and smiling.
“You should try it.” He points to an identical recliner in a different fabric a few feet away.
I begrudgingly obey and sit down. Oh my God. This thing is amazing. I can’t help myself and spin around a couple of times too.
“See?” he says, beaming.
“All right. I think we’ll have to add one of these to the list.”
“I might get one as well.” He stands up and snaps a photo of it with his phone camera.
We continue on to the beds and stop to inspect a few. “Bed frame or ensemble?” I ask.
“Bed frame,” he says. “Maybe something like this?”
I look at what he’s pointing to and burst out laughing. “That is just weird.” I go over and feel the mustard velvet tufting on the headboard. “But I suppose it would be soft if you were to accidentally bang your head against it.”
He looks at me, eyes twinkling. “Accidentally bang your head?”
I realise what I’ve just said and feel my face heat up. “You know what I mean.”
“Hey, I don’t embarrass easily. But apparently you do. Good to know, good to know.”
I slap him playfully on the arm. “Hey, respect your superiors.”
He does a little salute. “Yes, ma’am.”
“I’ve always preferred ensembles, but I think a bed frame is cheaper. Maybe this one.”
I sit down on the edge of a mattress being supported by a white frame with natural timber trims.
“Yeah, that’s cute. Tasteful.” He throws himself down on the other side and lies back. “This is a good mattress too.”
I tentatively lie back and try to imagine myself sleeping on
it every night. But all I can think about is the fact that Noah is right beside me, and we are literally sharing a bed right now.
I stand up again. “Yeah, I think I’ll add this to the list as well.”
Noah’s phone beeps. “It appears my mother and aunt are ready for me now. I should probably go pick them up.”
“Yes, of course. Thank you so much for going out of your way today. It was very kind of you.”
“Don’t be silly. You’re new to town. You need people to show you around.”
“I really appreciate it.”
Rather than facing awkward silence on the way to McDonald’s, I get out my phone and point to the cable coming out of the car’s radio. “Do you mind if I put some music on with my phone?”
“Go for it.”
I select Ocean Alley’s Confidence. The cruisy drums and guitar seem to suit the vibe for a lazy Friday afternoon, pre-going out.
I notice Noah gently nodding his head in time with the beat. I hope that means he approves of my taste.
We arrive at our destination, and I climb out.
“Thank you again. Are you bringing your mum and aunt back in the morning?”
“I’m not sure yet. I’m going to leave it up to them. I’ve set aside one of the over-water villas for them and said they can stay until Sunday if it works out.”
“Is there another way Sasha and I can get back to the island tomorrow without disturbing you?”
“No, no. Please. I’m happy to come back. I have to see the guy fixing the catamaran tomorrow anyway.”
“All right. But if anything changes, let me know and we’ll figure something out.”
“I will. Otherwise, I’ll meet you at the marina at 9am.”
“Sounds good.”
I watch him drive away and can’t help smiling.
Noah is a really sweet guy. The resort is very lucky to have him.
And so is Lani.
TWELVE
Noah
I head to Mum and Dinah’s house, now with my own phone playing Ocean Alley. I love that band.
Yet again, I really enjoyed hanging out with Emily. It was a lot of fun furniture shopping with her. I think about when Lani and I get our own place and how we’ll be able to do all that stuff together. And if we ever did something as monumental as build a house together…
I frown as I think about the day spa. I still haven’t told Lani I’ve seen what she’s done. Maybe I’ll slip it into our conversation later tonight after dinner. Not in front of Mum and Dinah, obviously. They would just side with me, even without seeing her design choices.
I pull up in the driveway and observe the women bickering at the front door. I toot the horn to get their attention but still get out of the car to help load their overnight cases in the back.
Both of them decline to sit in the front passenger seat, making me feel like a chauffeur.
“Sorry about earlier, honey. There’s a new women’s shelter opening up on the other side of town next week, and we were preparing a few boxes of clothing to send over.”
“Oh, that’s a really nice thing to do.”
“It’s what our shop is for. To help anyone struggling financially.”
I’m so proud of these two women. They’ve been amazing role models throughout my life. Strong, independent, and caring. I wish more people were like them.
“I like this music,” Dinah says. “What is it?”
“It’s a band called Ocean Alley. I’m sure I’ve showed you their stuff before.”
“No, but I’ll definitely be looking them up later.”
I have a weird flash of Dinah and Emily bonding over their shared taste in music and quickly bat it away. Where did that come from?
“I’m so glad you’re both coming over to the island. I have to warn you, though, there’s still a lot of work left to do.”
“You know we’ve always loved Coco Bay. It’s a shame you have that horrible manager in charge. And Bruce Donovan! That man should be in jail!”
I laugh. “What? For being eccentric?”
“Oh, that’s right. You don’t read the news, do you? There was an exposé on him the other day in the paper talking about how many court cases he’s currently involved in, and how he instructs his lawyers to stretch out litigation until the other party can’t afford to keep going.”
“I wouldn’t put it past him. I even said as much to the new night manager. But he does pay my salary, so I probably shouldn’t keep talking trash about him.”
“Just be careful. You never know when he’ll suddenly decide he’s bored with the place and ditch it.”
“He’s a successful businessman, so I doubt he’d invest the money he’s currently putting into the resort and then just abandon it. I have heard rumours he might try and find a buyer after reopening, but we’ll just have to wait and see.”
“I suppose you could always come live with us if you needed to,” Dinah concedes.
“Thank you, but you don’t have to worry about me. I have a bit of cash saved, and I couldn’t sleep on the sofa bed permanently. My back wouldn’t take it.”
I then have another flash, this time of lying on the bed Emily was considering buying. What the hell is wrong with me?
We reach the marina, and I help Mum and Dinah onto the speedboat. Thankfully, the water is a bit calmer than this morning, and we have an easier ride back. I’m looking forward to having the catamaran functional again. Not that I’d be able to commandeer it for personal use, but I miss picking up packs of excited tourists and taking them across to the island.
Mum and Dinah haven’t seen the place since a couple of months after the cyclone went through. We rented a boat to go over and inspect the damage after everything shut down. It was heartbreaking to see such devastation. Admittedly, when I returned eight weeks ago, I had expected more progress to have been made. But Calvin had been the only full-time paid employee the entire time, and he’d done very little in the two years he’d been given to restore it.
Two months in with me and the old gang has meant that at least some of the facilities are back on track. For now, I’m going to avoid taking Mum and Dinah through the more decrepit parts of the resort and just show them the brand-new stuff.
Like the jetty, which is now looking much sturdier than before the collapse last weekend. Plus, Emily and Sasha have been busy making sure the reception area is ready for guests to check in, having uncovered any furniture that wasn’t damaged in the cyclone and setting it up in the lobby. They even repainted some of the wicker chairs and washed the cushions. Sasha mentioned they’re going to order new ones as soon as the budget allows, but I think they look great as they are.
I head over to a small fridge we set up behind the reception counter and retrieve two coconuts I prepared earlier. I stick a straw in each one and hand them to Mum and Dinah. “Welcome.”
“I could get used to this,” Dinah says, giggling like a teenager and slurping on her coconut.
“It’s looking lovely, honey,” Mum says.
“I asked Monty, our chef here, if he could give me some tips on what to cook tonight. He doesn’t even mind letting me use the kitchen and serving you in his restaurant.”
“I can’t wait.”
“I’ll take you to your villa and then I’ll go find Lani. We can all reconvene for dinner.”
The women don’t look particularly impressed when I mention Lani’s name, but I know it’s going to be okay. Lani will dazzle them, and they’ll finally see why I love her.
But if that’s the case, why do I feel so uneasy?
***
Lani and I met on her first day as one of the resort’s massage and beauty therapists, three years ago. I noticed her immediately, the confidence oozing from her as she got on the catamaran I was operating. I wasn’t able to talk to her much since I was also collecting a bunch of guests, but I knew right away she was someone I had to get to know.
Over the next few weeks, I made every possible excuse to see her. It wasn
’t easy during work hours, with me on the boat or supervising the watersports kiosk and her in the day spa. But in the evenings, I whisked her away and convinced her to explore the island with me. Back then, she seemed to love just sitting on the beach and sharing a bottle of wine. I guess over time, she must have tired of it because she started demanding that we go back to the mainland more and more. She built up a bigger and bigger circle of friends in Mackay and even farther afield. At one point, she was spending all her free time off the island, and if I wanted to see her, I’d have to leave too.
I think she was actually happy when the cyclone destroyed the resort because it meant she was able to stay on the mainland full-time. I was miserable, though. While working with Dash at the boat hire place was fun, it didn’t compare to Coco Bay.
Lani decided to move back in with her family, which is why I lived with Dash. She thought it would be rushing things to move in together after only a year of dating.
To be honest, I was surprised when she agreed to come back to the resort, but I think a number of factors played a part:
1. Me (hopefully that was the main reason).
2. The pay here is better than anything else she could get on the mainland, and accommodation and food are included.
3. Cal allowed her to have free rein over the redesign of the day spa, and she knew he would take a very hands-off approach to her job.
At least living back in the same building has been great. I hope we can figure out an arrangement so that she’s happy staying on the island but can visit the mainland enough so that it keeps her satisfied. Interestingly, she’s barely mentioned her friends in Mackay since we came back. I wonder if that’s a sign she’s willing to try and recommit to the resort.
I head to the staff quarters to change and pick up Lani. She’s in her room, lying on the bed.
“Hey. Mum and Dinah are here. They’re going to meet us at the dining room. You almost ready?”
She doesn’t look ready, still wearing a pair of running shorts and a tank top.
“I’m not feeling very ‘on’ tonight. Do you really need me there?”
“Baby, I invited them specifically to have dinner with the two of us. I want the three women in my life to be friends.”
Welcome to Coco Bay Page 7