Still, at the rate they were moving, they had estimated it would be close to a year before they opened the gates to their first guests.
The moment she dove into the pool, her mind cleared. Finally, a moment of peace from all the worry and anxiety that had been building in her head for the past month.
Floating on the water, listening to her friends chat as they splashed around her, she took several deep breaths and felt every muscle in her body relax.
Then she was gasping for air as she was shoved under the water by one of her friends.
“You’re not paying attention,” Hannah said when she surfaced and spit out the water.
“I was trying to relax.” She swiped her soaking-wet red hair out of her eyes.
“Relax later, we have decisions to make,” Elle said, swimming over to them.
“Okay, like what?” she asked, treading water.
“Should we turn those back rooms in the pool house into massage rooms and hire a masseuse?” Elle asked.
“Duh,” she replied. “Yes. I could use a massage now.” She rolled her shoulders. “What else?”
Elle tilted her head as if she were trying to think of items on her list.
“Kitchen staff,” she finally said.
“I’ve got an idea there,” Hannah broke in. “Let me look into some things, and I’ll let you know soon.”
Everyone just looked at Hannah until she added,
“I know people.”
“Okay,” Elle said slowly. “Next on the list is whether we should add a zip line. There’s plenty of room, and a lot of adults can zipline with minimal skills and health restraints.”
“Yes,” Aubrey said quickly and laid back in the water while everyone else agreed.
“Now we just need to come up with a list of classes we’re going to offer. I think we all agreed on yoga. What else?” Elle asked.
She thought quickly of the classes she’d taken and how she wouldn’t mind teaching tai chi and judo. Feeling her heart skip, she jumped in.
“I can teach basic tai chi or judo.” She thought about it for a moment. “Or something like self-defense classes. I mean, women pay a ton of money to attend classes like that all the time in the city.”
“That’s a wonderful idea,” Scarlett replied. “We’re going to have so many wonderful activities. Of course, we’ll need a sand volleyball court.”
“We can put it in by the pool. That way when everyone gets overheated, they can just jump in.”
“What about adding an outdoor bar and dining area near there? We can have Aiden design an opening on the side of the pool house,” Elle added. “I need my phone.” She glanced around and swam over to the edge of the pool and made several notes while they continued to brainstorm.
“I’ve got the local shelter keeping their eye open for horses that would fit our needs,” Scarlett said. “The barn needs some work, but we should have enough room for at least half a dozen horses, if not more, for guests to ride. Maybe even offer romantic sunset rides?”
“What about all the boats? Are we going to have someone look at them?” Zoey asked. “Sunset sails are key. Along with kayaks, paddleboards, and canoes for daytime fun.”
“Of course. I have a local kid looking at all that stuff. Grandpa Joe hired him a few summers back to fix up the old fishing boat of his.”
“Kid?” Hannah asked.
“Well, Joe always called him that. Damion is a few years younger than us.” Elle chuckled. “I’ve already called him. He said he’ll stop by later this week to start looking over what is left in the boathouse.”
“I can’t believe this is all coming together. When will Aiden start on the new cabins?” Hannah asked.
“After his crew finishes the work on the old ones,” Elle answered and then turned towards her. “I heard you had fun breaking out all those pink tiles in cabin one today.”
Aubrey smiled, remembering how wonderful it felt to smash things and destroy the pretty wall that reminded her so much of all those stupid pink dresses she’d been forced to wear for years.
“It was highly therapeutic,” she responded. “I’ll start on cabin two tomorrow.”
“We need new names,” Hannah broke in.
Zoey laughed. “Okay, dibs on Tawanda.”
“No.” Hannah rolled her eyes. “For the cabins. I mean, Cabin One isn’t sexy at all.”
Everyone was quiet for a moment. “Our cabin’s name was River Cabin,” Scarlett said. “Why not call all the other cabins by unique names as well?”
“The first twenty cabins are basically all the same,” Elle pointed out.
“Right, but we could have unique designs and decorations inside. You know, decorate each cabin with a different theme,” Aubrey suggested. “Then give them names to match. Of course, we’ll have to wait and see what Aiden does with each cabin’s interior before choosing names.”
“He has started working on the designs for the new cabins. I could suggest this idea to him and maybe he could add some unique features that will help separate each of them?” Elle offered.
“This is coming together so quickly.” Scarlett sighed as she floated back. “Enough talk.” She splashed them. “I want to relax before we eat. Look, the sun’s going down.”
Everyone turned and watched the last rays of the sun slip behind the trees.
“I’m starving,” Zoey said once they were shadowed in the pool lights.
“Is it bad that I can’t wait until we have a working kitchen so that we don’t have to cook or eat cold sandwiches anymore?”
“Oh, to have a chef at your beck and call…” Zoey moaned as someone’s stomach let out a loud growl.
When everyone turned to her, she realized it was her own stomach. “I forgot to eat lunch.” She shrugged.
“Okay, food then sleep,” Zoey suggested as everyone started making their way to the edge of the water.
“Hey,” a deep voice sounded from somewhere in the darkness. “I was just coming in to join you.”
Aubrey watched as Aiden moved to the edge of the pool. He was still wearing his work clothes, only they were now covered in a white powder and sweat.
“We were just heading in for dinner,” Elle told him as she wrapped a towel around her.
“I’m starving,” Zoey added, taking up her own towel.
Aiden sat down and untied his work boots and then toed them off. “Well, I’m still going to enjoy a dip,” he said with a shrug.
Aubrey remained where she was in the water. She was suddenly more interested in seeing him in swim trunks than she was about eating a cold turkey sandwich.
“Coming, Aub?” Scarlett asked as everyone disappeared down the pathway that led back to the main building.
“I’m going to stick around for a few more minutes then maybe go for a walk. Don’t wait up.”
“Don’t blame me if I eat your sandwich,” Zoey called back and rushed to catch up with everyone else.
“Guess you earned a few extra minutes in there today, huh?” Aiden asked, tossing his work shirt onto the chair.
Aubrey’s breath caught in her lungs as the pool lights danced over his toned chest.