Chapter 28
‘It was wonderful. The art gallery was superb and I got a few souvenirs from the gift shop too,’ Naomi chattered to Greg back in their room later, as she set her bags on the floor. ‘You really should’ve come, you know. You would have enjoyed it, I think.’
‘Ah, I don’t get all that arty stuff, you know that. Besides, I wasn’t joking when I said I had a lot to get through you know. Someone at the firm had to take a leave of absence, so I’m saddled with his portfolio.’
Naomi groaned. ‘What? Couldn’t someone else handle it? You’re on holiday, for crying out loud. They should be more considerate,’ she protested as she began unpacking her shopping.
He shrugged. ‘I asked for it.’
‘You … what?’ He couldn’t be serious. Greg had asked for even more work when he was supposed to be spending this holiday with her!
It didn’t make sense. With Sam’s words about Harry from earlier ringing in her ears, Naomi stared at him in disbelief, unable to speak, barely able to process what he’d actually said.
The creeping silence finally drew Greg’s attention and when his gaze met hers his expression changed. ‘Don’t look at me like that.’
‘Come on, Greg, why would you ask for more work? We’re supposed to be here for a family holiday and supposedly to celebrate my birthday, yet so far you’ve spent more time on your laptop than you have with me. And now you’re telling me you asked for that?’ She shook her head in disbelief.
‘Look, I’m sorry, OK?’ He crossed the room and pulled her into his arms, despite her attempts to resist. ‘I know what I said, but I need you to understand that this is all for us! If I can prove to management that I can handle this, then it boosts my bid for the next partner opening. The timing is perfect, Naomi. Plus the promotion would put me right on track for hitting my next target.’
She bristled, pursing her lips as she refused to look at him.
‘Right on track’ for his stupid ten-year plan.
Everything came back to that. What about the parts of the plan that concerned her?
What about spending time with her? What about being a good partner by being a part of her birthday celebrations?
Where did she fit into this so-called plan?
‘Come on, babe, please …’
‘I’m going for a walk.’ Naomi pulled away, unwilling to discuss it any further and suddenly no longer so certain of Greg’s motive for coming here to set up a lavish romantic proposal.
There was no better place than the beach to blow off steam. It was dark and past dinnertime so most other resort guests were either in one of the restaurants or off out somewhere, making the shoreside peaceful and calm.
And Naomi needed calm.
The palm trees were swaying sentinels lining the shore as she stepped out on the sand.
It was a welcome cool compared to the daytime’s stifling heat.
To say nothing of the flush of anger in her chest. Her sandals were hooked over her fingers as she dug her toes in deep and then flicked sand into the air as she walked, taking deep breaths to try to ease her annoyance.
Greg was so frustrating. How could he have done this? Was his ten-year plan more important than his promises? Than her?
It wasn’t the first time she’d questioned this. There had been a few incidents over the past while, but none had come while on a trip to celebrate an important milestone. Or interrupt a supposed planned proposal.
The skirt of Naomi’s sundress billowed around her calves as the warm breeze tugged it this way and that and made a mess of her hair.
She could still hear Sam’s voice in her head and their conversation on the bus earlier. Was there anything that indicated Greg wanted to marry her as much as she wanted to marry him? It was times like these that she questioned what she’d been doing for the past five years.
Then she reminded herself of all the good things about Greg, how he’d been her saviour when she was all alone cooped up in London, and those times when he made her feel special and loved.
How he’d been especially supportive of the social media thing, really getting behind it when it went crazy and effectively turning her silly little hobby into a proven money-maker.
But did she care about that anymore, really? Yes, it had been a bit of fun during the early days, but as time went on and, especially lately, Naomi was starting to feel like it was all more of a noose around her neck. That she was beholden to so many businesses and indeed an audience of strangers.
She tried to disregard the fact that Greg was the one who’d encouraged her to take a career break away from the teaching job she loved to ‘better focus’ on monetising her audience. Granted the money was nice, but that had never, ever been her intention and still wasn’t.
‘Daddy, I want to!’ A voice up ahead that she recognised caught Naomi’s attention, halting her troubling train of thought. ‘I want to see it at night.’
‘OK, OK, I’m coming,’ Will’s voice rang out as the pair appeared from behind a line of palm trees.
Naomi smiled instantly. There was something about that little girl that tugged on a primeval need deep within her.
Maybe it was a combination of inner maternal instinct, missing her pupils, or the fact that Holly reminded her a lot of herself at that age, if her parents’ stories were to be believed.
Whatever the reason, and despite being upset about what had just happened, there was still lots of joy to be found on this trip. She watched the twosome as they approached along the shoreline, completely preoccupied and unaware of her presence until they were only a few feet away.
‘Hey there!’ she called out, giving them a wave.
‘Naomi!’ Holly cheered and grinned broadly. It was the first time Naomi noticed that she was missing one of her bottom teeth.
‘Hey there, Holly. Will,’ she said as they reached each other. ‘What brings you two out here at this time?’ She touched Holly’s head. ‘Shouldn’t you be in bed?’
‘Daddy promised that I could see the sea at nighttime. I read in one of my books that the sea looks like the sky at night, but I’ve never seen that, so I wanted to know if it was true.
I told him I wasn’t going to sleep until I saw it, so he brought me.
And it’s true! Look, Naomi, the sea and the sky look like one. ’
She was so thrilled by her discovery, Naomi could practically feel the little girl’s unreserved excitement as she bounced up and down, pointing at the ocean and then the sky. Oh, to be that young and innocent.
‘It is beautiful,’ she commented, smiling.
‘Can I get closer to the water, Daddy? I promise I won’t go in.
’ Holly looked up at Will with such large-eyed wonder that Naomi knew he would have no choice but to give in.
It had been the same with her and her dad when she was that age.
All she had to do was flash her big green eyes and George was lost.
‘OK, you can walk ahead on the edge of the shore, but I’ll be right behind you. Don’t go too close to the waves either. You hear me?’ he called, but Holly was already several feet closer to the beach, her skinny legs moving quickly across the sand.
‘I think we’d better follow her,’ Naomi mused.
He chuckled. ‘I think you’re right.’
They trotted side by side in silence as they caught up to Holly. As promised, she was nowhere near the waves, standing on the cusp of the shore, looking up at the sky. Will stood a little way off watching her, a contented grin on his face.
‘You’re really great with her, you know – it’s lovely to see,’ she blurted suddenly then a small blush coloured her cheek at her forthrightness.
‘Thanks, that’s nice to hear. Though we have our moments and she can be very stubborn, as I’m sure you’ve already figured out.’ He smiled. ‘I always wanted a big family,’ he added softly. ‘Unfortunately, that didn’t work out. But Holly keeps me well enough on my toes.’
Naomi laughed. ‘I bet she does.’ They looked out on the water, each finding solace in the rolling of the waves against the shore and the soft lapping as they tried to gain ground over the wet sand.
‘So what brings you out here at this time of evening?’ he asked.
Naomi considered her answer before speaking. She didn’t want to unburden her relationship problems on a stranger. And she had a tendency to keep talking once she started.
‘I needed some air,’ she replied. It was true, even if only in part. ‘I was feeling a bit stuffy in my room.’
‘Really? I find the rooms rather breezy,’ Will divulged. ‘Holly and I have one of the beachfront doubles. You’re in a suite like your parents, yes? You and your partner.’
Naomi’s head whipped around in surprise. ‘How did you know that?’
‘Yeah, sorry, that does sound a bit weird and stalkerish even.’ He chuckled. ‘Your parents mentioned it during breakfast.’
‘And what else did my parents tell you?’ she questioned, bracing herself.
Will became visibly embarrassed, averting his gaze and giving a nervous laugh. ‘A few things,’ he admitted.
‘Like?’
‘Like how wonderful you are.’
She could tell he was deflecting. ‘Hmm … what else?’
He shrugged. ‘Just that your partner is a bit serious and doesn’t really know how to have fun. And …’
Naomi’s eyes widened, horrified at this. ‘And?’
‘And that you could do way better.’
She was completely shocked and deeply embarrassed that her parents would tell a complete stranger such things. To say nothing of the fact that they thought that way in the first place. ‘Oh my goodness, I can’t believe they said that.’
‘Sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.’
‘No, truly, I really can’t believe they’re sharing my private business with a perfect stranger.’
Will laughed.
‘Do you think this is funny?’
‘A little,’ he admitted, but Naomi’s vexed expression quickly brought an explanation.
‘You see, in my line of work, I’m used to people telling me things they wouldn’t normally.
It kind of comes with the territory. My wife always said I had a way with people.
They tell me things that they wouldn’t tell others, even if they’ve just met me. ’
Naomi was silent as she considered what he said.
It was true; when they’d first met on that bus tour the other day, she had told him far more than she would have told anyone else, even without thinking about it.
His wife was right, Will did have a way with people.
He certainly had a way with her. From the moment they first spoke until now, she had felt so at ease with him, for some reason, and no doubt her parents had too; otherwise they wouldn’t have made such personal confessions.
Though she could kill them for doing so.
But if Will knew so much about her, it was only fair that she knew a little about him too.
‘So what was your wife’s name?’
‘Christine.’
She looked back at Holly, who was still staring up at the sky. ‘You still miss her a lot, I’m sure.’
‘I don’t think you ever stop, really. But it does get easier as the time passes. In the beginning, all I could do was think about her and miss her. Now I miss her on those special days. Holly’s birthday. Hers. Our wedding anniversary. We got married right here at this resort, actually.’
‘Oh.’ This admission tugged at Naomi’s heartstrings most of all. How sad for him to have to return here with his daughter and without his beloved wife. All those memories …
‘That’s why Holly was so intent on coming here. She’s always been fascinated by the wedding photographs and the stories her mother used to tell her about the hummingbirds and the views of the Pitons. Holly adores nature – like her mum.’
‘Oh, Will, I’m so sorry. I’m sure it’s not easy being back here without her.’
He shrugged. ‘It’s OK. Chris is still with me, ’cause Holly’s always with me. So I try not to think too much about it once Holly’s happy. She’s a lot like her.’ He looked at his daughter and then smiled. ‘She likes you a lot actually.’
Naomi smiled too. ‘Does she?’
‘Yes. She thinks you’re very pretty and she wants hair like yours when she grows up.
And she’s convinced you’re famous,’ he added, laughing, and Naomi winced, terrified that Will might have looked her up online.
Suddenly all those images and videos of her prancing around her living room, dressed in sequins, felt mortifying and she truly hoped he hadn’t.
‘Well, I’m very sorry to have to disappoint her on the fame count. But when she gets all grown up, I’ll give her the name of my hairdresser, how’s that?’
‘I’m sure she’d love it.’ Will winked. ‘And she’ll definitely want to borrow one of your sequin dresses.’
‘Oh gosh.’ Naomi’s toes were quite literally curling in embarrassment.
That was it, she was packing in the so-called influencer nonsense when she got home.
Money be damned, it was beyond silly and she’d completely outgrown it.
Her fortieth year was as good a time as any to make a change and go back to a proper job.
Though she was sure Greg would have a thing or two to say about it.
Well, Naomi decided, as she fondly watched her new friend chase his little daughter along the shore, maybe forty was as good a time as any to take a leaf out of her boyfriend’s book and make a start on forging her own plan.