“What?” He picks up his mug and sips his coffee.
“You said Hydrangea Villa. We’re in Hibiscus.”
“I knew it was some exotic flower,” he grunts. “Gardening isn’t one of my many talents.” His eyes sparkle over the rim of his mug.
Is he flirting with me? It’s so hard to tell. He’s turning away now, and I follow him out onto the deck.
The light sea breeze is cool but refreshing. I sit next to him, and we look out at the ocean. “It’s so quiet,” I observe, listening to the call of the seagulls.
“When was the last time you had a vacation?”
“Gosh, over a year. Dom took me to Fiji the previous January.”
Luke doesn’t say anything, but he scowls.
“You really don’t like him, do you?” I say, amused.
“I really don’t.”
“Why?”
“Because he’s good looking, and he knows it and uses it to get what he wants. He’s arrogant and condescending. And…” He stops himself and glares into his mug.
“And what?” I wait for him to say something about the photo.
“I hate that he ordered your lunch for you,” he says. My lips slowly curve up, which just makes him scowl more. “Don’t mock me.”
“You’re very sweet.”
“Yeah, because every guy likes to be called sweet.” He takes out his phone again. “Hold on.” He answers it. “Hello? Oh! Good morning. Yes, very good, thanks. Oh, yeah, that would be great.” He checks his watch. “Perfect. See you then.” He ends the call. “That was Gabriel. He asked if we’d like a tour at nine.”
“Sounds good.”
“Yeah, I’m interested to take a look around.”
We chat for a bit about our first impressions of the island, and then decide to get changed before Gabriel turns up. Luke goes down to the next bedroom, and I go into mine and change into cream slacks and a white vest. It’s a few degrees warmer up here in the Bay of Islands, and it’s going to be a gorgeous day, judging by the forecast.
When I come out, Luke has changed into cargo shorts and a navy polo top, smart but casual. We slip on our shoes, and by the time we make our way out, Gabriel is waiting in the golf cart, alone this time.
“Morning!” he says cheerfully as we board the cart. “Thought I’d take you around before things get too busy. We’ve got a conference starting at eleven. It’ll start getting busy in an hour or so.”
“What kind of conference?” I ask as he heads the cart off along the road.
“Medical innovation. We’ve got experts coming from all over the world.”
“It’s a great idea,” Luke says. “Having a place to bring them all together.”
“Yeah, that’s what’s at the heart of 35 South. People do their best thinking when they’re away from their inboxes.”He emerges onto the main drive. “We’ll start with the hotel facilities.”
He parks at the base of the steps, and we follow him up to the main hotel entrance. The lobby is huge, and the design is what he calls biophilic, integrating nature into the built environment. It looks like something out of a science fiction movie. There’s a large fountain in the center, palms and plants everywhere, and the front desk and all the pillars are carved with Maori patterns. Stairs sweep around the building in a spiral as they rise to the next floor, a mezzanine that overlooks the lobby.
Gabriel shows us the huge central amphitheater and the range of smaller meeting rooms; the impressive gym with the day spa; the bars and lounges; the small but impressive library; and the cafés and restaurants.
“It’s an amazing place,” I tell him when we return to the cart, and he drives us slowly around the complex before heading back to our villa. “You have great vision.”
“I’m lucky to have an amazing staff,” he admits.
“Where did you meet Caesar?” Luke asks.
