Page 55 of The Wedding Twist

As the boat approached the inlet where the docks jutted out from the rocky shore, the resort’s buildings started to come into view, mostly camouflaged by the surrounding forest. She’d read online about the mix of traditional timber cabins and luxury waterfront canvas tents that would be available seasonally, and they looked exactly like the artist’s rendering.

Stephan and another man were waiting on the long dock that jutted out from the rocks and waved as the boat’s engine cut and they started to drift slowly to land.

“Here we go,” Alexis said, steering the boat toward the slip Stephan was motioning her to. “Nice place here. Little remote for my liking, but that’s what folks are looking for these days, I guess.”

Celeste’s mind flashed back to the small town of Campbell River, which wasn’t much bigger than Keystone Ridge. It seemed like the woman considered it a big city compared to Lagoon Island.

“Thanks for the ride,” Celeste said. She stood up, doing her best to balance herself in the wavy harbor, and accepted Alexis’s hand as the woman helped to steady her.

“I’ll be back at three p.m. to pick you up,” she said.

“Can I text you if I end earlier?”

Alexis laughed. “Honey, you won’t be texting anyone from Lagoon Island. Not for the near future at least.”

She forced a laugh. “Of course,” she said. “See you at three.”No texting?Where in the hell was she?

Stephan and the other man approached, and he extended a hand to help her out of the boat. “Celeste, this is Levi Gallagher, our manager of consistency,” he said.

Manager of consistency? What kind of made-up title was that?

Levi extended his hand. “Very pleased to meet you,” he said. “We’re so excited to show you around the property. Shall we?”

“We shall!” Celeste said, hoping no one noticed the panicked trill in her voice. She was literally in the middle of nowhere, with no cell service, and the last time she remembered seeing any other evidence of humanity had been about thirty minutes into the boat ride.

She took a deep breath. She’d made the decision to come here. And it might just be her new home.

Celeste followed Stephan and Levi to shore, taking more deep breaths while trying to focus on what Levi was saying about the shuttle boat that would be up and running by the time the resort opened, a twelve-seater something-something-name-brand-vintage-feel that Celeste knew she needed to appear excited about.

“Let’s start with the cabins. I think you’re going to like them.”

Likewas a word as understated as the Brunello Cucinelli sneakers Levi wore with his faded jeans and black blazer. An hour later, Celeste was dazzled. The resort was magical. Each of the cabins had a picture-perfect view of the water and were outfitted with the most stunning of features, all made from materials sourced from the natural landscape—cedar, sand, and slate.

The canvas tents had cast-iron stoves, heated floors, and spacious ensuite bathrooms that walked out to outdoor rain showers surrounded with rock walls, with enough of a built-out space to maintain privacy but overlook the water while showering.

The restaurant operated underneath a giant dome skylight, with a series of real trees growing throughout the dining area, making it feel as though you were sitting in the forest but in the comfort of a climate-controlled space. The trails around the property had strategically placed kiosks where guests could order fresh pressed juice or artisanal cocktails, and builders were putting the finishing touches on a spa area that featured a rock-lined glacial plunge.

It was heaven. It was refined. It was…remote.

“So,” Celeste said, “when do you think you’ll be getting service out here?”

“Oh,” said Stephan. “It’ll be a while before we can get a cell tower. You can hook up to Wi-Fi near the front desk, though. It’s not super fast yet, but it’ll be enough for operations. We’re marketing this as a place to unplug.”

Celeste tried not to make a face. She knew that while people might say they want to disconnect, in actuality they wanted to check in with their kids at home, post to their Instagram stories, and sneak a peek at the score of the game when their partner went to the washroom. She was about to say something but then closed her mouth. It wasn’t her place. She hadn’t even signed a contract yet.

Stephan checked his watch. “Shall we have some lunch?”

Lunch was served at the ocean-side restaurant, a snow-crab ceviche appetizer, saltwater lamb with zucchini and butternut squash for the main, and a black-currant soufflé with creme anglaise to round out the meal. It was swoon-worthy. If this was what the bare-bones kitchen could pull together, Celeste was dying to see what they would be putting out once they were fully staffed.

After the waiter delivered their espressos, Levi slid a thick book and a paper envelope from his satchel. He passed the book across the table first. “This is the consistency manual,” Levi said as Celeste flipped through the pages. “Sort of a style guide. To ensure that a guest who experiences a Kantor Group property will be guaranteed the same experience whether they are in Tanzania, Tuscany, Tulum, and beyond.”

Celeste flipped through the pages. The level of detail was astounding. Under the headingGuest Requests Additional Pillowthere were seven steps an employee was expected to follow, starting withNod once and smile pleasantlyand ending withWish the guest a pleasant and rejuvenating sleep. She almost laughed out loud when she saw that there was a section for how to ensure a guest’s pet had a five-star stay.

When she looked up at Stephan and Levi, it was very clear that the policy guide was no joke. “So, this is the manual you will be using to train our staff,” Levi said. “We’re going through our second round of interviews now and hoping to bring the group in for training by the end of the month. That should be enough time for you to study the guide and be ready to take the others through the procedures.”

“In three weeks?” Celeste said. Her mind whirled. Would that give her parents enough time to find someone to replace her? Quinn would be around to help out, but she was a little rough around the edges as far as customer service went.

Stephan nodded. “And we’re hoping you’ll sign today,” he said. “I’m sure you can understand how we’re pressed for time.”

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