Chapter 1: Traci Eddings Confronts a Staffing Crisis at the Saint
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
General manager Charlie Burroughs tells owner Traci Eddings that guest relations director Mehdi and chef Sam are leaving for a rival resort. Traci learns the resignations are firm despite a counteroffer. With Memorial Day a month away, the resort is already understaffed. Traci proposes converting the old golf cart barn into employee housing to attract summer workers. Charlie warns about the cost and time needed to bring the building up to code. Traci insists they cannot afford to delay the season opening. She decides to recruit her niece Parrish for a front-desk role, despite Charlie's concern about how that will look to other staff. The chapter ends with Traci determined to do whatever is necessary to keep the Saint afloat.
Key Events
- Charlie informs Traci that Mehdi and Sam are leaving
- They discuss the difficulty of hiring seasonal help in a tight labor market
- Traci suggests transforming the old golf cart barn into a dormitory for staff
- Charlie lists the structural and code problems with the barn
- Traci decides to approach her niece Parrish about working at the front desk
- Charlie expresses reservations about nepotism but agrees to keep quiet
Character Development
Traci Eddings shows both vulnerability and resolve. She still grieves her late husband Hoke, but she makes quick, pragmatic decisions. She is willing to invest in infrastructure (the barn) and to use family connections (Parrish) even when it risks staff morale. Her respect for Charlie's long service is clear, yet she overrides his caution.
Charlie Burroughs is the seasoned, loyal right hand. He has witnessed every crisis at the Saint and remains bluntly honest. He questions Traci's ideas but ultimately supports her, understanding the resort's precarious finances.
Parrish (mentioned) does not appear but is set up as a potential new hire whose presence could create tension.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Hospitality labor crisis — The chapter realistically portrays post-pandemic hiring challenges, soaring rents, and competition from other businesses.
- Legacy versus innovation — Traci must modernize the Saint's operations while respecting its century-old traditions. The golf cart barn symbolizes a neglected past she wants to repurpose.
- Nepotism and fairness — Traci's decision to hire her niece risks alienating existing employees, foreshadowing internal conflict.
- Financial pressure — The “spreadsheet of doom” and references to bleeding red ink underscore how close the resort is to failure.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter launches the book's central conflict: can Traci save the Saint from collapse? It establishes her as a determined widow who must balance grief, family expectations, and business realities. The staffing shortage forces her to innovate, and the introduction of Parrish sets up a key subplot about loyalty, privilege, and resentment. The chapter also deepens the world of the Saint and the stakes for the coming summer.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Traci reject Charlie’s concerns about converting the golf cart barn?
She calculates that the cost of not opening Memorial Day would be far greater than the renovation expense. Record bookings make a full staff essential, and she believes the investment will pay off.
2. What does Charlie’s reaction to hiring Parrish reveal about the resort’s culture?
Charlie worries that installing the owner’s niece in a high-visibility job will look like favoritism. This reveals that the Saint prides itself on merit and that staff morale can be fragile.
3. How does Traci’s grief for Hoke influence her decisions in this chapter?
She pauses at the picture of her first kiss with Hoke, showing she still misses him deeply. Yet she uses his office and his desk as her own, channeling his legacy into her determination to protect the resort.