The Love Resort (17 page)

‘Fine, I guess I don’t have a choice. What time are we leaving?’

‘After lunch.’ Jimmy was still staring at his feet, Emily was pouting and the others were all finding their reading material extremely interesting.

Lily decided to call her boss. She would tell her that Emily and Jimmy were going for a romantic cruise (in the hope that this would please her), and then she’d watch the others and try to work out how to make them sound like die-hard romantics.

‘Drinks time,’ Tim announced, as he stood up. Lee joined him immediately.

‘Not me,’ Thea said. ‘I’ve still got a rotten hangover.’

The guys both swam across the pool to the bar.

‘So...’ Carla said.

Lily was back from her phone call and torn as to who she should spy on. She decided to see what Thea and Carla had to say, although so far, not very much.

‘So,’ Thea said, ‘what are you going to do now you’ve finished university?’

‘I don’t know,’ Carla admitted. She looked embarrassed and thoughtful.

‘No idea?’

‘No. God, that sounds awful.’

‘Not really. I always knew I wanted to act and I took that as my degree. There was never a decision to make, despite the fact the bright lights haven’t hit me yet.’

‘You guys are so glamorous. You an actress, your boyfriend a writer.’

‘What?’

‘Tim, he’s a writer.’

‘Oh, yeah.’ Thea stopped.

‘What has he written? I did ask him but he sort of changed the subject.’

‘Tim’s a frustrated writer. Which I take to mean one who doesn’t write. He says that the book is just around the corner, but I don’t know.’ She stopped suddenly.

Lily nodded to herself. That explained a lot. They thought that they had a successful writer and actress among their winners, but it looked as if perhaps the truth had been stretched.

Lily couldn’t help but hear warning bells turning into sirens.

‘Anyway, I guess whatever you do; you’ll want to be near Lee.’

‘He’s going to be in London.’

This was better. Carla talked about following her love to London, and Thea talked of Tim’s flourishing writing career. Lily nodded to herself. She was getting quite good at this.

‘We live in London.’

‘Good. At least I’ll know someone! You know, I might try to study some more. A postgrad course, maybe journalism.’

‘Really? That sounds pretty interesting.’

‘Shit, Thea, you know I’ve never thought about it before, but I love English and I’m interested in writing, so journalism would be perfect. I can’t believe it’s only just occurred to me.’

‘So you’ve never discussed it with Lee?’

‘He hasn’t got a clue.’

Lily thought that Carla looked distressed as the conversation filtered out. She decided to make her way to the bar to see what Tim and Lee had to say. She wasn’t sure she was ready for them. She stepped behind the bar, told the barman to ignore her and hoped that no one asked her to serve them. She didn’t know her way around the bottles.

Lee and Tim sat on the bar stools.

‘So, you and your bird, how long have you been together?’ Lee asked. Lily crouched down and pretended she was looking for something on the shelf nearest them; hoping they wouldn’t see her.

‘Who?’ Tim replied.

‘Thea.’ Lee sounded confused.

‘Oh yes, her. Well, about forever. We’ve always known each other anyway. What about you and Carla?’ he asked.

Lily’s knee started to hurt, but she couldn’t get up yet.

‘Less than a year. I thought you would have been too; you know the competition rules,’ Lee replied.

‘Oh yes, well, we’ve known each other forever, but we’ve only been biblical for a short while, if you see what I mean,’ Tim laughed.

‘I do, man.’ Lee charged his glass.

Lily rolled her eyes.

‘You two seem quite different,’ Tim said.

‘What do you mean?’

‘Well, I don’t know really. I mean, she’s a bit more serious or sensible or something—you know, a bit like Jimmy.’

‘What do you think of him and Emily?’ Lee asked.

‘They seem different too. I think she has a bit of a thing for you.’

‘Really?’

Oh dear God, Lily thought. This is what she was afraid of. If this was true and anything happened, Anne-Marie would skin them all alive. Including her.

‘She looks at you in a certain way. Although what would I know? I’m always drunk.’ Tim laughed again.

‘Well, man, I am pretty irresistible,’ Lee said, but then he laughed.

Lily hoped he was joking. The trouble with spying was that it made every comment seem so much worse than it probably was. She decided to go and find Ed. He’d put everything into perspective for her.

*

The trip seemed to last for ever. Jimmy had been unable to get anything out of Emily. She had come along, she’d gone snorkelling, and she’d listened as the guide pointed out places of interest, but she refused to be engaged in conversation with him whenever they were left alone. He felt in his backpack for the ring, comforted by its presence, nervously working himself up for the moment when he’d propose. He knew that she’d forgive him when he’d done that—that she would understand why he’d brought her out here. He hoped she would, anyway. He had to convince her that he loved her with all his heart, because he did, and although she could be difficult sometimes, he couldn’t imagine life without her. He believed he understood her. Her confidence was a mask for her insecurity, therefore she was difficult, she was reflecting this. So, if he gave her the commitment she needed, then she would no longer feel insecure and they would have a great life together.

Suddenly Jimmy felt himself turn green. As he rushed to the side of the boat, he saw Emily running up to him.

‘What’s wrong?’

‘Seasick,’ he muttered as he vomited. When he’d finished throwing up, Jimmy lay down inside, green and wretched. Emily came and told him that she’d asked the captain to take them back as quickly as possible, and then she went to sunbathe.

He lay on his back, on his own. He’d messed everything up good and proper.

*

‘So, what do you want to do today?’ Katie asked Todd, hopefully.

‘I’m sorry, but I have to work. I’ll be by the pool with my script, though, so you are welcome to join me.’ The invitation was awkward. They were still barely talking after the previous night. When Mary had finally left, after applying lotion to Katie for what seemed like hours, Todd had tried to apologise again. She’d cut him off and gone to bed, complaining of a ‘sun’ headache. This was the first time on their honeymoon that she’d been distant from him, and he knew he should like it, but for some reason it made him feel even guiltier. He couldn’t win.

‘Oh, I might later on; I’ve got some stuff to organise with Mary.’

He began to get his things as Mary walked in.

‘You look so much better, ma’am.’

Todd had to agree. The red was beginning to look more of a brown and nothing was peeling. Which he was grateful for as that would have earned him a death sentence.

‘Mary, call me Katie. How many times do I have to ask you to call me Katie?’

Todd smiled to himself and went to change.

‘So, is everything clear then?’ Katie asked Mary. As Todd got changed he couldn’t help but overhear their conversation. He was about to leave, but he opened the door and stopped.

‘Yes, ma’am.’

‘Katie. Please. Can I get you something to drink before you start?’

‘A glass of water, please.’

‘Oh, sit down while I get it for you,’ Katie smiled.

‘I can—’

‘Nonsense, Mary, let me do something nice for you, after all you do for me.’

He saw Mary sat bolt upright on the cream suede sofa, her uniform riding up around her knees. Her hands were folded on her lap. Todd couldn’t bring himself to leave. He had never seen Katie like this before.

‘Is it all right?’ Katie asked.

‘It’s very nice,’ Mary replied.

‘Oh, good.’ She was visibly relieved. ‘So, Mary, do you live on the island?’

‘Yes, all my life.’

‘And do you like it?’

‘I do.’

‘I bet. It must be lovely to live somewhere so beautiful. I live in LA, which to be honest is really fake. And ugly and filled with pollution. I used to live in the countryside in America. It was beautiful there.’

‘It was?’

Katie nodded. Still Todd hung back. He’d never heard this about Katie, and certainly not from her.

‘Do you have family?’ Katie asked.

‘A husband and three children.’

‘And do you love them very much?’

‘I do.’

‘Oh, Mary, I long to love like you.’

‘Eh?’ She shuffled around a bit and tried to pull her uniform down slightly. Todd noticed that Katie was oblivious to her discomfort.

‘To have a man to love and who loves you. To have children who need you, who depend on you. My family back home, in the country, they didn’t really love me. They do now, but only because I send them money. Can you imagine having to buy love?’ Todd felt terrible for her.

‘No?’ Mary looked shocked as a tear rolled down Katie’s cheek. ‘You know you have a fine husband.’

Todd felt his blood run cold; now he felt terrible for himself. ‘I do, but, well, this is meant to be a secret, but as we’re such good friends I can tell you. He doesn’t love me.’

‘He doesn’t?’

‘No. He loves men.’ Katie collapsed in tears as Mary took her in her arms and comforted her.

Todd froze. Did Katie not know that he was still here? She had just told their maid his big secret. The one that no one was supposed to know outside the studio. Fuck. He couldn’t believe it, and he didn’t know what to do. Unable to face the scene in the living room he escaped through the other door and angrily took his script to the pool. He was angry with Katie for blurting out their secret; he was angry with himself because her tears spoke volumes.

‘You’re working again,’ Marcus said.

‘Never ends,’ Todd replied, sitting up. He looked at Marcus flirtatiously.

‘Can I clear the breakfast things?’

‘Sure.’ Todd frantically searched his brain for something to say. ‘How long have you worked here?’ Not great, but a start.

‘Just over a year. My parents have a small hotel in Barbados, so I thought I’d take a different place to learn the ropes.’

‘That’s great!’ Todd chastised himself for being such an idiot. ‘Are you planning on running it one day?’

‘That’s the plan. I’ve got ideas; I’d like to make it more upmarket. That’s why I came here, although this isn’t what I had in mind, to be honest.’

‘Thank God.’ Todd laughed, and began to relax. This was nothing to do with Katie, it was to do with him. If she had someone to confide in then why couldn’t he?

‘So are you enjoying your honeymoon?’ Marcus’s intention was clear.

‘Not really.’ Todd looked him straight in the eye. If Katie was going to be indiscreet, what was there to stop him?

‘Can you get out?’ Marcus asked. Todd was taken aback by his forwardness, but also turned on by it.

‘Not tonight. I agreed to have dinner with Katie.’ He needed to tread carefully. He couldn’t blow this; he’d come too far to risk everything for one night of lust and, despite her betrayal of him, this still wasn’t fair on Katie. He was disappointed, bitterly disappointed.

‘There’s a place in town. I can get someone to drive you. Tomorrow?’

‘I can’t...’

‘I’ll send a car. It will be waiting at the front at nine. No one will know.’ He stared at Marcus, who looked and sounded determined. Todd felt his heart speed up.

‘But...’

‘It’s up to you. The car will be there.’

As he watched Marcus leave, he knew that he couldn’t be so reckless. Could he? Katie had been pretty reckless. Perhaps two could play at that game after all.

16

The
Love
Resort
Evening
Entertainment

The entertainment schedule below is run on a weekly basis and is the same every week, unless advertised otherwise.

Monday—
Couples’
Karaoke

Tuesday—
Romantic
Disco

Wednesday—
Couples’
Talent
Competition

Thursday—
Taste
of
the
Caribbean
,
Limbo
Night!

Friday—
Love
Songs
with
Juliana

Saturday—
Live
Romantic
Piano
Renditions
by
Candlelight

Sunday—
Romantic
Barbeque

*

‘I have called you all here because I want them fucking well sent home.’ Anne-Marie paced the office, while Ed, Lily and Abigail sat listening.

‘We can’t send them home,’ Ed said. ‘Think of the publicity.’

‘What about the other guests, Ed? What about Todd and Katie, hmm?’

‘But, Anne-Marie, what about your book?’ Abigail put in.

‘Well, that’s not going to get written. Oh no, not at all while I have to suffer in the face of those awful people. It’s as if they all entered the competition to spite me, to hurt me, to ruin me.’ She was thunderous.

After their impeccable behaviour (according to Lily) during the previous day, Anne-Marie had felt more hopeful. How lovely that Jimmy and Emily were taking a beautiful romantic cruise together. How wonderful that Carla told Thea that she would follow Lee to the ends of the earth. How romantic that Thea had confided in Carla that Tim wrote her love letters and poems daily. How heart-warming that Lee had told Tim that he didn’t notice any woman other than Carla. How utterly charming that Tim had told Lee that Thea was his soul mate. For a while she had thought that her book was back on track.

But they’d blown it. When Anne-Marie had attended the evening entertainment to watch them, she’d thought that it would be to enhance the days’ events and get more material. Not to ruin her night, and cause her book what might be irrevocable damage.