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‘I think that’s what it means. Yes.’
Still struggling to wake up fully, Holly took a deep breath in and held it in her lungs before releasing a long sigh.
‘We probably need to sort out rooms first.’
In Evan’s hand was a large bundle of keys, held together on a thick, metal hoop, and it was clear from the way he was struggling that he wasn’t sure which one opened the door to his house. Still, he covered his difficulties well, as he continued to speak.
‘I know this isn’t your average hen and stag do, but I am afraid we’re going to need to split the lovebirds up. Unless there is a great objection?’
‘Too right. We need some man space!’ Spencer lifted his hand into a high five, which he aimed at Eddie, only to be left hanging. If Holly was to go on first impressions – which she tried not to – Eddie was the only one of the new men she could see herself having a conversation with. Other than Evan, that was.
‘It’s more a case of room logistics than anything else,’ Evan added. With an unexpected click, the lock on the door popped open. ‘So, this is it, guys.’
Holly held her breath as she stepped into the white, marble hallway.
‘He owns this place?’ Caroline whispered. ‘How?’
‘I have no idea.’
While Holly had watched plenty of millionaire real estate programmes in her time, she had never accepted that real people could actually own those homes, or anything like them. And certainly not the type of people she knew.
‘Jamie, I thought you and your mum might want to take the top floor.’ Evan pointed at a staircase to the right. ‘The suite up there has got a great balcony looking out over the sea.’
‘That sounds perfect.’ Sandra sighed in delight.
‘Then there are two bedrooms on the first floor that the rest of the ladies can take, and us gents can use the ones in the basement.’
Caroline elbowed Holly firmly in the side.
‘We want to make sure we’ve got a decent room. I bet at least one of them has a sea view.’
Holly was only half listening. Instead, she was watching Evan and how he was tapping the side of his trousers with a slight hint of nervousness. There was no way around the fact he was taking his role as host seriously and wanted to make a good impression on everyone.
It was sweet, Holly thought, before pushing the thought away. Even if he was charming and helpful and had more money than one individual person should probably possess, she was absolutely not interested in a holiday fling.
His eyes caught hers and for a split second, she was terrified he knew what she was thinking, but before she could move her gaze away, he was speaking again.
‘Okay, well, I’ll head downstairs and show the boys their rooms and you ladies can sort out which you want to take.’
It was as if somebody had fired a starting pistol but not told Holly. The instant Evan finished speaking, Naomi, Zahida and Caroline darted towards the bedrooms; Caroline and Zahida went one way, Naomi went the other.
‘We’re in this one!’ Caroline and Zahida yelled in unison.
‘It’s fine. We’re having this one,’ Naomi yelled back from her room. ‘Zahida, we want this room.’
‘But this one has a sea view.’
‘So does this one.’
‘And a walk-in-wardrobe.’
‘Snap.’
It was only when Holly took the time to check both rooms slowly that she found they were identical. They were perfect mirror images of each other, even down to the same style abstract acrylic painting above the bed.
With the window open, a strong, briny aroma of the sea wafted into the room. Holly stared out at the vista.
‘You can see for miles.’
