Neptune's Ring (22 page)

“That will be the hardest part of this whole
adventure I am afraid,” Levi said. “Liz has downloaded the pictures
we took onto her computer if you would like to see them after you
eat,” Levi said.

“That would be great,” Killian said, and NeNe
nodded her agreement as she bit into her breakfast.

Vanessa was anxious to get back to the ship
and she politely excused herself from the group. “If you ladies
will excuse me, I need to head back to the ship to get some work
done.”

“Will I see you later this evening?” Levi
asked.

“Yes, darling you will,” Vanessa answered
with a warm smile and soft kiss. “Maybe we can sneak away for a
nice dinner later,” she said.

“I will discuss a dinner break with Nat for
around eight then,” Levi said. “I love you.”

“I love you too, baby. See you all
later.”

“I will be back on board after lunchtime,”
Killian said.

“Take your time, Killian, you deserve a
break,” Vanessa said.

They watched her leave the dining room and
then turned back to their meals.

Cat made a phone call and after waiting
several minutes, the widow Van Buren came on the phone line. She
made the presentation of the offer from Liz and Nat and waited for
the woman’s response.

“It sounds much less than the property is
worth, but I just want to be done with the whole ordeal,” Mrs. Van
Buren said. “Tell them I will accept the offer and if you will
overnight the contract to me I will have my attorney look it over
and get it back to you as quickly as possible.”

Cat was startled by Mrs. Van Buren’s answer.
She had been certain the wealthy widow would balk at the deal.

“Ms. Martin, are you still there?” Mrs. Van
Buren said.

“Yes ma’am, I will draft the paperwork today
and have it sent to you first thing in the morning,” Cat said, with
a smile growing wider on her face.

“Thank you, very much then Ms. Martin,
goodbye,” Van Buren said, and hung up the telephone.

Cat slowly lowered the telephone to the
cradle and turned on her computer. She would let it warm up as she
called Liz with the good news and then begin work on the
contract.

Levi, NeNe and Killian were glued to the
screen of the laptop as they reviewed the pictures that were taken
at the resort.

“This place is incredible,” Killian said, as
they watched the slide show on the screen.

When they got to the pictures of the club,
NeNe smiled brighter and she nearly drooled at the size of the DJ
booth. “Oh, what I could do with all that space.”

“What would you do?” Liz asked.

“I would build the most elaborate sound and
lighting system you could dream of,” NeNe said.

Liz looked at Nat and then back at NeNe.
“Would you be interested in running the club and doing the DJ work,
NeNe?”

NeNe looked up at Liz with a look of surprise
on her face. “Do you even have to ask that question?” NeNe asked.
“I would jump at an opportunity like that.”

“How would you feel about that Miss General
Manager?” Liz asked Levi.

“I would welcome it,” Levi said. “NeNe and I
make a good team and I would hate to break us up,” she added with a
grin.

The phone in the office rang and Nat nearly
jumped out of her skin. Liz had called Cat four hours ago and she
was on pins and needles waiting for a response. Even though Liz had
warned her it could be days or longer before they heard anything,
it did little to calm Nat’s jangled nerves.

This call however, was the front desk and the
receptionist informed Liz that Cat was on the line.

“Patch it through please,” Liz said as the
others held their collective breath.

“Hi Liz, this is Cat,” the voice said on the
other end of the line.

“Good afternoon Cat, I am surprised to be
hearing from you so soon,” Liz said.

“No more surprised than me I am certain,” Cat
said.

“I hope you have good news for us.”

“I do indeed,” Cat said. “I talked to Mrs.
Van Buren minutes ago and she accepted your offer at one point five
million.”

“You are kidding me right?” Liz said.

“Not in the least,” Cat said.

“Hold on, the others need to hear this,” Liz
said as she put Cat on hold and hit the speaker button. “Go ahead
Cat.”

“I am very proud to tell you that you are
soon to be the new owner’s of Neptune’s Ring,” Cat said.

Levi, NeNe and Killian shouted with glee as
Nat sat speechless in her seat.

“I will draft the contract and send it to
Mrs. Van Buren in the morning and she has promised to review the
information and get it back to me by Thursday,” Cat said. “Then I
will send it to you for your signatures and then I will start the
filing process. I would suggest if you haven’t already started to
establish a new corporation with your local bank you do so as soon
as possible.”

Nat was still sitting in shock and Liz
reached over to pinch her lover. “Snap out of it, Nat,” she
teased.

“I still can’t believe this is happening so
fast,” Nat said.

“Well you were right, Mrs. Van Buren just
wanted to be rid of the property,” Cat said. “She doesn’t need the
money and just wanted to be rid of the stigma of the place.”

“We are very happy to take the stigma off her
hands then,” Nat said as her expression grew into a smile. “Would
you please contact Carlos with the good news and have him contact
us with a date he can be started and ask his uncle to get started
building those beds?” Nat said.

“That will be my next call,” Cat promised.
“Congratulations ladies, you are now island owners.”

“Thanks for all you have done, Cat,” Liz
said.

“My pleasure,” Cat said. “I am sure I will be
talking to you again soon,” she said, then ended the call.

Liz ended the call on their end and then
looked from one excited face to the next. “We need to tell Cass and
Vanessa,” she said.

“I will go tell Vanessa, if you will locate
Cass,” Levi said wearing a huge smile.

“Ok, let’s see if we can meet back here at
three,” Nat said. “We have plans to make.”

Levi looked at her watch. It was almost one
which would give her two hours before she was due back at the
resort. “We will see you at three then,” Levi said.

“Hold up Levi and I will go back to the ship
with you,” Killian said. “I will see you later tonight,” she said
to NeNe and with a kiss she joined Levi.

They walked down to the trolley stop and had
to wait only a few minutes for the next trolley.

“Are you and Vanessa in agreement with you
going to the island by yourself?” Killian asked.

“Well neither of us is excited about being
apart, but she has agreed to take a week off to stay with me when
you have your open date coming up,” Levi said.

“I know it will be hard for you both, but
this deal sounds like it is too good to pass up.”

“Killian, it is the most beautiful place I
have ever seen,” Levi said. “The house just by itself is a steal at
that price and the resort is going to be beyond anything I have
ever seen,” she added.

“Sounds like it is worth a little sacrifice
then,” she said.

“There will probably be some lonely nights,
but I will just have to keep myself busy so I don’t dwell on how
much I miss her,” Levi said. “How do you feel about NeNe working
with me once the resort is close to opening?”

“I know she will do a fantastic job and no
matter where she is, I will plan to spend as much of my time off
with her,” Killian said. “She is a very special woman.”

“That she is,” Levi agreed.

When they reached the ship, Killian and Levi
found Vanessa in the control room.

Vanessa smiled when she looked up to find her
two favorite women headed her way. “This is a pleasant surprise, is
everything alright?” she asked.

“Things couldn’t be better,” Killian
said.

“We have heard back from Cat already and Mrs.
Van Buren accepted our offer,” Levi said with a huge grin.

“Wow, that was fast,” Vanessa said. “What
next?”

“Liz and Nat want to meet back with us at
three,” Levi said. “They want to discuss the plan going
forward.”

“That will be a good time as I am almost
finished up here,” Vanessa said. “I can understand Levi’s
excitement Killian, but why are you smiling so?” she asked her
friend.

“Because my friend, both our ladies will be
working together once the island opens up,” Killian said.

“What?” Vanessa said.

“NeNe has been offered the position of club
manager and will run the club and entertainment while I manage the
resort as a whole,” Levi said.

“That is great news,” Vanessa said.

“Cat is contacting Carlos to see when he can
get started on the construction again and is supposed to call us
back this afternoon,” Levi said.

“Has Nat passed out yet from all this
excitement?” Vanessa asked.

“Not yet, but when the call came in she was
speechless,” Levi said.

“I can imagine,” Vanessa said. “Killian can
you finish up here?”

“Sure thing Captain,” Killian said.

“Thanks, my friend,” Vanessa said. “We need
to talk about some things,” she said to Levi as she took her hand
and they walked from the control room

“Are you alright sweetie?” Levi asked the
concern written across her face as Vanessa led her into her
cabin.

“I guess I am a little anxious by how quickly
events are happening,” Vanessa said. “I am not ready to let go of
you,” she said with tears in her eyes.

“I won’t be that much further away,” Levi
said.

“I am not completely sold on the idea of you
being on the island alone,” Vanessa said.

“I will be just fine,” Levi said. “Besides,
you have promised to come spend weekends and then a full week with
me.”

“Still, what if something was to happen and
you are there all alone?”

“Vanessa, baby, I will be fine.”

“I keep trying to convince myself of that and
I know it is selfish of me to want you to stay at Venus, but I just
can’t help but think of you all alone out on that island.”

“If it bothers you that much I need to say
something today to Nat and Liz,” Levi said. “I won’t make you worry
unnecessarily.”

“Are you sure you can handle being out there
alone?” Vanessa asked.

“I will be busy supervising the construction
and working with Carlos on furnishings and equipment all day, so I
will only be alone during the nights,” Levi said. “Will it help if
I promise to write and call every night?” Levi said, teasing her
lover.

“I know I am just being silly, you are a
grown woman after all.”

“Yes, but you are so cute when you worry,”
Levi said.

Vanessa took Levi and held her close. “I
would just die if anything happened to you,” she said.

“Nothing is going to happen to me and the
time will pass so quickly,” Levi promised. “Before you know it we
will be ready for a grand opening.”

Vanessa held her tightly for several more
minutes.

“What else are you worried about, honey?”
Levi asked.

Vanessa took her hand as they left the cabin
and started to walk to the trolley. “I am thinking that I will work
for Simone for another six months to a year and then turn the ship
over to Killian. I want to be with you and I don’t think I will be
able to stand being apart from you for much longer.”

“I don’t want you to think you need to make
any decisions right now, baby,” Levi said. “We are meant to be
together, I am sure of that and when the time is right for us to be
together permanently, we will both know. You are worth any wait and
you need to be sure leaving the sea is what you really want.”

Vanessa still had a look of worry when they
stepped onto the trolley, but she seemed to relax when they reached
the office and everyone was buzzing with excitement.

“Welcome back you two,” Liz said, as they
took a seat around the table.

“Cat called us back and Carlos will be able
to resume construction a week from Monday,” Nat said.

“That is good news, but is much faster than I
had thought,” Vanessa said.

Liz sensed Vanessa’s concern. “We are giving
Levi off the next few days so the two of you can spend your time
here on the island together.”

“Cass also has a proposal for us,” Nat said.
“Cass, why don’t you share your idea with Levi and Vanessa,” she
said.

“Well, I think Nat and Liz will be busy
replacing Levi and eventually NeNe here, so I thought I could go to
the island with Levi and spend time in town interviewing to staff
the new resort,” Cass said. “Cat has offered to allow me to use her
office for the interviews and I would stay on the island at night
with Levi and help out as needed there.”

Levi smiled at the mention of Cat’s name and
she could see a slight blush on Cass’s face.

“That would be wonderful,” Vanessa said and
Levi could feel her lover begin to relax.

“I will need to go and take care of some
business, but I can be on the island in two weeks,” Cass said.

“I think I can survive a week on my own,”
Levi said with a warm smile.

“So what other arrangements do we need to
make?” Vanessa asked.

“We will need to go into town first thing in
the morning to set up the corporation and make arrangements to have
money transferred into the account,” Liz said. “I think that is the
most pressing task at hand. Levi, once Vanessa leaves the port on
Wednesday, you, Nat and I will need to review the construction
plans, but there will be plenty of time,” she said with a grin.
“Right now we want you and Vanessa to relax and enjoy your time
together.”

“Susan is going to be working the club in
your place and we will be doing interviews later in the week for
some new staff if you would like to sit in on those,” Nat said.

“I would like that,” Levi said as she
squeezed Vanessa’s hand. “If you don’t need me here tonight then I
think I will stay on the ship with Vanessa.”