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It had been a revelation realising that she wanted change.
Still, she was nervous. Ownership of the resort wasn’t hers—their parents had just handed over management rights. She had to convince them. Get them on board.
Their enthusiastic nodding helped put her mind at ease. Avery was over-the-moon excited.
‘And Luke supports this too?’ Gloria asked.
‘He sure does,’ came a voice from behind them.
Claudia watched as first his parents then her parents embraced Luke. It was heartening to see how close he was with her family too. He was wearing another pair of boardies and a T-shirt and the hem lifted a little to reveal a peek of those smooth abs she’d seen in full Technicolor not that long ago. She dragged her gaze away.
When the greetings were finally done he pulled up the chair beside her and gave her a smile. ‘It’s like a family reunion ,’ he said.
Claudia smiled back, forgetting the abs for a moment. It had been a long time since they’d all sat down to a meal together and she felt strangely nostalgic.
‘So you’re leaving tomorrow?’ Lena, Claudia’s mum, asked. She was petite and blonde like her daughter and always cut straight to the chase.
Luke nodded. ‘No need for me to stick around. The clean-up is largely done and Claude and I are both on the same page with the direction of the resort. I can leave it in her very capable hands and we can communicate via email.’
Luke didn’t notice the look his mother and Claudia’s mother shared with Avery. He was tucking into the bacon that Tony was renowned for. Claudia didn’t either. She was trying to not think about eating bacon off Luke’s abs.
SIX
By the end of the day Claudia had almost burned through their entire download quota as she madly surfed the net for any information on spas and the kind of exclusive accommodation and experience she had in mind for the new and improved Tropicana. Thank goodness the web was up and running after a week without.
She and Luke talked extensively, working together in the brief time they had left to throw ideas around, and she made copious notes. She refused to dwell on the fact that he’d be gone tomorrow, that the resort still meant so little to him that he could just walk away, especially after it had been so devastated. If anything the disaster that had befallen the Tropicana had only brought her closer to the grand old dame.
This was where she belonged. Right here.
Walking away just wasn’t an option.
Occasionally Claudia glanced up to find her and Luke’s mothers in a huddle with their fathers or with Avery or with Avery and Jonah. Sometimes with Isis and Cyrus involved. Even Tony had come out of the kitchen at one point. But she figured they had a lot of catching up to do and everyone was still going about their assigned chores so who was she to complain?
It wasn’t until they were sitting around eating their evening meal that night that she began to suspect there was more at play.
‘You two were very busy today,’ her mother murmured, flicking her glance over them both.
‘Lots to plan.’ Claudia shrugged.
‘How soon do you think you can get started?’ her father asked.
‘Not sure, Harry,’ Luke said. ‘Nothing can really be accomplished until the insurance money comes through. The government and the insurance companies have promised the industry that claims will be processed speedily but...’ he shrugged ‘...that doesn’t mean it’ll actually happen.’
Her father nodded. ‘So it could be quite some months before we’re back on the road again.’
Claudia looked up, alarmed. ‘No...Mum, Dad.’ She reached over and squeezed her mother’s hand. ‘Brian and Gloria,’ she said, looking at them both individually. ‘Go back to your trip. You guys slogged your guts out here for twenty years and this is supposed to be your retirement. Your dream trip. We’ll be just fine without you, won’t we, Avery?’
‘Hmm,’ Avery said noncommittally, avoiding Claudia’s gaze. ‘I suppose...’
Claudia frowned at her friend, who’d been wildly enthusiastic this morning, before turning back to face the parents. ‘We’ll be fine,’ she assured.
‘Of course you will be, darling,’ her mother said, squeezing her hand back. ‘But...we can’t just leave you to do it on your own. Not with your management partner heading back to London. That wouldn’t be fair.’
Claudia glanced at Luke. She wished he weren’t leaving but the truth was she’d managed without him for over a year and she wasn’t going to pressure him into staying.
‘I’m not on my own. I have Avery.’ Claudia glanced at her friend, who wasn’t looking so confident all of a sudden. Maybe she was thinking how much time it was going to take away from her relationship with Jonah?
