AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Twelve hours still felt like a long time away, but that didn’t diminish the gratitude Holly felt. ‘Thank you so much.’
‘It’s no problem.’
‘It’s a lot of effort that you had to go to.’
‘I really don’t mind.’
A moment formed between the pair in which Holly faced the overwhelming desire to give him a hug. She would have hugged Fin in such a situation. Or Michael. But she didn’t know Evan like that and so instead, she stepped backwards, aware of the tightening in her throat.
Evan broke the silence before it could settle. ‘I think it’s time we checked out the pool, don’t you?’
‘Definitely. The pool sounds good.’
Given her delay in getting ready, Holly had barely opened her book when Hugo called that lunch was ready.
‘I thought he said he was doing us a light snack?’ Naomi echoed Holly’s thoughts as they stared at the spread laid out on the table in front of them.
‘Just a few different things: bread, olives, cheese, a tomato salad, a goat’s cheese salad. A caprese.’
During the meal, Holly found herself sitting next to Spencer on one side, who was mostly calling over to his friends, and on the other was Zahida, who she learned was a pharmaceutical engineer, about to take a six-month sabbatical to work with orphaned orangutangs.
‘That’s amazing,’ Holly said.
‘I know, it is, isn’t it?’ Zahida grinned with a positivity that was immediately infectious. It was no wonder she and Jamie had been such good friends for so long. ‘I tried to talk myself out of it for years. You know what it’s like; you have these big dreams, but then you give yourself all the reasons about why it’s not possible and why you have to be sensible. But then I was like, I’m single. I have no commitments. My employers love me and I know they’ll take me straight back again. So why am I not doing this? Why am I not embracing life and living it to the fullest?’
‘You don’t need to convince me. You’re talking to someone who bought a sweet shop in a spur-of-the-moment decision.’
‘I heard about that. It’s incredible. I should have been down to visit. I’m so sorry. It feels ridiculous that we’re only just meeting like this when Jamie’s spoken so much about you. I feel like I already know you.’
‘I feel the same.’
The rest of lunch went by in a constant stream of chatter and laughter, and though Holly was faced with the constant urge to check her phone, she felt herself relaxing more than she had done in months. She could certainly envision herself back on a sun lounger with a cocktail in hand.
She was busy imagining what sort of drink she would have when Evan stood up and addressed the table.
‘As fun as all the lazing about is, I’m sure you know that we came here to do more than just sit around. I’m afraid it’s time we all get ready. We will be leaving for waterskiing in twenty minutes.’
And just like that, Holly was tense all over again.
15
‘Have you ever been waterskiing before?’ Holly asked Zahida as the group drove away from the villa.
Since bonding over lunch, Holly was hoping to continue the conversation and so had taken a seat next to her on the minibus. At some point, she hoped to talk some more to Naomi too, although the second of Jamie’s friends had planted herself firmly in between Spencer and Tyler on the front row of seats, and didn’t seem quite so bothered about mingling with the girls. Sandra and Eddie, meanwhile, were deep in a conversation about electric cars.
‘You know, I see myself as a sports car.’ Sandra leaned forward slightly as she spoke. ‘Sleek and efficient, and I always get you to your desired destination.’
‘That’s actually not true of electric cars,’ Eddie replied, somehow oblivious to Sandra’s blatant flirting. ‘The mileage range of electric cars varies greatly. Even fully charged, some can’t go much over a hundred miles, unless you plan to visit recharging stations on route.’
‘Then I guess I’ll just need a bit of spark to keep me going.’
Holly forced herself to stop listening. The conversation was more cringeworthy than she could bear. Thankfully, Zahida was still happy to chat away.
‘Nope. I’ve been skiing before, but never waterskiing,’ Zahida answered Holly’s earlier question.
‘I’ve not even done that.’ Holly had been too preoccupied with worrying about Hope to think about the activities she was going to have to do, and now the apprehension was beginning to get the better of her, though Zahida was quick to put her at ease.
‘Don’t worry. I was terrible. I spent my whole time on the beginner slopes with the children. I tried to do this surfing thing once too. It was on this weird plastic slope and the water just kept coming and coming. But again, I was useless. I kept face planting. So I’m hoping I’m better at this. I’m pretty sure I broke my nose on the surfing thing.’
