I have been stood up. In front of a restaurant called The Trysting Place.

It gets worse. I am in St. Lucia, at The Rendezvous—a romantic couples-only resort. My date was for 7:30 p.m. 

I am still sipping my Welcome to Lovers Night! cocktail at 8:00 p.m., though by now I’m drinking with more of a grimace than a grin.

Minutes tick by.  I watch happy couples stroll past my wicker-chair in the open-air lounge. The tropical breezes pick up, chattering the fan palms and adding to the nightly cacophony of tree frogs and crickets…a jungle soundtrack cranked to decibel-breaking levels.

I order another drink just as a manager spots me and brings me an apologetic message.

Not for the first time, I wonder what my husband is doing back home in Canada.

The View of St. Lucia From Here

Full-disclosure; I’m a travel writer. This is my fourth and final night at the Rendezvous, an all-inclusive romantic resort in St. Lucia. I am waiting to go to dinner with Andrew Barnard, the marketing director. I’m told he’ll arrive soon. 

I’ve flown here to check out the resort’s recent US$15-million renovation.

My king-sized four-poster bed is draped with filmy curtains, my little patio is a riot of tropical plants and flitting colourful birds, the pools are turquoise jewels replete with couple-sized loungers and the white beach sublime.

The whole experience feels like I entered a virtual postcard of humid perfection…except…I’m alone.

All You Can Eat Buffets

Each day I’ve sorted through the piles of food at the breakfast and lunch buffet. Little birds have been my only company as they dipped through the open-sides of the terrace overlooking the turquoise sea.

I watched endless lovers and yet another couple posed in their wedding whites. With a full-time wedding planner on staff, Rendezvous has every detail covered.

I’ve told myself that the Noah’s Ark two-some-ness doesn’t matter. I’m sure they’re not wondering why I’m solo, though at breakfast I’m almost sure that woman across from me used sugar packets to spell out hussy. 

All-Inclusive Resort

In spite of the endless amounts of water sports, gym classes, sailing and diving that are included, I lounge by the pool with a stack of books from the little library.

I’m fairly used to travelling alone, but being single in uber-couple-land has added an extra layer of anonymity that I’m starting to relish.

By the second day, the heat, combined with the Hawaiian massage at the spa, renders me into a noodle-like state of full-on relaxation.

Two For Dinner

Andrew Barnard slides to a stop at my chair. He apologizes, but his toddler had fallen and required a fast trip to the dentist.

We enter the low lighting of the Trysting Place. Each table for two is filled with honeymooners, couples celebrating anniversaries and maybe even some having a tryst.

Andrew and I share a lovely bottle of Chateauneuf-du-Pape over a meal reminiscent of Paris.

We share a toast…to our spouses.