It is as much as I can do to not throw myself on the round double bed with its pale blue silk sheets; it is so inviting. However, I try to keep some level of decorum. Besides, someone might spot me lying there through the large round porthole, which has a fantastic view of the marina.
‘Look at all this wardrobe space,’ says Carol. I cringe slightly as she opens one of the floor-to-ceiling wardrobes. She’s so nosy!
‘Although if I was staying on here, all I’d need are a couple of bikinis and some sun cream,’ she says.
‘Look at all those pillows and cushions,’ I say, trying to distract her from going through the rest of the storage. The bed is one of those where you’d have to spend five minutes removing all the cushions before you could climb in.
Elias looks at me and smiles.
‘It’s very comfortable in here.’
‘Do you get to sleep in here? Don’t you have to stay in some kind of staff quarters?’ I ask.
‘Oh, the owner’s very kind… And generous. I can stay in here if I want to.’
Carol looks at Soraya, and then they both look at me.
Affair with Lady Jane?mouths Carol.
‘Well, it must be incredible to wake up somewhere like this,’ I say.
‘It’s not a bad place to wake up at all,’ says Elias.
For some reason, as he looks at me and says this, I become all flustered, so I remind the girls that we wanted to hit the pool before lunchtime, or we might get burnt in the midday sun.
‘We don’t want to look like lobsters tonight,’ I tell them.
‘No, we did say that. Well, thank you so much. This has been a brilliant birthday treat. Thank you again, Elias,’ says Soraya.
‘Oh, definitely. It’s been awesome. Thank you, Elias.’
‘You’re very welcome. Nice to have the company. Now, let me drop you back into Monaco.’
The drive seems faster coming back into the principality, and we soon recognise where we are.
Elias drops us off at a hotel we’ve found that will allow us to use the pool as day visitors, and we head off with our suntan lotion.
We wave goodbye to Elias as he drives off, and I can’t stop myself from looking back three times until he is finally out of sight.
‘Well, he’s a bit of alright, isn’t he?’ says Carol.
‘He certainly is. And a lovely man too,’ says Soraya.
‘I hope we’ll see him again. Can’t you arrange something?’ says Carol.
I start to get annoyed and don’t even understand why. Carol has been my best friend forever, but suddenly, I feel so irritated with her. We are here for a girls’ holiday. How many times does she have to be told?
‘No, I can’t arrange anything. Now will you stop going on about Elias?’
‘Ooh, touched a nerve, have we?’ she says.
‘No. I couldn’t care less about him. It was just embarrassing seeing you all doe-eyed every time he said anything.’
‘She fancies him,’ says Carol to Soraya.
‘Don’t be so childish. You’re not twelve.’
‘She does fancy him. It’s obvious,’ says Soraya.
