Page 30 of An Island Promise

‘It’s hard for you to be here, I understand. It’s hard for me when I see you too. You remind me of Paloma and how happy she was. You make me wonder what would have been if she’d lived.’

Caleb caught his breath. The view down the hillside of silhouetted trees and the other houses glowing golden in the darkness became blurred with tears. Nothing good came of wondering about a different life, one filled with children, laughter and happiness, yet he couldn’t help it, particularly when spending time with Paloma’s family was wrapped up in that loss.

‘I can also see you are conflicted,’ Maria continued. ‘The way you talked earlier, as if needing my permission to invite someone else into your life whether as a friend or more. You have been part of our family for twelve years, Caleb. Nearly five of them without Paloma.’ Maria curled her fingers between his, her plain gold wedding band glinting in the moonlight. ‘I miss her with my heart and soul, my whole being, but I have the rest of my family to think about, to be strong for. I’m fortunate to be surrounded by family and love every day. No one will ever replace my daughter, but I have my sons to focus my love on, their wives and partners and more than anything my grandchildren to help me heal. I’m sad for you, Caleb, that you haven’t found anyone to fill the hole Paloma left. Please don’t believe any of us would think any less of you for wanting to find love again.’ She leaned close and held his cheeks in her hands. Her face was soft and hopeful, filled with understanding as she looked at him intently. She released him and stood. ‘Now I must go and help find shoes and say goodbye to my grandchildren before their poor mother explodes with frustration.’

After spending the evening wrapped up in a bubble of love with Maria and her family, Caleb’s loneliness was acute when he returned to Solace. The villa should have been somewhere hefound comfort, but it was with Cara and Paloma’s family, and when surrounded by his guests and colleagues, that he felt most at peace. Solace was beautiful but empty, and yet he couldn’t give it up.

His thoughts turned to his conversation with Maria about Belle. Over the last couple of weeks he’d found himself noticing her more and more. He’d tried to convince himself he was just keeping an eye on how she was getting on with the job, but he’d found it hard to shift his attention elsewhere, because there was something about her that… what? Captivated him, was that it? He had told Maria the truth about Belle reminding him of Cara. There was the same vulnerability and history of them needing to escape: Cara from an abusive relationship in Australia, and Belle… well, he was still trying to figure her out. She was running away from something, or perhaps it was more to do with her trying to find something.

There was a stark difference between Belle and Cara though, in the way he looked at her, his attention zoning in on the curve of her hip in that white dress or her full lips as she talked or laughed. Fuck, that joyful sound that made him want to make her laugh. These unexpected feelings left him puzzled and confused, because it was more than her being an attractive woman. It was the way she made him feel when he was around her, the pull that could be passed off as friendship, the way her company was easy, like Cara’s, except that he didn’t fancy Cara.

Maria was right about the hole Paloma had left; it had been patched up on occasion but it always reopened like an old wound. In his line of work it was impossible not to meet women; he was friends with Paloma’s younger brothers Tomàs and Diego and they’d often been the instigators. And it wasn’t as if he’d never been tempted, but it had just been sex, nothing more. He’d also learned that the guilt and sorrow he felt the morning aftertook weeks to get over, trying to relearn again and again how to let go of Paloma. He couldn’t see how he ever could.

18

The first wedding of the summer took place on the first weekend in July, and it had been a hectic week leading up to it. With the wedding party staying at Spirit but the wedding ceremony and reception taking place at Serenity, there had been lots for Belle to organise and co-ordinate. Cara, with a freelance wedding planner, had planned everything meticulously and as Belle had managed much larger-scale events in London, she found there was little to stress about.

Caleb spent most of his time at Spirit or out and about liaising with suppliers and partners, but he was around for Serenity’s first ever wedding. Even on a regular day, with couples having dinner and drinks on the terrace that overlooked the sea, it oozed romance.

The wedding ceremony itself was magical. The natural canvas of the sandy terrace was laid out with rows of wooden chairs. The aisle led to a thatched pergola simply decorated with pink and white roses nestled among fronds of greenery. With the ever-changing blue of the sea just metres below on one side and the rocky cliff and palm trees as the backdrop on the other two sides, nothing more was needed. The bride wore a white lacedress, the groom a powder-blue suit and the bridesmaids were in pink floaty dresses, while the guests wore the colours of summer.

After the photos were taken on the terrace with family and friends, the photographer took the bride and groom down to the beach, while drinks and canapés were served on the restaurant terrace, allowing time for Serenity’s team to set up for the sit-down meal.

Satisfied that all was in hand, Belle wandered down to the beach to take her own photos, managing to get into shot both the bride and groom strolling hand in hand along the pebbles, as well as some of the wedding guests on the jutting terrace above. After posing in front of the vivid blue sea, they headed back up the beach and strolled below the restaurant terrace which was perched on an outcrop of rock.

Belle saw what happened next as if in slow motion. A child up on the terrace leaned over the wooden railing to wave at the bride and groom below just as the glass in his other hand slipped.

Belle’s heart thundered in her chest. ‘Watch out!’

The groom tugged his new wife out of the way. Narrowly missing her head, the glass smashed on the stones, splashing liquid and sending glass flying. The bride, still holding onto the groom, lost her footing as she tumbled backwards, landing with a thump and pulling her new husband down with her.

Swearing under her breath, Belle rushed over and reached them just before the shocked photographer did.

‘God that hurts!’ The bride grimaced with pain as she clutched at her ankle.

‘Don’t move,’ Belle said to the bride as she offered her hand to the groom to haul him back to his feet. She spoke into the radio clipped to the pocket of her dress. ‘Raphael, can you get someone to bring an icepack, first-aid kit and a damp cloth down to the beach ASAP, please.’ She turned back to the bride,whose already delicately pale face was now linen-white, her brow creased like she was on the verge of tears. ‘It’s all going to be okay,’ Belle said with a calmness that she really wasn’t feeling. ‘And your husband made an epic save.’

There was a flicker of a smile at that.

‘You warned us just in time,’ the groom said. ‘It could have been so much worse.’

‘Yes, a concussed bride would not have been ideal,’ Belle said, crouching down to inspect the bride’s ankle. ‘An injured ankle isn’t great either but hopefully it’s just a sprain and this will end up being a memorable moment from an incredibly memorable day.’

From up above Belle could hear the hushed but stern conversation the mum was having with the little boy who’d dropped the glass.

The bride gestured upwards. ‘That’s my cheeky nephew getting the telling off.’

‘And luckily he was only drinking lemonade and it hasn’t stained your dress.’

Caleb arrived armed with the first-aid kit and icepack, the fear in his wide eyes mirroring how she’d felt just moments before.

‘And now we have Serenity’s very own CEO at our beck and call.’ She gave him a nod and slight smile as she took the items from him. Their fingers brushed. She wrapped the icepack and handed it to the groom to hold against his wife’s ankle.

‘It doesn’t look swollen,’ Belle said, ‘and we’ll see if you can stand in a moment.’ She gave the bride a reassuring smile and caught Caleb’s relieved look as he started to clear away the smashed glass. Belle got back on the radio. ‘Can someone bring two glasses of champagne and a couple of cushions to the beach, please.’

Within a couple of minutes, one of the waiters had brought them down. Belle made the bride comfortable with a cushion to sit on and another to support her ankle. Caleb handed them the champagne.

Belle stood back a touch. ‘Do you know what, if you’re happy to sit here for a bit and rest your ankle, this will make a lovely photo.’

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