Chapter 16
The internet is too weak for a video call, so after a few aborted attempts, I call on WhatsApp. I ball up the soft feathery pillow under my head. When Lily answers, I dive right in. ‘Sorry the internet is pants. You will not believe this. I’ve bloody well checked in to The White Lotus, haven’t I?’
There’s a half laugh, then, ‘What?! It’s not really like that, is it?’
‘It is!’ I fill Lily in on the various personalities I’ve met so far, including the finger-snapper himself, Xavier.
‘Ooh, that’s hot though, right? A powerful man in total control like that.’
‘Uh, no. It’s the opposite of hot. It’s rude. I told him not to do it.’
There’s a groan down the line. ‘You told him? You’re going to be sacked before you even start, Harper!’
I don’t mention I’m worried about the same thing. ‘For helping that poor fool with his people skills? How can that be a sackable offence?’
‘Well, I suppose if you get fired then you’ll move back, and just quietly, I wouldn’t mind that.’
‘It’s not going well with Mai?’
Lily lets out a frustrated sigh. ‘Not especially. I forgot what a brat she is. It’s like living with a vampire. She’s nocturnal, up into the early hours bashing on her keyboard doing whatever it is nineteen-year-olds do. Making TikToks probably. But it’s fine. I’m sure she’ll settle down.’
‘Why don’t you come here? Chuck it all in and become an expat who works remotely?’ I’m only half joking. I regale Lily with snippets about the quirky group of expats I met earlier.
‘I wish I could! Why did he call it the Hotel California?’
‘No idea. Hopefully it’s nothing sinister. Speaking of sinister. Have there been any lurkers? Any dodgy hoverers in the vicinity?’
‘Not one. And trust me, Mai has been on the lookout. Got bloodlust in her veins that one, wants to Krav Maga a man, any man, it doesn’t matter if they’re innocent or guilty.’
‘Better the incels than me, that’s for sure.’ At least she’s keeping an eye out though. It does reassure me they’d notice anything untoward. ‘I still haven’t heard a peep from Tia’s lawyers.’
‘Maybe they’ve advised her it’s not worth fighting? And suing a well-known Bookstagrammer wouldn’t exactly make the rest of the book community rush out to review her books now, would it? Everyone would be giving her a wide berth, worried if they said the wrong thing that they’d be next.’
‘That’s a good point. But if she did sue me, I mean, there’s not much to take.’ And when I say not much, I mean I’d have to give her an IOU.
‘Another silver lining.’
‘Yeah.’
‘Well, I heard since the… kerfuffle—’
‘That’s a nice way of saying it.’ I can’t help but laugh.
‘Right? It’s being reported that her sales have only increased, so maybe she’s not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.’
‘Urgh, I guess the old adage is true that there’s no such thing as bad publicity. I’m tempted to look up posts on Reddit that my friend Bethany’s Books mentioned. Maybe I could—’
‘No, Harper. No. Just let this go. If you have escaped being sued, then count that as a win. I don’t want you digging yourself in any deeper.’
Lily is always the voice of reason, and I should listen to her sensible advice. Unfortunately, that’s just not going to happen but I don’t tell her that. ‘You’re right. I’m an idiot.’ I make a mental note to check out Reddit later purely to salve my own curiosity.
‘Good. What’s on the cards for the rest of the day now you’re a resident in a five-star luxury resort? Why don’t you pop on your bikini and go play volleyball with those hotties you mentioned?’
Shrieks from outside filter in. I get up from the bed to peek out the window and see the flutter of eye-catching kites soaring high and what appears to be real humans dangling from said kites.
Kite surfers? I fervently hope no one asks me to join in such an activity, I get my thrills strictly from the conflict in romance novels.
The kites, like colourful half-moons, float across the sky while guests standing on the shore shade their faces to stare.
‘Urgh. Play sport in this heat? I’ll keel over with sunstroke.
And get scammed out of what little money I have left when they force me to gamble on a game they’ve rigged.
No. I’ll unpack and get myself settled. I’m meeting Xavier later.
Inexplicably, Gus, the guy who hired me, is no longer here and I still haven’t seen the bookshop.
The bookshop I’m now supposed to be the manager of.
At this point, I’m worried it’s a front and there is no bookshop. ’
She guffaws. ‘A front? For what?’
‘Drug mules. Organ harvesting. People cloning. Who knows. I’m going to keep my wits about me on this island, that’s all I know for sure.
White Lotus vibes, remember? There’s gotta be a plot twist coming eventually.
Or a dead body will wash up when the tide comes in.
That’s how these things always play out. ’
‘You and your brain that’s been rotted by reading too much romantic suspense! It’s not like you to be dramatic or anything is it?’
‘Dramatic or street smart? You, a dedicated thriller reader, should be well aware of this, Lily.’
She lets out a snort. ‘Dramatic with a capital D!’