Page 17 of The Summer Island Swap
‘Hard graft? Since I was eighteen I’ve worked as hard as anyone I know. I could easily—’
He raised an eyebrow. ‘Tolerate cold showers and toilets that don’t flush? Patiently search for turtle nests or count birds? Of course, I partly blame celebrity jungle shows. Fans watch them believing that behind the scenes participants are secretly allowed luxury baths and MasterChef meals.’
Heat moved from my neck and into the tips of my ears.
Jackie passed him the bag. ‘Do you want to hand those out, Rick?’ she said, smoothly. ‘I’ll sort out… Sarah, wasn’t it? It doesn’t surprise me that, now and again, a guest changes their mind when they actually get here, however well-intended their booking has been,’ she said to Rick and shot him a pointed look. Jackie handed the bag to him when her phone rang. She answered. Frowned.
‘Change of plan, I’m afraid. Apparently one of the parrots is looking ill.’
Rick took the bag as she shot me a smile and headed off. So therewereparrots here. At least I’d got that right. He stared down at me for a moment. Took off his hat and rubbed his forehead.
‘Look… sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude. Things have been stressful what with the rebuild of the family estate and running this venture… you’re more than welcome to sleep in the main house for one night.’
I shifted uncomfortably. ‘That wouldn’t be fair on everyone else.’
‘Your travelling companions seem happy enough. I think you’ll find they’d feelyouwere the one missing out.’
Rick stared over my shoulder. I turned around. Benedikt and one of the other men from our group were good-naturedly arguing over the best way to start a fire. Helga looked impossibly cheerful as she came from the direction of the toilets. One of the couples was smooching near the trees. The sound of running water indicated that someone was taking a quick arctic shower – and wasn’t even screaming.
That weighty sense of not belonging washed over me again.
Although Amy didn’t look cheerful… she sat dismally on the ladder leading up to our room, knees up, chin resting on folded arms.
‘Fetch your luggage,’ he said. ‘It’s no problem. I’ll take you up to the house. The last one to jump ship left behind a couple of novels he’d brought. I’ve read one – a detective story. It’s not bad. You can stay there, if you prefer, until you leave tomorrow.’
8
‘Your friend can bring your dinner over to the house,’ continued Rick. ‘Despite the scaffolding I think you’ll find it quite comfortable just for one night.’
‘She’s my sister.’
He consulted his list again. ‘Ah yes, I remember. Amy emailed far more than any volunteer ever has. I got the impression she wanted this stay to be perfect. She reminds me of my older brother, Lee. He likes to cover every angle.’ Briefly a cloud crossed his features. ‘Almost too much so, if you ask me. Anyway, Amy’s certainly a nature buff. Her enthusiasm is infectious.’
An unpleasant sensation gnawed at my stomach. She’d gone to so much trouble and had genuinely thought this kind of break would relax me. Plus how could I leave after an argument? I didn’t want to ruin Amy’s dream holiday, even if it was my idea of hell.
Andjumping ship? Is that how Rick Crowley saw me? His phone rang and I stared at trees that were doing a merengue with the wind. Is that what I’d done all that time ago, as soon as I’d turned eighteen? Abandoned Amy? The thought had haunted me ever since. But I’d had to. I couldn’t live any longer with Dad. I had to keep myself safe and strong, otherwise I’d have been no good for my sister at all. I visited as often as I could during those four last years she’d had to live with him, until she could legally do what she wanted and move into the flat. She’d bought me a box of chocolates when I’d finally scraped together enough money for a deposit. The amount Mum had left me from her private savings helped. And I’d made sure Amy had a say in how I decorated it, choosing the wallpaper and colour of carpet.
However, the feeling that I’d somehow let her down had never left, so I’d tried to make up for it by always trying to keep her happy and safe.
Jonas stood nearby, at the edge of the forest, jabbing his finger at the screen of his mobile. I went over.
‘I can’t get a signal,’ he muttered.
‘Trying to contact a friend?’
‘Maxi. I had wanted to spend the summer with her,’ he muttered. ‘Just when we’d become friends again, after our breakup. Things were going well but then I had to travel here.’ He looked up. ‘Sorry. Too much information.’
‘It’s okay,’ I said and gave a wry smile. ‘I’m the queen of broken romances. I’ve got the T-shirt and the hat.’
He put his phone away and opened his mouth but then seemed to have second thoughts and swiftly closed it.
‘What?’ I asked.
‘I couldn’t help hearing you and Rick – is it true? You’re leaving?’ He sighed. ‘Don’t abandon me, Sarah. You being here might just save my insanity. I should never have agreed to do this but Mum and Dad persuaded me and said it would look good on my Lebenslauf – I mean, CV – and show I was adventurous as well as a team player.’ He looked around. ‘Now I’m here, it’s even worse than I expected.’
I rested my hand on his arm. ‘It’s very hard to say no to those you love.’
He met my eyes. ‘Guess I’ve just got to get on with it.’
