Chapter 44
Back at the resort, Naomi and Will walked through the lobby en route to their rooms. While they’d had a great outing, he was evidently anxious to check on Holly.
‘I’m sure they were fine. My parents raised us three girls so I doubt she was any trouble.’
‘I hope so. Sometimes she can be a bit … intense, and not everyone can handle it,’ he explained.
‘Everything will be fine,’ she assured him again as they boarded the elevator. ‘Mum would’ve called me otherwise.’
‘True. Anyway, I was thinking about something you said earlier,’ Will remarked as he pressed the button for his floor.
‘What was it?’ she wondered, perplexed.
‘You mentioned that your friend Sam was looking for a job in London – what kind of work has she done?’
‘A bit of everything really. Marketing, sales and management. She’s pretty much an all-rounder. Why?’
‘Do you think she might be interested in working in hospitality? I’ve been looking for someone I can trust to keep an eye on the restaurant when I’m not there, a right-hand man or woman.
I’ve been running everything myself for years and I think it’s long past time I found someone to share the responsibility with.
I’m not sure if that’s something she’d be at all interested in but if she fancied the idea, we could have a chat about it before you guys leave and take it from there. ’
Naomi was amazed at his generosity. ‘Are you serious?’
‘Very much so. I do my best to spend as much time with Holly as possible, but obviously had to sacrifice a lot of time with her to keep the business going over the last few years. Now that the restaurant is in a good place, I could do with someone else – someone I can trust – to handle part of the burden. That way I can allow myself more of the time and focus I want to give my daughter. Besides, my mum isn’t getting any younger and having to take care of Holly all the time while I’ve been working isn’t something she should have to do, but something she wanted to.
’ Then he shrugged. ‘Or I suppose felt the need to. And since Sam has a young child too, if we did come to an agreement, we could look at working out some sort of alternating schedule so we both get to be there for our kids.’
Naomi was blown away. ‘I really don’t know what to say, Will. I seem to be thanking you a lot since I met you.’
‘Then don’t say anything.’ Then he chuckled.
‘Well, obviously maybe mention to it her and if she’s interested you can introduce us and we can discuss it while we’re all here.
Although if she’d rather not deal with this kind of stuff on holiday, she can get in touch with me when she’s ready,’ he stated, as the elevator stopped at Naomi’s floor.
‘Here’s my card.’ Then he grinned and winked at her.
‘Now I suppose we’d better go relieve your poor mother of babysitting duties. ’
Later, Naomi discussed it all with Sam over dinner.
A two-man Caribbean band was the entertainment for the night and the two watched as a bald man with glasses, who looked about the same age as Naomi’s dad, sang and played guitar while his younger bandmate shook two large maracas.
They were clad in bright-blue tropical print shirts and black slacks paired with sneakers.
They looked very relaxed and the music they played encouraged guests to feel the same.
The restaurant was having a special themed evening to showcase some of the best local Caribbean cuisines.
While Sam selected something plain, Naomi was the first to jump at the chance to try a national dish.
She discovered that Pepperpot, a rich stew made of various types of meat, had rightfully earned its name as the spicy flavour of the meat she bit into bit right back with its pleasant zest. Fungee was also delicious; made from cornmeal and boiled with okra, it had a mellow flavour and texture that perfectly balanced the spice of the meat.
‘This guy sounds almost too good to be true,’ Sam said, wide-eyed, referring to Will’s very kind offer. ‘Are you sure he’s not just being polite?’
‘I really don’t think so. Sounds like he does want to take the foot off the pedal, and find someone he can trust.’
‘But he doesn’t even know me,’ she pointed out.
‘True, but I’ve been singing your praises a lot, so …’
Sam laid down her fork. ‘Ah, now I get it. You’ve been trying to set me up, haven’t you?
Well, forget it. I’m not interested in another relationship.
I’ve had my fill of men lately.’ Then she looked sideways at Naomi.
‘Though he is cute, all the same. I probably wouldn’t say no to a holiday hook-up. ’
Naomi laughed. ‘Stop. Honestly, he was serious about the job thing. And somehow I doubt casual hookups are his scene. He’s here with his daughter, remember?’
‘Yet, he seems to be finding plenty of time to spend with you,’ her friend pointed out, grinning. ‘Are you sure it’s not someone else he’s interested in hooking up with?’
‘Stop it! I’m here with Greg. I have a boyfriend remember?’
‘It’s kind of hard to, since he’s only come out with us for dinner a couple of nights since we’ve got here. What’s going on, Naomi? He can’t possibly be planning to work this entire holiday?’
She fiddled with the stem of her wineglass.
‘I’m actually not sure,’ she admitted, despondent.
‘When he said he’d still need to keep up with stuff from the office, I suppose I imagined he might need to check in with them now and again.
But he’s treating it almost the same as any working week.
’ Naomi looked out over the beach. ‘I guess he meant it when he said this trip was for me and my family and you, of course. Though I hoped he’d join in more himself. ’
‘Maybe he’s trying to get all the work stuff squared away in time for your birthday,’ Sam suggested. ‘That’s the real purpose of this trip after all, isn’t it?’
That was a good point actually, Naomi mused, heartened. Maybe Greg had already decided but failed to fill her in on the idea that he’d work as normal for the first week or so, and then join them properly for the real celebration.
So instead of worrying about it, she really should concentrate on soaking up her time here and hold out that little bit longer for her prize.