Welcome to Coco Bay

by Kirsty McManus

  He’s not on the ground floor when I arrive, so I head up to the guys’ floor.

  I can hear the shower running, and when I check Noah’s room, I find it empty.

  I sit down on a chair just inside the door to wait. The room is quite neat. I haven’t actually spent much time in here, because I didn’t want to make Dash feel weird. The room has two king-single beds, one in each corner. A large wooden closet stands in the middle, and there are prints all over the walls of classic movies from the thirties and forties. Typical bachelor room.

  I hear footsteps, and Noah appears, his hair still wet from the shower. He has a towel wrapped around his waist that I would very much like to remove.

  He starts when he sees me. “Oh, hi. I didn’t know you’d be here.”

  “I wanted to see how you were, and also take a nap so I’m ready for the night shift.”

  “Ah. Yeah, I thought I’d do that too.” He doesn’t make any move to find his clothes.

  “I’m…I’m sorry about Seb. I tried to find out what he wanted, but I’m not sure even he knew. He’s engaged, so as far as I’m concerned, he shouldn’t be here.”

  “And if he wasn’t engaged?”

  I’d thought about that on the walk over, and I’ve realised it doesn’t matter. I wasn’t with Seb long enough to really get to know him, and seeing him here, going behind his fiancée’s back, is a huge turnoff.

  And just being in this room with Noah, even if he wasn’t half-naked, feels right. I want to be with him.

  I reach out and gently run my finger down his chest. “It doesn’t make any difference. I don’t want him. I want you.”

  He takes hold of my hand and brings the finger to his mouth, kissing it softly. My whole body fizzes in response. And then he pulls me backwards so that we fall onto his bed. Our mouths collide, our hands running through hair and down torsos.

  I unbutton my shirt and throw it on the floor.

  Noah laughs. “I should probably get the door.” He jumps up and kicks it closed, turning the lock. I hope Dash doesn’t need anything in here for a while.

  Noah comes up behind me, unlatches my bra and lets it fall to the ground.

  I turn back to face him and feel my skin against his.

  There is no doubt in my mind that this is where I should be.

  THIRTY

  Noah

  I am falling for this woman, even though we’ve only known each other for a month. And if that douchebag Seb tries to reconcile with her, despite being freakin’ engaged to another woman, I will be a very unhappy man. Of course, I trust Emily to see through his bullshit, but then I also trusted Lani—and look where that got me.

  Emily is resting on my stomach. Since the bed is only a king single, there’s not a lot of room to spread out.

  “We’re definitely going to have to get that new bed for you,” I say. “The biggest one that will fit in your room.”

  “Since Calvin’s gone, do you think we can take his place?”

  “Yeah, I guess. It’s pretty nice, actually. Have you seen it?”

  “No. What’s it like?”

  “It’s a small two-story villa. The living, dining, and kitchen are downstairs, and there are two rooms upstairs. The only thing is, it’s so far away from everyone else.”

  “Oh, right. Well, do you think maybe we could rearrange this place? Mix it up so it’s not just guys on one level and girls on the other?”

  I smile. “I like the way you think. Sure. We’ll discuss it with everyone after things have calmed down. I suppose we’ll need to figure out whether we can afford to keep running the place first. And if we need more staff…”

  “Yeah.” She runs her hands down her face. “God, there’s too much to think about.”

  “We can only do what we can do.”

  “I know…”

  I look at my watch. “It’s getting late. Did you want to go have that nap now?”

  She laughs. “For some reason, I’m not tired anymore.”

  “Sex is like caffeine, huh?”

  “Yes. Sex is like caffeine.” She kisses my chest, and I’m tempted to keep her here for another couple of hours, but I know we have a resort to run.

  She rolls off me and starts getting dressed. “I might have a quick shower and then head back. But if you want to take a break for a while, you can meet me at reception in a few hours?”

  “Sounds good.” I kiss her one last time and let her go.

  I lie there, staring at the ceiling.

  Life has certainly changed a lot in the last four weeks. I’ve gone from almost proposing to someone to finding out she cheated on me, to then meeting a gorgeous woman who is sweeter than anyone I’ve ever known.

  I feel like things can only get better from here.

  ***

  I know Emily said I should take a break, but I can’t sit still knowing that everyone else is working hard.

  As I head back to reception, I call Mum. She and Dinah decided not to come out for opening day because they were worried they’d be a distraction. I would have much preferred them to the very unwelcome distraction of Lani showing up.

  “Hi, honey. How’s it all going out there?”

  “Crazy, but good.”

  “Oh, I’m glad to hear that. I’m so proud of you for rising to the challenge and achieving so much in such a short amount of time.”

  “Well, obviously, it wasn’t all down to me. The others, and especially Emily, had a big part to play as well.”

  “I assume the two of you are an item now?”

  I laugh awkwardly. “Uh, yes. At least, I think so.” I only just realise that despite her declaration that she wants me and not her ex, we didn’t specifically clarify that we’d be exclusive.

  “What do you mean, you think so?”

  “As far as I’m concerned, we are. We just haven’t had the official talk.”

  “Well, what’s stopping you? Go have it now.”

  I laugh. “Mum, it’s opening day! But don’t worry, it’ll happen.”

  “Just don’t leave it too late. That girl is definitely a keeper.”

  “I agree.” I reach reception, waving at Sasha and heading to the office in the back. Emily isn’t there, but I figure I’ll go through some admin before I head out to see if anyone needs an extra set of hands. “I love you,” I say.

  “I love you too, honey. Go knock ‘em dead.”

  I smile and hang up. I’m so pleased that Mum and Dinah like Emily. It makes things so much easier.

  I sit down at one of the computers. Our email program is open, and there are dozens of new messages, mostly with booking enquiries and other resort-related correspondence. There’s one from a supplier sending through an invoice, which I choose to ignore for now…one from a massage therapist wondering if she can apply to work from the island a few days a week…and one from a company called Aurora Tourism Marketing. The name sounds familiar, but it isn’t until I click on it that I realise why.

  Attn: Emily McIntosh

  Hi Emily,

  It’s been difficult tracking you down since you returned to Australia, but we were recently contacted by your current employer who made us aware that you have taken on a position at the Coco Bay Island Resort back in Australia.

  Firstly, we would like to issue a full and unreserved apology regarding the way you were treated in your final weeks with us. We wrongly trusted the word of what we believed to be a reputable private investigator, only to later discover this was not the case.

  As a result, Ryan Franco almost got away with defrauding our company of close to two hundred and fifty thousand dollars. I’m not in a legal position to explain the details now, but rest assured, he will face serious consequences.

  If you ever consider returning to Vancouver, we would be delighted to reinstate your work visa and employ you at our company again. We were very lucky to have you on staff, and it was unfortunate we didn’t realise how vital you were to day-to-day operations until you left. Should you take us up on
our offer, we are willing to discuss a senior role and substantial remuneration package.

  Kind Regards,

  Jacinda Pollard

  Head of Human Resources

  I stare at the screen, my heart sinking. Just when one potential threat to my relationship with Emily has passed, another arises. Part of me wonders if Jacinda is just trying to cover her butt and avoid a wrongful-dismissal lawsuit, or if the offer is genuine. But I’ll have to trust that Emily knows what she wants and does the right thing.

  I just hope the right thing for her includes me and this island.

  THIRTY-ONE

  Emily

  After dealing with a mini emergency involving a guest who somehow managed to lock themselves outside their room while naked, I finally allow myself to relax.

  It’s been a massive day, made even more insane by the appearance of Seb (who I have thankfully not seen again) and apparently Lani (who I have thankfully not seen at all). Having those two here has slightly tainted what should have been a positive experience, but I’m determined not to let them get to me. In a parallel universe, I would have been excited to have Seb show up, but definitely not in his, or my, current relationship state.

  And what was the deal with Lola? Why did she come along? Clearly, she wasn’t interested in getting to know the woman her stepbrother had flown all the way to another state to visit.

  I mentally shake it off. I have better things to think about.

  I haven’t been back to reception for a while, so I head over to check on Sasha. Most of the guests have returned to their rooms, as it’s after 10pm and all the common areas are closing up for the evening.

  Sasha is behind the counter looking way too perky for someone who has been on her feet and going nonstop for about fifteen hours.

  “Can I have some of what you’re having?” I ask.

  “It’s coffee. I’ve practically been mainlining it all day.”

  “Do you want to go take a break? I was supposed to have a nap earlier, but it didn’t happen. I think I’ll be okay on my own for a few hours, though.”

  “Nah, I think I’ll do an all-nighter and catch up on sleep tomorrow.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes. Besides, if I go back to the staff quarters, I might run into Dash.”

  “Oh! I’ve been meaning to ask you what happened there, but I never got the chance.”

  “I don’t think I was ready to talk about it before now.”

  “What happened that night down on the beach?”

  She covers her face with her hands. “I almost don’t want to tell you. It’s so embarrassing.”

  “Why?”

  “I puked on his feet. I drank so much in an effort to relax that I overdid it, and then when I was about to go in for a kiss, I hurled.”

  “No! That’s almost as bad as me being sick in front of Bruce!”

  “It’s worse! At least you’re not romantically attracted to Bruce, and you don’t have to see him every day and live in the same building.”

  “I’m sure Dash would have forgiven you.”

  “I can’t face him, Em! I know I put on a good show and make people think I’m totally laid-back and can handle anything—but humiliating myself like that in front of the guy I really like was the worst! What kind of respectable man would go for someone who literally vomited on him?”

  “How did he react at the time?”

  “He naturally looked very horrified and took off. He’s been avoiding me since.”

  “I’m so sorry, babe. I’m sure he’ll get over it eventually.”

  “But I won’t! I’m going to have to go and live on my own in the construction crew’s old building so I don’t have to see him again.”

  “Don’t be silly. This will all blow over. I promise.”

  “I hope you’re right. Oh, before I forget, Noah mentioned he left you a note in the office. He had to go and close up the fitness centre, but he’ll be back soon.”

  “Okay.” I head out the back and look around for a note. I find it on my desk on top of the keyboard.

  I flagged an email for your attention.

  I wonder what was so important that it required a Post-it. I sit down and open our email program. There is one message with a little red flag beside it.

  When I read the contents, my heart almost stops.

  Wow.

  ***

  Noah stands in the doorway. “You saw the message?”

  I nod.

  “So, what do you think?”

  I note his worried expression and smile gently. I think I love this man, even though I’ve only known him for a few short weeks. But he’s made me feel more at home here, and more alive than I have ever felt anywhere else.

  “I think it’s a load of crap, and I would never go back to a company that fired me before giving me a chance to explain my side of the story.”

  It’s as if a weight has lifted off his shoulders, and he breaks out into a huge grin. He runs over and lifts me off the ground, spinning me in circles until I get dizzy.

  Once he places me lightly back on my feet, I press my hands to his cheeks. “I told you before, I want you, and it’s going to be pretty hard to stick to that promise if I’m on the other side of the world. But also, I love this island, and I see huge potential for it. This job…this life…it’s more satisfying than anything I had in Canada. In fact, it’s better than anything I’ve ever had, period. You might not know this, but I used to be very closed-off. Except thanks to you, and Sasha, and everyone else here, I now feel like I’ve found my family.”

  He looks at me with such tenderness that I almost can’t take it. “Would it totally freak you out if I told you I loved you?” he asks.

  “Nope. Because I love you too. We’re a team, and we can handle anything thrown at us. We’re meant to be here together, bringing this island to life. And I know it might occasionally get messy—hell, we both have exes who don’t seem to be able to stay away from us—but if we continue to communicate and be honest with each other, we’ll get through it all.”

  “You are amazing, Emily McIntosh.”

  “Right back atcha, Noah Hawkins.”

  “So, how did you leave it with your ex? Can I just say now, he was kind of a dick when I talked to him earlier?”

  “He must have sensed we were together and was being jealous,” I speculate. “But I guess because he and I lived in our own little bubble for a month, I never had a chance to really get to know him. He only met up with one of my friends once—and he’s engaged to her now. We were never in a situation where I got to see him on anything but his best behaviour. The fact that he wasn’t nice to you is all the ammunition I need to tell him to get lost and never contact me again.”

  “And freakin’ Lani. I promise I had no idea she was coming. I definitely would never have let her on the boat, but she told me she found her own way here. I’m not sure what she was trying to achieve, but whatever it is, it failed. She told me Cal dropped the charges against her, but I’m seriously considering reinstating them just so we can recoup some of the costs associated with cleaning and time wasted.”

  “Whatever you think is best. But I would be fine with letting her go home and pretending she no longer exists. Lani seems like the kind of person who would suffer the most if she thought she was being ignored.”

  “You might be right there.”

  “So, what now? Do you want to lock the door to this office and do something that would probably be hugely frowned upon in our new procedure manuals?”

  He chuckles. “I like the sound of that. But first, I have a very important question to ask.”

  I stare at him, suddenly worried. He’s not going to pull an Emmet and ask me to marry him after a few weeks, is he?

  “Yes?”

  “Will you be my girlfriend?”

  I burst out laughing. “Yes, of course. I thought that was a given.”

  “I just wanted to check. That means we’re exclusive?”

  I kis
s his forehead. “Yes, we’re exclusive.”

  He clears a bunch of papers from one of the desks and grabs me. “In that case…”

  Best. Day. Ever.

  THIRTY-TWO

  Noah

  On Sunday afternoon, Emily, Sasha, and I gather in the office to debrief.

  “What a whirlwind!” Sasha says, plonking herself down in one of the chairs.

  “Yeah, it all went better than I expected,” I say. “Except I’ve looked over the preliminary figures, and we’re still way off being able to make this place sustainable.”

  Sasha pouts. “But what else can we do? We’ve done everything!”

  “I know. I guess the only way to make this work properly is to get some outside investment. Or maybe even find someone who is willing to buy out Bruce.”

  Both Emily and Sasha look troubled, which I understand. After having to deal with Bruce and Calvin, we don’t want to have to bring another wildcard into the mix.

  “I’ll work on a few marketing ideas with Dash over the coming week to see if we can come up with anything,” Emily says. “And maybe I can even get in touch with some industry contacts I dealt with while I lived in Canada. Now that my name is clear, I won’t feel so weird calling them.”

  “Good thinking. I’ll see if I can come up with anything too. You know, I don’t think I included the rent Lachie is paying down on the beach in our figures. With us now in charge, we can keep him and his gang around as long as they want to stay. Which I’m sure will help a little with cashflow.”

  “We can do this!” Sasha says, sounding like a high-school cheerleader. And then she suddenly turns serious. “I forgot to ask. What happened with the battle of the exes?”

  I wrinkle my nose. “Lani has been surprisingly quiet, which I’m a little worried about.”

  “Yeah, Seb too,” Emily says.

  I check the computer for ferry reservations back to the mainland. “And they’re both booked on the next boat to Mackay.”

  “Hopefully, that’s the last we’ll hear of both of them,” Sasha says. “Or the three of them if you count that weird stepsister of Seb’s. Do you know she called reception at 4am and asked for some lemon to put in her room’s complimentary jug of spring water?”