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“Oh, shh. I’m not even seeing someone.” I pull away from our hug.
“No. But you got plenty of attention last night.” He scrutinises me for a moment.
“I got no attention.”
“You did, and if you weren’t so hung up on Ford, you’d have seen it.”
“What are you talking about? Do I need to remind you that I have a monster hangover?” I drop back down on the lounger.
“Just be careful. You blew Pete off, and I know why.”
“Who’s Pete?” But as I ask the question, I have a funny memory of someone asking me for a drink. “Oh, no.” I put my hands over my face. “Can we put a pin in this conversation and pick up when you’re back? I have a few hours of holiday to enjoy, and then I’m sure Liam will go back to being someone I used to know. Done. Forgotten about again.”
I’m surprised at how hard it is to say those words.
“Sure. Love ya, Sis.”
“Love ya, too.”
As the day progresses, I say goodbye to more and more guests and family. My parents and Grammy leave together, and I’m a little surprised that Liam doesn’t take his gran home.
Taylor messages me, saying he’s gone with the rest of the party into town before catching their flight, and we arrange a drink back home in the next couple of days. Apparently, I’m not off the hook for explaining my behaviour. And, mortifyingly, I can remember the behaviour he’s referring to.
It’s a little eerie being here with nobody else.
My hangover is finally in the realm of a dull headache, and I go for a walk on the beach, desperate to soak up the sun and the view and pick a spot on the sand. My car isn’t booked until dinner time, and I’ll land at a ridiculously late hour, but I’m not due back at work for a couple of days. Why I couldn’t have the time off before the wedding and enjoy the time away with the rest of everyone is beyond me, but I think it’s just because my boss likes the power trip of having control over the small things. I’m new and junior, so I can’t fight it too hard.
“I thought I’d find you here.” I look up to see a dark silhouette, but I don’t need to see his face to recognise Liam.
“Come to say goodbye?”
“I’m not leaving yet.”
“Lucky you.” I’m back to being defensive and frosty. There’s no real reason except that I feel humiliated and stupid for what happened between us last night – and that’s a big fat nothing because everything’s a game to Liam.
“Well, it’s my hotel. I think I have the right to stay if I want.”
“It’s yours? We thought you just hired it out for the wedding.”
“Not many people know.”
“How come?” I question, confused, why he wouldn’t have told anyone that all of this is his.
He drops down onto the sand, and I turn towards him. “Some things are just for me.”
“That’s very secretive.”
“Call it an insurance policy.”
“I don’t follow.” And I’m sure it’s not the headache impairing my brain.
He takes a deep breath and lies back on the sand next to me. “Most of my friends and family know we have money.”
“We, you mean you and your dad have money.”
“Correct. I had a shit tonne of money as soon as I graduated, and before that, I had whatever I wanted.”
“Yeah, but you were never like that. You never acted like the spoilt rich kid.” My instinct is to reassure him, but I don’t reach out to grab his hand like I want to. My words are true – Liam Ford never acted entitled towards me.
