They nodded, glanced at each other, then looked back at him.  How can he be a part owner of a chain of luxury resorts like this?

The waiter returned with the sliders, setting out a couple of side plates on the table between Bette and Tina, and setting out a smaller sized table in between the lounge chairs, in front of Bernd, to set down a third plate.

He was motioning to the group whether or not he should serve each one a slider, and some fries.  Bernd nodded.

Bernd was talking as they were being served, “As you might expect…I’m not the type of owner who gets around much,” pausing as the women shared a bemused look, and smiled back at them.

“I tend to stay back in my ranch in New Zealand; then venture out from time to time.  Just my fourth time here, I think,” he explained, then thanked the waiter as the man left.

Bette and Tina each took a bite out of the sliders.  Mmmm….again, delicious!

“Well, one thing I would tell you is that the food here has just been great. We haven’t had a bad meal yet,” Bette commented, as she swiped her mouth with the mini linen napkin the waiter had handed to each of them.

“And the drinks,” Tina added, as she nodded at Bette, agreeing with her about the food.

Bernd smiled, “Well, I’m glad to hear that….but is there anything here that you’d like to change?”

Bette cocked her head to one side, “Anything?”

Bernd nodded, “Yeah…anything?”

“Well,” Bette responded, starting slowly, then plunged ahead.   What the hell?  How could it hurt? If she partially owned this place…  “I would combine a living and dining room in the formal dining restaurant.  Infuse it with more of a curator’s touch.  Make it a more dramatic, art-filled space with high ceilings, maybe add a stunning chandelier as its centerpiece.  Then open up the walls, and build in floor-to-ceiling windows on the three sides to usher in sunshine during the day, and moonlight at night. I would totally change-out the interiors also, make it completely jet-black, and use sunlight filtering in to offset jet-black walls, couches, and tile floors.”

She added, “Then all through-out the buildings of the resort I would position antique and contemporary
sculptures, have them sit side-by-side.  And if possible, I would totally transform the architecture esthetic of the resort.  Because this is what the Maldives are about, right?  A balance of the old and new, dark and light?  Just repeat what I was describing for the formal dining room – regarding the sunlight and jet-black interiors, I mean. That kind of stark dichotomy.   Mix the layered buildings that make up the villas so that they use traditional hardwood frames with wood shingle roofs, but modern white concrete and glass to fill out the forms.  All environmentally sustainable, of course."