Chapter 80 - Vacation Starts Now!

His eyes were as big as a saucer. He was expecting the usual hotel that looks like a cluster of apartment buildings. He stayed in those hotels when he was here in San Lucas last time. He had an idea that this vacation would be over the top since it was Jess who booked everything about this summer trip.

However, he did not expect this 'excessive' as Siena would say. The black sedan that picked them up at the airport entered a courtyard of a hotel. The hotel that he wanted to but has no money to be in. 

They alighted from the car after it turned around the fountain and dropped them at the main lobby of the hotel where two hotel staff members were waiting for them with a lei and glass of refreshment. 

They entered the luxurious lobby where their luggage was taken by the bellhop. Jess gave their names at the reception desk and within minutes they were handed card keys and whisked to their room on the west side of the hotel. 

They had to ride a golf cart to their hotel which was a bit far from the main lobby. Their attendant is a Caucasian-looking guy with toned muscle and quite talkative, especially when his eyes landed on Jess. 

"Your room has the best view of the sunset this hotel could offer. And if you want to have a good time after dinner, you can hang out at the lounge bar on the west wing. They have good music." 

After fifteen minutes, their attendant stopped the golf cart they were on at the entrance of a small village! Well, it looks like a small village with a cluster of a small white villa! Jess didn't get them a room but their own fucking villa, and they are going to stay there for a week! 

"Jess," he called out to her as she walked up the narrow steps leading to their villa. 

She stopped in the middle of the stairs and turned sideways to face him, "Yes?" 

"Hold that pose, you look perfect! Look in the distance… Yass bitch!" he put down his phone after snapping more than ten shots, so she would have more to choose from. "Do you think this is too much?" 

"Don't worry about it," she said as she continued climbing the steps, "this vacation is fully paid for by my friends who stood me up. As an apology, they are paying for this vacation. That's why you don't hold up with your spending. It's a free vacation." 

He laughed softly while thinking to himself, how much do her friends have to pay for a vacation in an extravagant place like this place? As far as he knows, her friends are the same age as her. Another mystery of Jess' life. 

He looked behind him after climbing a quite amount of stairs and was rewarded with the most beautiful view of the ocean. He caught a glimpse of the vast swimming pool put together in a way that everyone would think they were swimming in their own pool. Since the sun was still high, there were only a few people on the beach. 

He was dumbfounded thinking that he would get to stay in this place for a week without breaking his bank account since it's not his bank account that would pay for this vacation.

"We are here!" She announced when they finally reached the last flight of the stairs. She swiped the card key on the door, and the double door opened with a gentle push.

"Our home for a week!" she threw up her hands in the air and twirled around the room. 

"Awesome! That view is worth a million dollars! Your friends are very generous, Little Jessie." 

"They opened their wallet when it was their fault and I pretended to be angry." she stuck her tongue like a naughty kid who got away from blackmailing adults. 

There are two doors on both sides of the room. He pushed the room on the right side and saw two huge beds and a balcony with a view of the ocean. 

"Wow! The view of the ocean is not just from our living room. We have it in the bedroom as well."

They dashed inside the room like kids, jumped on the bed, checked the bathroom, and opened lights and doors as they checked every nook and cranny of their villa. 

This small villa has two spacious bedrooms, two queen sizes in each room, a living room that has a panoramic view of the ocean, and a mini-bar that has a piano? Or was it an organ? He has no idea!  A state-of-the-art kitchen with a fridge and pantry stuffed with enough food to last an apocalypse and a breakfast nook that also has the most amazing ocean view. 

"I could get used to this excessive lifestyle, Little Jessie."

"Let's have fun before our internship."

"Which room will you take?" 

"I would get the one in the left." 

"Okay, then this is mine!" he said as he opened the door on the right. He threw his sunglasses on the bed and entered the bathroom. He was itching to take a shower but his suitcase isn't here yet. 

He was about to get out of the room when he heard Jess shrieking. 

"Ellise!! Oh - my god!" she threw her arms around her friend who gave her a sneer. She is still bitchy as ever. 

When he got out of the room, Jess was hugging a girl that looks like she stepped out of a fashion magazine. 'Is this the friend who sponsored this vacation?'

The hotel bellhop was pulling their suitcases in the room, while another hotel attendant entered carrying a basket of fruits and a bouquet of assorted colorful flowers. 

"Hello, my name is Ellise." 

The girl smiled and her whole face lit up that he couldn't help but stare at her. "Luke," he extended his hand for a handshake but she stepped forward and gave him a half-hug. 

"Thank you for taking care of Jess. She's a huge pain in the ass!" 

"Don't listen to her. She's talking about herself being a pain in the ass." she rolled her eyes and noticed the hotel staff arranging the fruit baskets and flowers on the breakfast table. 

"What's with the flowers and fruit basket?" 

"The owner of the hotel knows me," she said nonchalantly. 

He whistled in his head upon hearing that Ellise knew the hotel owner personally. He glanced at Jess who went to the kitchen to watch the hotel staff arrange the fruits, and wondered for the first time if he truly knew Jess as he thought.

"Where is your room?" she asked as she stood at the foyer waiting for the hotel staff to get out of their villa. 

"That one!" she pointed to the left. "I thought you would be busy." 

"I am. That's why I'll be here for just two days." 

"How was Dana?"

"She and Grand sent their regards and apology. It seemed Dana's doctor advised her against traveling." 

"Why? Is there something wrong with her?" she sat down in the middle of the bed. 

"I don't know. You have to ask her why." She put her suitcase on top of the bed and pulled a new change of clothes. "My skin is sticky. I will take a shower first then we could talk later." 

She watched her friend enter the bathroom and remembered to check on Luke. She got out of her room and crossed the living room to Luke's bedroom. She was about to knock on his door when it suddenly opened with Luke standing behind the door, fresh from a shower. 

"You already had your shower! Ugh! Ellise is using my bathroom, can I use yours?" 

"Sure. I would just make some drinks, would you like some?"

"Oh yes, please!" she answered him as she entered Luke's bathroom. She didn't get any change of clothes from her room because she was just going to use the hotel bathrobe, which happened to be a silk kimono style robe in the most gorgeous print. 'I want this robe for everyday use.' 

Also, she didn't get her toiletries in her suitcase because she doesn't really care what she uses to wash her body. She just wants to freshen up. She finished showering in less than ten minutes. She stepped outside Luke's room and found him mixing up some cocktail in the minibar.

"Oh, we are starting the vacation now?" she grinned as she strode to the minibar to drink the cocktail he made for her. 

"How was it?" 

"Yummy! How did you learn to make a cocktail?"

"I have a friend who taught me how to mix simple drinks." 

She was gazing outside the balcony, sipping her drinks when Luke choked on his own drink. She glanced over her shoulder to check on him and saw the look of guilt written on his face.

"What's wrong?"

"Uhm, Noah saw my IG story and he had asked about our whereabouts."