After the corporate meeting, Danielle waited in Paolo’s Santiago’s office as per his request. She scanned the fine details around the room wishing she had his decorator know-how; It looked like something straight off the cover of Elle Décor magazine. The view was also nothing to sneeze at, stretching out past the pool area to the sparkling Pacific.

As the hotel manager, Paolo was her immediate supervisor but was far too humble to treat her as a subordinate. Dani considered him her most loyal friend and confidant and had the utmost respect for his work ethic and expertise. Professionally he was her wise mentor while socially he filled the role of sympathetic “girlfriend”.

Dani had not been the least bit surprised when he had politely asked her to join him for an informal meeting in his office, after the corporate webinar. She presumed her overt reaction to Shane Tanner’s photo had not escaped his notice. Despite her extreme case of anxiety, she tried to relax in the wicker chair as she stared down from the window at a beach volleyball game in progress .

After about ten minutes Paolo came in carrying a giant vase full of red hibiscus flowers that almost completely hid the upper half of his slight five-foot, five-inch frame.

“I’m so sorry to keep you waiting Dani,” he said in his most sincere tone. “Can you believe one of our lovely guests just gave these to me? I’m so touched. They’ll look perfect over here next to the divan.”

“That’s okay Paolo. No need to apologize. I’m not in any real hurry.”

Paolo closed his office door and took a seat at his antique desk. He wasted no time with small talk and got straight to the point.

“Okay girlie, what was all that about down there? Why did you freak out when you saw Shane Tanner’s picture?”

“So you noticed that huh?” Dani said sheepishly.

Paolo burst out laughing as he launched into his sarcastic reply, “No…. I didn’t notice anything. Why on earth would I notice a woman turn white as a sheet, stiffen like a statue and almost topple face first out of her swivel chair? Nothing unusual about that. ”

Danielle sat silently for a few moments wondering how to answer him. She honestly didn’t know where to begin because part of her doubted not only what she’d just seen in the meeting but her own recollection of that distant summer as well. Slowly Dani began relaying her story.

“It was during summer break between my sophomore and junior year of college at the University of Hawaii. I was living in Honolulu and I met this guy named Scott Turner who was spending his summer break there. He was going to some east coast Ivey League school at the time, Harvard or Yale, I forget which. We had an amazing three-month whirlwind romance.”

“So? I don’t get it. What the hell does that have to do with Shane Tanner, Dani? Oh my god! Don’t tell me you had a threesome with him?”

Danielle balked at the suggestion. “Of course not. In fact that would be impossible. Paolo, you’re not going to believe this but as soon as I saw that picture of Shane Tanner in the meeting today, I recognized his face immediately….. That was Scott Turner.”

Paolo’s large brown eyes widened to the size of saucers. “Are you absolutely sure sweetie? But how could that be?” He was standing now and beginning to pace the length of his desk.

“I don’t know, but that was definitely Scott in the photo. My mind hasn’t come to grips with it yet. The same little scar by his eye is even there. And of course there’s no mistaking that adorable cleft chin and those piercing gray eyes. And that smile….. Oh my god that sweet smile.” Dani blushed when she suddenly became aware of her teenage schoolgirl demeanor. She forced herself to dismiss it. She was much more comfortable with her feelings of bitter resentment.

Paolo hopped up from his chair and took a seat on the front corner of his desk, in closer proximity to Danielle.

“Okay I have serious question to ask you. I know it sounds like I’m prying because I am, but I have to ask. Was it mostly just a summer sex romp or were you in love with him?”

“It was both. It started out as amazing primal sex like I’d never known but I ended up falling in love with him. What difference does it make?”

“Dani weren’t you listening to Angela at all during the meeting?” asked Paolo in an unusually somber tone.

“Not really. I’m sorry but I totally zoned out once I saw that photo. You saw me; I went into shock. What did Angela say?”

“Well first of all, our new name is going to be The Tanner Kaanapali Kai. More importantly, Shane Tanner will be arriving from California within the next couple of days. He’s going to be here with us to facilitate the transition of the resort from Artemis Hotels to Tanner International. Does any of this ring a bell? Didn’t you even hear Angela say her farewells to the staff? That was the best part actually. I always hated that smug bitch.”

“No I didn’t hear her say any of that. Oh my god Paolo, Shane Tanner is coming here? How am I supposed to work with him? Do you know how awkward that’s going to be?” Danielle was on the verge of panic.

“I’m starting to get a pretty good idea. That’s exactly why I’m prying like this. As manager I have a responsibility to make sure the transition goes as smoothly and seamlessly as possible. As marketing director you’re going to be working very closely with him and I’d like to keep everyone’s embarrassment and discomfort to an absolute minimum. Did the two of you part ways amicably?”

Paolo listened with great concern as Danielle revealed the details of what was obviously an unrequited love and a painful betrayal. It was apparent to him that it was all still brewing in her dangerously close to the surface and that was surely going to be problematic once Tanner arrived.

“Oh Paolo it was so wonderful. The whole damn summer was. Why did he have to ruin it? We had so much fun together. I’ve never laughed more in my life with anyone. I fell so hard for him and he said he felt the same way about me. At the end of summer break I woke up one morning and found him gone, with only a single red rose on my pillow. I never saw nor heard from him again; not even a note. It was like he vanished without a trace. Then today when I saw his picture it felt like someone punched me hard in the stomach. So many painful emotions came flooding back, not to mention the obvious confusion about his identity. Paolo it took me forever to get over that bastard. I don’t know how I’m going to face him.”

Paolo scratched his bald head while he searched in vain for just the right words to comfort his friend. But try as he might he could only come up with “Well shit..……this sounds like a fucking disaster waiting to happen.”