Page 38 of An Island Promise

‘Gem,’ Belle said, sudden panic rushing through her. She didn’t know what to say to take the conversation in a different direction. Laurie tensed next to her.

Caleb frowned. ‘Diego Torres Corchado?’

Gem looked at him quizzically. ‘You know him?’

‘He’s my brother-in-law.’

Belle’s chest tightened.

Gem sat forward, her mouth open as she looked up at Caleb. ‘Are you freaking kidding me? Diego’s your brother-in-law?TheDiego? Belle massively had the hots for him. Probably still does.’ Gem snorted and turned to her. ‘Have you ended up in his bed again yet?’

Belle wanted the ground to swallow her up. She shot Gem a warning look. She may be teasing but there was defiance in her stance and her squared jaw, a hardness about her that hadn’t been there when she was younger. She’d been mouthy and confident, but never purposefully mean. Knowing now what she did about Gem having spent the night with Diego, she knew it was coming from an unhealthy place. Not understanding why Gem was trying to provoke her, Belle shook her head and bit her tongue. Caleb had obviously heard enough too, because he muttered something and walked away.

Belle watched his retreating back as dismay mixed with rage tore through her. She whipped back round to Gem. ‘You really don’t know when to shut up.’

‘What?’ Gem’s nostrils flared as she glared at her. ‘We all know Diego’s the real reason you came back.’

‘How can you sit there and say that when you know what really happened?’

Gem momentarily faltered. ‘What the hell are you talking about?’

Even with music playing and many conversations happening around them, Belle was conscious of their tone, tense and cutting. She breathed deeply, trying to temper the hot anger bubbling up.

‘There’s a lot we need to talk about,’ she said as calmly as possible.

Gem folded her arms, her whole demeanour defiant and ready for an argument. ‘You want to talk about the past and the ridiculous bloody predictions we made? Then let’s talk about it and share how fucking far off the mark we were!’

‘Yes, I want to talk about stuff. And yes, we made some silly predictions when we were idiotic, self-centred, naive-as-hell twenty-one-year-olds who had no idea about how utterly crap life can be. This holiday wasn’t supposed to be about rehashing ten years ago and the life goals we had; I intended it to be about spending time together, the sort of quality time we used to have. Maybe coming back to Ibiza was a mistake but maybe it also gives us the chance to share what’s going on in our lives and support each other.’

‘You really want me to share what’s going on in my life right now?’ Gem glared at Belle. ‘Because I’m up for talking about the predictions you two made for me and highlighting my failures.’

‘What failures?’ Laurie dropped a half-eaten piece of calamari on her plate and shook her head. ‘You have a beautiful family, two gorgeous kids, a man who?—’

‘Don’t.’ Gem shook her head. ‘Don’t say it. You know nothing. Understand nothing.’

‘Why the hell would she, Gem, when you won’t talk to her?’ Belle choked on her own words because wasn’t that exactly whatshe’d been doing with Gem? But this was different. ‘How about actually being honest withbothof us.’

Gem’s nostrils flared. ‘You really want me to tell the truth?’

‘Yes,’ Belle challenged.

Gem turned to Laurie. ‘Me and Dan have split up.’

‘You’ve what?’ Laurie reached across the table and touched Gem’s arm. ‘Oh my goodness, Gem! When did this happen?’

‘A while ago.’

Laurie frowned. ‘Why did you break up?’

‘Oh, take your pick. I could give you a long list of reasons – because we don’t love each other, because we drive each other crazy and not in a good way, because we’re both fucking miserable and it was only the kids keeping us together, but the main reason is Dan walked out because he’d met someone else.’

‘Oh Gem,’ Laurie said softly. ‘I’m so sorry.’

‘Don’t be.’ She flashed them both a look of defiance. ‘Us breaking up was inevitable. I don’t really care about him being with someone else and I know it’s not the first time he’s been unfaithful, it’s just the first time it’s meant something. It’s not like I haven’t cheated on him.’

‘No, it’s not.’ Belle let out a long breath. The sophisticated bar with its natural wood, shady palms and white- and stone-coloured cushions was at odds with their conversation and the unsettled and confusing feelings swirling in her stomach. ‘You realise you said Diego’s full name to Caleb before.Ididn’t even know his surname.’ She shook her head. ‘Because it wasn’t just anyone you cheated on Dan with when we were here last, was it?’

Gem stared at her across the table, her blue eyes wide. ‘He told you.’

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