Paul glanced at Pete. “I’ll take a Heineken if you have one,” Pete said. “If not, anything’s fine.”
“That’s very kind of you,” Emma told Harry. “I’ll have a piña colada.”
Paul nodded and left to get the drinks.
“Getting into the island groove, huh?” Harry grinned at Emma. “I like it. Jen, come over this way, so we can talk in a group.”
They watched as Jennifer maneuvered off her barstool slowly, and Harry manhandled the chair so it was now in front of him. Jennifer was very curvy and wore a blue thong bikini bottom, similar in hue to her husband’s.
“Were you guys at the pool before this?” Pete asked, trying to be cordial.
“Yep, did some laps, spent some time under the waterfall,” Harry replied. “Good times. The pool is my favorite spot here. Nothing beats it.”
“Waterfall?” Emma asked. “They have a waterfall at the pool?”
“Oh, you haven’t been yet?” Jennifer said softly. “It’s right down that path over there.” She gestured in the direction behind the bar. “It’s really amazing. A big waterfall separates three parts of the pool. There’s even seating underneath. Everything here is world-class, but the pool is the best. It’s surrounded by flowers and greenery. It feels like you’re in an oasis. That’s where we spend most of every day.”
Harry nodded along. “They have those double loungers set up all over, some with curtains and some without, get my meaning?” He leaned over and elbowed Pete.
Unfortunately, Pete got his meaning.
The guy meant well, but he was annoying as hell. Pete knew his type: the loud, overcompensating entertainer. There was no way he and Emma would be hooking up with him and Jennifer. Next time they ran into them, however, Pete would give their excuses and move on. But while they were here, Pete was going to pump him for as much information as he could.
“So are you guys regulars? Do you vacation here often?” Pete asked. “We’ve covered the pool, but what about the rest? How are the restaurants? What about the island in general?”
“The restaurants are all killer,” Harry said. “The main one, The Chalet, serves five-course dinners. The Mayfair is a cross between a seafood restaurant and sports bar. I know, it’s weird, but it works. They have TVs with sports on and HGTV for the ladies.” He winked. “At The Mayfair, you can get a lobster roll or a burger. Both restaurants are on the other side of the resort, facing west. One is down by area A, and the other is by area B.”
“The resort is divided into areas, then?” Pete asked.
“Didn’t look at your maps, huh? The resort is basically divided in two by where we’re sitting now. Area A is that way”—he gestured toward where Pete and Emma’s villa was located—“then you’ve got your area B over this way.” Pete prayed that Harry and Jen were in area B. “The Mayfair is in area A. The Chalet is in area B.”
“Can you see the sunset from both restaurants?” Emma asked.
Before Harry could respond, Jennifer replied, “Yes. The Chalet has a huge glass wall and chairs on the balcony where you can have drinks and watch the sun set. The Mayfair has a deck as well. Most of the guests try to hit at least one of those places for sunset.”
“Thanks for letting us know,” Emma said. “We’re going to have to find our map. We were just too excited to get out and explore once we got here.”
“Understandable,” Harry agreed jovially. “Once you get settled, you’re going to have to take a golf cart out.”
“What’s the best place to go first?” Pete asked.
“There are a lot of nooks and crannies on this island where you can steal away with no prying eyes. Hit us up tomorrow. We’d be happy to show them to you,” he guffawed. “We know them all.” He winked.
“Thanks for the offer,” Pete said, “but we made a promise not to have any set plans for the first few days. We’re just going to see where the mood takes us day by day.”
“I saw that a mile away,” Harry said. “You two look like a couple of free spirits if I ever saw any.”
* * *
Emma began to fidget after Harry insisted on ordering them another drink. She knew Pete wanted to go as badly as she did, but Harry kept talking, filling them in on the resort. Jennifer had added a few things here and there, but otherwise had remained quiet.
“So there are nightly events?” Pete asked, taking his second Heineken in hand.
“A few. They’re having a big pool party on Saturday. They do it once a month. Some of the couples host events, but they aren’t formally organized by the resort,” Harry told them. “The owners take a very low-key approach. If someone is hosting something, it’s a word-of-mouth kind of thing.”
Emma set her hand on Pete’s arm, letting him know she was ready to leave. In response, Pete draped his arm around her shoulders. “Well, I think it’s time for us to head out. Thanks so much for the drinks.” Pete held up his beer. “Emma and I are going to take a stroll around the pool to see the waterfall, and then head back to our room. We’re starving and will probably be asleep before ten.”
“You can put an order for food in with Paul right now,” Jennifer said. “By the time you get to your room, it should be there. We do that a lot.”
“That’s perfect.” Emma smiled at her. “We’ll do that.” She waved the bartender over. “Hi, Paul, do you have a room-service menu we can look at?”
“Of course,” he said, setting a leather-bound menu in front of her. “The first items are from The Mayfair, the next are from The Chalet. You can order from either,” he told them. “There is a chef on duty twenty-four hours a day here. If you order a full meal from The Chalet, they ask for thirty minutes. The Mayfair, which is mostly burgers and sandwiches, runs about ten to fifteen.”
Emma nodded as she opened the menu. “Wow, everything looks delicious.”
“It is, believe me.” Paul grinned at her. He was about twenty-five, if that, with short brown hair and a pair of cute dimples. He was obviously from the States. “We are a full five-star resort, with benefits. You shouldn’t want for anything while you’re here. Just wave me over when you’re ready.”
Emma blushed as she glanced over the menu, wondering if the staff shared the same lifestyle preferences. She decided what she wanted and handed the menu to Pete, who had been reading it over her shoulder. Once he was done deciding, Emma waved the bartender back.
“I’m going to have the crab cake appetizer from The Mayfair,” Emma told him, “along with the spinach and goat cheese salad.”
“Excellent choices,” Paul said. “And for you, sir?”
“I’ll have the lobster roll with a side of sweet potato fries,” Pete said. “Thanks.”
“Anything for dessert?” he asked. “The mixed-berry torte is exceptional, as is the raspberry chocolate cake. We also have a variety of chocolate-covered fruit, which goes nicely with the bottle of champagne already in your room. It’s a great way to start off your holiday.”
“Yep, you gotta try that fruit. I’d never had a chocolate-covered kiwi before,” Harry said. “But it’s something outta this world.” He took a draw of his beer. “Honestly, at this point, it’s what can’t they do here, you know?”
“That sounds lovely,” Emma said. “We’ll take the chocolate-covered fruit.”
Once they were done ordering, Emma and Pete made their good-byes and headed toward the pool. They passed a few couples, most of them dressed like Harry and Jennifer, having just come from the pool for a drink. The women were topless, and the guys wore something small, a few of them wrapped only in a beach towel. They all seemed comfortable and happy. Emma didn’t want to seem rude and stare too long, but they all nodded as she and Pete passed by.
Once they were out of earshot, Pete grabbed her around the waist and murmured in her ear, “Hot damn! I thought that guy would never shut up. He was beyond annoying.”