‘In your dreams.’
Even though it was relatively dark, I was still able to make out the look that washed across his face, causing that clawing sensation along my spine again. Then he sat up, pulled his knees towards him and tilted his head to meet my eyes.
‘Most nights, actually. Most nights.’
My breath stopped. The words had not been said jokingly. I swallowed hard, trying to push down the feelings they had elicited in me. I needed to show him that those words had not just made me feel like . . .What?
‘Most nights. No wonder you have bags under your eyes.’ It was the only retort I could think of.
Cam laughed. ‘Okay, Lizzy, whatever you say.’ He got to his feet and tugged down his shirt. It had ridden up in the fall, and it hadn’t been lost on me that when he’d been lying there, hands behind his head, his lower abs had been peeping right back up at me. Then he turned and started walking towards the path, hands in his pockets, acting all casual, which was in stark contrast to what I was feeling right now. I was about as far away from calm and casual as you could possibly be.
‘See you soon,’ he called over his shoulder.
‘Hopefully not,’ I muttered, but my voice was not quite as cutting as I would have liked it to be.
I looked over at the villa. The curtains were closed now, and my stake-out had been ruined. I climbed down from the tree and started walking back to my own villa. I really hoped Victor and his mistress would emerge for dinner this evening. I needed a shower, and then I was going to head to the bar to see if I could get a photo.
Hopefully that wasn’t Cam’s plan too.
Okay, maybe ‘most nights’ had been a bit of an exaggeration. But it wasn’t exactly a lie, either. Because I’d thought about her over the years more than I cared to admit. And yes, she’d shown up in a few of my dreams – some morePGthan others.
Sometimes she’d flash through my mind for only a moment, almost as if she wasn’t quite there at all. But she was. Even if it was only in the background. But sometimes she stayed for longer, and I indulged those thoughts of her, letting my mind run with them. Inevitably, it always led back to that night. To what might’ve happened if it hadn’t all gone so wrong.
CHAPTER 19
I took my place at the beachside bar, keeping a careful eye on Victor and his mistress as they strolled down the path. Anticipation bubbled inside me, so much so that I felt almost effervescent with it. Cam had screwed up my previous opportunity to get a photo of her, but he was not going to screw up this one, because right now they were walking straight towards me.
I kept my eyes glued to them. It was still too dark to see her face, but the second she stepped into the light, the moment I could see a sliver of a feature, I’d start shooting.
I didn’t have to wait long, because as they stepped under the tree lit up by fairy lights, I snapped away. The image was blurry but adequate, and I sent it to Sharaz immediately. Her reply was almost instant.
It’s Amber. She’s the fucking massage therapist from the country club.
I rolled my eyes. Of course. Massage therapist from country club basically screamed mistress material.
Such a pity, Sharaz went on.She gave the best Indian head massages. Now I’m going to have to find not only a new husband, but also a new country club and masseuse. She was so good with my sciatica.
I blinked at my phone in confusion. Rich people were a total mystery to me. You just never knew how they were going to react. I’d once had a client – a billionaire’s wife – who discovered her husband was cheating with his personal trainer. Her first question wasn’t which divorce lawyer she should use, but rather if I thought she would still be able to keep the family heirloom jewels and have use of the villa on Lake Geneva.
‘Fancy seeing you here.’ Cam slid into the chair next to me and my entire body stiffened in reaction to him. ‘Such a small world,’ he continued.
‘I’d say, and certainly too small for both of us.’ I drummed my knuckles on the wooden counter, hoping it signalled my irritation sufficiently. Stupid and childish, I knew.
‘Has anyone ever told you that if there was an Olympic Games for sarcasm, you’d win it.’
I turned in my chair and squared off in front of him. ‘I could say the same for you, with your natural ability to irritate. Seriously, I really don’t have time for this. I’m trying to work and I don’t want you screwing things up for me again.’
‘I’m also trying to work, actually, and since it seems you’ve taken the best seat in the house, I’ll just have to settle for second best.’
‘Story of your life, really,’ I scoffed, and picked up my drink.
‘See, I told you, this is what I’ve missed. That sarcastic Lizzy thing you do.’
‘Please don’t act like you know me.’ I turned my attention back to Victor and Amber. Their fingers were tangled together, their noses were touching and they were staring into each other’s eyes.
‘They look like they could genuinely be in love. Rather sweet if you think about it.’
‘Love can also be bitter,’ I said quickly.
