“Ali …” Elle gasps as she notices the beach hut set up on the beach, which is surrounded by tiki torches. “This is so beautiful.” She takes in the table set up with white linens, crystal glassware, and a large bouquet of tropical flowers in the center. No one is on the beach. We have it all to ourselves, with nothing but the crashing of the waves as ambiance and the millions of twinkling stars high above us for light. I asked for no staff as I didn’t think Eloise would feel comfortable with them watching us because we won’t be acting like normal guests and staff. I let go of her hand and pull out her chair for her. Elle bites her bottom lip and takes a seat.
Then I grab the bottle of champagne from the bucket set up on the side, pop it open, and pour each of us a glass. “Welcome to my restaurant,” I say, waving my hand in front of me, making her giggle. “On the menu tonight is Oysters Rockefeller,” I say, grabbing the dish from the pop-up kitchen set up and bringing them to the table.
“You know you don’t need oysters to get me in the mood,” Eloise jokes.
I place the plate in the middle of the table for us to share. “Thought I might hedge my bets just in case.” I give her a wink as I take my seat.
“This is so beautiful, Ali,” Eloise says as she looks out across the golden sand of the beach toward the inky black ocean and the endless darkness of the horizon, peppered with stars for as far as the eye can see. “No one has ever done anything so beautiful for me.”
This pains me to hear. “You’ve been with the wrong men, then.”
“Probably …” She chuckles. “I haven’t really dated since starting at The Paradise Club.”
“Is that because men can’t handle your job?” I ask before I throw back an oyster. I’m genuinely curious to hear her answer.
“Yes, but I also never tried because I felt guilty over my job,” she explains.
“Did you feel that with us?” I ask, curious now as to where this conversation is leading.
Eloise is silent for a couple of seconds as she mulls over how to answer. “Yes. You scared me,” she states.
Her answer catches me off-guard, and now I am all ears. “Why?”
“You were the first man I wanted to date who I was willing to give it all up for,” she confesses as she slowly looks up at me through thick lashes.
My heart stops.
Dead!
“If I am being perfectly honest, I don’t think I was ready, and I’m pretty sure that’s why I bolted,” she adds as she fidgets in her seat.
“You know I would never have asked you to give up your job.”
“I know,” she says, reaching out and touching my arm. I move my hand and link my fingers with hers. “You’re secure in who you are. You understood there’s a difference between what I do at the club and what we do at home.”
I get what she’s saying, and I would have supported her decision to stay. But if I’m honest, I don’t know for how long. Because I do know if we had started dating, I would have fallen head over heels for her, and each time she left my bed to go to work, it would have chipped away at my heart.
“How long do you think you’ll keep working here?” I need to know how long I must wait for her.
“I’m not sure anymore.”
What does that mean?Hope begins to bloom in my chest.
“I promised Lauren six months, and that time is almost over.”
And?I want to say the word, but I hold myself back.
“I thought she was happy here. I was willing to ride out the six months for her.”
Why does it sound like there’s a but coming?
“But we had a chat tonight when I went back to our villa, and as it turns out, we were both staying here for each other. We were both being loyal friends but hadn’t asked the other what they wanted to do. We had made assumptions instead.”
Okay, but what does that mean?
“Our chat tonight somehow ended up with us going into business together.” Elle giggles. “Lauren’s been there every step of the way, and I thought it was because she was being a good friend. Turns out it’s because she believes in my dream too. So, we’ve decided to do it together,” Elle states excitedly.
That’s great, but what does that mean?