Page 3 of Love, Take Two

"Exactly. The suites share a private terrace area—perfect for morning coffee or evening cocktails. It's quite lovely."

I hope it's not Derek. Jared warned me that his friend Derek was going to be here, and while Derek means well, his idea of appropriate conversation includes everyone's dating history and embarrassing stories that should definitely stay in the past. The guy has never met a personal detail he won't share with complete strangers.

A staff member appears to escort me to the suite, and I follow him through corridors that belong in an architectural magazine. The elevator overlooks another stunning pool area as we rise to the fourth floor

"The suite includes all resort amenities," my escort explains. "The Laurent-Williams celebration has exclusive use of several venues throughout the week."

"Sounds incredible," I say, mentally calculating how much content I can create while still being present for the celebrations. The balance between documenting experiences and living them is something I'm still figuring out.

The fourth floor hallway showcases polished stone floors, massive tropical plants, and ocean views at every turn. We stop at a door marked "Sunset Suite 4B," and my escort demonstrates the key card system before disappearing with practiced discretion.

The door opens to reveal what might be the most beautiful hotel room I've ever seen. Floor-to-ceiling windows showcase an unobstructed ocean view, the bed is draped in luxurious linens, and fresh tropical flowers are arranged throughout the space with artistic precision.

"Holy shit," I breathe, then start filming. "Guys, this is ridiculous. Look at this view!" I pan my camera across the endless ocean, then back to the stunning room details. "I'm living in a dream right now."

I explore every inch while creating content—the marble bathroom with its ocean-facing soaking tub, the private balcony with outdoor seating, and a wet bar stocked with top-shelf spirits. French doors lead to what must be the shared terrace Marina mentioned, though they're currently closed.

My luggage arrives as I'm testing the lighting in different areas of the suite. The delivery staff member points out additional amenities and hands me a welcome package that includes a detailed itinerary, resort information, and what looks like expensive local chocolates.

Once I'm alone, I step out onto my private balcony and have to catch my breath. The view from the seaplane was incredible, but from up here, it's like looking at paradise from the perfect vantage point. The sun is starting to sink lower in the sky, painting everything in shades of gold that no filter could improve.

I'm setting up for some golden hour content when my phone buzzes with an incoming video call from Maya. Perfect timing—I need to debrief with my best friend before I head down to the welcome cocktail party.

"Vada King, looks like you're in paradise," Maya's face appears on my screen, her marketing professional background making her immediately assess my lighting setup.

"Maya, this is ridiculous," I laugh, flipping my camera to show her the view. "I'm literally living in a postcard right now. Everything here is perfect."

"Gorgeous," she says, leaning closer to her screen. "But more importantly, how are you feeling about celebrating Jared's wedding? Because last time we talked about this, you were weirdly zen about the whole thing."

I settle into one of the balcony chairs, propping my phone up so we can talk face-to-face. "I'm excited for him, Maya. I know that probably sounds crazy, but Jared and I work so much better as friends than we ever did as a couple."

"I remember," Maya says with a knowing smile. "You guys were more like roommates who occasionally made out."

"Exactly!" I laugh. "There was never any passion there, you know? We cared about each other, but we were trying to force something that wasn't there. When he met Erika and his whole face lit up talking about her, I knew he'd found what we never had together."

Maya studies my face through the screen with the intensity that's made her one of the best marketing strategists in Portland. "And you're really not feeling any weirdness about watching him marry someone else?"

"Honestly? I'm more excited about the networking opportunities," I admit. "Half the guest list are content creators and lifestyle influencers. This could be huge for growing my event planning brand."

"There's my ambitious best friend," Maya grins. "Speaking of which, how's the business building going?"

"Going great," I say, feeling that familiar surge of pride. "Turns out there's a huge market for authentic event planning content. People want to see the real behind-the-scenes process, not perfect final photos."

"Much better than your old corporate nightmare."

I make a face. "Let's forget about that disaster. Getting laid off was the best thing that could have happened to my career."

"And to your mental health," Maya adds. "You were miserable there."

She's not wrong. My last corporate position had started well, but toxic management and office politics had made every day feel like navigating a minefield. Getting pushed out had been devastating at the time, but building my own business has been fulfilling in ways I never expected.

"Anyway," I say, "I should start getting ready for tonight's cocktail party. According to this itinerary, we've got a full week of activities planned."

"Have fun networking with the beautiful people," Maya says. "And Vada? Take some time to actually enjoy yourself too, okay? You've been working nonstop for months."

"I promise," I say, blowing her a kiss before ending the call.

I spend the next hour getting ready, choosing a flowy sundress that photographs well but feels comfortable, and creating some getting-ready content for my followers. The natural lighting in the suite is incredible for behind-the-scenes shots.

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