Triumph flashes in his eyes. ‘Point in case. Daphne would never agree on principle.’
I scoff. ‘And you’d argue just for the sake of arguing, just like the Duke of Hastings.’
‘Never.’ He says the word with a guttural inflection, playing the part of the Duke of Hastings perfectly. His fun side popping out for a moment.
I bite back a laugh. And this means the man is aBridgertonfan, just like the staff. Staff who have to sneak off and use guest Wi-Fi to watch their favourite shows after a long day in the blazing sun. ‘Wouldn’t it be great if your staff could unwind with an episode ofBridgerton, like you clearly have?’
He gives me a brief nod. ‘My mother watchedBridgertonand I was in the vicinity.’
‘Your masculinity is still intact, Xavier. You can just admit you watched it and that it’s a great show.’
He grins. ‘What a relief.’
I push on. ‘So can staff access the streaming services again?’
He scrubs his face with a hand as if talking to me takes it out of him. I get that a lot. ‘I’ll consider reinstating it, but if they start skipping out on their shifts again, I’ll cancel it.’
‘Consider?’ I scrunch up my nose. ‘Consider reinstating it. Or will?’
He lets out a frustrated sigh. ‘Have you been fired a lot?’
I nod eagerly. ‘Yes, too many times to count.’
‘Thought so. Look, Harper, I’m not the monster I’m being made out to be. Staff have taken certain liberties and I understand that’s because of the laid-back way the resort has been run since its inception. It just can’t continue that way. Yes, I’ve given them rules to follow and new uniforms. But I’ve also given them pay increases, and that’s because I’m asking for more from them. There has been some railing against the rules, and it can’t continue. I need everyone on board and I’m more than happy to cater to staff needs too, as long as they don’t take advantage when my back is turned. Now, can we get down to business?’
I’m duly told and grateful to hear Xavier’s side of things. I do understand that all these changes must have come as a shock to staff after working for Mrs Bastille in a more relaxed way. It gives me hope that Xavier isn’t quite as unreasonable as I first thought he was. It’s more that he wants the Last Chance Resort to uphold standards the same way any five-star establishment would.
‘You’re not such a bad guy,’ I blurt.
‘Thanks?’
He moves to the counter and takes a seat on the stool.
‘No, hear me out.’ I sit next to him. ‘Permission to speak freely?’
‘Since when do you ever ask?’
I laugh. ‘You’re right. But I’ve figured it out. There’s a divide between you and the staff, especially with the ones who are breaking the rules. You’ve come back, all guns blazing, removing privileges, giving them a list of rules to follow, speaking in pretentious acronyms a lot like some big bad CEO, all while making huge changes around the resort as well. They’re bound to feel a bit displaced, especially after working for your mum for so long where, if they skipped off for an hour here and there, it was perfectly acceptable. You might feel the pressure, you’re the owner and that’s part and parcel of it, but they shouldn’t feel it – they should feel safe that you’re on their side and have their best interests at heart and then they will go the extra mile for you.’
‘And you know this how?’
‘From working for a lot of terrible bosses. Yes, I’ve been fired a lot in my short thirty-one years earthside, but I’ve also quit a lot, because I have boundaries and I know my worth. The staff here are fabulous. Michel and his cousin Joji could win gold medals for flirting, but they immediately put guests at ease. They seem to know exactly which persona to use to make them laugh, and that kind of behaviour takes a lot of energy when they could just stay silent and smile, you know? Mariola is supposed to be in charge of staff relations, but has a deep insight of everything happening around the resort, as she efficiently fixes anything that crops up. They’re all like this, in their own unique way, which makes me believe that they all want to be here, but in return, you have to show them that you want them to be here. Or you’ll find more of them will leave to work on cruise ships.’
‘Staff shouldn’t be flirting.’ His face darkens.
‘Oh come on! Guests love it! It’s harmless. Or do you mean Michel, more specifically? What are you two beefing about anyway?’
‘We’re not… beefing. I don’t always trust his motivations, that’s all, and I won’t be drawn on it any further.’
That’s me told.
‘Maybe there’s some truth in your other suggestions. I haven’t been the easiest to work with but you’re right in that the pressure I’m feeling is not a staff problem. I need to rethink the way I handle things, and whatever initiatives I introduce.’
‘You can’t do everything. Why not run staff changes past Mariola? She’s got her head screwed on straight and can also be frank and tell you when it won’t work.’
He considers it. ‘OK. I’ll chat with her and see if she’s amenable.’
‘So down to the real reason for this god-awful early morning meeting?’
