by Jade Winters
Madison was taken aback by her question. She hadn’t told Darcie that she had taken her mother’s maiden name shortly after she had died. ‘Sentimental reasons.’
Darcie gave a knowing nod and left it at that. They sat in silence for a few minutes. The air thick with tension, and words that should be spoken being left unsaid.
‘I’m in a dilemma…’ Darcie said.
‘With the proposal?’
‘Yes.’
‘What’s the problem?’
Darcie placed her mug on the table and got up. She paced the room as she spoke. ‘I can’t, in all conscience, rebrand a business while their staff are treated like shit. I mean at least in this country we have the minimum wage and people are given holiday leave. They aren’t forced to live apart from their loved ones. Or have to work sixteen hours a day for next to nothing.’
‘So you’re still thinking about the community centre?’
Darcie crouched down in front of Madison. ‘Yes. And decent working hours and holidays. I really don’t understand why everyone is so against treating people humanely.’
‘Not everyone, Darcie. I told you already, I happen to like the idea.’
‘And this is where the problem lies. If I include it in the proposal, I imagine your uncle is going to be pissed. But if I don’t… I don’t think I’d be true to myself.’
‘So what you’ve got to decide is what’s more important to you,’ Madison said earnestly. ‘Fighting for what you believe in or following the herd.’
‘But that’s just it. If we don’t win this contract we’re up the creek. People’s livelihoods depend on me making the right decision.’
Madison hesitated for a moment, crossing her arms over her chest. ‘You know there’s no guarantee of you winning the contract—’
‘Oh God, of course not.’ Darcie was back on her feet again. Her forehead creased, she looked down at Madison. ‘You don’t think I thought because we… you and me… that I had—’
Madison’s cheeks flushed. ‘No of course I didn’t. What I was asking indirectly, is what’s going to happen if you don’t win the contract?’
‘I don’t know,’ Darcie said. ‘I really don’t.’
Darcie sounded close to tears as she dropped onto the sofa. Without thinking, Madison went to her side, placing her hand on her shoulder. Darcie stiffened at first and seemed as though she was going to move away again but eventually she relaxed.
‘We’ll sort something out, Darce.’ It was the second time since they met again that Madison had shortened her name.
Darcie turned to her and in that moment Madison was transported back ten years. There was no resistance in Darcie’s eyes. And for a split second Madison remembered why she had fallen so madly in love with her. Why I still love her. She thought about pulling Darcie closer. To hold her in her arms and never let her go.
‘I shouldn’t be burdening you with all of this. It’s my problem.’
‘If I recall correctly, I said something along similar lines years ago.’
A slight smile curved Darcie’s lips. ‘Yeah I remember.’
‘And do you remember what you said to me? You said, and I quote “My shoulders are broad enough to hold anything”.’
They both laughed at the shared memory.
‘I’ve never forgotten all the things you did for me, Darcie. And now I’m in a position to help you, I’ll do anything I can.’
‘I don’t want any favours. If we win that contract it has to be because we put forward the best proposal.’
‘Do you really think I would do that to you or my uncle? I just meant I could help you see if what you’re trying for is actually feasible.’
‘And how can you do that?’
The words left Madison’s lips before she knew what she was saying. ‘I’ll take you to Thailand. Then you can meet the management team face-to-face and see what can be worked out. That way when you formulate the campaign you’ll either have the hotel’s management’s backing or you won’t. If you do, I can’t see how my uncle will have a leg to stand on if he says no.’
‘Thailand?’ Darcie said.
Madison nodded.
‘Just you and me?’
‘Just you and me,’ Madison said, excited at the thought.
It would only be for a few days, but that would be long enough to finally get to the crux of why Darcie had been so hostile toward her. Madison knew it had nothing to do with resentment as Kay had suggested. She knew in her heart that Darcie wasn’t that sort of person. Her actions spoke louder than words. Darcie wanted what was best for people, as demonstrated with the moral dilemma she found herself faced with by her insistence on trying to do the right thing for the hotel’s staff. And she also knew Darcie wouldn’t be so petty as to hold it against Madison for not telling her who she was when they’d met at the coffee shop. No, it had to be something Darcie thought Madison had done. And Thailand would be the perfect place to draw the truth out of her. That’s if she agreed to go.
‘I don’t know.’ Darcie combed her fingers through her hair. ‘What will your uncle say if he finds out? He might think we went behind his back and be even more pissed off.’
‘Why does he have to know?’ Madison said, raising her eyebrows.
Darcie grinned. ‘You haven’t changed, have you?’
Neither have my feelings for you.
‘Nope. So what’s the answer?’ Madison’s palms were slick and sweaty. ‘Yes, or no?’
‘Yes, obviously. When do we leave?’
‘I’ll tell my uncle I need to fly out there to oversee the refurbishment.’
‘Oh I thought that was an excuse to buy yourself some time.’
‘It was. But the place needed a spruce up so it was as good a time as any,’ Madison said. ‘So as soon as he gives me the green light we can leave.’
Without warning, Darcie leant in and kissed Madison on her cheek. The side where her scar had once been. The warmth of her touch lingered.
‘I can’t thank you enough for doing this for me,’ Darcie said.
‘I haven’t done anything. All I’m doing is giving you a chance to talk to the people who make the decisions. The hard work of convincing them of the business sense of your plan is down to you.’
Darcie rubbed her hands together with glee. ‘Thailand here we come.’
Chapter Seventeen
‘You’re going where?’ Emma sounded as incredulous as Darcie had been when Madison had proposed the idea. But the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. Pleading her case to the actual management team meant she could hold them accountable. Not that she had any clout, but she could ask them how they justified treating immigrant workers differently because they were a different nationality.
‘Thailand,’ Darcie repeated.
Darcie held her mobile phone in the crook of her neck while she walked around the room, grabbing items she needed for her upcoming trip. It was hard to believe that just two days ago her mind was in such a tizzy she didn’t know whether she was coming or going.
There was a pause before Emma answered. This time the frustration in her voice was clear to hear. ‘I can’t believe I’m hearing this.’
Darcie knew Emma probably thought it was one of the worst ideas Darcie had ever come up with, but if they were going to be awarded the contract, she had to do something so spectacular that Bette’s proposal would look like it had come from a firm of rank amateurs.
‘Please trust me on this, Emma. I know what I’m doing.’
‘And what’s that exactly?’
‘I’m going to speak with the managers at the hotel, and see if we can come up with an agreement.’
‘And you really think they’ll listen to what you have to say?’ Emma said quickly.
If only it was that simple to say yes or no. ‘If they want to hold on to their jobs, that’s exactly what they’ll do. What I’m about to tell you is in the strictest of confidence, all right?’
Emma’s tone was cool. ‘Do yo
u even have to ask?’
‘You’re right. Sorry. OK, so Madison told me, that after the story broke about the working conditions in the hotel, bookings dropped by eighty percent. She said it’s the money men who are filling her uncle’s head with nonsense by telling him that things will blow over and no real changes need to be implemented.’
‘Are you telling me a successful businessman like Mr Willis hasn’t got a mind of his own?’
‘I’m just telling you what Madison told me.’
There were a few moments of silence when neither woman spoke. When Emma eventually did, there was a playful tone in her voice.
‘Will you be sharing a room with Madison?’
‘I’m going there to talk, Em, not catch up on old times with Madison,’ Darcie said, though in all honesty, sleeping arrangements had crossed her mind. Would she be able to say no if the opportunity presented itself? She doubted it.
I’ll just have to make sure I don’t find myself in a compromising position.
‘Really?’ Emma sounded doubtful. ‘Sand, sea and—’
‘Ain’t gonna happen. This trip is all about business. What you said the other day about keeping ourselves in jobs, doing right by our people? That’s why I’m doing this and I’m not going to let anything get in the way of that. Listen, I’ve got to go. Maddie’s picking me up in a minute.’
‘Maddie eh? Sounds cosy already.’
Darcie came to a halt in the middle of her bedroom. She hadn’t even realised she’d sounded so familiar. She would have to watch herself over the next few days. It would be too easy to fall under Madison’s spell again. And with Bette on the scene, she knew that wasn’t a wise move.
‘I’ll text you when I get there.’
‘And don’t worry about anything back here. I’ve got it covered,’ Emma reassured her.
‘That’s why I love you. You’re so unbelievably competent it frightens me. Listen, while I’m gone, what do you think about us getting out and about and putting ourselves forward for some of the bigger contracts? Ever since this job for Clover came up it seems to have been the only focus we’ve had in a while. Maybe it’s best if we have a back up plan in case this all goes tits up.’
‘You know, Darce, that is music to my ears. While you’re away I’ll get a small team together and start banging down a few doors to see what we can find. The Clover contract would be a lifesaver for us, but it isn’t the only thing going on out there.’
Darcie was sure she could hear the smile in Emma’s voice. ‘That’s great, I’ll leave that in your capable hands.’
‘What can I say,’ Emma said with humour. ‘Have a safe trip.’
Darcie threw her phone on the bed. ‘Right, have I got everything?’ she said out loud as she double-checked the contents of her case. Satisfied, she zipped it closed and dragged it to the front door. She had five minutes to spare, so she bagged the food that was close to the best before date in the fridge and binned it, then she checked all the switches that didn’t need to be on were switched off. She had just made her way outside when Madison drew up in a taxi.
‘Good timing,’ Darcie said as she settled onto the seat next to her.
‘You excited?’
‘Very. This is going to be the trip of a lifetime.’ Darcie couldn’t remember the last time she’d been on a long-haul flight. It had been such a long time ago.
It was moments like that when Darcie realised that work seemed to have taken up so much of her life that she had missed out on the excitement of holidays. Although when Darcie thought about it some more, she realised that there hadn’t been anyone in her life who she could tolerate for that length of time.
‘My thoughts exactly,’ Madison said.
‘Was it easy to persuade your uncle to let you go?’
‘It was actually.’
‘You sound surprised.’ Darcie couldn’t help but wonder what Mr Willis would do if he found out about them sneaking off behind his back. Would he fire Madison? Remove Darcie from the shortlist?
‘I am surprised,’ Madison said. ‘At one stage I thought he was going to insist on coming as well, but fortunately, something came up at the last minute.’
‘Lucky us.’ Darcie hoped luck would remain on her side when they arrived in Thailand.
***
The twelve-hour journey was uneventful as Darcie slept most of the time, which meant when they touched down in Phuket she was raring to go. They were only going to be there for four days, so she needed to make use of her time wisely. It was half an hour’s drive to the hotel Madison had booked them into. They had separate rooms … but they were adjoining.
Darcie unpacked in no time and was keen to explore. It was her first time in Thailand and she couldn’t wait to see the hotel, which up until now she had only seen pictures of and read reports about. The pictures looked great, but the reports did not make great reading
After changing into a pair of white linen trousers and vest to try and mitigate the sticky humidity she had felt when she got off the plane, Darcie tapped on the adjoining door. When Madison shouted for her to enter, she opened the door and was totally unprepared for what she saw. Madison was wearing black cropped trousers and a black bikini bra. Darcie couldn’t keep her eyes off Madison’s toned body as she stretched across and picked up a shirt from the bed. Darcie almost begged her not to put it on, but Madison slid in her arms and buttoned it to the top.
Her body still tingling with the after-effects of seeing Madison partially dressed, Darcie followed her downstairs. Her eyes glued to the exposed skin on the back of her neck from where Madison had pinned up her hair in a messy bun.
There was no denying that she fancied Madison like crazy, but up until that moment Darcie thought she had her emotions and her desires under control. Little did she realise just by seeing a fleeting glimpse of her bare skin, her hormones would go into a frenzy. She sincerely hoped Madison didn’t invite her to go for a swim. Seeing her near naked would be more than Darcie could bear, although maybe … no, she told herself firmly, this trip is business only.
‘The hotel isn’t far from here. Do you want to get a taxi or would you prefer to walk?’
The heat was unbearable, and Darcie’s first thought was to get in an air-conditioned taxi, but by doing so she would miss out of getting a feel for the neighbourhood.
‘Let’s walk,’ Darcie said, hoping she wasn’t going to regret it.
‘You sure?’ Madison asked, looking at her with concern.
Darcie nodded, despite knowing her face probably already resembled a beetroot. The heat seemed to pool in her cheeks.
As they walked, sweat rolled down Darcie’s back, and no matter how much water she drank or how many times she wafted her face with a piece of paper, the heat and humidity never abated. Even the dogs they passed on the road looked like they didn’t know what to do with themselves.
Darcie had never felt so hot in her life.
Madison talked about the city with considerable knowledge. She pointed out areas of interest—buildings that had been demolished by the 2004 tsunami and explained how the community had worked so hard to rebuild their lives and businesses.
Now that Darcie had seen a small part of Thailand for herself, she realised why it was such a tourist attraction. They carefully made their way down a steep embankment towards the sea and when she finally stood on the white sandy beach in front of the turquoise water, Darcie was speechless. It was one of the most amazing views she had ever seen in her life.
Birds chirped away merrily in the palm trees, and the afternoon sun fell through the branches creating uneven patterns of shade on the sand. Darcie bent down and picked up a handful of stones and cast them into the sea one by one. Each stone was a wish and Darcie felt more hopeful than she had for a while that at least some of them were going to come true.
After they’d spent about an hour down by the sea they finally made their way to the hotel which backed onto the beach a little further along.
Seeing an ab
andoned plot, Darcie pointed to it. ‘Who owns that land?’
Madison pushed her sunglasses on top of her head and looked in the direction of Darcie’s finger. ‘We do.’
‘What are your plans for it?’
‘I don’t think we have any at the moment.’
Darcie suddenly had an idea. In her mind’s eye she could see the vibrant brilliance of the sea and sand as the perfect place to put the community centre. She was so enthused by the idea that she ran the last stretch of the distance to reach it. Madison was close behind.
‘This is it. The perfect place for the community centre. I can just see it. The community can sell their art, knick knacks, whatever they want. The space is big enough to house a play area for the kids. It wouldn’t even cost much seeing as you own the land.’
Madison listened attentively, following Darcie’s enthusiastic wanderings around the empty plot that was in Darcie’s eyes already a fabulous building. Darcie explained to her exactly how she was planning to sell the idea to Madison’s uncle.
‘It sounds feasible?’ Madison said. ‘If you can make it look financially attractive I don’t see why he’d have a problem with it.
‘If anyone can make finances work it’s Emma.’
Darcie didn’t miss Madison’s expression. She didn’t have to say anything about their current problems, but that had nothing to do with Emma. If it wasn’t for her they would have gone bust months ago.
‘I believe in you, Darcie, and if you think this can work, it’ll work.’
Still high with excitement, Darcie pulled Madison into an embrace and held her tight.
‘Thank you for bringing me here.’
Madison’s arms slid around Darcie’s waist. ‘I wouldn’t want to be here with anyone else.’
‘Me neither,’ Darcie said, burying her face in Madison’s hair.
I feel like I’m standing right inside a dream, like I’ve travelled back in time ten years. Her pulse raced. And nothing’s changed.
Madison drew back. ‘Let’s go and see what the managers have to say.’
Darcie followed Madison up a long, winding path surrounded by palm trees and manmade waterfalls. Although the hotel wasn’t open for business, a number of gardeners were still in uniform, maintaining the stunning gardens.
