Chapter 34
My mind spins in every direction, so I take a chug of coffee because caffeine can only help at this point, right?
Early morning meetings are not my thing; add in an unexpected kiss and my whole system is at risk of malfunction.
I push all thoughts of Xavier to one side for now and focus on the question of Tia’s bio picture.
Surely she wouldn’t have uploaded such an obvious AI image across her social media pages like Lily’s WhatsApp message suggested?
I figure out the time difference – poor Lily, dawn hasn’t even broken in London yet, but she’s obviously awake enough to be texting so I hit the button and call her.
‘What the hell? Did Tia really upload that picture?’
There’s a drawn-out yawn and then, ‘She did. Uploaded it to her stories and as her bio pic across all her pages. Tia threw some subtle digs your way while doing it.’
I lean up against the counter, looking out the double doors, hoping to catch a glimpse of Xavier walking away. ‘What did she say?’ My fingers itch to open my backup Instagram account so I can check for myself.
The sound of Lily tapping on the screen filters down the phone. ‘She wrote: “When you’re called fake by a certain someone, and the world insists you share your face. Enjoy!”’
I frown, trying to make sense of it. ‘Using an AI photo doesn’t exactly prove she’s legit. This sort of petty sarcasm is more in line with a twentysomething tech bro.’
Lily sighs. ‘Yeah, but I took it more as a dig at you. I honestly don’t think Tia cares about what anyone thinks. Why would she? Bang, Bang! is still topping the eBook charts.’
Outside, joggers pound the pavement, getting their early morning run in before the humidity spikes, making it impossible. ‘I went on Reddit.’
‘Harper! I told you to leave all that alone, for your own sanity.’
‘I know, I know. I lurked, I didn’t post.’
‘And?’
‘There’s a sub reddit dedicated to my Bookstagram page. At first they were sure Tia was a phony. They’d read the book, agreed that it wasn’t human written.’
She considers it. ‘OK, that’s good isn’t it?’
‘It was…’
‘And then, it wasn’t? What happened?’
‘Then someone mentioned the crazy conspiracy theories they’d seen on the #CancelHarper thread on Twitter and they figured that it’s some elaborate scam on my behalf and that I am Tia and this is some ruse to make a bunch of money.’
‘What!’ She groans. ‘You’re joking, right?’
‘I wish I was.’
‘It doesn’t make an iota of sense though. If you were Tia why would you call your alter ego out? And ruin your very own Bookstagram page?’
‘A publicity stunt to get more eyes on the book which would make more money than my page.’
‘That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard. This is why I warned you to stay off the apps.’
I sigh. ‘Yeah. Lesson learned. I guess part of me hoped they’d figure out the truth about Tia, like you see on all those Netflix documentaries.’
‘Well, all you have to do is murder someone and then there will be an investigation that the detectives can’t solve, but a wily group of internet sleuths can.’
‘If only it were that easy. I haven’t heard any more from Tia’s legal team, which is obviously a good thing, but part of me worries they’re taking time to make a case against me. Should I be worried, do you think?’
‘Honestly, I can’t see her taking it further. It’s a small industry and it wouldn’t look good for her if she took it that far. You admitted fault. Apologised. Deactivated your page.’
‘Yeah, I hope that’s enough for her.’
‘How’s it going there with sizzling-hot boss man?’ Lily switches topics like a pro.
I blush, glad this isn’t a video call so she can’t see my face. ‘Just how many romance novels have you devoured?’
‘A lot! Wish I’d started reading them sooner.’
I laugh. ‘I only had a whole review page dedicated to romance novels, Lily. Sheesh.’
‘What can I say, I’m always behind the times. So how is he then?’
‘We just had a meeting about an author event.’
‘So early in the morning? Riiiight. You sound almost breathless whenever I mention his name. What’s that about?’
‘Oh, come on, Poirot. I do not. He’s an early riser who likes to have meetings before breakfast, which is clearly a sign of an overachiever and someone who doesn’t stay up late reading and has a healthy respect for the coming workday.’
‘Opposites attract! Why is your voice all wobbly? Has there been a development I should know about? A kiss per chance?’
‘Per chance? Since when do you speak like that?’
‘Since reading romance!’
I can only smile. ‘There was a kiss not five minutes ago, but it was an accident.’
Her gasp rings out. ‘What! How does an accident like that happen?’
‘Dropped books, the clashing of heads, a lingering gaze or two, and voilà, an accidental kiss.’
‘You sly thing! So how was it?’
‘On a scale of one to ten, an eleven.’
‘Ooh. Tell me everything,’ she says. ‘Who initiated it?’
‘Me.’
‘You?’
‘Yes! And now I wish I hadn’t.’
‘Why?’ It’s like an interrogation. She’s peppering me with questions so fast I can’t answer quick enough before she shoots the next one my way.
‘Well, it’s not like I’m staying here long term, is it? I barely know the guy. I don’t want another Caleb situation where I’m disregarded and ghosted like I’m nothing. Xavier broke off the kiss. I got the sense that he regretted it.’
She clucks her tongue like a mother hen. ‘No! Don’t let Caleb intrude on what could be the makings of something special, Harper.’
‘Xavier is one of those supremely confident types, and really I’m looking for a golden retriever hero this time. Safer, right? I’m wary after Caleb. This job is a temporary measure until I can come crawling back to London, so what’s the point?’
As I say it, my heart squeezes at the thought of leaving the Last Chance Resort.
I’ve never really found home, never really found my place; could this be it?
How do you know when you’ve found home? Lily’s lucky in a sense; home for her is a moveable feast, literally.
It’s wherever the Zhōus are, who sweep their adult babies under their wings and surround them with love and lectures, spicy dumplings and eccentricity.
For me, I thought I’d found a version of home on Bookstagram, but that connection was so easily severed, and so it’s like I’m floating, in a holding pattern, unsure of where I fit or belong.
The Zhōus have always welcomed me into the fold but I am not their daughter.
I want to find where I fit in the world, where I belong.
‘Why not just roll with it, and if it fizzles out, it fizzles out. Nothing wrong with a fling, is there, if that’s all it turns out to be. You don’t always need to choose a guy with marriage-material shoulders, you know.’
I guffaw. ‘The Zhōus are onto something… I hate to say it because you’re going to latch onto it, but… oh God, I do think Xavier has marriage-material shoulders.’
There’s another audible gasp. ‘How can you know for sure?’
‘I can’t explain it. But when you see it, you know.’
There’s an exhalation of awe. ‘I’ve never believed them, not once. Does that then mean it’s true that you’re holding your tension in your back teeth too?’
‘Yes, and so does Xavier.’
‘Birds of a feather!’
‘Let’s not get carried away; a moment ago it was opposites attract!’
‘Two things can be true at once!’
‘Anyway, it’s over. It can’t happen. We are set to be star-crossed lovers. He’ll always be the one who got away…’ OK, I’m being dramatic, but the damn man set my world aflame and then doused me with a bucket of cold water.
I explain the no-workplace-romance rule and his reasoning behind it.
‘But he’s the boss. He can bend the rules.’
‘Au contraire. He’s a principled kind of person and would never do that. Besides, I’m not in the right headspace for a workplace fling, and really he’s very… bossy.’
‘A bossy boss man, so hot.’
‘Hot. Yeah. He’ll probably fall in love with some island princess who has marriage-material eyeballs or something and that will be that.’
‘Golly, if The Mums are right about knowing the shoulders when you see it, then maybe what they said about me is true too.’
‘What did they say?’
‘They said I need to harness the energy of peach blossom luck. It’s a feng shui thing, and you know what, I just might do it.’
‘OK, what the hell? Since when did you want to attract a husband? Ah, the neighbour Tyler!’ I yell, scattering the birds by the bookshop door. ‘You’ve fallen for a guy? Finally?’
She lets out a groan. ‘It’s the stupid romance novels, addling my brain and making me see love in a whole new light.’
‘They grow up so fast.’
‘This is your fault. I was quite content to keep relationships short and sweet and now I’m mooning over the guy next door like some lovelorn heroine.’
‘Isn’t it great! Have you told your mum you’re a changed woman?’
‘No chance, or the whole family will be on the next train back to London. No, I’m playing it cool with Tyler, and I’ll see if I grow out of this stage. It’s all consuming.’
‘Newsflash, you’re not going to grow out of it. Imagine your wedding?’
‘You sound like one of us, the Zhōus!’
‘They taught me so well!’ We chatter for a few more minutes and then say our goodbyes. I’m secretly thrilled that my steadfast anti-romance best friend is finally open to the idea that some love can and should last.
It makes me reminisce about kissing Xavier and all the reasons why I should have kept my lips to myself.
This whole job situation feels so tenuous.
Saving the bookshop, the renovations of the resort, and the contained man mountain who breezes in and out, like he’s got a million matters on his mind, is plenty to worry about without adding to it with a messy romantic entanglement.
So why then does my heart race when I think of him?
The heart wants what it wants I suppose…
Brian wanders in, saving me from ruminating too long. ‘Mr Hotel California, how can I help?’
He leans an elbow on the counter. ‘Just made a killing on some crypto. Have you ever thought about investing in it yourself, Harper?’
‘I only invest in romance novels, they’re bit more budget friendly…’
‘Think on it, eh?’
‘No, thanks.’
Brian fiddles with his lanyard and looks everywhere but me.
He’s nervous, but why? Is it that he wants to order in a book that he presumes I’ll judge him on?
Little does he know, I’m not easily shocked when it comes to bookworms. I’ve seen it all working in bookshops off and on my whole life, and really most titles are rather sedate when compared to some of the spicy books I’ve read that are disguised by pretty pastel covers. ‘Can I help you find a book?’
‘Ah – yes. It’s for a mate, actually.’
Lies! ‘Oh?’
‘Yeah, he’s, ah – asked me to find it. An odd request too, it is. But a mate’s a mate, and you gotta do these things.’
‘Of course. You’re a good friend. I can see that.’
‘Apparently it’s called: How to Make Women Fall For You.’
I bite down hard on my lips to stem a smile.
‘Right. Let me check the supplier.’ I pretend to clack away at the keyboard while I ponder how to best handle this.
Brian is in love with Mrs Bastille, but his yearning looks in her direction have got him precisely nowhere.
It’s cute that he’s turned to literature to help him in his quest, but that sort of book, written by a dull type, is not the way forward. Not in my eyes, at least.
‘All out of stock.’
His face falls.
‘But never fear! I have another solution for you… for your friend. If you’ll follow me.’ I lead a suddenly shy Brian to the romance section. ‘Before you baulk, this is what women want. A love affair like the books. A hero that you’ll find between these very pages.’
His face twists with doubt. ‘Romance novels? They’re a bit… pink, aren’t they?’
‘Don’t let the pastels fool you. Some of these novels will blow your hair back with their spiciness.’
‘I might live on the Seychelles, but my diet is rather bland, I’m afraid. I’m not much into spices, definitely no chilli.’
‘Right.’ I debate with whether to educate Brian about spicy versus sweet in the romance genre but decide he’s already dangerously close to overwhelm.
‘Let’s start you off with this one.’ I hand him a copy of a summery romance set on an island just like Esperé.
‘Read this, and you’ll learn all about the subtle art of flirtation and just how to romance a woman. ’
‘OK, I will. I mean, my friend Darry will.’
‘Darry?’
‘Sorry, Barry. His name is… Barry.’
‘Let me know what Barry thinks.’