Chapter 20
20
F eeling good in the butter-yellow linen shift dress Babe had helped her accessorize, Maileah arrived at the Majestic Hotel well ahead of the committee meeting. Before she gave presentations, she liked to get a feel for the space and the lighting, locate the electrical plugs, and adjust the temperature if needed.
The small meeting room had a view of the beach and the sparkling ocean beyond. Just gazing out over the endless expanse filled her with joy.
She plugged in her laptop for an extra charge and glanced around. Everything else seemed to be in order. Her phone buzzed in her purse, and she checked it. She would have to turn it off during the meeting.
As she drew a breath to calm her jittery nerves, a message floated across the screen. It was a voicemail from Adrian. She tapped it to listen. It was the beginning of the song he was working on, and he wanted to know her thoughts. She tapped a short reply. Sounds good so far.
Just then, the door opened.
“Hi, darling,” April said, crossing the room to hug Maileah. “Whitley told me you arrived early. ”
“It’s good to see you, Mom.” These days, her mother looked happier than she could ever remember. She was beach chic in a blue dress that Maileah figured came from Babe’s shop. The worry lines between her mother’s eyebrows had disappeared, replaced with shimmering happiness. And why not? She lived on a beautiful island, doing what she enjoyed and spending time with a man she loved.
The lesson was not lost on Maileah.
“People will be here soon.” April gazed at her. “Something is different about you.”
“Different how?”
Her mother laughed. “Different good. I like your new wardrobe. Now, about that neighbor of yours…”
“I guess you’ve heard,” Maileah said, assuming she was referring to Sailor.
April squeezed her hand. “I only want you to be happy.”
“I won’t argue with that.” Maileah glanced at the door, where others were arriving, including her grandmother. “I’ll fill you in later.”
Ella greeted her, and April sat beside her on the front row.
Maileah joined them, waiting for other committee members to take their seats. These were the Crown Island residents committed to raising funds for much-needed healthcare.
“You were right,” Maileah whispered to her mother.
“About what, dear?”
“Volunteering.” That had paved the way for the possibility of providing marketing services.
April touched her cheek. “I know you’ll do well today.”
Maileah’s new client, Margaret, arrived and nodded to her. Ryan slipped into the back to observe.
Her mother turned and smiled at him. Lowering her voice, she said to Maileah, “Ryan made a generous donation on behalf of the hotel.”
Acknowledging him, Maileah wondered if that might cover part of her budget. She breathed out, recalling what Ella had told her. Before she and Augustus arrived, emergency services on the island had been minimal.
While the modest hospital provided essential care to the community, more was needed. Access was necessary because it was difficult for injured people to travel by ferry to the mainland for the physical therapy they needed to heal.
Margaret called the meeting to order. “Now that we’re all here, let’s begin.” After covering some initial business, she said, “Let’s thank Maileah for volunteering to manage the social media efforts for the upcoming event. I’m already seeing posts with comments about our event.”
Others agreed, and Margaret continued, “Since we lost our marketing specialist before he could begin, I asked Maileah to prepare some ideas for us. While it’s short notice, she assured me she could come up with a few suggestions to increase our attendance and fundraising.”
Polite applause rang out.
“Thank you for having me,” Maileah began, standing before the small group. “First, I’d like to update you on the social media campaigns, which have exceeded expectations.”
Summoning her confidence, she forged on, highlighting the wins. She’d set up a special website to accept and track donations, so she shared engagement statistics and funds raised from the effort.
The board members exchanged impressed glances.
“My goodness, that didn’t take long,” Margaret said, surprised.
Maileah grinned. This was her first major presentation since she’d lost her job. “When I love something, my brain goes into overdrive.”
Ryan moved closer and raised his hand. “Can you tell us how you’re driving those engagement metrics?”
Maileah nodded, pulling out some charts she had prepared. “Because of targeted content posts, our social media followers have grown by a factor of four in the past week alone. We’re seeing a 500% increase in post engagement. The hashtag #UnbrokenAthletes is trending in surfing communities across the West Coast and breaking out nationwide. I’m using popular surf destination hashtags, so I expect even farther reach.”
As she continued her presentation, Maileah saw the board members growing more interested. She added, “To make the social media campaign even more successful, I need help.”
There was a moment of silence before Ella spoke up, “It sounds like you’re doing a fine job. What kind of help would you like?”
Maileah smiled at her. “A small volunteer team to manage social media will help continue the growth while I focus on the second phase of marketing to attract more donations and increase attendance. I don’t know many people here, so I welcome recommendations.”
“That could be arranged,” Margaret said while others nodded.
Maileah continued, outlining her ideas and plan. “Adrian Marino is writing a song he’s calling, ‘Unbroken.’ I’ve heard some of it, and it’s just what we need to strike a chord with people.”
Margaret grinned. “I look forward to hearing that. Adrian could have been a huge star.”
Another man agreed. “I always thought he was destined for more than playing at the high school gym.”
“This will raise his profile, too,” Maileah said, her mind whirring. On a whim, she brought out her phone, tapped Adrian’s message, and played what he had shared with her. “This is what he’s working on.”
As everyone listened, smiles bloomed around the room.
“Brilliant idea,” Ryan said, nodding his approval.
Maileah smiled as people sat up with increased attention. She held up a photo of Sailor’s broken boards that she’d printed out.
“I suggest we pair Adrian’s original song with a campaign to collect and auction broken surfboards from famous surfers. These are some of Sailor’s boards damaged at some of the world’s most dangerous, iconic surfing spots. He has agreed to donate a few.”
A murmur swept across the room.
“These surfboards are collectibles with stories and history behind them,” she added. “Think of the buzz and funds such an auction could generate.”
Maileah paused to take a breath and judge reactions. She hoped they would understand what she saw in this idea.
Looking around the room, she noticed several people gesturing in agreement.
Ryan sat with his arms crossed as if mulling over her proposal. A slow smile touched his face. “With a high-concept idea like that, I can put you in touch with the Majestic’s public relations firm for added media traction. A story like this can bring in serious collectors. You’re creating a new market.”
“That’s right. Thank you.” Maileah was relieved Ryan understood her concept.
She continued, talking about how local artists might contribute their time to decorate other boards, too. “Crown Island is known for its thriving art community. This is another way to involve artists.”
A retired physician on the board leaned forward, his eyes bright. “You’ve certainly put a lot of thought into your proposal. I believe it has merit.”
Maileah indicated her appreciation. “There’s more in this overview,” she added, passing out the document she’d created.
Margaret spoke softly to another board member. “Maileah, we need to discuss and vote on your proposal, but we also understand that time is of the essence. Would you mind waiting outside while we talk? I hope we can come to a quick decision.”
“Of course.” Feeling a surge of excitement, Maileah excused herself. “Thank you for this opportunity to present my ideas.”
Maileah stepped into the hallway and closed the door. She laced her hands and leaned against a railing overlooking an interior courtyard landscaped with palms and tropical plants. So much had happened in the last few days with Sailor her head was nearly spinning. But now, more than ever, she needed to focus on her work.
She hoped he would understand.
After a few minutes, the door opened, and Margaret gestured to her. “We’re ready for you.”
Maileah returned to her seat in the front row, eager to learn if she would get the position.
“It’s unanimous,” Margaret said. “We’d like to hire you to manage the marketing plan you’ve outlined. We’re sure this will be a win-win for everyone.”
Maileah’s heart soared. After accepting their offer, she thanked Margaret and the other board members. Relief coursed through her, but this was only the beginning. This was her first significant engagement on Crown Island, so it had to be a smashing success.
As the meeting wrapped up and Maileah shook hands with attendees, a sense of accomplishment filled her. Today might be a small win, but it was big for her. This work was pocket change for her former colleagues in Seattle, but she didn’t care. She’d made it happen on her own.
And she could hardly wait to tell Sailor the good news.
Once they left the meeting room, Ella pulled Maileah into a hug. “I’m so proud of you, sweetheart. Your last employer was a fool to let you go.”
Maileah grinned, her mind racing with ideas for her to-do list. “Thanks, Nana.” The island that had once felt like a step backward was now her way forward.
April joined them and hugged her, too. “I’m happy for you, darling. This is the seed of a fresh start.” She lowered her voice. “Now, tell us all about Sailor. Rumors are flying around town. Are you dating now?”
Maileah hardly knew where to begin. She didn’t want to jinx the relationship with Sailor .
“We’ve been friends for a long time,” she began tentatively. “Maybe we’re feeling a little more for each other.”
Ella beamed at her. “Sailor comes from good stock and goes after his dreams.”
April gave her an understanding smile before adding, “But a surfer? What sort of future would he have?”
“He’s more serious than most would imagine,” Ella said.
“I’ll keep all that in mind.” Maileah’s cheeks burned at the thought of him, but her mother was right. Of course, her grandmother had a point, too.
“Be careful,” her mother said, touching her shoulder. “This is a small town, and people talk.”
Ella raised a finger. “Don’t let that discourage you. People also fall in love in small towns—like your mother.”
“Well, yes,” April said, blushing slightly. “But Ryan and I are older.”
Ella arched an eyebrow toward her daughter. “And how does that matter, dear? Love is love, regardless of the age.”
“I don’t want to see her disappointed again,” April said softly.
“I’m standing right here,” Maileah said, smiling. “Sailor and I are friends first, and I’m a little uncomfortable talking about this just yet. It’s not as if we’ve been on a proper date. I only met him at Jo’s diner to listen to his father play.”
“And danced under a full moon at the taco outpost,” Ella added with a smile. “How romantic.”
“That was purely spur of the moment,” Maileah said. “We had to eat, and I wanted to see his boat.”
“Please be careful,” April said, drawing her brows.
Ella shook her head. “That’s the last approach she should take with Sailor.”
With a soft laugh, Maileah held up her hands. “Alrighty, you two. While I appreciate your concern, Mom—and your encouragement, Nana—this is my life. I know I’ve made mistakes in the past, but I’m determined not to make any more. ”
Seeming somewhat contrite, her mother and grandmother exchanged guarded looks.
“We only want what’s best for you,” April said.
Maileah shrugged, mindful of their opinions. “And now, regardless of how it might look to others, I have to work with him on the broken surfboards.” She held out her hands. “Expect more gossip about that.”
If she analyzed her relationship with Sailor, she wasn’t sure where things stood between them. She only knew how she felt when she was with him. Even though spending time with him seemed right, she’d been spectacularly wrong before.
Would taking a chance on her feelings ruin a wonderful friendship? That was yet another reason she had to be sure.