Chapter 2
As she sat in a little office in The Palms’ beachside wing watching the aquamarine ocean ravish the sandy shore, all Lily Carter could think about was how great it would be to dash out and dive into the enticing depths.
She felt blessed to have been born and raised in such a place; a destination that tourists spent thousands of dollars a year to visit.
Doubly fortunate for her, because those same visitors helped make up a considerable part of her income.
Working as events coordinator for The Palms, one of the island’s favourite destination wedding locations, Lily spent her days catering to the dreams and desires of people who didn’t know much about St Lucia, but were swept up in its idyllic beauty.
The majestic Pitons in particular were a magnet that drew people from all around the world.
And for so many, those evocative volcanic spires and lush tropical setting were the ultimate romantic backdrop for a wedding ceremony.
‘The Coopers decided against us in the end?’ her best friend and colleague asked, over her cup of milky-white coffee. Dee was tall, statuesque and gorgeous, with dark skin, large brown eyes, and a head of thick hair that fell to her shoulders in a blunt cut.
Whereas Lily was almost the polar opposite. She stood at a little over five feet two with a curvy frame and thick, loose blonde curls that fell to the middle of her back. Like Dee, her eyes were large though a light hazel colour, making them a pretty contrast against her fair complexion.
‘Unfortunately, yes, the Coopers aren’t going ahead.’ She sighed, leaning back in her swivel chair as she clicked the mouse to reawaken her PC. ‘The bride-to-be said they needed more “imaginative” suggestions.’
‘Imaginative?’ Dee repeated, flabbergasted. ‘Just because you made perfectly reasonable amendments to her bonkers “unicorn wedding” theme?’
‘Even so, it might have been fun.’
‘Yeah sure, horns and horsetails on your big day. Sorry to unicorn lovers, but there comes a point where you really need to stop. Glitter is fine … neighing your vows is another thing entirely,’ Dee remarked archly, sending Lily into a fit of laughter.
‘They were a nice couple, but perhaps their style of wedding wasn’t … quite right for The Palms,’ she admitted, shrugging.
‘Yes, important to stay faithful to the brand.’
Dee, ever business-focused, oversaw all event-related administrative operations and the financial stuff that Lily couldn’t make head nor tail of.
Lily was the creative powerhouse. It wasn’t that she lacked business savvy; she had a degree and had worked in banking for a while before her true passion was awakened when she went to work for the resort as an event coordinator almost seven years before.
Lily was the visionary and die-hard romantic who concocted elaborate celebrations in tropical surrounds to help others to fulfil their dreams. Her own dreams, however, seemed to elude her.
At thirty years old, she considered herself a success work-wise, but was as unlucky in love as could be.
Her lacklustre romances could almost be used as a how-not-to guide.
She’d made far more mistakes than she’d like to admit and dated more losers than one person should know.
And since the dating pool in St Lucia was so small, romance seemed to be dead (or at least on life support) for Lily, which was why she was eternally single.
She was sure that one day Mr Right would come along somehow, but for the moment, she was jaded by Mr Right Now.
‘How’s the plan for that Irish couple coming together?
’ Dee asked absently as she continued sipping her coffee.
Her professional detachment to the point that she rarely even remembered clients’ names amused Lily.
‘Just checked with the suppliers; we have a couple of open invoices, but things are on all track with the caterers and the cheques written. Any last-minute changes I need to account for?’
‘Nothing new to report, they arrive at the weekend,’ Lily replied. ‘I actually just got an email from Shay.’
She clicked open the relevant missive and began reading through it again:
Dear Lily,
Can’t believe the wedding is only days away!
I wanted to touch base before we travel and become submerged in all the excitement, or more importantly, in case I forget to tell you how grateful I am for all you’ve done.
The past few months have been a breeze because of you.
I wouldn’t have known the first thing about planning a wedding (let alone one in an exotic location), but you walked me through it all with the patience of a saint – even if I was a complete eejit in the beginning.
I hope you’ve found me much improved under your tutelage on the differences between taffeta and tais.
You’ve truly been a godsend and I know Sarah is going to love all the surprises we’ve planned.
As you know, I want everything to be perfect – for this to be everything she’s ever dreamed of.
My idiotic attempts at romance often miss the mark, but together I think we’ve nailed this. I also hope you will be able to enjoy the day with us, not just as our planner, but as a guest and friend too?
All going well, we arrive in St Lucia late afternoon. Still on for a meet-up at the hotel at seven? So look forward to finally meeting you in person.
Best regards,
Shay
Lily couldn’t help but chuckle at the email.
She’d never had a groom plan a wedding pretty much entirely on his own before.
But this lovely Irishman knew his fiancée Sarah well, and everything she’d dreamed of for her big day – as a child or had even spoken about in passing – Shay Brady had noted and ensured to incorporate into their wedding.
Getting married in the Caribbean in traditional colonial surrounds was one of her childhood dreams, apparently.
She’d visited St Lucia with her parents as a child and had since longed to return.
It was this desire that led Shay to contact Lily after a friend gushed over a wedding he’d attended at The Palms the previous year.
His first communication had been a request for information, but it wasn’t long before that simple email exchange had resulted in a video call to discuss the options.
Shay’s fiancée had unfortunately been otherwise engaged and missed the majority of those early calls, but Lily was amazed to find how organised he seemed already and how clearly he envisioned everything.
The only thing he needed was someone who could execute it to perfection.
Since then, their communications had been frequent.
Lily had to admit she liked talking to Shay; he always had some funny anecdote or another to share that made her laugh, and she could listen to his lilting Irish accent for hours.
His sense of humour was infectious and his laugh reminded her so much of her dad’s.
She especially missed hearing that.
Now, she wondered if the groom would be as nice in person.
He was a business owner of some kind in Dublin, while his fiancée worked in tech.
They were both busy people with demanding jobs, though Sarah seemed to be the one more pressed for time since her groom was doing the majority of the planning.
Now, Dee read the email over her shoulder.
‘Sounds like another satisfied customer. I really wish I had your knack for people. Speaking of which, I wonder what the newbie will be like?’ she added with a raised eyebrow. When Lily frowned in confusion, she continued, ‘Roger’s replacement?’
‘Oh. I was so busy focusing on the farewell party I’d almost forgotten he’s actually retiring,’ she replied, referring to The Palms’ long-standing guest relations manager, with whom she and Dee worked closely.
Roger Harrington was almost a permanent fixture at the resort; a beloved favourite with guests and staff alike.
He’d been here since The Palms’ very inception back in the seventies, and it was still hard to imagine this place without him.
The end of an era.
‘Crazy, isn’t it?’ Dee remarked. ‘An island novice landing right into our busiest season. Let’s hope she knows what she’s doing.’
Lily hoped so too. But mostly, she hoped that her brand-new colleague would be understanding of the badly timed bombshell she herself was about to land.