AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Oh, thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Mr Ford will meet you on the beach shortly.” I nod. Maybe one dinner with me was enough.
I sit in the quiet and enjoy the modest breakfast options on the table. The coffee is delicious, and I take a cup and wander the grounds a little. This place is certainly something special. The blue of the sky and the sea pull me to look over at the view, and I feel infused with peacefulness by just watching the world pass before me.
I glance down and see the boat at the small jetty, and I also spy Liam. He’s doing something on the boat, and I smile at the thought of what we’ll be doing today. Finishing my coffee, I head down to the beach and walk along to the jetty.
“Morning,” I call, a little unsure if I should just climb aboard.
“Hey.” He’s wearing an open cotton shirt and khaki shorts again and looks like he’s been out in the sun for weeks.
“Shiny,” I comment as he holds his hand out to beckon me onboard. I take it and am glad of the assistance as the boat sways gently. Looking around, I notice it’s much bigger than I first thought from the beach.
“Well, yeah. And it’s the best way to see the island in all its glory.”
“Really?” He leads me up to the top deck, where I take a seat on the corner sofa section next to the captain’s controls. I have no idea if that’s the correct term, but who cares. This must cost hundreds of thousands of pounds, and I keep quiet as the awe and giddiness of the luxury washes over me.
“Yep. The island is all about the water.” Liam starts the engines and drives us out of the bay and around the headland.
The colours of the sea are everything I’d imagined them to be when I first heard we were heading to Greece. As the light hits the surface, brilliant shades of turquoise and cobalt reflect back.
I lean back in my seat and let the world pass us by, breathing in the salty warm air.
Greenery decorates the cliffs and rocks jutting out from the coastline. Pebbled along the edge are small harbours and boats. Houses and buildings dot the landscape, and I wonder if this is what the hotel looks like from farther out to sea.
There’s no need for conversation; I’m mesmerised by the scenery as we pass along the coast.
Twenty minutes or so later, Liam navigates us around a craggy outcrop of rock and powers down the boat. There’s a small sliver of beach at the base of a cliff to one side and a collection of rocks rising out of the sea on the other. The sea is a bright cerulean here and looks far too inviting.
“Wow, this place is gorgeous.”
“The island is littered with these little spots. Can I get you anything?”
“Water, if you have it?”
“Sure. We have a fully stocked galley.”
“How big is this boat?” It’s funny, knowing Liam for so many years, I’ve never really seen his wealth up close and personal. Until the wedding, at least.
“A couple of bedrooms, bathroom, dining area.”
“So, bigger than my apartment,” I mock.
“It might be, yes. Be right back.” He chuckles and heads down the stairs, and I turn to gaze out at the view.
He hands me a bottle of water and takes a seat at the other end of the sofa. Plenty of space between us.
“Do you spend much time out here?” If I had the money he has, I’d be tempted to move. Permanently.
“Not really.” It’s non-committal and doesn’t leave room to elaborate.
“So, not something you do regularly?” I enquire again, my eyes flicking up to his and back to the view.
“Why don’t you just ask me the question you want to, Lil? Then we can both be happy.”
Fine. It’s annoying that he knows I’m fishing. “Do you do this with all the girls you bring here? Wine them, dine them, and take them out on the boat?” I feel foolish for asking, but I also need to manage my expectations. If this is just a game to him – a show – then I want to know.
Liam has a bad habit of making everything we do together feel special, bigger than the sum of its parts, and this is the biggest one of all.
