Page 48 of The Christmas Holiday
‘True. And believe me, it does. Often!’
‘Right,’ I said, not knowing exactly what response to give to that but somehow feeling one was expected.
‘But that’s the first time I can remember, when he’s been single, that he hasn’t followed it up. I mean, she was super-hot, wasn’t she?’
‘She was.’
‘That’s why I thought maybe…’
I pulled off my glasses and laughed. ‘Definitelyno. You saw her, right? And you’ve seen me, right?’
‘You’re gorgeous. And you’re funny, and talented too.’
‘I’m also not seventeen feet tall with the perfect body and artfully styled hair. Not to mention she’s probably something terribly important and virtuous like a paediatric surgeon or human rights lawyer. Seriously. I am so not the reason why he didn’t follow up. And who’s to say hewon’t later?’
‘I think you’re underestimating yourself. And him.’
‘Liv,’ I said, stopping her for a moment as we were now approaching the cabana where the men were sitting, ‘we didn’t exactly have an amicable break-up. We have different ideas about things and they’re not things you can get around. Us getting back together isn’t a possibility.’
‘Does that upset you?’
I smiled. ‘No.Whatever happened, I want him to be happy and I’m not the person who can do that for him. Or him for me.’
Although, oh my God, he’d had the ability to make me unbelievably happy when he wanted to.
Olivia gave me a quick hug and then squinted at me. ‘We should get you in the shade. You’re flushing a bit.’
‘Oh… really?’ I pulled my hat off and flapped it to and fro as we entered thelittle hut.
Sandeep immediately got up, pulled a towel from the pile beside him and stepped forward to drape it lovingly around Liv’s shoulders, delivering it with a soft kiss. Which was all delightful and sweet, except they were now completely blocking me from the pile of towels. I stood there dripping for a moment, and tried to pretend I wasn’t seriously thinking of launching myself overboth of them in order to get myself wrapped up as soon as possible.
The white frilled bikini I was wearing was one Lorelei had persuaded me to buy and was consequently far more daring than the basic black one-piece numbers I’d always bought before. It showed way more cheek than I would ever willingly have chosen to and had a push-up bra that definitely didn’t hold back on its agenda. WhenI’d explained to Lorelei that it was a whole lot more flesh on show than I was used to, she’d looked at me like I’d spoken Venutian. So I’d nodded and bought the thing just so we could finally go and get some lunch before burying the purchase in a drawer at home. It had been bought purely for a quiet life, never to be worn. I knew for a fact I had actually packed two of the aforementioned basic blacknumbers instead. I also now knew that my reply at the airport to the question “Have you packed your case yourself?” was apparently only partly true. I’d forgotten I even owned this damned thing until I was due to meet Liv by the pool and, upon emptying my suitcase, had discovered the only swimsuit I had with me was something I’d never willingly have chosen to wear! I’d grabbed my phone and pulledup WhatsApp, sending Lorelei the simple message:
I am going to kill you.
A cross-eyed pokey tongue face came back.I’m guessing it was finally time for a swim…? You’re welcome.
And now here I was, standing in said bikini in front of my ex while our clients snuggled adorably. I shuffled around a couple of times to try and nonchalantly reach the cabana hut’s towel bale. Unsuccessfully.I chewed my mouth for a moment and tried to be all casual and patient for love. Also unsuccessfully. I shifted my weight and attempted to stop the breeze flapping up the frill that half covered my backside. As I did so, Hunter’s head came up from where he’d been looking at his phone while Sandeep did his romantic fiancé bit. His eyes were still hiding behind the Aviators so I couldn’t tell exactlywhere he was looking. Which was probably just as well. His head turned towards me, cocking briefly to the side at Liv and Sandy with a half-smile. I flapped my hand and pulled an “oh gosh, these lovebirds” kind of face, casually hugging my hat to me, feeling incredibly self-conscious and ridiculous in a bikini I wouldn’t have bought in a million years if it had been entirely up to me.
Hunterstood and, stepping up onto Sandeep’s lounger with one foot, used his height and long arms to reach over the couple, who were still engrossed in one another, to grab a towel. As he stepped back down, he held it out to me.
‘I’m guessing you’re waiting for this?’
‘Thank you!’ I gushed, a little bit too enthusiastically.
Hunter tilted his head momentarily, opened his mouth to say something,but then apparently changed his mind.
‘What?’
‘Never mind. If you’re staying out here, put some more suncream on. You’ll only burn otherwise.’
‘Yes. I know. Thank you. And hello, I’m in the shade.’
‘Just saying.’ He held his hands out as he shuffled his bum back on a lounger, his feet still hanging off the end.
I took a deep breath, knowing he meant well. ‘Which I appreciate.But I am quite capable of looking after myself.’
‘I wasn’t suggesting otherwise.’
