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“It is,” I agreed. “You’re lucky to work in such an amazing place.”
“I am.”
“There’s no town here. Do you live here all the time?”
He nodded. “The buildings south of the dock? Employee housing.”
I only vaguely remembered them when the ferry docked. My attention had been on Jason, the cute hang gliding fool.
“Not everyone lives here full-time,” Henry said. “Many live on St. John and commute. Mostly those with families, kids in school. A few people live in the States and work seasonally. Me and my wife, we’re what I think is called empty nesters? When our youngest went to college, we applied for jobs here. Millie is head of housekeeping. I do a little of everything. Managementis good. We take one month off a year, paid vacation, and visit our children. But here, even working is like a vacation.”
I glanced to the east one more time, with the resort and beach spread out below.
“Look,” he said, and gestured to the west.
I turned around. It was heady to see the ocean on both sides. The sun made the water sparkle like diamonds for as far as I could see. “Don’t miss the sunset,” he said.
“I won’t.” I thanked Henry and followed the music.
The Sky Bar was a large, partially open building with a reinforced thatched roof, kitchen, and full bar. Tables surrounded a dance floor, and the DJ played in the corner. White string lighting liberally decorated nearby trees. Benches and lounge chairs were perched on the edge of the mountain for viewing the sunset. The room glowed orange; the sky a brilliant rainbow as the sun continued its descent into the water.
More than thirty people were eating appetizers and mingling. Jason was working the bar. I watched his easy moves and comfortable smile as I grabbed a glass of champagne from a tray.
Doug pulled me into his group. It was fun being around men who were good friends, animated, intelligent, and full of humor. Maybe a little toomuchgood humor, but they were on vacation.
Brie was standing to one side, and I wondered why she’d come here alone. After a few moments, I excused myself and walked over to where she watched the sunset.
“Hi,” I said. “Brie, right?”
Brie gave me a sidelong glance. I guess I would, too, if some stranger came up to me and started talking.
“You’re the accountant from the bar.”
How did she know?
“Mia,” I said.
“So, first day here. What do you think?”
“It’s beautiful.” That seemed like an obvious thing to say. “I’ve never been to the Caribbean before.”
“We come every year. Well, since my mom died when I was five.”
“I’m sorry.”
She shrugged. “Yeah. Well.”
I felt a surprising kinship with the teen. My mom had left when I was young, and while that wasn’t the same as dying, I hadn’t seen my mother since. She sent an annual birthday card, then a card with a hundred dollars for my high school graduation, but no acknowledgment when I graduated magna cum laude from college. She hadn’t even attended my dad’s funeral. I didn’t love her or hate her; I had no feelings about the woman who gave birth to me.
“Jason said you’re going to college in the fall.”
Brie rolled her eyes. “Can’t tell him anything.”
I had questions about the missing woman, and Brie had been here for several days. I wondered if she knew anything.
“I liked college a lot more than high school,” I said. It was the truth. “I hated the drama, always feeling like I was walking across a minefield.”
Brie grunted a laugh. “True. And there’s no drama in college?” she added sarcastically.