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CHAPTERNINE
Isaac
Fuck.
I watch Paris holding Roman’s hand—sheneverholds his hand—as they walk back to shore. My initial guilt about her seeing me emerge from the next villa along from hers with the one person she doesn’t want to see me with, quickly morphs into defensiveness. If she’d answered her damn phone last night instead of screening me, which she seems to be doing a lot these days, this would not have come as such a big surprise to her. There was no way I was going to tell her about this development by text; I owe Paris that much. But she didn’t pick up.
“Right then,” I say, a little snappily, and start walking in the same direction back to the shore. I hear Aurelia walking softly behind me. She must have sensed something back there, but wisely, she doesn’t say anything.
“Where first?” she asks, brightly, as I close the boardwalk gate behind us.
“We’ll go west,” I say, nodding in that direction, “to the marina and the dive center. Then there’s a nice beach over that way, just south of the spa and gym, then the golf course. You’ve seen most of the main building, with the concert hall. I can show you the casino, if you like. Otherwise, we can head east and south, past the staff accommodation, down to Reef Street and the main beach.”
“Sounds great.”
We take off along the path towards the Grand House.
“Is that where the Starlings live?” she asks, pointing to the large white building.
“Yeah. Eric, Maria, and their daughters when they’re not studying in England.”
“What a life,” she sighs.
“The grass is always greener,” I reply. “Think of all the people who want your life. I’d bet it’s most people.”
“Even you?” I feel her looking up at me.
“Nah. I’m probably one of the few that don’t. But I’ve had the privilege of seeing what it’s really like, you know? This job takes me behind the scenes where it’s not all that glossy and glamorous. Everyone else sees the picture painted by the media. The big shiny houses in the Hollywood Hills, the glowing faces coming out of expensive restaurants. They don’t see the tears that come the minute the doors are closed, or witness the panic attacks that can happen at random, only to be covered up by a good PR.”
I can hear her breath turn shallow. “Yeah, you’ve summed it up pretty accurately.”
We pass the house and head in the direction of the marina.
“What a beautiful place to dock,” she says as we approach. There are three boats in slips at the moment—two yachts and a cruiser.
“It’s quiet right now. We can take up to eight and we’re usually fully booked.”
“That doesn’t surprise me.”
“Would you ever have a superyacht?” I ask, trying everything I can to drag my mind away from Paris and her rapidly diminishing opinion of me.
“A superyacht? God no, way too ostentatious. I have a great smaller one though. I named it the Esmerelda, after my Grams. Chuck convinced me to buy it last summer, although I hardly ever use it. He takes it out a lot, sometimes for days at a time. If he didn’t, I would probably sell it, to be honest, let someone else enjoy it.”
“Yeah, I’m not sure I see you as a boat person,” I say, without thinking. She spins around, a look of mock horror on her face.
“Why ever not? You can’t see me reclining on a sun-kissed deck, in a skimpy bathing suit, sipping a glass of champagne?”
The image actually makes me swallow and I wish I hadn’t said anything. “Well, when you put it like that,” I say, a little meekly, then change the subject. “What would you spend your money on, if you could have anything you wanted?” I genuinely want to know the answer. What makes Aurelia Bird really tick?
“I don’t know. There’s nothing I want more than simply health, happiness and comfort. I’ve bought houses for me and members of my family, and I’ve taken them on some nice vacations. But I don’t wantstuff. I’d rather my money be used to help people who don’t have anything.”
“So, you want to be a philanthropist?” I like the idealism but I take it with a pinch of salt. When people say they don’t want anything, it’s generally because they don’t wantforanything.
“Yeah, something like that.”
“Would you give to any particular cause?”
“Absolutely!” She reels off the names of about seven different charities and campaigns.
