Page 22 of Another Lucky Number (Lucky Number #2)

Chapter Twenty

‘ E mma? Are you OK?’

Charnice’s voice filters through to my consciousness and I tune back into my surroundings. The group of women we were checking out are wheeling their cases away, led by another member of the concierge.

‘Sorry… oh, gosh , I do apologise. I just saw someone—’

The door James walked out of suddenly re-opens, and he strides back into the atrium alone, heading in the direction he first came from.

Fuck. My immediate instinct is to hide but I’m not fast enough. He looks across in our direction and stops dead.

‘ Emma? ’

‘ Hi .’ I give a mortified wave, all too aware how weird this must look without the context of my job interview.

James approaches the reception desk and Charnice politely excuses herself, no doubt to give me some privacy. He’s looking hot: all trendy summer beach gear, shades perched in his thick dark hair and gorgeous white teeth. A stark contrast to my current predicament .

‘What are you doing behind reception?’ he asks. ‘And why are you wearing the hotel uniform?’

I glance down at my outfit and my humiliation deepens. With my ‘holiday hair’ and my ‘deflated beach ball’ blouse, he couldn’t have seen me looking much worse.

‘I’m… learning how this place works… because I have an interview for a job with Paradis Resorts on Monday.’

‘You have an interview?’ He looks understandably baffled. ‘How did that come about?’

‘How do you think?’

‘Amber?’

‘Got it in one. We got chatting to the owner of the company in one of the bars, he happened to mention he was recruiting and Amber put on the hard sell.’

‘Sébastien Dumont,’ says James, and I see a flicker of something I can’t quite identify pass across his face. ‘Right. So, you’re going for a job… on reception?’

‘No . It’s a role in resort acquisition, supporting the company’s growth strategy.’

There’s another unreadable expression. ‘Great. Well, good luck with that, Emma. Enjoy your stint on reception. I’ll see you around.’

He gives me a curt nod and walks off in the direction he was originally heading.

Stunned by his reaction, it’s only once he’s out of sight that my brain kicks back into gear – with a lot of questions.

I was so appalled by him seeing me in this abominable outfit that I didn’t think to ask what he’s doing here on this resort when he’s meant to be in the US.

As well as how he knows Sébastien (although it’s probably because he works in the travel industry himself), and also, what the hell is wrong with him?

Where’s the charming, flirtatious guy that was so into me before?

Then realisation catches up. Last night was no hallucination or case of mistaken identity.

It was James – which means he did see me dancing with Sébastien, and now I’ve told him I’ve got an interview with Sébastien’s company too.

So, basically, he thinks I’ve hooked up with the rich guy, and I’m planning to run off with him to hell knows where.

Shit . No wonder he was cold with me. I need to find him and explain.

‘Uh… Charnice?’

‘Yes, Emma.’ She turns to me and I pull an apologetic face.

‘I’m really sorry, but I need to go and deal with something urgently.’

‘Of course.’ She appears unfazed by me bailing on her. ‘Is everything all right? Can I help at all?’

‘Thank you, but no. I’m fine. I’ll get it sorted. I’ll also drop this uniform back to you later if that’s OK?’

‘That’s fine.’ She gives me a sympathetic smile that indicates she overheard at least some of my conversation with James. ‘Good luck.’

Grabbing my clothes, I take off after James, but as I rush down one corridor of suite doors after the next, it becomes clear that I’m never going to find him.

I let out a frustrated wail before catching a glimpse of myself in one of the resorts decorative mirrors. Oh my god, I really have to change.

I high-tail it back to my suite where I quickly throw on my original clothes, apply some mascara and lip gloss, and attempt to tame my humidity ravaged hair.

Once I’m happy that I look more presentable, I send a WhatsApp message to Amber asking where they are, and she replies almost instantly with their location – on the beach.

‘Why are you not on reception?’ she asks when I approach them several minutes later.

‘I had to finish up early.’

‘Because?’

‘Because James is here. I spoke to him.’

‘ James is here? ’ Cat’s voice rises an octave. ‘I thought he— ’

‘Hold on.’ Amber cuts her off. ‘That was a reason to duck out of your interview prep because…?’

‘Amber, did you not hear what I said?’ I’m incredulous at her reaction.

She tips up her sunglasses and surveys me with irritation. ‘I heard you. But it doesn’t sound like a reason to skive off and make a bad impression. You do remember that some resort employees will be at your presentation and feeding back to Sébastien. And that will probably include Charnice.’

‘It’s fine. I told her I had to see to something urgently – and it is urgent. Even she could see that.’ I’m now dancing around with impatience, willing Amber to move beyond the fact that I left my posting early.

‘And that something urgent is getting in James’s undies?’

‘ No. Will you let me explain?’

‘What is it, honey?’ Cat sits up and pats the space next to her on her lounger. ‘Come and tell me everything.’

‘Thank you, Cat.’ I perch myself beside her.

‘What’s urgent is that James was so shocked to see me behind reception that the focus was all on that.

So, now he thinks I’ve hooked up with Sébastien and I’m about to move half-way across the world to work for him.

Plus, I don’t even know what James is doing here, and—’

‘ Whoa , back up a bit, will you?’ Amber sits up as well, finally interested. ‘How do you know he thinks that, and why didn’t you ask him what he’s doing here?’

‘He thinks I’m with Sébastien because it obviously was him in the doorway last night.

He saw us up close and personal – James knows who Sébastien is.

And I told him about the role because he quite understandably wanted to know why I was “playing hotel” when I’m not five years old.

He caught me off guard so I didn’t get a chance to say that I wasn’t with Sébastien, or that the job location is flexible. Now he thinks I’m a terrible person. ’

‘Did he say that to you?’ asks Cat.

‘No. But he was weird and formal and kind of cold with me. He said “he’d see me around”. I know exactly what that means.’

‘Hmm, OK.’ She grimaces. ‘Makes sense based on what you’ve told us.’

‘Yeah – for once,’ says Amber.

‘Do you have my bag with you so I can message him?’ I ask Cat.

‘No, sorry,’ she says. ‘I left it in my room. Your phone is locked in my safe.’

‘I’ll message him,’ says Amber. ‘See where he is and then you can go sort it out.’

‘OK, sure.’ I chew my lip anxiously. ‘Hopefully he has his phone with him. And hopefully he replies.’

‘We’ll find out soon enough.’ She taps out a message and sets her phone down beside her. ‘So, as much as that’s a bit of a cock up, I’m still not convinced you should have done a runner half-way through your slot on reception.’

‘Sorry, I panicked. I already nearly messed things up with James before. Don’t want to risk doing that again. He’ll only give me so many chances, Amber.’

‘Fair enough. What did you learn on reception?’

With nothing else to do but wait, I angle my face to the sun and consider her question.

‘I learnt a lot about how the resort is run. And that Charnice is a superstar. She really connects with the guests and she oozes the company values. She’s also so calm and unflappable.

Didn’t even flinch when this horrible man who’s a regular guest was ripping into us. ’

‘That sounds awful.’ Cat’s eyes widen.

‘It was. I saw the same man the other day. He’s rich and entitled. Treats the staff like shit.’

‘The resort shouldn’t stand for that.’

‘No, they shouldn’t. But apparently, he wasn’t as bad before.’ I fill them in on what Charnice told me .

‘You realise there’s a good chance this guy’s going to be at your presentation on Monday,’ says Amber. ‘If he’s got that much power and influence.’

‘That thought has already crossed my mind.’ My hand goes to my stomach, which is churning unpleasantly. ‘I take it James hasn’t replied yet?’

‘No, not yet.’

With these two issues weighing heavily on me, I feel quite deflated. It must show because Cat puts her arms around me and gives me a big hug, which I lean into.

‘Don’t let this stuff throw you off track, honey,’ she says. ‘By Monday we’ll have you ready for anything – even that nasty man. The issue with James will be resolved too. It’s just a misunderstanding.’

‘I hope you’re right.’ I sigh, closing my eyes.

‘What’s more interesting is why he’s here in the first place,’ says Amber.

‘It’s odd, isn’t it?’ I say.

‘It sure is…’ says Cat, who purses her lips as if she’s trying to work it all out, then seems to quickly give up. ‘Why don’t you grab a lounger and lie here for a bit? Give that poor brain of yours a rest. There’s nothing on your schedule till lunch now anyway.’

‘Good idea.’ I get up and commandeer the empty lounger next to her. ‘Can I borrow some lotion? Didn’t come prepared for sunbathing.’

Cat tosses the bottle across to me, and I apply the sunscreen while gazing out across the turquoise water, where a couple of windsurfers are balancing precariously on their boards.

It’s windier today than the previous days, making the water choppier and the waves taller – creating a bigger challenge for them.

Once I’ve lotioned-up, I pass the bottle back to Cat, and settle back on my lounger .

‘ Ahh … that’s better. Think I need this downtime.’

I close my eyes and focus on nothing but the feeling of the warm rays on my skin.

It feels good, and to my surprise, I’m able to park my personal dilemmas for now.

In fact, I’m on the verge of nodding off when a high-pitched screech breaks through the quiet of the beach.

Lifting my head, I see a huge muscular man holding a woman in a fireman’s lift.

He’s cantering towards the water, with her pounding his back, shouting at him to put her down – much to the amusement of their holiday companions and other onlookers.

It’s all very good natured, but I can’t help feeling embarrassed on the woman’s behalf as she hangs there inelegantly with her backside on display.

Once the show is over, I’m settling back into my sunbathing, when I spot three bare chested men walking along the beach in our direction, chatting and laughing together. Squinting across at them, I do a sharp intake of breath and reach across to prod Cat on the shoulder.

‘Is that him?’

She stares in the direction I’m pointing in. ‘I think so…’

Amber sits up. ‘That’s him all right. Nice body. He’s no Sébastien, but I doubt there are many men who’d rival his physique.’ She turns to me. ‘Well, what are you waiting for? Get over there.’

I puff out my cheeks, suddenly feeling immensely insecure. ‘He’s with his friends. What if he tells me to bugger off?’

‘Then you can sleep with any other single man on this resort with a clear conscience.’

‘Helpful, thanks.’

‘Shut up and move your arse.’

‘OK, wish me luck…’ I get up from my lounger and straighten my beach dress.

‘Good luck!’ Cat calls after me .

I pick my way across the fine white sand towards James and his friends, who are closer to the shoreline.

‘ James, hi, ’ I call across to him when I’m close enough to do so.

He and his friends’ look over and he appears to excuse himself, while they continue to walk on and come to a stop at enough of a distance to give us our privacy.

‘Hi, Emma,’ he says when we reach each other. ‘Were you looking for me for something?’

He’s still being overly polite and formal, which causes my confidence to waver.

What if there’s more to this than I’m aware of?

What if something’s changed in the last day and a bit and he’s just not interested anymore?

But then that would make no sense. None of this makes sense. Why is he even here?

‘Can we talk?’ I say. ‘I need to explain something to you.’

‘You don’t owe me any explanations.’ His demeanour remains cold and distant. ‘My friends are also waiting for me. Can we do this later?’

It’s perfectly clear to me that in this context, ‘later’ means ‘never’. He wants me gone.

‘Um… OK… I’ll leave you in peace then,’ I mumble. ‘Sorry to have bothered you.’

‘No problem. Have a good one.’ He gives me the same curt nod he did at reception and walks away towards his waiting friends, leaving me standing alone and completely gutted.