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“Right, really?” I steel myself so I don’t sound too eager. “Because I can give you all the details now of when and where we will go from. I truly think this will be good for you.”
For both of us.
Not that I’ll add that last bit. Instead I’ll hold on to it like a desperate wish I won’t let go of no matter what.
“Great. Then I would appreciate all the information so I can give you a more definitive answer closer to the date. I don’t know for sure yet, it might be good for me, or it might be a bit… weird. I need some time to think.”
Andthatis why I can't get too eager too fast.
She isn’t ready to let those little digs go just yet. But I do get the distinct impression that she’s going to come to Laucala Island with me, and once we get there, decades of damage can start to be repaired.
I hope.
ChapterTwo
ISABELLA
“Okay, what the hell was that?” I toss my head back and laugh gleefully as soon as I close the door behind her father, glad to see the back of him to be perfectly honest. That was the weirdest visit ever, I can’t believe it just happened.
“That was crazy.”
Why isn’t she laughing with me? Doesn’t she see the ridiculousness of this?
I know she’s been struggling as she recovers fromthatnight, but I had thought she was doing better. She wasn’t moaning about Leon quite so much anymore, and she wasn’t trying to stalk Vi online, which were all positives. It’s just lucky that she wasn’t as hurt by the car accident as she could have been, and, physically she’s recovered pretty well.
But she was still in pain. I can see the emotional scars deep down. Now I feel kinda bad. Perhaps I shouldn’t have made a joke about it, but I thought it was a great way to start that conversation.
“Oh, come on, don’t tell me that you don’t want to go to Fiji? It sounds amazing.”
She rolls her eyes and snorts. “With my freakingfather? No, I don’t think so. I don’t know the guy at all, I don’t want to go away with someone I don’t know just because my mother thought it was a good idea. How the hell is that supposed to make me feel better?”
Okay, I do get her point a little bit. But I’m not going to back down.
“Olivia, being here surrounded by all the memories of everything that’s happened isn’t helping you. I think youdoneed this space. And who the hell says you have to spend any time with your father? Just be in Fiji, in the sun, and enjoy yourself. You need that.”
I don’t know much about Olivia’s home life, she’s never really talked about it much. But, Idoknow that her father has never been around. She doesn’t know him, and she’s also never really wanted to.
While I’m furious on her behalf that he thinks he can just show up now and get what he wants from her, I also can’t see a reasonnotto enjoy this offer of a tropical paradise. It’ll be all expenses paid, why not get over an asshole ex while tanning on the beach?
“I know your father hasn’t been around,” I continue. “But now that he is here, giving you this chance, why not take full advantage of it? Get out of him what you can. My God, there aren’t many deadbeat dads who are able to give you a chance like this.”
“Pfft, I don’t want him to throw money at me. I would have rather had his time growing up. Plus, if he can afford this now, then why hasn’t he ever helped me out financially before? I mean, we haven’t been hard up or anything, my mom has always been okay, but still. It just seems a bit shit. I don’t think it’s right, that’s all.”
“Mmm, yeah right I get that.” I pause thoughtfully for a moment, honestly trying to work out what I would do in her position. But there isn’t anyone coming to offer me a luxury trip to Fiji. “I am just thinking of you, and what I think will be best for you right now. I don’t like seeing you so upset, Olivia. It’s really sad when you’re usually such a fiery person.”
I’ve been trying to tell her this a lot, but it seems to have fallen on deaf ears. Until now.
“I do normally have a fire, yes,” she announces. “But that’s been gone for ages. What if Fiji is the right place to light that up once more? What did he say the island was called?”
“Laucala Island. Shall we look it up online?”
Eagerly I grab my cell phone and google the island to see what it looks like. I’m instantly blown away by the beautiful pictures of the stunning white sands with turquoise ocean and palm trees stretching as far as the eye can see.
“Oh my goodness, look at the cabins. They are stunning!” I can’t stop myself from getting excited. “On the outside they look like little teepees or something, wooden ones, but inside they are top notch luxury. That is super impressive, how can you not want to go?”
The hairs on the back of my neck stand on edge. Olivia’s eyes are firmly fixed on me, but I can’t work out why. I slowly twist my neck to catch her stare.
“What?”
