‘Right, well – I’m baking and I want to get in that pool so guys, let’s get roomed up and the bags upstairs,’ Mike says.
‘I know the way,’ Bella says. ‘Bagsy the big corner room with the mirror.’
They all float into the villa and I can hear the whispers of their voices as they discover the rooms; shutters opening over the pool as they lean out to appreciate the view. It leaves Ben and I alone by the pool. I go over and nudge his arm with mine.
‘You’re back,’ Ben says.
‘I said I would be. But this time I come with extra baggage.’
‘Drink?’ he asks.
‘Always.’
We walk over to the kitchen where a large jug of iced tea sits on the counter with some glass tumblers. It’s been three months since I was last here but it all feels so familiar. It’s strange how a building can embrace you, like it’s giving you a warm hug.
‘So, how are things going? Tell me everything,’ I say, pulling up a stool.
‘It’s been good. I think the word is “experimental”. I did a writing retreat last week – that was different. They just want to stay in their rooms and be fed. I offer a whole detox package – lots of chia seeds, lemons and turmeric on the menu…’
‘Fancy.’
‘Yeah, but they were a bit grumpy and between you and me, I had to get in extra loo roll.’
I laugh. There is something about Ben’s face that looks bright, more relaxed. I remember the guy I met when I first arrived here who seemed slightly unsure about everything but now he radiates a feeling like he’s at home. I love that for him.
‘I saw Jess the other day,’ I tell him between sips.
‘Amazing, how is she?’ he asks.
‘She’s so great. We had lunch. I met Dean, the twins. She sends her love…Chloe was there too.’
I wait to see his reaction when I say her name. I notice his chest catch on the rise. I smile.
‘How is she?’ he asks, steadying himself with a sip of cold water.
‘She’s really good actually. We disentangled her from the tentacles of her old job and she’s at an amazing practice in central London now. They flew her out to Shanghai the other day, she has lots of international work.’
He beams, nodding and looking down to the floor. ‘Wedisentangled?’ he asks.
‘Sometimes a girl needs an army to get her back on track,’ I explain. ‘Well done for all that you did for her too though,’ I joke. ‘I think that out of all us, she was the one who was at her lowest. You really gave her a hand and helped loosen her up again.’
Ben side-eyes me and flares his nostrils. ‘I don’t know if you’re speaking in innuendo, Zara?’
‘I was trying to put it nicely,’ I reply, smiling.
‘You knew about the sex then?’ he says.
‘Ben, yes,’ I tell him. ‘Jess and I are not stupid. The two of you were like gooey-eyed teenagers. For both of us, it was like living in a real-time romcom. You’d say cutesy things to one another and we’d be kicking our legs, elbowing each other, getting excited about it all. Wondering how it would all end.’
‘Then I guess you weren’t keen on the actual ending?’ he asks.
‘Jess still has a tenner on you two getting back together,’ I tell him. ‘I thought you’d come back to London at some point.’
He looks down to his hands. ‘I didn’t want to get in the way of her achieving what she needed to do.’
‘You’re a sizeable man but I doubt that would have happened,’ I tell him, laughing.
‘But look at her now,’ he explains. ‘She’s thriving and happy and she had to discover that herself and do it on her own.’
