*********************
“Ahh,” Carly said, “The sun, the sand, no phones, no tech
whatsoever, no worries.” She took the fruity run drink from the resort waiter. “I
haven’t had a vacation in years; saved two years to here,” she told him.
“Yes, Ma’am,” the waiter replied. He picked up the signed
bar check he had handed her first. “Enjoy.” He smiled and did a small bow
before going to the next beach chair.
Carly stuck the small straw to her lips and sipped the
sweet, icy beverage. She settled back in the chair and closed her eyes, her
hand resting on the glass in its cup holder.
Suddenly she realized she in the shade. Opening her eyes she
saw that someone had repositioned her umbrella. “What in the world?” she
exclaimed, sitting up and looking around.
Her eyes caught sight of the expensive leather men’s sandals
first, and then moved up to beige linen trousers billowing lightly in the
breeze. She shifted her eyes upward to the green button-down tropical patterned
shirt and then the most handsome tanned face she had ever seen. The man had a
bright white smile with a dimple on his left cheek, smiling black eyes and
short cropped black hair with a slight wave on top. She stared at him mouth
agape slightly.
“Can’t have you burning that beautiful fair skin of yours;
can we?” he said in a voice that reminded her of a British monarch.
Coming back to herself she replied, “I think I should decide
if want to look like a lobster.”
He laughed out loud. “As you wish,” he chuckled and moved
her umbrella back to its original position putting her back in the full sun’s
rays. “Charles,” he called to the waiter, “Please bring her a tube of SPF 35.
She would like to get some sun, but I don’t think she really wants to burn.”
“Yes, sir; straight away,” the waiter answered him.
“Have an enjoyable afternoon, Madam,” the man said and
sauntered back to the resort.
A moment later Charles returned, slightly out of breath,
with the sunscreen. “Her you are. Will there be anything else?” he asked.
“Wow, that was fast,” Carly said. “Who was that?”
“Harrison Conroy, Ma’am. He is the owner. He is always
checking on the guests, making sure they are in need of nothing. This place is
his life.”
Carly raised an eyebrow. “Interesting.” She said. “I’ll have
to thank him later,” she said, indicating the tube of sunscreen.
Charles nodded and quietly walked away.
“I didn’t order this,” Carly told the waitress in the
restaurant later.
The woman replied, “Mr. Conroy thought you might like an
appletini.”
“Oh, does he do that for all the guests too?” Carly asked
her.
“Oh, no Ma’am,” she replied. “He certainly sends Champagne
to honeymooning guests, but not individual drinks, no. At least I’ve never seen
him do it, and I’ve been here ten years.” She gave Carly a wink. “I think he
fancies you,” she added in a whisper.
Carly chuckled. “I can’t imagine I made that good an
impression, but thank him for me.”
After dinner Carly wandered over the resorts dance club. The
music was loud and bodies moved to the beat of the music underneath a mirrored
glass ball. She ordered a glass of wine and stood near a tall table watching
the couples dance and groups of friends drag one another out onto the floor to
dance. “I should have brought someone along too,” she sighed. She left her
glass, half-finished on the table and left the club.
Carly grabbed a cup of coffee from a beach side coffee shop
and leaned over the deck railing walking the waves gently roll to shore and
back out as the full moon reflected on the water further out to sea. She
breathed deeply relaxing and almost dropped her coffee.
A hand reached out and steadied the cup. Carly jumped and
then saw whose hand it was. She smiled. “Mr. Conroy; you saved me once again.”
He smiled. “Penny for your thoughts?”
“It’s just so beautiful and peaceful,” she said with a
shrug.
“This is my favorite time of day,” he said. “Work is done and
there is the beach mostly empty of people.”
Carly nodded. “It’s better shared,” she said absently,
looking at a couple seated in the sand laughing with one another.
“Yes, it is,” Harrison returned. “Please call me Harrison,”
he said
.
Carly nodded. “I’m Carly,” she added just in case he hadn’t
already figured out her name.
“Carly, it is so nice to meet you,” he said and gently
patter her hand.
For the rest of the week Carly found herself in the company
of Harrison Conroy. He would suggest an outing away from the usual tourist
attractions and she would go. They had dinner together and made a round at the
night club.
“Are you sure you don’t do this all the time?” Carly finally
asked him on their last evening together. They were walking on the beach
holding hands, their shoes in their other hands.
“I haven’t had a break from work in years either. I live in
Paradise and I don’t get to enjoy it. I thought I was living the ultimate
vacation,” he added. “And then you said it was better shared, and I knew you were
right.”
Carly smiled and kissed his cheek. “Well, I could do this
everyday day, but unfortunately, reality bites and I have a flight back to
Chicago early in the morning. I still have to pack.
Harrison walked Carly to her room and kissed her
passionately.
“I have wanted to do that for days,” he said. “I have to
work, but my driver will pick you up. You have to be there two hours early for
international flights remember,” he said changing the subject.
A tear slid down Carly’s face. She didn’t dare utter what
she was dying to say so she just said quietly, “Thank you. You’ve made this the
most memorable vacation I have ever had, or probably ever will have again.”
Harrison smiled as he wiped the tear away with his thumb. “Good
night, Carly.”
Two weeks later…
“Girl, you came back from that island glowing and happy and
well rested,” Carly’s friend Monica told her. “I know Chicago is pretty rough,
especially compared to St. Thomas, but you look like crap.”
“Gee, thanks Monica,” Carly told her. “I just can’t stop
thinking about Harrison.”
“The resort owner! You never did tell me much about that,”
she said.
Carly pulled out her cell phone and displayed a photo she
had taken of Harrison Conroy.
“Oh, he is gorgeous,” Monica said. “No wonder you’re having
a hard time.” She looked through the glass panel in Carly’s office wall next to
the door. “Even better in person.”
“What?” Carly hit the button closing the display screen and
put her phone down. She followed Monica’s gaze. “Oh, my God,” she said quietly
and slowly. Her phone buzzed and it made her jump.
“Carly, there is someone out here to see you,” the
receptionist said.
“I’ll be right there,” Carly replied. She quickly ran her
fingers through her hair and straightened her skirt as she stood.
Monica laughed. “He’s seen you without makeup, in a bathing
suit no less. Don’t worry about it; just go.”
Carly blushed and smiled. She tried to look confident as she
entered the outer office, but gave up the closer she got to the desk and just
ran the last fifteen feet with her arms outstretched.
Harrison caught her and kissed her. “Did you mean what you
said about being able to work on the island every day?”
Carly smiled and nodded.
“Then I need your help desperately. I can’t eat, or sleep,
or think. You are all I see. I love you," he said.
Carly smiled. She turned to her co-workers who were beaming
at them. “Tell the boss I quit. Sorry about the short notice. Send my stuff to
my apartment, but do it quick. I won’t be there long.”
