‘Stop with all the compliments, Harper. I can’t take it.’
I smother a grin. I hate that he can take a joke. And why is that?
The waitress returns with wine and pours it into a decanter. It’s all very theatrical and red wine seems a bit heavy for a hot day, but what can I do except to guzzle it down?
‘So, you’ll be wondering where Gus has got to, and why you’re suddenly being thrust into the role as manager.’
‘And on probation, no less. It’s all a bit too cloak and dagger around here.’
Really, it has been a bit strange, what with the averted gazes, power-tripping CEO vibes and the missing Gus. There’s politics at every biz, I get that, but I’m stuck on a real-life island in the middle of the Indian Ocean, so it’d be a relief to get some answers. To be certain this place is legit mostly. Because so far, it feels like I’ve stepped onto the set of a sitcom, with characters like Michel, the flirtatious helicopter pilot; the three Lucys, aka little old (con) ladies; the sketchy bracelet-jangling Doris; Brian the bitcoin enthusiast; Mariola the miracle worker who soothes petty squabbles; Mrs Bastille a tipsy matriarch with sad eyes. And an MIA bookseller.
‘Gus retired.’ He lifts the palms of his hands in a what-can-you-do way.
Gus up and retired and didn’t breathe a word to me as we chatted by email for a week after my interview? And not one person has been able to communicate that? I think not. ‘Out of the blue?’ I narrow my eyes, so he knows I’m not picking up what he’s putting down. He averts his gaze. Huh, how telling.
‘Yes.’ Xavier fiddles with the napkin on his lap. ‘I’m sure it’s been on his mind for quite some time. Luckily, he had the good sense to find a replacement. Would you be amenable to taking the role of manager, Harper?’
‘I – uh – well, maybe.’ Why does this not feel like the full story? Or am I doing what I always do – sniffing out problems when I should just be happy that I’m gainfully employed and now suddenly promoted, before I’ve even set foot in the elusive bookshop? Why lie to myself? There’s a mystery afoot here, maybe many mysteries, and I’m determined to get to the bottom of them. What happened to Gus being the priority.
‘Obviously, there will be an increase in your salary for the extra duties expected of the position.’
‘I’d like to see the bookshop before I confirm.’ What if it’s a dreary affair stuffed down in the old part of the resort? I might be agreeing to hole up in some dark, dingy room for all I know, with Xavier lording it over me all hours of the day. No, it’s best I have the full picture before I commit to anything. Not that I have much choice, since jobs aren’t exactly falling from the sky for me, but he doesn’t know that. It’s this strange island where time warps, and it’s just been the longest day.
‘Sure, I’ll meet you there before breakfast tomorrow,’ he says. ‘How does that sound?’
‘Or we could go now?’
‘It’s best seen in sunlight.’
Oh God, it is a dreary room at the back of beyond.
The waitress returns with a tray of dishes. ‘I took the liberty of ordering a selection of Seychellois Creole signature dishes.’
I smile. The spiced scent of the food is mouthwatering and so colourful on the plate. ‘Amazing. What are they?’
He points to a fish dish. ‘This is poisson sale, salted fish with coconut rice. Brinjal, a spicy sweet eggplant chutney. And this one is gâteau piment, which are fried lentil fritters with chilli and garlic. There are more… controversial dishes in these parts, but I wasn’t sure you’d enjoy those.’
Yet again, a man deciding what I do and do not like. A man who doesn’t even know me. ‘I can make up my own mind. I have the constitution of an ox and can eat anything. I’ve travelled extensively, you know, and have quite the adventurous palate.’ OK, none of that is true.
‘Oh? Shall I order one of the traditional delicacies of Seychelles civet de chauve souris? I warn you though, it’s an acquired taste.’
This feels like a trap. ‘What is that?’
‘Fruit bat curry.’
‘No, thank you. I’m vegetarian.’
‘Since when?’
‘Since thirty seconds ago, you monster.’
‘Sorry.’ His face breaks into a smile and I use all my willpower not to smile back. It’s the sort of prank Lily is always playing on me too and because of that I have unwittingly eaten all sorts of oddities in my life, which I thoroughly enjoyed until I found out what they were. ‘I’m joking. We don’t actually serve it here because of the ecosystem importance of the fruit bats, but it is a traditional dish. We stick to more sustainable practices in the kitchens. My long-term goal is for the resort to become more eco-friendly as a whole.’
‘You have big plans then?’
‘I do. And the bookshop is part of that. I hope you can make it a success, Harper.’ The look he gives me is searing and it’s all I can do not to feel a frisson of excitement. He’s just a man! Why does he seem to have this immediate hold over me? Especially when I’ve closed the chapter on men for the moment who, of late, have only let me down.
‘Of course I can with enough time.’ I might not be confident in all aspects of my life but the one thing I am confident about is books and the fact that they add value to every single day. What else can you buy for such a small sum that provides hours of escapism? That gives you the ability to shut off your worries? That opens up your eyes to other worlds, and ways of living? Nothing, that’s what. Books are a salve. A Band-Aid. A friend. And that is priceless. Especially when you live or holiday in paradise and have the most beautiful view to accompany you as you dive between the covers of a book.
