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I didn’t think he’d do this to me.
“Maybe it was too much for him to take,” he continued. “He did say he wasn’t looking forward to saying goodbye. Pretty crappy thing to do to the new owner, though.”
Alex had a sinking feeling his quiet, predictable life had just been turned upside down.
CHAPTER 11
Hope was still dazed as she and Patti walked back toward the resort. They stepped off the wooden pier and onto the soft white sand. Directly in front of them was the infinity pool, and music came from the attached pool bar to her left. Behind the pool sat the open-air restaurant.
“We just opened for lunch,” Patti said. “Let’s head over there and get you somethin’ to eat.” She led them over to a secluded corner table. “This is where Steve and his wife ate their meals. It’s in the corner to create some privacy, but he liked to be out with the guests in case they had any questions or concerns. The rest of us eat in the kitchen. Of course, you can pick any table you’d like.”
Hope made an effort to pull herself together. “This one is fine. And I agree—sitting in the restaurant with the guests is a good idea.”
As Hope sat, Patti beckoned to a young woman standing near the edge of the restaurant. “Charlotte, come on over please, and bring a menu.” She turned back to Hope. “Charlotte is one of our servers. Order whatever you’d like to eat and drink. We’ve brought your bags to the Hibiscus bungalow, which is on the other side of the restaurant. Why don’t you have a bite to eat, then spend the rest of the afternoon relaxin’? You can try out the pool too.”
“That sounds like a great idea.” Hope sat down. “Thank you for your help, Patti. You’ve been a lifesaver.”
Patti squeezed her shoulder. “You’re welcome, child. I’m sorry we didn’t get off to a smoother start. I’ve got some things to take care of, so I’ll leave you to your lunch.”
Charlotte handed Hope the menu and gave her a shy smile. “Pleased to meet you. Can I get you a drink? It sounds like you’ve had a shock of a mornin’.”
“That sounds perfect, but I don’t even know what I want right now.” Hope immediately warmed to Charlotte, who was a slim young Black woman with her hair pulled back in a slick bun.
“Oh, don’t worry about that! I’ll have Clark, our bartender, mix you up somethin’ special.”
As Charlotte hurried toward the pool bar to place her drink order, Hope surveyed the restaurant. Several cooling fans spun overhead, and a row of tables stood directly at the edge of the beach, with several more next to the pool area. The décor was casual tropical, with potted red and yellow bougainvillea scattered throughout.
This is such a beautiful place, and I’ve never felt so alone.
A blender whirred in the distance. Soon a tall, rail-thin young Black man came toward her carrying a tall glass on a circular tray.
“Welcome! I’m Clark, the bartender here.” He set the drink in front of her with a big smile. He had a charming silver tooth, which drew her smile in return. Hope turned her attention to the frozen concoction.
“This is a Painkiller,” Clark said. “It’s the official drink of the Virgin Islands, and I make the best one on St. Croix, if I do say so myself.” He winked one brown eye at her. “It’s made with Cruzan rum, which is distilled right here in St. Croix. You enjoy now.”
She took a deep drink. Clark had been liberal with the rum. Painkiller—exactly what I need right now. As she sipped the pineapple, coconut, and orange juice mixture, Hope kept reminding herself to relax her shoulders. She’d had a knot in her stomach since arriving, and it didn’t show any signs of abating. Charlotte soon brought the blackened fish sandwich and fries she had ordered, and Hope was impressed. The flavors of the fish were both bright and fiery. It was flaky and cooked to perfection.
Guests trickled in after getting cleaned up from their morning adventures. Several were from the dive boat, but there were others too. The divers traded banter back and forth as they discussed the morning’s dives. Hope was surprised they were excited to have seen sharks. That would be the last thing she’d want to see underwater. Once she finished her lunch, it was time to investigate her bungalow.
Hope stepped onto the beach. Four wooden bungalows were spread out along the sand. Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, she had to admit the resort was even prettier in person. To her right, a sandy path wound into the foliage behind the beach. Hope followed that, meandering away from the restaurant with a canopy of jungle trees and colorful shrubs all around. The Painkiller hadn’t managed to remove the ball of dread sitting in her gut.
Have I just made the biggest mistake of my life?
Soon, another path branched off to the left with a red and yellow sign and an arrow reading “Hibiscus,” opening up to a weathered bungalow with a grouping of its colorful namesake flowers planted around it. The pink and yellow flowers contrasted the worn gray wooden structure. There was a screen of vegetation carefully groomed between this bungalow and the next, giving the area a spacious yet very private feel.
Hope climbed the stairs leading up to a screened-in porch directly on the beach. Sitting in front of the interior door were her two suitcases with the room key on top. She gazed at the white sand and turquoise water with the pier jutting out to her left, but feeling only shock and emptiness.
Hope unlocked the door and entered the large open room of the bungalow. A king-size bed with a mosquito net above sat on one side, facing the water. The bedspread mirrored the ocean outside with its muted blue shades. On the other side of the room were a dark-blue couch and loveseat with a coffee table in front. Hope was impressed. It could do with some updating, but most guests would be thrilled to be in this room. I’m definitely not thrilled right now.
The furnishings were colorful, though a bit worn, and the room was spotless. She dragged her suitcases inside but didn’t have the energy to unpack yet. Pouring herself a glass of water from the pitcher sitting on the coffee table, she turned on the air-conditioning unit before sitting on the couch on the front porch while she let the bungalow cool off.
Waves lapped gently onto the shore. The view was beautiful, and she tried to absorb it and not think about anything else. It didn’t work, as the first tear fell down her face. Her breath hitched, and the tears built until she sobbed, bent over with her face in both hands. It had been a long time since she’d let go so completely.
Eventually the tears subsided, and she sat back up, watching the tranquil scene in front of her. She was overwhelmed and alone in the world, even as the palm trees whispered with the breeze.
Without thinking about it, she lay down and fell into a deep sleep.
* * *
