Chapter 100

Phil and Hailey followed Katelyn, Tiffany and Molly to the interstate onramps before parting ways. Phil pointed the Saturn toward the east while Katelyn and Molly turned the SUV to the west behind Tiffany and her father in the moving truck.

The group decided to leave the Mercedes at the house for a couple of weeks, when everyone planned to return ostensibly to visit with their respective families but really it was to throw a party for Ted before he headed off for basic training.

“It might be time to look to trade this one off,” Phil suggested as he checked the odometer. The car was now eight years old and was pushing 100,000 miles. The corporation was the fourth owner and the trade-in value was almost nothing.

“I like it,” Hailey countered. “I don’t want to get rid of it. We won’t get much for it anyway. I think we just run it until it won’t run anym ore. If we’re going to trade in anything, it should be the convertible. It has the best value and it’s the one we don’t really use much. It’s basically the Datemobile. That’s the only time we really take it out. Tiffany and Molly won’t drive it unless they’re going out on a date and neither will Katelyn.”

“We’ll discuss it when we get back,” Phil told her. “Tell me more about Emerald Cove.”

“It’s sort of a new area,” Hailey said. “From what I’ve read, it’s only gone into the resort business in the past 15 years. I found a web site that lists all the attractions. It isn’t really a tourist trap. I mean, it’s not Myrtle Beach or Hilton Head. There are no high-end chain restaurants and you won’t run into any celebrities. It’s not far from the Georgia line and there are some neat waterparks nearby. It’s mostly a place where we can relax and not be on the run. I read reviews of a lot of the nearby restaurants and there are dozens of Under-21 nightclubs. We can even drive down to Savannah for a minor league baseball game if you want.”

Phil smiled at Hailey’s enthusiasm.

“Are we staying on the water?” he asked.

“Right on the beach!” Hailey said. “The peak season doesn’t hit until next week so we got a good deal. We’ll need to be out by Friday morning, though. The hotel is booked solid for the rest of the summer. I thought it would be cool to stop off in Charlotte to see your family. Danielle and Madison both told me that you rarely come to visit them. I figure we can break up the drive back by stopping and staying with them. Everyone is free next weekend. Their exams are all done and they’ll be looking to let off steam. I called your uncle and he said he’d be glad to host us for a couple of days.”

“That sounds like fun,” Phil told her. “So, did you see anything in your research that we absolutely have to do?”

“Nope,” Hailey replied. “I had fun at the beach during Spring Break but it would have been better if you were there. I just thought it would be fun for us to just do whatever comes up.”

The pair stopped about 200 miles north of Emerald Cove for the night. It was cheaper to spend the night off the beach, not that the money was an issue to Phil. It was an issue for Hailey. She didn’t want to be seen as a gold-digger – at least not to Phil. She knew it was inevitable that some people would view her that way.

They had spent almost 10 hours in the car together and the conversation didn’t wane for more than a moment before a new topic was introduced. They discussed their classes and their friends; they talked about their families and their futures. They held hands as the highway miles passed by. Phil drove as far as Richmond before turning the car over to Hailey.

Hailey was excited that she finally got to share a class with Phil during the fall semester. They were both taking a Spanish class. Both had taken rudimentary classes in high school and they spent 20 minutes trying to conduct a conversation in that language. It ended with both of them laughing because neither of them was very proficient.

The hotel in Florence, South Carolina, wasn’t opulent by any stretch but it was typical for chains along the interstate. They found a small restaurant and went to dinner. It was late when they got back to the hotel but Hailey started to strip before the door was fully closed.

“I have a new goal,” she declared as she pulled her T-shirt over her head. “I want to make love to you in every state.”

“I’m for it,” Phil replied.

“Oh, and on every continent, too,” she said as she unzipped her shorts and let them fall. She stood before her boyfriend in a sports bra and white cotton panties. She had dressed for comfort and not for visual stimulation.

“OK,” Phil said.

“And in space,” she added when she pulled her bra off. “Definitely in space.”

“Cool,” Phil told her.

“And underwater,” Hailey put forth as she slipped her panties over her thighs.

“No protests from me,” Phil answered.

“Then why are you still dressed?” Hailey asked with a grin.

Phil had no answer – but he did begin to pull his clothing off as quickly as he could.

The Ocean Vista motel was easy to find – courtesy of the GPS app on Hailey’s phone. The pair walked into the lobby and went to the front desk. The young woman standing there was about the same age. She smiled at the handsome pair but her eyes widened when Phil passed his Black American Express card across the counter.

Phil had thought the card was an unnecessary extravagance but his grandfather paid the large yearly fee so he didn’t fight it. He also didn’t use it often.

“Let me get my manager,” the girl said.

“I have another card if it’s a problem,” Phil said. “This is just the one I generally use at nice hotels like this one. You never know what sort of perks come with it.”

“It’s not that,” the girl said. She had only seen a Black Card twice – and never from someone younger than 50. “It’s just ... it’s just the card guarantees an upgrade if it’s available. I really need to get my manager.”

“We don’t need an upgrade,” Phil said. “We’re happy with whatever you have available.”

The girl still looked troubled.

“I understand if you need to speak to your manager,” he said in a gentle voice. “Please let him or her know that we’re happy with what we’ve booked. I understand that you have reservations and it’s no problem.”

The young woman disappeared into the back and Phil looked over at Hailey – who was also staring at the card.

“I didn’t know you had one of those,” she said. “My mother tried to get a platinum card and was turned down.”

“I didn’t get this for myself,” Phil told her. “My grandfather got it for me when I took ownership of the apartments. He agreed to pay the fees for the first 10 years – after which I’ll cancel it. Did you know it costs $2,500 a year just to carry this? It’s like $7,500 to apply and $2,500 a year. I’ve used it exactly four times. Well, three because I don’t think we’ll use it here. I remember that concierge service is part of the benefits and I thought we might use it here. The only times I’ve used this card were for airplane tickets and that was just for the upgrade.”

Phil’s explanation was interrupted by the arrival of a man in his middle 30s. The young clerk was at his heels. The man looked at the credit card on the counter and then up at Phil.

“I’m sorry for the hassle,” Phil told him. “I just wanted to use this card in case we needed reservations for some of the local restaurants. I wasn’t sure I could use it for reservations since I hadn’t pulled it out of my wallet in more than a year.”

“It’s absolutely no problem, sir,” the man said. “It’s our policy that we upgrade the cardholder to our finest available room. We don’t often see a Centurion Card. We can move you to our James C. Calhoun Suite.”

“That really isn’t necessary,” Phil told him, smiling. “It’s only the two of us. We’re just here for a little vacation. We don’t need anything special. We thank you for your courtesy, though. Would it be more convenient if I paid in another way?”

“Mr. Warner, it won’t matter how you pay,” the man said, relieved that the young couple wouldn’t require an upgrade. He didn’t mind but the owners would have a fit if a young unmarried couple found themselves in a suite. “Our concierge service is among the best in the region, if I do say so myself. The truth is, you won’t need it. Most of the places don’t require reservations this time of year – and the better restaurants around here would laugh if you tried to make one.”

Phil laughed.

“Now those sound like our sort of place,” Hailey said. “We’re pretty low-maintenance. Phil and I have been together for more than a year and I had no idea he even had a Black Card. I know that most people who carry them probably want everything handed to them. We’re fine with how things are. I chose this hotel because of a really nice review on a local website. The writer said she said stayed here the first time she was in town and then her family never left town.”

“We try our best,” the manager said. “Still, if there is anything you need, please don’t hesitate to let us know. I can’t promise we can accommodate you but we will do our absolute best.”

“Perhaps you can point us to a nice place for lunch?” Phil asked.

“I have just the place!” the manager replied.

Phil and Hailey walked down the beach, holding hands and enjoying the warm weather. They found the recommended restaurant and walked up the back steps.

“This is a bar!” Hailey said when she saw the sign for O’Bannon’s Irish Pub.

Phil frowned but led Hailey through the door. The inside had a bar along the back wall but there were a dozen tables where people were eating.