Chapter 41
41
F leur shifted in her seat, the leather on the taxi seat covering sticking slightly to the back of her thighs as warm, humid air seeped through the cracks in the air conditioning. It was hot, sticky, steamy and oh-so-very nice outside. The kind of sticky, tropical heat that clung like a second skin, thick with the scent of humidity, whatever that was, flowers, vegetation and something very foreign. Lucy wriggled beside her, pressing her face nearer to the window as the taxi wound its way down a long driveway lined with towering palms and thick bursts of frangipani trees heavy with yellow and pink blooms. A couple in shorts and t-shirts on white beach cruiser bikes waved at the driver as he went past and the driver gave a toot of his horn.
Lucy pointed to the trees. ‘Wow, the colours. We’re finally in Maui.’
Fleur gasped as the bay she’d seen in the hotel photos many times came into view. The most ridiculously perfect, postcard-worthy view, the blue so blue it didn’t seem real, topped by deep tropical saturated greens. As the taxi got closer to the hotel, she could see shimmering waves curving into lush, green mountains beyond. The water so clear that even from the road it changed from pale turquoise near the shore to a deep, endless blue further out. Just a little bit stunning.
Patrick let out a low whistle from the front seat. ‘Not bad, is it? It was worth the trek by the looks of it.’
Lucy shook her head. ‘No. Not bad at all. I think I just fell in love.’
Fleur nodded. ‘We chose well. This is amazing.’
Wendy gushed. ‘Take me to the infinity pool and leave me there.’
The taxi slowed as they reached the entrance to the hotel, pulling up under a wide, thatched canopy framing an open-air reception area. A row of enormous clay pots filled with thick, glossy-leaved ferns lined a walkway to a concierge desk where staff in white shirts and beige shorts stood with beams on their faces. As soon as the driver opened the door, the scent of tropical flowers, vegetation and salty air filled Fleur’s lungs. Stepping out in front of Lucy, she was instantly hit by the full force of the tropical heat; a heat that smelled of sunshine and greenery, frangipani and a full-on assault of humidity and warmth. The thick air wrapped around her and the long travel trousers she’d thought were a sensible idea felt as if they were thermals as they instantly clung to her legs.
Lucy climbed out behind her, stretching her arms and whisper-hissed. ‘It’s so hot! Oh my gosh, the reception is beautiful. I love it. I can’t believe we’re here.’
Patrick tapped his card on the driver’s payment machine before swinging their suitcases onto the pavement. ‘That’s because we’re in Maui, Luce. It’s hot here.’
Lucy gushed. ‘It feels like we’re in an actual oven.’
Wendy nodded. ‘It does!’
Fleur pushed her sunglasses up onto her head as she took in the hotel; it was exactly how it had looked in the photos except so very much better. As she stood for a bit as Lucy and Patrick fussed with the suitcases, she peered up at the high vaulted ceilings of the open-air reception. Thick wooden beams were dotted about, huge wicker fans turned lazily above, and a stone floor was covered here and there with sisal rugs placed just so. To the far right, a barman in a white shirt stood behind a wide timber curved bar lined with dark wooden stools pouring fresh pineapple juice into tall glasses. To the left, the space opened up onto a wide terrace, spilling out onto the most perfectly manicured stretch of green lawn Fleur had ever seen. Little paths lined with palms in pots led down in the direction of the bay and white wicker lanterns dangled from the trees. Sticky, balmy air, heavy with the scent of blooming flowers, rain-soaked earth and the smell of the bay was so thick that Fleur felt as if she could almost touch it.
A smiling woman in a floaty coral dress approached, a clipboard in one hand and four fresh flower leis draped over the other. ‘Aloha! Welcome to Lana Lai Resort,’ she said warmly, placing a lei over Fleur, Wendy and Lucy’s heads.
Lucy beamed, touching the soft petals around her neck. ‘Thank you.’
‘I’m Keira, one of the front desk team. You must be Fleur, Patrick, Lucy and Wendy, is it?’
‘Yes, that’s us.’
‘Fantastic. We’ve been expecting you and the rest of your party. Your suites are ready, and the wedding team has everything scheduled for your arrival. Would you like a welcome drink?’
Fleur hesitated, glancing towards the bar. ‘That would be lovely. We’ve been travelling for what feels like an eternity. It’s so hot.’
Keira gestured towards the seating area just beyond a table groaning in vases of tropical flowers. ‘Take a seat, relax for a moment, and we’ll bring them over. We do things a bit differently here; no check-in desks, lines of queues or roped-off bollard areas where you stand in line and people bark orders at you. I’ll be personally checking you in and then I’ll take you to your room if you want me to or you can have a wander and chill and go as you please. We take relaxing and vacationing very seriously here. You booked a six-star boutique experience for a reason; we aim to fulfil that for you right from the word go. You won’t be disappointed.’
Fleur nodded, swallowed at the mention of the six-stars and how much the boutique experience was costing them and followed Patrick and Lucy over to a wide, white-cushioned sofa nestled beneath a massive wicker light fitting. She sank down, feeling the journey start to ebb away as she looked around; piles of neutral-coloured cushions were expertly placed on long, low sofas, gigantic green palms sat in oversized wicker plant pots, rattan side tables held giant softly lit lamps, quiet footsteps, freshly cut flowers stuffed into white clay vases, hushed voices, and clusters of oversized coffee table books sat here and there ready to be opened with a long drink. Six stars looked back at her.
A couple of minutes later, tall chilled glasses full of something pale and citrusy, with fresh mint leaves floating on top and condensation running down the sides, arrived on the table. Fleur took a glass, sipped and sighed. ‘Oh, that is good. Just what I needed.’
‘So good,’ Wendy agreed.
Patrick tasted his and nodded approvingly. ‘I could get used to this.’
‘It sure beats sitting on the M25 on a Monday morning wondering if you’re ever going to make it to work.’
Keira returned a few minutes later with a folder and an iPad tucked under her arm. After they’d handed over their identification documents and checked in, Keira smiled. ‘Okay, so just to go through a few details for you. Your suites are ready now and your luggage will be taken up shortly. Fresh fruit and drinks will be delivered daily and you just need to let us know what housekeeping requirements you prefer. The wedding team has arranged a meeting for tomorrow morning to go through the final touches and your pre-wedding spa treatments have been confirmed for the afternoon. Let me know if there’s anything else you need in the meantime.’
Fleur blinked. ‘Oh, yes, the spa treatments.’
Keira smiled and tapped the iPad. ‘Yes, part of the wedding package. A full body massage, facial, and a relaxing soak in the ocean-view bathhouse.’
Patrick grinned. ‘Well, that’s you sorted then.’
Fleur shook her head in amazement. ‘This place is ridiculous in the best possible way.’
Keira laughed. ‘We like to think so.’ She handed over a key card. ‘Your suite has an ocean view. Let me know if there’s anything you need.’
Fleur took the card. ‘Thank you so much.’
‘My pleasure! And again, welcome to Maui.’
Fleur turned to Lucy, Wendy and Patrick, feeling an almost surreal wave of happiness flood through her. So far, so good. ‘Right. Let’s go check out our new home for the next week.’
Patrick grabbed the last of their hand luggage, Wendy rolled her suitcase behind her, and Lucy practically skipped ahead towards the pathway to the rooms. As they walked along, Fleur exhaled slowly. She was in Maui, she was getting married. It really was happening. It was bliss.
A fter seeing Lucy and Wendy to their room, Fleur pushed open a heavy wicker-covered door and was immediately hit by a myriad of lovely scents from a diffuser on a rattan side table; lemongrass, lavender and eucalyptus filled her nose as she slipped off her shoes and sighed. Popping her bag down, she walked in taking in a huge bed draped in white linens, dress cushions in every possible permutation of white and cream, a tasselled runner on the bed and a cluster of potted palms nestled into the corner. Oversized dark rattan fans rustled above, white gauze curtains moved at the doors and Patrick was standing on the balcony looking out in the direction of the bay. Strolling past floor-to-ceiling wicker shutters, Fleur stepped out onto the balcony and was hit by humidity, a lush scent from blooming frangipani, bees buzzing and the sounds of the sea. For a moment she was overcome, not quite believing it, not quite all there. She smiled at Patrick, put her hands over the balcony and held her face up to the sky. ‘Holy moly this is nice.’
‘What a dump, eh?’ Patrick joked.
‘Totally awful. Dreadful.’
Patrick laughed. ‘I have to admit I was slightly concerned about what it was going to be like when we got here.’
‘I know. You never really know even when you’ve paid the best part of a mortgage for it.’
‘So true, but so far it’s exceeded expectations from my end.’
‘Mine too.’
‘Happy?’
‘Very.’ Fleur closed her eyes for a second. ‘Long days of doing nothing. No training materials, no emails from work, no Etsy orders, no housework, no anything.’
Patrick put his arm around her waist and kissed her. ‘Just getting married to me.’
Fleur nodded. Worked for her.