21. On Shaky Ground #2
“No, no, I’m just dreaming out loud. Isaiah has already done so much for us,” Phoebe said admiringly. Poppy wanted to know their story; clearly, he was a very dear friend to them.
“Lunch?” Axel asked, changing the subject. Poppy guessed he didn’t want his friend to feel put on the spot. “Our favourite restaurant is only around the corner.”
“We aren’t taking no for an answer, and I want to hear everything about your trip,” Phoebe added, looking between them as she packed her supplies.
“Lunch sounds great. I’m starving,” Poppy said, giving in to her infectious friendship.
“Lead the way,” Isaiah told Axel, who helped Phoebe carry her supplies.
Poppy noticed the artist was wearing a thin supportive sleeve on her wrist and instinctively picked up her light stool.
Phoebe smiled at her in acknowledgement and grabbed her toolbox, filled with small paint pots and brushes.
It was only a short walk through a narrow alley to get to the little corner restaurant.
As the greeter welcomed Phoebe and Axel with a warm embrace, it was clear they were regulars.
The greeter kindly offered to stow Phoebe’s art supplies before leading them to a table beneath a blossoming tree that Poppy couldn’t identify.
The shade of the tree and the surrounding blooming flowers created a cosy, private corner for them.
“Are you dating?” Phoebe asked abruptly, once the waiter had dropped off a jug of water topped with various fruits.
Poppy choked on her water, taken off guard.
“Sorry, was that rude? He pulled out the chair for you and ensured you got the seat in the shade. Isaiah is a sucker for acts of service.”
Isaiah glared at Phoebe, but Poppy noticed she obviously didn’t care.
“Are you sure you aren’t the detective?” he growled.
Phoebe rolled her eyes.“What? You’re usually all business, and I want to know more about how the gorgeous and talented Princess of Pop managed to tame the great Detective Rivers. For that, I commend you.” Phoebe winked at her.
Poppy didn’t know what to say. She didn’t want Isaiah to feel uncomfortable, but she enjoyed them digging him out. It was nice to see a different side of him.
“You benefited from my workaholic tendencies,” Isaiah scolded Phoebe as he filled Poppy’s glass in an automatic gesture.
Axel laughed as Isaiah evidently realised he had just reinforced Phoebe’s earlier point.
Poppy concealed her amusement behind her menu, and he squeezed her thigh beneath the table.
“How do you know each other?” Poppy asked, trying to get the topic off them and their bodyguard-turned-lover situationship.
The table fell into an uncomfortable silence, and Poppy immediately regretted her attempt to change the subject.
“It’s a long story,” Isaiah said, respecting their privacy.
Poppy suddenly remembered something about a dead fiancé and a murder investigation.
She recalled the news articles and the public scrutiny they had faced.
It had been a difficult time for them, and she could see the pain in their eyes as they remembered it.
“Sorry, I shouldn’t have asked.” Poppy decided to focus on her menu. “The linguine sounds tasty!”
“Don’t be sorry. It’s not like all the details aren’t already out in the world. Isaiah and Axel are just protective of me.” Phoebe smiled sadly. “Isaiah helped us with a case. It’s not the best mealtime story, but he ensured the person trying to hurt us was put away for a long time.”
Axel picked a fallen petal from Phoebe’s hair, and Poppy could see the worry in his eyes, but they both looked at Isaiah with genuine respect.
She reached for his hand under the table and held it on her lap. Having him by her side helped her breathe a little easier. If he’d kept them safe, then there was hope for her.
“I’m glad he was able to help you, and I’m sorry about what you had to go through,” she told them.
“You mentioned you were renovating the villa? I thought you were supposed to work on another album?” Isaiah asked Axel, who had rested a protective arm around the back of Phoebe’s chair.
“August and Nick are working on the production, so I had some time. We thought we’d use it to renovate and sell the villa to put more funds in the arts centre back home,” Axel said.
“Phoebe opened an arts centre for those in the arts with disabilities,” Isaiah explained to Poppy.
“That’s incredible!”
“Our current plan is to buy the two buildings next to my art studio so we can expand. I can also put in a second floor and lifts to make sure it’s accessible for everyone,” Phoebe said, her excitement infectious.
“We started with a small group, and I hate having to turn anyone away because we lack space and resources, so with the extra investment, we can give more people a place to come and express themselves freely.” She blushed.
“Forgive me, I’m rambling. It’s a passion project, and I didn’t expect so much interest.”
“No, please don’t apologise. I love what you’re doing,” Poppy said, wanting to know more.
“I convinced her to get away from the villa and her phone. She’s so busy looking after everyone else that she forgets to come up for air,” Axel said, and Phoebe nudged him.
“You came up for air, and then I knocked you down,” Poppy said, glancing at the brace on Phoebe’s wrist. She hoped she hadn’t hurt her. It looked like the one her songwriters used for carpal tunnel, although it matched the pink bikini under Phoebe’s paint-covered overalls.
“Please don’t apologise. Clearly, we were destined to run into each other.
” Phoebe beamed. “I know you aren’t staying long, but if you’re interested, we’re holding an auction tonight to help raise funds for the centre; the event is casino-themed.
All winnings go towards research for underfunded diseases and disorders, and the auction will help those who are chronically ill and disabled and want to get involved in the arts.
It starts at 8 and takes place at a boutique hotel on the beachfront, so you can return to the ship well before midnight. ”
Poppy glanced at Isaiah. He shrugged, leaving it up to her.
“We would love to. Thank you so much. Would you mind if I brought a friend, Mina, with us? She’s travelling with me, and I’m sure she would love to come,” Poppy said, wanting to support her. It also meant they could delay getting back on board a while longer.
“Of course! The more the merrier,” Phoebe said. “It’s black tie, so dress to kill.”
Isaiah smirked, and Poppy glared at him.
“Did I miss something?” Phoebe asked, looking to Axel, who looked just as confused.
“Nothing – he’s just excited to wear the tux I got him again,” Poppy teased, and Isaiah’s smirk disappeared.
“I’d love to help you with the centre when we get home. I can make donations, or I can stop by and help. I have some time now that I’ve finished touring before I have to start filming,” Poppy said, eager to do some good.
“You aren’t going back to the States?” Isaiah asked her.
Poppy realised they had never spoken about what would happen after the Midas ; they had been too focused on surviving.
“No, Ireland’s my home. I’ll go to and from for work, but I want to stay in Ireland,” she said firmly. Her relationship with him had nothing to do with her decision. It had been her plan all along to come home.
Isaiah looked relieved, and she realised he must have been wondering about their future. She felt guilty for not considering his feelings or thoughts about it.
“We’d love to have you involved in whatever form suits you best,” Phoebe exclaimed, breaking the tension.
Poppy’s heart leapt in her chest as a sudden camera flash caught her off guard, a stark reminder of the current state of her raw nerves. She was used to being in the spotlight, but this sent her pulse racing.
“Sorry, they tend to pop up now and then when they know we’re here,” Phoebe said, and Axel looked over his shoulder to wave away the pap.
“It’s fine,” Poppy said, her voice steady but her panic growing. “I need to wash my hands before the food arrives.” She hurried off, determined to regain her composure, before anyone noticed.
Poppy braced herself against the copper sink in the bathroom and took some deep breaths.
It wasn’t the paparazzi that bothered her or having her picture taken, but the unexpected intrusion.
Her body was so on edge after recent events that something as trivial as a flash had made her spiral.
She wished it hadn’t happened in front of Phoebe and Axel.
She didn’t want Isaiah’s friends to think she was a drama queen.
The ornate tiles in the bathroom started to blur, and she flexed her hands to try to stop the shakes.
“Poppy?” Phoebe knocked lightly on the door. “Are you alright? It’s me.”
Her soft voice drew Poppy’s attention away from the tightening sensation in her chest. She opened the door, feeling as red as the tomatoes in the bruschetta she had ordered.
“I had a similar reaction to paparazzi a while back, so I understand how overwhelming it can be. Run your wrists under the cold water. It’ll help calm you down,” Phoebe suggested, her tone warm and non-judgmental.
“Thank you,” Poppy said, doing so. “I don’t know where it came from. I haven’t had an anxiety attack in public in a long time. I think I’m just overwhelmed at the minute.”
“That’s totally understandable, and nothing to feel bad about. I hope you don’t mind my invading your space. Isaiah might have mentioned that you’ve recently been struggling with unwanted attention. I wanted to check you were alright,” Phoebe said kindly.
Poppy admired her for being so open with a perfect stranger, and then remembered that Phoebe was the Phoebe Fletcher who’d been accused of causing the death of her boyfriend after a fight while he was driving.
Poppy recalled her ex-assistant telling her how merciless the press had been, practically driving the poor woman underground.