That One Summer: A Collection of Steamy Contemporary Romance

Chapter 7

Josie watched Raf leave, her heart a heavy burden, as he walked out the door, leaving her alone in the hotel room. The day they had spent together had been magical, and now the prospect of being apart weighed on her.

‘You”re just emotional because you”re in pain,’ she muttered to herself, her pink nightgown rustling as she lay back against the soft covers of the bed. Her arm, bandaged and sore, throbbed with every movement.

There was a knock, and then Amanda peered in. ‘How are you feeling?’ her big sister asked as she entered.

Amanda”s caring gaze made Josie feel a pang of gratitude. ‘Better,’ Josie sighed.

Amanda sat on the edge of the bed, her fingers gently brushing Josie”s hair. ‘Good. You gave us quite a scare.’

‘I know.’ Josie gained comfort from her big sister’s touch. After their mother passed away, it was Amanda who had stepped into the role of a surrogate mother. Amanda was eight years older, and as a fifteen-year-old, she’d ensured Josie’s lunch was packed, her school activities were recorded in the home calendar and by Rex’s secretary to ensure he was there for parent-teacher interviews and school concerts, and she had always arranged her own needs around Josie’s.

As Josie grew older and became a teenager, she realized just how great a sacrifice her sister had made, missing all the regular teenage milestones of having close friendships or relationships with her peers because she was always with Josie. When Josie turned 18 and dropped out of a business degree, she’d purposely embarked on a jet-setter lifestyle and funded herself as a social media influencer to give Amanda the space to find herself as an adult. Instead, Amanda had just thrown herself into the family business and once again submerged her personal life for ambition.

‘But I’ll be fine.’ Josie assured Amanda, patting her arm.

‘Dad and I were talking about your future,’ Amanda said gently, her touch soothing.

Josie tensed, knowing that her father and sister”s conversations about her future had often led to decisions she didn”t want to make.

‘We’ve both been giving you space to find yourself, but it’s time for you to focus on your future.’

‘I am focusing on my future,’ Josie said. ‘I take underwater photographs and sell them.’ She was exaggerating. While yes, she did take photographs and offer them for sale online, she did this under a fake name so that her Heron Heiress reputation didn’t taint her love of photography. As a result, she only sold a few prints a month, and nowhere near an amount that would sustain her for a living. It was her social media influencer job that sustained her financially, so she didn’t have to depend on her father and sister.

Amanda”s expression grew serious. ‘Yes, we know, but that’s not something that you can make a living from. Not to mention the danger that it exposes you to.’ Amanda pointed at her bandaged arm. ‘Dad was thinking you can come and work at the Heron hotels as a decorator. Help refurbish rooms, and we’ll put up your prints as art throughout, and we’ll pay you, of course.’

Josie”s heart sank. Amanda and their father didn”t understand her passion for photography. They saw it as a hobby, something to keep her occupied. They couldn”t comprehend that it was her secret dream, her precious escape.

Josie held her tongue to the roof of her mouth until the urge to cry had passed. ‘No, thanks,’ Josie said with forced strength. ‘I already have a job I love. I love being a social influencer,’ she lied.

Amanda raised an eyebrow, her gaze scrutinizing Josie. ‘But that’s not something that supports your future. You have a shelf life as a social media influencer, not to mention that you were hurt hunting for the perfect photo on the cliffs outside.’

Damn Emma. Amanda had interrogated her about her photoshoot and figured out she’d had a spill. Thankfully, Amanda didn’t know that she’d nearly drowned if not for Raf being there that day.

‘I’m very happy with what I’m doing with my social media profile, and I have big plans about partnering with an arts organization,’ Josie said. Amanda didn’t need to know that this was a secret dream she harbored but was too afraid to put it into motion. Her photography was her precious secret, something that nurtured her soul, and she was too scared to actually try focusing on it because of the negative scrutiny she’d face because of her family pedigree.

‘You’ll have to budget for the airfares and accommodation. Dad is giving up the family jet, and we will be repurposing the hotel penthouses as corporate retreats,’ Amanda continued, her eyes fixed on Josie.

Josie felt a surge of anger and moved away from Amanda. She could see through their machinations. They were attempting to force her to fall in line by removing the perks of the Heron name that had made her social media influencer lifestyle possible.

‘Well, I’m sure I can travel budget economy and find some BNBs to stay in,’ Josie ground out between gritted teeth.

‘Of course. You’ll still succeed,’ Amanda said sweetly, her underlying message clear—Josie”s financial support was about to be cut off, and her social media lifestyle was at stake.

It would be much harder for Josie if she had to pay for the day-to-day expenses. Currently, she picks and chooses which brands she works with and how much exposure she undertakes. If she had to support herself fully, she would have to be in the public eye much more and expose more of her life to the world. Amanda had carefully planned how to undermine her support systems to force her into working for her father in a job they deemed safe. The thought of working day in and day out in a luxury hotel, doing faux decorating so that her father and sister could further manipulate her into the family business, made her want to throw up.

‘I’m tired,’ Josie said, fake yawning.

‘Of course,’ Amanda stood, headed for the door, and stopped with her hand on the doorknob. ‘You know we love you, and we just want to protect you.’

‘Of course,’ Josie said softly.

Amanda nodded and left.

Josie lay back on the pillow and stared at the ceiling. She knew her sister and father only wanted the best for her, but their need to protect and control left her feeling suffocated. Josie also knew that she was partially responsible for the situation. She was benefiting from their financial resources, which meant she was dependent on them. The only way she could be truly free was to cut financial ties to her family and launch herself into the world. Completely dedicate herself to her photography and do what it took to get her art out into the world. That required bravery that she hadn’t had up until now.

But seeing her photos in Raf’s eyes, knowing that he too had fought to escape his family’s expectations to join the family business and succeeded because he dedicated himself to his dreams, inspired her too. Since meeting Raf, her life had become technicolor, and she was changing into someone stronger and braver. She remembered the way she’d pulled him away from the jellyfish and the shark attack. It had all been so horrible and traumatic and painful, and yet so exhilarating.

She knew what she had to do. She was going to remain in Regal Bay. Get a job to support herself, be brave with her photography, and seek to exhibit it without a pseudonym. Josie wanted to have the chance to explore her relationship with Raf, and she would be able to do that without her family controlling her and by fighting for her dream. She couldn’t wait to see Raf and tell him her decision.

* * *

She spent the afternoonbinge-watching The Vampire Diaries while she kept an eye on the clock, counting down the hours and the minutes until Raf returned to her. When her phone pinged from an SMS, she smiled with delight and reached for the phone, excited to see Raf’s message. As she read, her joy drained, and she began crying deep, guttural sobs.

‘Dear Josie. I told my family about us, and they’re not going to support us being together. I really care for you, but I love my family and don’t want to cause a rift. I think it’s best we get out of this early, before our feelings are too deep, and before anyone gets hurt. I wish you nothing but the best, Raf.’

How could this happen? He’d told her he loved her. Was it a lie? She remembered the way he’d looked at her with such tenderness. Was it all really a lie? Her hand clenched on the phone. She wasn’t going to play the role of the delicate maiden and accept his bullshit text breakup. He would have to speak to her, do it face to face. She pressed his number in her contacts, biting her fingernail as she waited for him to answer.

An automated message played, stating that she was a rejected call. She gasped, dropping the phone onto the bed. He had blocked her number. She fell on her side, pushing her face into the pillow as she sobbed raw, wounded sobs. How could he have led her on like that? Told her that he loved her? Showed her with every touch and every kiss and then rejected her.

She remembered the way he’d talked about his family. The love he had for his parents. Stories of growing up the youngest of six siblings and being the baby that everyone looked out for. She wasn’t being fair on him. Being with her meant rejecting his whole family. She couldn’t ask him to do that.

She knew that when Amanda and her father found out about her romance, they would be just as angry. But she also knew that they would never abandon her.

There was a knock on the door, and Sue entered. ‘Is Raf on his way?’ she asked.

Josie nodded. ‘You can go,’ she said, her voice sounding guttural.

‘Are you okay?’

‘Yeah, just disappointed. Raf is going out tonight with his friends and is sending another nurse instead.’ Josie forced a watery smile.

Sue examined her face before nodding. ‘See you tomorrow.’

Josie maintained her expression until Sue closed the door, and then she cried again. Sometime early in the morning, she got too tired to keep crying and started planning. She needed to get out of Regal Bay. She needed as much space between her and Raf as possible.

She slept a few restless hours in the early morning and woke up feeling achy and tired but resolute with a plan. Amanda came in while she was in the shower and knocked on the bathroom door.

‘Just checking to see if you’re okay,’ Amanda called out.

‘Much better,’ Josie lied.

‘Are you going to join us for breakfast?’ her sister asked.

Josie looked at her reflection. She had dark circles under her eyes, her lids were puffy, and her eyes red. ‘Absolutely.’ At least the one good thing about spending years as an influencer was that she was an expert at hiding the cracks in her facade with makeup. It took her a little longer as she had to gingerly use her bandaged arm, but 30 minutes later, she was presentable. Her emotional devastation was hidden under concealer and foundation.

She greeted her father and sister, sitting on the balcony with a breakfast spread in front of them.

‘Amanda spoke to you about the decorating position?’ her father asked as he sipped his coffee.

Josie nodded, leaning forward so that her hair concealed her face like a curtain.

‘And what do you think?’ he prodded when she didn’t reply.

‘It’s a great offer,’ Josie said, forcing a white-teethed influencer smile.

Amanda smiled back, looking like a cat who licked the cream. She thought she’d won.

‘Great, great. It’s going to be so good to have you on the family team,’ Rex said, jocular and hearty.

‘Mmmm,’ Josie made a noncommittal sound as she chewed on her toast.

She nodded appreciatively as her father spoke of the plans for the hotel, indoctrinating her into the hotel business.

When they finished breakfast, Rex and Amanda stood.

Josie kissed her father’s cheek, hugging him quickly. She turned to Amanda and hugged her too.

‘I’m so glad we’re on the same page,’ Amanda said, gripping her back tightly.

For a moment, guilt ate Josie, but she quickly pushed it away. This was about her survival, and the only way to do that was to focus on her own needs.

She returned to her room and sat at the table, penning three letters, before packing the bare necessities. She needed to travel light and would only take what she could put in a carry-on. She left the letters addressed to her sister and father on the table in the living room and took her last letter down to the lobby, where she found Emma behind the reception desk.

‘Do you remember the male nurse helping me?’ she asked Emma.

Emma nodded, smiling.

‘If he comes here, can you give him this letter?’ She handed her the envelope addressed to Raf. While she knew chances were low he’d ever want to contact her again, she felt like she needed to have closure by writing him a letter.

‘Of course. Are you going somewhere?’ Emma nodded to her backpack.

‘Just for a walk to the beach,’ Josie lied. She didn’t want anyone to know her plan until she was on her way to another continent. She walked out of the hotel lobby and approached the taxi rink, gingerly sitting in the backseat with her backpack. ‘To the airport,’ she said.

She didn’t know where she was going from here, but she knew she needed to get away from Regal Bay and start her own life on her terms. No more support from her family that came with strings. She was going to find her own way and focus on her dream.