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“Not to mention it’s an excuse to keep her around permanently.”
“That, too,” I smiled.
“This is a big step for you,” Ben said.
“I know,” I nodded. “I’m surprised at how well I’m handling it all. I thought I’d be more scared than I am. I actually feel like everything has fallen into place. This was exactly what was supposed to happen.”
“I’m happy for you,” he said, in his usual monotone way.
“Thank you,” I said. “Now, on to business… I’ll need you to brief Molly before she starts.”
“I’ll get her familiarized with the staff,” he assured me. “When is she starting?”
“As soon as possible,” I said. “It’s a big job, and she has a lot to familiarize herself with.”
“Don’t worry,” Ben said. “I’ll prepare her. No doubt Alani will, too; the two of them have become thick as thieves.”
“Good,” I nodded. “I want Molly to feel at home here, and friends will certainly speed that process along.”
“You’ve really jumped into this thing.”
“It took me a long
time to realize how I really felt about Molly,” I said. “And now that I’ve finally admitted it to myself, things seem simple. Now…what time do we have the ribbon cutting ceremony scheduled for?”
“Four-thirty,” Ben replied. “Followed by aperitifs in the ballroom.”
“Has the staff been prepped?”
“Yes,” he nodded. “We’ll have to handle the disputes after the opening. Ah, but I suppose that’ll fall to Molly.”
“It will,” I nodded.
The morning passed in a blur of activity. I oversaw all the last-minute preparations for the ceremony and our arriving guests. Molly was with me the whole time, lending a helping hand wherever she could. When it came time for the ceremony, Molly and I parted to get dressed in our separate suites. I arrived at the entrance of the resort in my tux a little before schedule. Ben was there too, looking sharp in a tux of his own.
It seemed as though the whole of Hawaii had congregated outside our steps. The press was there, too, and thankfully the sun shone down in grand fashion, which I took to be a sign of good luck. Despite the crowd and the photographers in attendance, my eyes kept searching for Molly. She appeared from inside the resort, wearing a cream-colored sheath, with her hair tied up in a classic topknot.
I moved directly to her and took her hand. “You look spectacular,” I said.
“So do you,” she replied, giving me a dazzling smile.
“Are you ready to do this with me?” I asked as flashes went off all around us.
“I am,” she nodded, squeezing my hand.
Molly turned to speak to Ben, and I was preparing myself to make my little speech before we cut the ribbon when I heard a snippet of someone else’s conversation.
“He’s the owner?” the voice belonged to an older woman.
“He is.”
“Very young.”
“He’s an ambitious man.”
“Is that his new girlfriend, the one in the cream dress?”
“The latest one, I suppose. Men like him never stick to one woman for long. She’ll be replaced before long.”
