Tomorrow, Say Hello To Paradise

Tomorrow sat for days sorting through pictures to get the design down, once she had the basic design, she arranged them on the computer. Lucas walked by a few times, being nosey, but also lonely. She could tell by the look on his face which one it was. When nosey she dismissed him, when lonely she stopped to speak to him sharing her vision of the project. This was different from the brochure she made for the family business. He had spent many millions to improve this place and was looking to change the dynamics of the guests. Everything she did had to be right to draw in the right type of people. 

Another week and she had a flier, a brochure, and the beginnings of a web site. That she was not confident with, she had never built a website, nor done more than complain about the slowness of the picture points on other websites. No, this one has to be fast. She had nine hundred photos to use, and she planned to overwhelm the viewer with images until they cannot wait to see this place in person. 

At dinner that night, they discussed her dilemma. 

"I didn't hire you to build a website. You should have told me you were having trouble."

"Fine I have everything set up, but I don't know how to build it to be fast. So, get me some help," she told him.

"She'll be here tomorrow to help you, Morrow." 

"Thank you, Mr. Monroe, for your help. How much longer until we open." 

"I was thinking about a Christmas push, to be an alternative to Hawaii for the Christmas crowd. With it being late October, we will be getting the procrastinators. This could make them happy to find openings at any US vacation spot." 

The realization that the holidays are coming was slow to soak in. Being so warm and sunny here the time of year doesn't make much impact. 

"That would be so fun. We need to decorate for the guests and take pictures for the web site," Tomorrow told him, visualizing the place decorated for the holidays. 

"Oh, shoot I forgot you had to decorate. I just went places and they have all the work done. Do you feel like surfing the web for decorations and have it all sent here," Lucas asked. 

"Shopping of course I would love to shop. What is my budget and remember we will be able to use it for years to come."

"That is true, and we will replace the flowers in each room with a nice little Christmas tree or poinsettias. Yes, see what you can accomplish with a hundred to a hundred and fifty thousand. Classy tropical Christmas is what we need."

"I will see what I can do for you; it is late in the season." Tomorrow said, feeling as if the world was lifted off her shoulders. He was pleased with her work so far. He is very pleased, 'exceeded his expectations.' How much better can life be, shopping with someone else's money? She was in nirvana. 

The web designer Belinda Maddox, a thirty something plump gay looking woman worked diligently with Tomorrow and Lucas to create a sight to their liking. She was nice and helpful but seemed to be ready to go after two days. As Belinda worked on the site, Tomorrow searched for Christmas decorations. She had the site up and running within a week and waved good-bye. Tomorrow knew how to add pictures to the site, so they were set. 

Spending hours hearing it is a little late in the season, Tomorrow ordered thousands of dollars' worth of decorations in a week. She and two island decorators transformed the hotel into a tropical wonderland early in the season. Her saving grace was she wanted tropical decorations. There was plenty once they got past 'it was too late in the season'. They worked deals with her, spending fifty thousand dollars. She filled the place with Christmas joy, creating picturesque areas specifically for the web site. Belinda went home once the site was up and running. Tomorrow emailed her newest photos to add to the website for the holiday market. Tropical Christmas was actually easy to find on one sight. The sales help was thrilled when she told her what she was looking for. They had hundreds of things packed away, someone ordered but cancelled the order years ago. It was shipped to them. Some of the decorations are cheezie but they should take it as a joke as it is presented.

Now starts the day-to-day work. His new hotel workers Laurel and Pearson have been setting up the room schedules, the staffing schedules, and so many other schedules Tomorrow never thought of. They had clipboards with lists cluttering the desk as they went through them. Lucas was hiring his staff, cleaning, maintenance, and a few dozen others he liked the person and would find a spot for them. Food was beginning to arrive canned and frozen to start. Lots of flour, sugar, salt, pepper, and other condiments also arrived. Soon, eating at other places will be over.

Fruit was something Lucas knew how to cut up and how to make the best crispy bacon Tomorrow has ever eaten. For that she wants to be around him, and for all the other qualities he has. The way he fills out his slacks and how he is a master of any room he enters. Or maybe it was only in her eyes. He had all her attention, but the hotel had all his attention, so she stayed out of the way and kept busy with her duties. 

She hasn't seen him around his biggest problem. Young women who want him. That may be his Achilles Heel. That is something she wouldn't put up with and, 'until he shows me, he is immune to them, nothing will ever happen between us,' Tomorrow vowed as she sat across from him eating dinner at yet another restaurant on the island.

They were trying out a new chef this week. This one had prepared one of his signature meals. He was from New York but had wanted for years to work somewhere warm, he also had a dozen people willing to follow him, his sous chef and kitchen staff. He would cost Lucas a fortune bringing them here, but he would be worth it if he keeps his guests eating in the hotel. Each one spends around a hundred dollars a day plus on food if the food is excellent. Four hundred rooms with four to eight hundred guests that adds up fast. If he is really good, they can pull people from other hotels to eat and visit his hotel. Their next trip they may stay with them. And that is the name of the game, guests filling the rooms. 

Conversation with Lucas is all about the hotel the closer it gets to the opening the more focused he is. Tomorrow misses their sexy banter. Once the hotel is open and the holidays are over things should calm down, she hopes the banter will come back. He hasn't said your services are no longer needed, so for now she is content to work quietly by his side. Trying to anticipate his needs.

Watching the weather channel, she is able to talk to the people at home. Chicago is bitter cold, and no one has asked to come visit. Her mother begged her to come home for the holidays, but she claimed she only has two days off. Surfing the net for jewelry she was able to talk non-stop about the beautiful jewels she has seen. She tells her how wonderfully her job is going and no, she hasn't found a boyfriend. Reminding her mother, she doesn't have much luck with men. Dante was her only pull to go home. Each time they talked her body ached for him. She assured him she hadn't found anyone new that seemed to placate him. He was working hard on walking and Melissa hadn't shown for their third visit, so Mandy was all his. Helen was requiring her to take a drug test before the visit, so she didn't show.

The web site did its job, and the hotel will be almost filled to capacity for opening day. Hiring a hundred employees, they practiced for days making the guest experience enjoyable. Tomorrow was tired of being escorted from the car to her room, but she never let up on critiquing the experience until it was perfect for each worker.

Lucas found it difficult to find drug free hard workers on the island. He was afraid he was going to have to build a bigger apartment building just for his employees and hire from the states. He complained bitterly one evening when his drug test for employees came in the mail. He found he had to forgive the lightweight marijuana use and take the ones with the least amount of THC showing in their blood system. 

He lectured the staff the evening before opening day. "You can go home and smoke your stuff, but don't you come to work stoned. I will replace you. I'm sure your cousin would forgo a stupor for a good paying job."

His main problem was busboys, but they will have to contend with the chef. He is twice the ogre Lucas is. He ran his kitchen with an iron skillet. A few were replaced before the restaurant was open. Lucas also stole away a lot of help from the other hotels paying better so he was finally set two days in advance of the opening. He has nine staff living on site and they all knew they were on call all the time. Being eager and young everyone was excited about the opening they celebrated into the night. The first guests weren't due until two that afternoon, so sleeping in was suggested.

Hearing Lucas' door close as she stretched just waking up, she scrambled out of bed. He was in a wonderful mood last night. They all sat in the dining room cracking jokes and sharing antidotes about the refurbishing of the hotel and a few about his eager anticipation of Tomorrow's arrival thanks to Diego. She smiled at him saying how appreciative he is of all her hard work. Later she saw him looking at her the way he used to, hungry and wanton. He didn't act on his desire. Even though Tomorrow would have welcomed his advances, breaking her vow of seeing how he is around sexy women. It had been a long time, and she could use an orgasm brought on by someone else. 

She knew he was doing a walk through the fifteenth in the last few days. Every guest room door stood open waiting for his approval. Once the door was shut the staff knew the room was to his liking. Dust, miss placed soap, or the tuck of the bedspread not right he caught it all, and the staff would run in and fix the problems. She had even seen him pinch off grass that was longer than the other pieces on the lawn once they mowed. He was scheduled to meet with recreation director Niesha. She was full of energy and was a lively island girl who worked at a much smaller hotel before he stole her away. 

Lucas lured her away with higher pay and free room and board. He also had a group doing parasailing, snorkeling, and other water sports during the summer months. Lucas received a cut for allowing him to use his northern stretch of beach. He had complained he was not too happy with the caliber of the man in charge, but he was the best he could find on the island. He told him he had better not receive any complaints. If he doesn't work out, he will buy the equipment and hire someone to run the venue, possibly searching the other islands for the right one. He was not above thievery with better pay to obtain the people he wanted. 

Tomorrow watched from a distance; she was just glad he was pleased with her work. A few of the others he has laid into. Four sides of Lucas, staunch businessperson, sexy flirty, easy to embrace man, and the fierce business owner. The friendly Lucas needs to show his face for the sake of the guests. She watched him rearrange an ornament on the twenty-foot tree she ordered for Balsams Farm. They claimed it was their last one. It was a beauty for a fake. No way could they have found a real tree on this island as tall. The fake pine smell was realistic. Tomorrow wondered how long it would last, the smell clashed with the tropical smells that naturally filled the air. The cool breeze off the ocean kept the shear curtains billowing. It was one of the effects she loved the most about the lobby. It was so inviting to her, saying come on, it is beautiful here. If the guests were smart, they would open their balcony door and enjoy the breeze and turn the A/C off and save them on the electric bill. Winter in the tropics is wonderous except for the storms. 

The plane should have landed, and the cabs will be bringing the people out for a wonderful warm Christmas vacation. Tomorrow was excited for them all. Where she is from south central Texas, it could be at least the low forties wet and cold. Chicago was in the teens if they are lucky. Here the temperature was in the eighties and the high sixties overnight. The ocean water is cool, but the beaches are beautiful. Plenty to do in the hotel and on the grounds. The pools are heated just for this season. That will be where most of the swimming will be done at this time of the year. The spa is booked solid for the holidays and the smells coming from the restaurant would draw in anyone with a nose. 

Tomorrow stood by the check-in-desk dressed in a local tropical dress. She smiled, looking the part. She was sun kissed now after spending many days outside enjoying the beauty, she was greeting guests and handing out brochures. Reminding them of all they had to offer. She hadn't been given a job for the day, but greeting guests was something she could do. She was not concerned she would run into one of LeMoine's friends, they are all old too old for this place.

She learned quickly to not overdo it. Trying to prove she was healthy had proved she was not. Her days have to stop after five hours. She can't be on her feet. Sitting in front of a computer is one thing, but following Lucas, who does not know the word stop, around didn't work. She found herself close to passing out too often. She was grateful those sparkles in her eyes gave her advanced notice. Ignoring them once Lucas found her on the ground in front of her little apartment. As he carried her in her place, she kidded about 'almost making it.' After a long lecture, she has been watched by everyone on staff. 

She was reminded she was hired to advertise and be friendly, not clean rooms, rearrange furniture, or pick up trash along the beach. If he has hired someone to do that job, she shouldn't be doing it. This was all told to her as he held her in his arms. After having argued with her about going to the hospital. She refused and he complained he paid insurance for her to go. Having sworn she would not push herself so hard he gave in and begrudgingly laid her on her bed. She saw the desire to join her as he laid her down, but that flash quickly passed, she was not feeling well, her room or not he backed off. But that was weeks ago and so far, she has not had sparkles again. Lesson learned.

Forty guests checked in after the first plane landed. Two more planes are expected today, delivering another sixty guests and the rest will come tomorrow. The place was jumping, but Lucas was keeping an eye on Tomorrow. He has learned if she sighs, she is tired, and she has to rest. He is hopeful once the Christmas season is over and the slower part of the year starts, they can work on the relationship he is so looking for. To him she was perfect.

She has proven to be even more than he imagined. She was a delight, quick wit, bold, but she was raised with good morals, and a caring nature. That Billy was a fool he can already tell she bent over backwards for him, and he threw it in her face. What a fool he was. If he does win her over and she becomes his, he will cherish her forever. He knows that the court trial looms large for her. 

He fears once she is home for the trial her family will pressure her to stay home. He has heard too many one-sided conversations with them on the phone and Tomorrow begging off their demand to come home. He wants to go home with her, but he will wait with the suggestion he comes along. He needs to wait until the time is right. She does have an independent streak. At least so far, she has refused to go home. Only good thing is that man is still locked up. 

The smell of Christmas overwhelmed Tomorrow as she stepped into the lobby of the hotel. The chef has created a Christmas feast fit for royalty. Notice at the entrance says that serving starts at 11:00 am for the lunch crowd. Breakfast had been sparse for customers, but Rocco expected it. People starve all morning in anticipation of the wonderful Christmas feast. Expecting to feed five hundred the staff scurried around setting tables, Lucas stood in the far corner watching. This meal could make or break the Christmas season for years to come. Hell, he knows the whole hotel could rest on this one meal. If it was not good, he worries, and double checks everything. So far, he is pleased with what he has tasted, and the efficiency and courtesy of his servers. 

"You're making sure everything looks good," Tomorrow asked as she approached. She was wearing a Christmas colored dress, something festive for the occasion. Her dress was one she wore to a Christmas party with the jerk's family. She loved the way it fit and moved. The hotel was full of couples and groups of men and women three to four to the group. They all looked like professionals looking to relax for a few days. Possibly like Tomorrow not wanting to go home for the holidays but still wanting to celebrate with tradition. 

"I am and I'm also waiting for the chef to open the restaurant so we can eat. Christmas dinner done right is my favorite meal of the year. Oh, I love the cold turkey sandwich the next day with rye bread and lots of mayonnaise. That is special to me," Lucas said, extending his arms to hug Tomorrow and she walked right into them as he hoped. This was his first real hug with her. Sure, they have side hugged. She slid into his embrace and tucked her head under his chin. His warmth engulfed her, and her body hummed with his touch. Wrapping her arm around his waist, she moved to the side so she could have the same view as he had. "It is impressive, I'm sure the guests are thrilled with your effort."

"My effort, you made it look like the holidays, I would have put up one tree and called it quits." 

"You wouldn't have you're the one who gave me the money," she teased him light heartedly. She felt the Christmas season was difficult for him usually. Being an only child, he didn't seem to have much tradition attached to the holiday.

"Nope, someone would have had to do it for me. My decorating for Christmas is not my calling. It would have been pitiful, but this is classic," Lucas said again admiring the effect. 

"That was your orders 'make it classic with a tropical flare.'"

"And you did it beautifully," Lucas told her and hugged her tighter as the guests came in the door, each one's eyes darting to take in the holiday spirit in the room. The aroma coming from the kitchen had everyone's attention. The menu today was limited. Lucas was concerned when the chef told him his plan. But the smiles on the guest's faces as they looked over the choices for this meal calmed him. 

They had an old-fashioned Christmas meal, even green bean casserole. Of course, it was a tasty step up from grandma's recipes. Lucas took one end and Tomorrow the other. Making their way to each table talking to every guest ensuring they are happy with their accommodations and excited about the meal. Once there were more than five tables empty, she and Lucas sat down and enjoyed their own Christmas feast. The day was filled with people shifting from one experience to the next. The restaurant stayed full. 

"You look like a proud Papa," Tomorrow noted and patted his hand while they waited for the meal to come. 

"I am, and I have you to thank. And don't say that I did it all. You have been an invaluable help in everything. Yes, I did the renovations, but you helped pull it all together."

"Ah, that is so sweet, thank you. I'll take credit since you want to give it to me," Tomorrow said and leaned back and smiled. Lucas growled low and deep, and she felt the table vibrate with its impact. 

"Is that my Christmas present?" She asked as Lucas leaned forward, their food came, and the mood was broken. She wished she knew what he would have said. 

*

Fireworks were to be delivered three days after Christmas. Lucas had been on the phone for two days freaking out that his shipment had not come. He spent thirty thousand dollars, he told Tomorrow as she walked into his office, "and they don't know where my fireworks are," he complained bitterly. "If we don't have a display, we are going to be a dud place to spend New Years." 

"They have no idea where it is?" Tomorrow asked, stepping closer to his desk. Christmas had gone so well. All they had to do was get through the New Years party. Then the decorations can be put away and the season lull will be on them. 

"They claim it is on the island and should be here today."

"Ok, then calm down, you will have the celebration you want. Chef has converted one refrigerator just to chill the champagne," she told him and came around his chair and hugged his neck. He was working himself into a tizzy for no reason. 

"You have everything covered, stop worrying it is going to happen," she assured him and kissed his cheek. 

Lucas leaned his head forward and slowly shook his head and groaned out "woman if you only knew." Raising his head, she kissed his cheek again and with the heat of her breath on his skin as she whispered, "man if you only knew." She pats his chest and walks out of his office. 

He turned in his chair and watched her walk away. Groaning loudly, he hoped she heard. However, he had fireworks to find, and in three days, the festivities will die down and life will be easy again. He knew this from years of experience with his grandfather. He spent every winter break here as a child and by the third of January, the place was quiet. Yes, they had some bookings but nothing like now. 

The place was still packed, and the singles have paired off quite happily. Tomorrow had to wait because he knew once he got a hold of that woman they wouldn't come up for air for days. He can read it in the way she walks. She is going to be aggressive in bed. Visions of those legs wrapped around him made his body respond. Shifting in his seat to make room, he groaned again. She has had three months to become acquainted that had better be long enough. He can tell she is healthier every day her stamina has improved, and he hasn't heard her sigh in days. 

Tomorrow walked with the invoice in hand, "I had the delivery man put the crates in your storage shed," she told him as she waved the paper.

Lucas smiled. "Crates! How many?" He asked like a kid in a candy store.

"Three with explosives printed all over the sides, very exciting to see," she teased as he stood to go look at what was delivered. 

Following him almost having to jog to keep up, he went out the back of the hotel. 

"You do have someone who knows how to shoot those off coming right?" Tomorrow asked as Diego was about to lock the door. "Wait, Diego I want to see," Lucas called out. "No, I'm going to do it," he said as he crouched down to look at the crates. 

"My grandfather and I did this every year," he explained. He pointed to a rock formation about fifty feet down the beach, "we take them up there and set them off. It is a perfect spot. The whole island can see them. Of course, other hotels shoot off some also, so you get a good display all along here for quite a long time," Lucas explained as he looked over the invoice. 

Storm clouds to the east threatened to cut short the outdoor activities today. Following Lucas back to the Lobby he opened a cabinet and pulled out a stack of games in case the guest wanted to play as the rain started to come down. "It is the season," Lucas told her. 

To her amazement, a number of people came by and gathered up groups to play old-fashioned games like UNO. One even took the Chinese checkers and had three other people following to play. Tomorrow smiled as the games disappeared and the staff filled drink orders in the restaurant as dozens of tables were taken over. Niesha filtered around the room encouraging, cheating, and collecting up a group to play twister. Laughter filled the room, and the kitchen staff brought out chips, salsa, artichoke dip, crackers, and a half a dozen other snacks and fruit plates to lift the spirits of a rain-soaked day. The guests didn't seem to mind, and the game play went well into the night. Dinner plates were removed from the tables and the playing continued. Lucas did have to discourage strip poker and substitute sweetener packets for money in a number of poker games. Pink, blue, and yellow all held different denominations. He couldn't allow gambling for money; They could be fined or go to jail as he explained and gave monetary value to the different colors of sweetener packets. The players didn't seem to mind at all, they played cutthroat all night coveting their sweetener packets as gold. Some account looking man wrote the amounts on the packages, so they had a set amount each. 

Tomorrow played UNO late into the night with a more laid-back group. She enjoyed the play and kept an eye on Lucas. He did well, he pays little attention to the women, even the ones spread eagle and butt in the air on the Twister mat. Doing everything they can to catch every man's attention. 

Lucas called it a night and the night staff was left to monitor the games, if it got too rowdy, they were to come and get him. Walking Tomorrow, back to her apartment, she received a kiss on the cheek. 

The next morning all was well, and the games and decks of cards were all back in the cabinet. That was a trick Lucas learned from his grandfather. 'People do know how to entertain themselves given a chance.' The only damage was a few crumpled sweetener packets, but they made a fortune on liquor sales.

Tomorrow and some of the staff have been removing and packing away the Christmas decorations, preparing for the New Years party in a few days. The party is going to be full of capacity crowds, according to the reservation list. Lucas has a well-known band from the island set to play bringing more people in for the party. He booked them even before the renovations were done. They had poppers, hats, and noisy horns to sort into groups for each table. 

The night players came down slowly the next day having lunch for breakfast and appreciating a quieter dining area. 

By five o'clock, they were back down ready to play again. 

Lucas offered the wait staff, and the bartenders over time, and generous time off after the holiday season is over. They happily worked all night. The tips alone would have kept them working a few told Tomorrow the next day. This trend continued until New Years eve and for many their four-hour shift was now eight or nine. That was fine with them, more money and the work was easy. The cleaning crew was not happy. The dining room had to wait until early morning, so it was the last to be cleaned. 

"The details of running a hotel resort and working around the guests is the challenge," Lucas was telling Laurel as she worked the staffing schedule. Never having dealt with gamblers in his grandfather's family resort, Lucas found new use for a non-used banquet room he felt was a waste of space and as of, yet he found no use for it. 

The night of the thirtieth Lucas escorted some men and a few women to the new game room. Having staff collect up some of the older tables and chairs they could find amongst the old furniture of the old hotel. They could be as loud and tacky as they wanted to be, safely tucked out of sight of those who seemed to have some class. 

When a couple dozen more wanted to spend New Years playing cards Lucas knew, he had to rethink this situation. Gambling was new to the islands, and he had no interest in having a casino, but at least he could offer chips for non-monetary play. He gave the task to Tomorrow to order ten sets of not expensive poker chips sets and dozens of packages of playing cards. The cards they are playing with now have to be twenty years old. So far, no one has complained they were enjoying the game and banter.