The New Year Resolution (6 page)

“She didn’t see it the same way,” confessed Ryan.  “I didn’t realise she was in ...” He paused and cleared his throat. “Let’s just say I didn’t realise the extent of her feelings for me.”

“Sounds messy,” remarked Nicole. “Is that why Vincent doesn’t trust you? Because you dumped his daughter and broke her heart?”

“No. He doesn’t trust me because he thinks I used his daughter to get to him.”

Nicole shook her head. “I don’t understand?”

Ryan sighed. “I’d asked Vincent for a loan, for my business. We had a good relationship prior to that. He was a sort of mentor. But after Melanie and I broke up, he retracted his offer and flatly refused to see me again.”

“Oh dear,” whispered Nicol
e. Things were starting to make sense now, like Vincent’s inherent distrust of Ryan, and Ryan’s need to prove himself. “So what did you do?”

“I got a loan from the bank.” Ryan ran a hand through his damp hair. “Then I focused on building my company. During that time I dated a few women, none of them seriously. My work was always more important. No one could understand that.”

“I can,” said Nicole. “If you love your job as much as I do my child, there’s no contest.”

Ryan stared at her. “Thank you. That’s exactly how I felt. No contest. Then I went to Spain after securing a major government contract. I met Gabrielle at an embassy function. She was connected to Spanish royalty, a distant cousin to the Queen, and very beautiful. I suppose I was flattered she wanted me.” He lowered his voice. “I also thought the publicity might be good for business.”

“And was it?”

“No. I couldn’t have been more wrong. When the affair ended, it got horribly publicised in the media and I was portrayed as the bad boy who broke the countess’s heart. I had the whole nation against me.”

“Tough one,” commented Nicole.

“Yeah, luckily all the articles were in Spanish so I didn’t understand most of it.” He sniffed. “So I left Spain and moved to Holland. Amsterdam. I supply solar panels to the Dutch for their solar energy production so it was a good base.”

“That’s where you met the supermodel?”

“Unfortunately, yes. That also ended badly. Once again she wanted more than I was prepared to give. So again, I got dragged through the press.”

He shook his head. “For some reason the paparazzi love me – and not in a good way.”

Nicole couldn’t relate, but she sensed his frustration. She glanced at his dark hair, mussed up from sweeping his hand through it, and the rough-and-ready good looks. They probably loved him because he took such a good picture. Men like him sold newspapers.

“Now I don’t date anymore.”

“You don’t date? What, like ever?”

“Well, I’ve managed to keep a really low profile for the last few months and I plan to keep it that way. In South Africa nobody knows who I am, so there’s safety in that.”

“Is that why you came back?” enquired Nicole. “For the anonymity?”

His life was so much more interesting than hers. In fact, he was like a minor celeb. It was crazy to think she was here, closeted away in Mozambique with him, right now. If she didn’t watch herself, she might get carried away by the novelty of it all – and never want it to end.

“Yes, and because I want to test my new product. The cost of a wind farm in South Africa is considerably less than in Europe or the States.”

“Mm... twenty million... cheap?” murmured Nicole.

“You should see what it costs to set up and operate overseas,” he told her with a grin. “Twenty million Rand, which equates to roughly two million Dollars, is a pittance compared to that.”

“I suppose so,” gulped Nicole.  “And Vincent isn’t short of cash, that’s for sure.”

“He can spare it easily,” confirmed Ryan.

“Then we’ll have to make sure he does.”

Nicole put her glass down on the table and stood up. “I’m going to get changed. I believe we have cocktails in half an hour.”

“Indeed.”  Ryan grinned, his eyes crinkling at the sides. “Let the games begin.”

Ryan stared as his “girlfriend” emerged from the bedroom. She waltzed onto the deck in a multicoloured, silk, cocktail dress that swished around her thighs. The shortness of the dress, coupled with shiny black heels, made Nicole’s already long legs look positively endless. Ryan suddenly pictured them wrapped around his waist and blinked furiously. Not a thought he wanted to have right now. A black belt gave more than a passing nod to fashion and showed off her slim waist but what Ryan particularly liked was the way her dress fell off one shoulder, exposing smooth, flawless skin already turning gold from the sun.

“Will I do?” she asked, giving him a twirl. Her hair floated around her like a blonde aura.

Hell, yeah.

“You’ll do perfectly.” He cleared his throat. That dress... what a knockout! It was the perfect combination of classy and sexy. Vincent would approve.

They walked the short distance up to the main bar, taking the path behind the beach rather than traipsing through the silky sand. Ryan didn’t think Nicole would appreciate it in those heels.

The wooden and thatch building was lit up with soft amber lights and doused in a pink glow from the setting sun. There were no walls, rather the thatch roof was supported by numerous wooden poles that provided a three-hundred-and sixty degree view of their surroundings.

They found Vincent and Sylvia at the bar, sipping martinis and admiring the awesome display of colours in the sky in front of them.

“Gorgeous, isn’t it?” said Sylvia as they approached.

Ryan nodded. “Spectacular. I don’t think there are many places on earth that deliver a sunset quite like Medjumbe.”

Nicole greeted Vincent and Sylvia, kissing them on both cheeks. Vincent smiled merrily, clearly impressed by her actions.

“I’m so glad you could join us, my dear.”

“Thank you for inviting me,” Nicole replied. “The island is truly idyllic.”

“That’s why we love it so much.” Sylvia smiled. “We come here twice a year, if we can. Vincent enjoys the sailing and fishing and I like the solitude.”

Ryan found himself watching Nicole as she interacted so seamlessly with his mentor and his wife. He couldn’t have picked a better candidate to bring along on this trip. She was a natural. Totally unfazed by Vincent’s wealth and status, she chatted away to them like she’d known them for years. It was only when Vincent directed a question directly at him that Ryan realised he’d been staring, lost in thought.

“Sorry, what was that?” Ryan asked, kicking himself for losing concentration.

Vincent grinned. “I asked if you wanted to do a spot of game fishing tomorrow? I’ve instructed the hotel to get the 42-ft catamaran ready. I thought we might go out to
St Lazarus Banks. What do you say?”

Ryan flashed a glance at Nicole.

“I’m sure Nicole won’t mind,” cut in Vincent, reading his mind.

Nicole looked surprised, but recovered fast. Why was he even bothering to consult her?

“Of course not. Go and have fun, darling. I’m more than happy to relax by the pool with my book.”

“And I’ll collect her for lunch,” added Sylvia, patting Ryan’s hand reassuringly. “They do a lovely light salad buffet and I’d love the company.”

“That sounds lovely,” agreed Nicole, with a firm nod of her head.

Ryan gave himself a mental shake.
Focus. You are here to secure the funding, not spend time with the girl.

Nicole didn’t require his company and judging by her surprised look she wasn’t expecting it, either. Ground rule number two or was it three? The pretence stops when the Mahlers aren’t around. Give each other space.

They discussed the fishing excursion for a while. Vincent was pointing out the angling technique involved in wrestling a six foot Yellowfin Tuna into submission when Ryan found his gaze drifting annoyingly over to Nicole again.

She was laughing with Sylvia, her blue eyes sparkling vibrantly, her cheeks slightly flushed. He had to admit she was a very attractive woman. Not supermodel beautiful, like some of the girls he’d dated in the past, but unusually pretty with her oval-shaped eyes which flashed intelligence, her purposeful mouth and slender neck and shoulders. She had the kind of looks that grew on one. Ryan found the more he looked at her, the prettier she became.

“I have some unfinished business with a barracuda,” admitted Ryan, shifting his gaze back to Vincent and putting on his most charming smile. “I can’t wait to get back out there.”

Vincent laughed. They finished their drinks as the last smidgeon of sun melted into the horizon.

“Ryan seems very smitten with you,” whispered Sylvia, as they made their way into the dining rom. The dressed tables were positioned around the edge of the circular deck so diners had an uninterrupted view of the beach and lapping ocean only metres away.

“He’s very sweet,” remarked Nicole, struggling to keep from giggling. Smitten indeed. Where on earth had Sylvia got that notion?

“I never thought of Ryan as sweet before,” murmured Sylvia, her eyes roving over Ryan’s back as he walked. “He seems like a different person with you.”

Different to how he was with your daughter?
Nicole wanted to ask, but held her tongue. The implication was there. But perhaps sweet was the wrong word. Charming, determined, ambitious yes, but sweet?

Keep it believable,
Nicole
.

“I don’t know how he was before,” she admitted, purposefully sounding vague, “but he’s always been charming and attentive with me.” She smiled self-consciously. “I adore him.”

Hopefully that wasn’t laying it on too thick.

“I’m very pleased to hear it,” replied Sylvia. “I only hope he doesn’t break your heart, dear.”

Like he broke your daughter’s? No fear of that.

“Oh, well we’re taking it as it comes,” she murmured.

“It’s probably best,” admitted Sylvia. “Ryan is a great guy but he isn’t known for his commitment.”

Nicole thought that was a bit harsh considering the woman hadn’t had any contact with Ryan for the last ten years or so. How did she know he hadn’t changed?

“His business is very important to him,” Nicole pointed out. “He’s pretty committed to that.”

“Now that I can’t deny.” Sylvia smiled. “Perhaps I was mistaken. I knew him a long time ago.”

The woman was very diplomatic.

“It would be nice to see him settled,” she finished. “You seem like the perfect match for him.”

“Really?” Now that was a surprise. He was a multi-millionaire jetsetter and she was a single mum from Pretoria.

A perfect match? I don’t think so.

“Well, intellectually you seem on a par, and physically, well, Ryan can’t seem to keep his eyes off you.”

Nicole blushed. Now she really was talking rubbish. She glanced at Ryan only to find him staring right back at her. Blinking, she looked away.

The table was impeccably decorated with fragrant petals and low-burning candles. Nicole felt Ryan’s warm hand on her bare shoulder as she took her seat. To her embarrassment she got goose bumps. Luckily he didn’t notice. Ryan sat next to her while Vincent and Sylvia sat opposite them. 

A nearby waiter immediately produced a wine list. Without looking at it, Vincent ordered a Sauvignon Blanc from Groot Constantia, which Nicole knew cost almost as much as her monthly salary. She caught Ryan’s eye. He smiled and squeezed her thigh under the table. Did that mean things were going well? She hoped so.

They ordered a seafood platter which was piled high with lobster, giant king prawns, mussels, clams, langoustines and small bowls of garlic butter. There was freshly baked bread in wicker baskets on the table and tiny wedges of lemon on side plates. Nicole stared at the veritable feast, unsure of where to start.

“Dig in,” motioned Vincent, piling his plate with a selection from the platter. “The lobster is out of this world.”

Nicole didn’t doubt it. Tentatively she dived in, selecting all her favourites. She ate slowly, savouring every morsel. This was heaven. After a week of eating like this she’d have a hard time going back to fish fingers and ketchup.

The conversation was light and animated. Vincent and Sylvia asked her plenty of questions about her job and family in South Africa. Nicole, buoyed up on Sauvignon Blanc, relaxed and chatted freely.

For main course they ordered the line fish of the day, freshly caught from the waters that surrounded them and grilled to perfection. A second bottle of wine followed, and the conversation flowed easily. Vincent told Nicole all about his eco-oriented venture capitalist organisation and the projects he was involved with. Ryan contributed knowledgably, pointing out the benefits of this and the downfalls of that and by the end of the evening Nicole had learned a hell of a lot more about renewable energy than she ever thought she’d know.

As a scientist she found she had a lot in common with both Vincent and Ryan and many of the techniques and processes they talked about she understood, even though she wasn’t familiar with them. It was a fascinating evening and she felt quite hyper at the end of it.