Chapter Thirty-Six
Molly
It had been only five weeks since I’d last seen the resort, and yet it felt like a different lifetime ago. Perhaps it was because my whole perspective had changed and that made me see everything differently. Tristan was no longer the reason I was here. I was here for myself. I was here because I was taking control of my own life and refusing to be scared any longer.
I had booked a room for three nights. I was hoping in that time to speak to Ben and Tristan and tell them that if it was still an option, I would like to resume my job, at least until my contract was up. I hadn’t informed anyone of my arrival; the only person who knew was Alani because she was the one that had taken my reservation. I walked around my room.
It was much smaller than the grand suite, but it was cozier, too. There was no living room or dining area, just a massive bed surrounded by stunning views. I walked over to the bed and sunk down into it. It was just as comfortable, and I felt the need to lie down and take a nap, if only to soothe my frayed nerves. I was rehearsing my speech for Tristan when I heard a knock at the door.
Tensing slightly, I walked over and looked through the peephole to see who was there. I could see Alani’s profile through the unclear glass. With a sigh of relief, I pulled the door open.
“Hi,” I smiled.
She just walked straight up to me and gave me a big hug. “It’s so good to see you.”
“I know,” I said. “It’s so good to see you, too… I’ve missed you these past few weeks.”
“Me, too,” she nodded. “It hasn’t been the same around here without you.”
Alani walked in, and I closed the door behind her. She joined me on the edge of the bed and we both sat down together.
“How have you been?” she asked, cutting to the chase.
“I’ve been dealing,” I said.
“You never told me why you left.”
I sighed. “I’m sure you’ve heard things.”
“But I wasn’t sure whether to believe them or not,” she said. “The rumor is that you found out that Tristan had been cheating on you.”
I sighed and Alani’s eyes went wide. “It’s true?”
“I’m afraid so,” I nodded.
“That’s crazy...”
“Is it?” I asked. “This is Tristan we’re talking about. You yourself told me that he was famous around here for playing the field.”
“Playing the field, yes,” Alani nodded. “But he’s never been in a real relationship before you, so I figured he’d…changed.”
“I thought so, too,” I nodded. “Turns out I was just being naïve.”
“Come on,” Alani said, sounding unbelieving. “I’ve seen him with you. It makes sense for the two of you to be together. You have chemistry, there’s an obvious connection there.”
“Apparently to everyone else but Tristan.”
“Do you really believe that?”
“I didn’t,” I said. “Then I walked into his suite and found a naked woman in the shower. So yeah… I believe it now.”
“Fuck,” Alani said, shaking her head. “I was hoping it wasn’t true.”
“He confirmed it,” I said, in a soft voice.
“No!”
“I stormed into his office right after and basically confronted him with what I’d found out,” I said. “He gave me some bull crap about how we were better off apart, and that’s when I quit.”
Alani looked dumbfounded. “Okay,” she said, after a moment. “I understand why you left. But now I don’t understand why you’re back.”
“Because I realized I loved my job here,” I admitted with a smile. “And I loved the people I was working with and I shouldn’t have just left behind everything I’d built here just for a guy—even if that guy was Tristan.”
“Wait,” Alani said. “Does that mean you’re here for your job?”
I smiled nervously. “Well, that is the plan,” I admitted. “If Tristan will agree to take me back. I’m on contract, but I was the one who walked first. He has every right to say no to me now.”
“He won’t do that,” Alani said confidently.
“Why do you say that?”
“Because Tristan knows you were fantastic at your job,” Alani said. “His work load has increased tenfold since you left. And he’s been dragging his heels about hiring someone to replace you.”
I clung to that piece of hope. “Which means he might really consider letting me come back.”
“I have no doubt,” Alani nodded. “But—”
“But what?” I pressed, when Alani stopped short.
“Can you really do this?” she asked. “Work for the guy who cheated on you, especially because you were in love with this guy for forever.”
I smiled sadly. “I still love him,” I said slowly. “But I’m going to do my best to move on and put my feelings for Tristan behind me.”
“While seeing him every day?” she asked pointedly.
“I haven’t made this easy on myself,” I said. “I realize that. But I don’t care. I’m sick of running. I’m sick of acting like a scared little girl. I’m taking control of my life, and I’m going to fight for this job because I love it.”
“Well, I’m glad,” she said. “It’ll be nice to have you back.”
I leaned in and hugged her. “I’m glad I have you here; it won’t be so lonely.”
“Please. In a few months when you’re up for it, I’m going to fix you up with a few guys—for real this time. That way you can find someone who deserves you.”
I thought of Tristan and instantly felt sad at the prospect of moving on. I reminded myself that Tristan didn’t want to be with me—that was the only reason he would have cheated on me so openly.
“You’re right,” I nodded. “I do deserve someone better.”
Alani put her hand over mine. “It’s going to be hard,” she said comfortingly. “But you will get over him, trust me.”
I sighed. “That’s what I’m hoping,” I said. Then I shook my head and snapped myself out of the haze of self-pity that currently surrounded me. “So… how have things been here since I left?”
“Things have been piling up, to be honest,” she said. “It’s been crazy around here. We’re always at capacity—which is a good thing, of course—but it also means that there are more problems with staff and breakages and a whole heap of other things besides. And since there’s no one in charge of the staff anymore, it’s fallen to Ben and Tristan, and neither one has the time to spend on fixing all of the issues that have been piling up.
“That’s my fault,” I said. “I just left without giving in my notice or giving them time to find a replacement.”
“No one blames you, Molly,” Alani said immediately. “No one expected you to be thinking straight when you found out what you found out.”
I nodded gratefully. “Uh… I hesitate to ask, but how has Tristan been?”
Alani paused for a moment. “Honestly?”
“Yes?”
“He looks like he’s having a hard time,” she said. “And it has nothing to do with the resort. It almost seems like you broke up with him. A large part of the staff actually believes that you were the one that ended it based on how Tristan appears these days.”
“What do you mean?”
“He looks gaunt and pale half the time, he drinks like he never used to do, and sometimes he just looks…broken.”
I frowned. “That’s weird.”
“I think he regrets cheating on you,” she said immediately.
“You think?”
“Definitely,” she nodded.
I nodded and looked out towards the beautiful green-blue ocean.
“Molly?”
“Hmm?”
“If it turns out he does regret what he did and begs for your forgiveness…”
“I wouldn’t take him back,” I said firmly. “I can forgive some things, but cheating is not one of them. I’d forever be wondering when he’s going to break next and sleep with someone else.”
“Fair enough,” Alani nodded. “And I think it’s unlikely, but what if Tristan doesn’t let you come back?”
“Then, I’ll go back home and find another job and built my life elsewhere,” I said. “I know it’s a possibility I’ll be leaving at the end of three days. I’m prepared for that, don’t worry.”
Alani was just about to say something when I heard a knock on my door. She looked a little confused as she stood up.
“Did you order in room service?” she asked.
“No,” I said, shaking my head.
I went to the door and answered it. I froze as I came face to face with Emma. “Emma,” I said, in surprise. “What are you doing here?”
“Visiting my brother,” she replied. “Hello, Molly, it’s great to see you.”
I gave her a tentative smile and we hugged awkwardly. “It’s been a long time.”
“It has,” she nodded.
“The last time I saw you was when you were, what, sixteen?”
“Seventeen,” she reminded me. “The boys were not around at the time.”
“Right,” I said. “Please, come in.”
Emma walked in and gave Alani a smile. “Hey, Alani,” she said. “Looks like you beat me to the punch.”
“I just came to welcome Molly back,” she said. “I’ll give you two some time to catch up.”
“That would be great,” Emma nodded.
The moment Alani left, Emma turned to me. She had always been a confident young woman who seemed far more mature than her age. Even now, she exuded confidence and maturity, except there was sex appeal there now, too. She was my height, and her long dark hair was draped around her slim shoulders. I realized that she looked a lot like Tristan now.
“You’re back,” Emma said.
I frowned in confusion. “Yes…”
“I’m sorry we missed each other the last time,” she said.
“Uh, did we?” I asked. “I think I must have left by the time you came down here.”
“No,” she said confidently. “There was definitely an overlap.”
“Oh… I didn’t even know you were in the resort,” I said, wondering if Tristan had mentioned it to me and I had just forgotten in light of everything that had happened.
“I think I arrived the day before you left,” Emma said.
“Oh wow… I’m sorry, I didn’t know,” I said. “If I had known I would have definitely come and said hi.”
“Oh, in fact we did meet…not face to face, but close enough.”
I narrowed my eyes at her. “What are you talking about?”
“I was the girl in Tristan’s shower, Molly,” Emma said, sitting down on my bed and looking up at me.
“Excuse me?”
“I arrived earlier than expected, and my room wasn’t ready yet. So I had to wait a few hours and there was no other room available for me, but I was desperate for a shower. My generous big brother offered up his suite for my use.”
I just stared at Emma for a second. “I… Sorry… I’m just…
“Processing?” she offered. “Understandable.”
“I went to Tristan after that,” I said. “I accused him and he… He admitted to it. He admitted to cheating on me—he never mentioned you.”
“I love my brother,” she said. “But as I’ve told him repeatedly before, he is a coward. He was scared, so he jumped on the out you were giving him.”
“Scared?” I repeated incredulously. “Scared of what?”
“The voices in his head,” Emma replied. “The voices that were telling him he would screw up with you sooner or later.”
“So he chose to accelerate the process?”
“I don’t claim to understand the exact reasons why he did what he did—though I’ve tried, believe me. But I think the crux of the matter is fear.”
I felt my jaw tighten in anger. “Excuse me, Emma,” I said. “I have to go.”
“Where are you going?”