Chapter 85
Knowing Helen and Robert, they are definitely going to ask me what I plan to do with the land.
I adjust my chair, and start scribbling, my thoughts flowing faster than my hand could write. My first idea is to build a riverside cafe and book garden.
I sketch a little doodle of a rustic–chic cabin with tables facing a sketch of the sea. “It will look cool… hmmm? Charming. But is it enough?” I mumbled under my breath. “The cafe could serve coffee and cake, giving a cozy aesthetic vibe with outdoor seating and wooden boardwalks… perfect for tourism and students.”
My second idea is a flower farm. Lavender, sunflowers, hibiscus, roses and so on, are very aesthetic, easy to market and perfect for photoshoots. It will also improve the scent of the entire area. I could sell the flowers at a farmers market. But that would not bring in a lot of money. It also does not feel big enough- definitely not something that would wow my parents.
My third idea is to farm high value crops like strawberries, veggies, herbs, maybe a greenhouse? “I need more ideas” I muttered, leaning back, feeling a bit frustrated.
“Ugh, Aria think!” I groaned. I grab my laptop and typed in ‘luxury agro–tourism‘. Instantly, dozens of images of high–end nature resorts from different parts of the world filled my screen.
I gasped as a new idea flickered in my head. “What if it’s all of them? What if I combine all of them? I could make it a big resort where guests could pick their own food that would then be prepared by a gourmet chef.” I rushed back to my notebook, grabbing my pen.
“They can use the existing crops- the cocoa, coffee, rubber, palm kernels— using them as part of the guest’s experience. There will be chocolate–making workshops, coffee tasting tours, red oil making workshops and so on.” I scribbled faster, excitement bubbling in my chest. “And the cafe beside the river, there’ll be luxury treehouses, glass–walled cabins next to it. We’ll have kayaking, fishing, moonlit boat rides.” I grinned at my ideas and typed them into a folder on my laptop.
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“I’ll need a new name too” My gaze wandered to the framed sketch of my first design for the ‘Echo‘ gown, hanging on my wall.
“Aura,” I whispered. A smile spread across my lips. “Nature’s Aura & Botanical Resort.”
I scrawled the name boldly at the top as the title.
*****
I stretch my arms above my head and yawn. I just finished typing the ideas into my laptop. My notebook looked like a mad scientist’s diary- arrows everywhere, circles around some words, tiny doodles of glass cabins, a chuckle leaving my lips at the sight of a very questionable sketch of a cocoa pod that looked like a diseased mango.
“Maybe I should draw it again.” My stomach growled loudly in protest.
“Okay, okay…” I muttered, rubbing my belly. “Food first.”
I slid off my chair, pulled a top over my bra, and trudged toward the dining room. The moment I turned the
corner, the warm smell of jollof rice hit me like a hug.
Lena peeked out from the kitchen. “I was just coming to call you, Miss Aria.”
“I told you Aria is fine.” I plopped onto a chair dramatically. “Feed me before I die please.”
She giggled. “You won’t die, ma’am. Let me bring your plate.”
Within seconds she returned with a steaming plate of jollof with fried plantains and grilled chicken.
“Where are the rest?” I asked curiously, “You’re the only one I’ve been seeing since yesterday.”
“They’re on holiday. I’ll do mine when they’re back.”
“Okay.” I dug into the food but halfway through, my phone buzzed on the table.
Maya calling…
I rolled my eyes and swallowed quickly.
I swiped green. “Hello?”
“OH MY GOD ARIA!” Maya screeched. “WHERE WERE YOU?!”
I yanked the phone away from my ear “Jesus Christ, Maya, lower your volume!”
“NO! YOU WANNA KILL ME? YOU DIDN’T COME TO SCHOOL! YOU DIDN’T TEXT! YOU DIDN’T CALL!” She hissed. “I had to ask about you from that idiot brother of yours and he ignored me.”
“Maya I literally overslept.”
“…That’s it?” She deadpanned.
“Yes?”
“You missed school because you overslept?”
“Yes.”
“And you could not text to let me know?” She huffed
I took a bite. “Sorry to disappoint you.”
“Well anyway,” she said, shifting to her usual gossip tone, “you missed so much. Mr. Halden gave homework. Mrs. Penrose shouted at the whole class; rumor is that she got her fragile heart broken. And Nora asked Jamal
out.”
My spoon froze mid–air. “Who is Nora?”
“You don’t know her? Tsk! The shy girl. The one always wearing her hair in pigtails.”
I QJ
65 vouchers
“I still don’t know her.”
“You’re boring. Why are you my best friend again?” She groaned
“Because you love me?” I chirp
“Yeah, unfortunately! Anyway, I’m coming over after school. Bye!” She hung up.
I barely dropped my phone before it buzzed again.
Jamal calling…
“You guys should let me enjoy my food.” I groaned.
I picked it up. “Hello?”
“Hey Aria,” he said in that calm, deep voice of his. “I’ve not seen you at school today. Are you good?”
I smiled a little. “Yeah. Just tired. And I woke up late.”
“You sure? Need anything?”
“I’m fine, really. Thanks for checking.”
“No problem.” He paused. “I–I, w–will you…”
“Are you stuttering?” I laughed. “What do you want to say?”
“I’ll talk to you later, princess.” he hung up.
I stared at my phone.
Princess? You all just call me any name that comes to your mind, huh?. I finished my meal, washed my hands, and went back to my room
*****
“Tiny! I’m home!” Asher shouted from the living room.
I rolled my eyes and sat up. “In my room!” I shouted back.
He jogged up the stairs and barged into my room.
He took one look at me surrounded by papers and froze. “What… the heck happened here?”
“Planning.”
“Planning for an apocalypse?” He raised a brow
“For the land.” I deadpan
He dropped his bag and plopped next to me. “Let me see.”
I held up my notebook shyly. “Don’t laugh.”
He grabbed it, flipped the first page, and blinked. “Whoa…”
Then the next page. “Wow.”
Next. “WHAT?!”
I snorted. “Good wow or bad wow?”
He looked up at me slowly. “Aria. This is insane.”
“I know,” I muttered, tugging my sleeve. “I just wrote ideas, trash maybe, I’ve highlighted some that I think are good and organized them in a folder on my laptop.”
“No. I mean–this is genius level stuff.” He turned more pages. “Cafes, botanical gardens, cocoa workshops, kayaking tours, treehouses—this is really amazing.”
I blushed. “What’s this?” he pointed to the bold header.
“Nature’s Aura,” I said quietly. “The name of the resort.”
He stared at me for a long moment. “Nature’s Aura,” he repeated. “It’s… perfect.”
My cheeks warmed. “You think so?”
“Tiny, do you hear me?” he smacked the notebook lightly. “This is a billion–dollar idea. A perfect heaven for nature lovers.”
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
