What if I’m a total dud and this movie is basically the start and end of my career?
At the current rate I might never be cast in anything again!
A rapid fire of crying emojis follow her string of one-liners and I slump in my chair as my heart sinks.My arms itch with the need to pull my bestie in for hug.
Self-doubt runs rampant in the actor circles and so few people actually make it. All I can do is cheer her on. My thumbs hover over the keys to type back, but I’m not sure what to say.
Jem’s eyes are still on me, and now she studies my hesitation, so I stand and walk out of the office. I’d love to phone Tessa, but hell, the girl needs to be in bed?—
“Lexi?” Jem calls, her voice stern. “Where are you going?”
I drop my head back with a groan and curse. Can she just give me space? Jem has no life and can’t bear the thought of anybody having one either.
Still, she’s the one who is going to report to Beaumont on every minuscule wrong I commit on this island, so I need to toe the line.
In haste I send Tessa a message:
Me
You’re amazing, gorgeous, a FANTASTIC actress, tomorrow is a new day and I know you will NAIL this. They chose you because you’re brilliant. One bad day isn’t the precedent, it’s a glitch in the Matrix. Go to bed, girl, you need to be fresh for tomorrow. I’ll try call you later. xxx
I send it off, feeling crap that I can’t do more. Tessa has been there for me through all my ups and downs, and now that she needs me, I’m stuck in the middle of nowhere.
With a sigh I walk back into the office, refrain from giving Jem the finger and sit down again.
“Lexi?”
I look up. Deshni is standing in the door, wringing her hands.
“Yes. Deshni. How can I help?”
Deshni shoots a nervous glance at Jem, and I force myself not to look her way too. The hierarchy here is not exactly in the shape of a pyramid. I’m still trying to figure out how some things work, but something’s up here and whatever it is, Deshni isn’t going to open up in front of Jem. The problem probablyisJem.
“I’m going to get some coffee. Walk with me?” I say as I stand.
“Don’t forget Matthias de Foch is flying in and will be landing at lunch time,” Jem says, giving methatlook over her reading glasses. I’m playing truant again in her books. “He’s the first to arrive for this wedding and is alone, so he’s going to need some TLC.”
Tender loving care when it comes to guests means only one thing: he’s difficult as fuck. But Matthias de Foch is a regular, and he’s footing the bill for his sister’s wedding. “No problem. That’s plenty of time. I’ll have the radio with me, so let me knowwhen he arrives if I’m not here.” They still use walkie-talkies here, and I take mine and nod to Deshni. Once we’re outside the office, she falls in next to me and we walk abreast.
“So what’s up?” I ask. Deshni and Sarika are both sweet, mostly soft-spoken, and flawlessly beautiful with thick black hair that is always neatly braided. But I suspect those are their general spa personas they reserve for their hours as Beaumont staff.
Deshni waits until we’re almost at the canteen, and when there’s nobody there, she says, “We’ve been working on some plans for the spa and were hoping you’d allow us to implement them.”
I’ve looked over the spa’s offerings and was surprised to find them so stock standard. It’s something to keep partners and spouses who don’t go out for all those dives or other activities happy, but being on this side of the world, you’d think people would like something more exotic. “I’d love to look at your plans. Sounds exciting.”
“It is. We didn’t dare propose the changes to Miriam and Don, and Jem…” She shrugs. “You seem to be more open to fresh ideas.”
Hmm… Don and Miriam were a bit old school, but as for Jem, I’ve figured her all out. She’s in charge, and I’m just a front for guests. Me finding a way to strut my stuff for Nathan Beaumont is going to be difficult, if not impossible. “So where’s the plan? Do you have it in writing?”
Deshni smiles but blushes profusely at the same time. “Yes. It’s at the spa. If you can come over, I’ll talk you through it. Sarika is with a guest, so…”
“Sure, let’s go right now.” I’ll do anything to take my mind off what happened this morning. And the fact that my magic wand might be under the bed. Hopefully it’s hiding away where nobody else can find it until I have time to crawl around.
We change direction, skipping the warm coffees in favor of water, and head out to the spa. The walkway takes us past the dive center, where everything is quiet. The dive boat is out, which means Tristan is diving right now.
The spa has thick stone walls and a cooling waterfall feature with tropical plants that makes for a relaxing, zen environment in the seating area. There are two treatment rooms for facials and other beauty treatments. For massages, they have the outdoor sala where guests are treated in semi-privacy. Jem so eloquently explained the reason those don’t happen behind closed doors here.
The place is spotless, and clearly the women take pride in their work. Deshni goes behind the spa’s counter and pulls out a stack of papers. Her eyes are downcast. “You asked for it in writing.”
