Chapter 24
A beam of sunlight pours in through the open window, the sound of birds tweeting and waves crashing in the distance.
I open my eyes, a blissful feeling washing over me.
‘Good morning,’ Luke says, rolling onto his stomach in bed next to me. ‘Good sleep?’
I turn towards him, under the covers of his bed, and let my sleepy brain process where I am. Whom I’m with. I catch the alarm clock on his bedside table.
‘Luke, the time! Shouldn’t you be at work by now?’
A fire flashes across his eyes. ‘Technically, yes …’
‘Technically?’ I laugh as he pulls me closer and covers me in kisses. I sit up, trying half-heartedly to push him away when really it’s just an excuse to lay my hands on him. After last night, I don’t think I will ever grow tired of touching Luke. Last night … oh, last night . Let’s just say I didn’t get much rest.
‘I’ve got a better idea,’ he says, planting several butterfly kisses across the bridge of my nose.
‘Mmm?’
‘Mm,’ he murmurs. ‘We stay here. Then, when we’re ready, breakfast.’
Oh god , the temptation. I’d love to say that I stand firm, insist he goes to work, but the magnetic pull of sharing a bed with Luke is next level.
Afterwards, I try again.
‘Luke,’ I say. ‘I really don’t want to get you in trouble. Don’t you have tennis class first thing?’
‘I did have,’ he concedes, fingers lightly running across my collarbone. ‘But weirdly Croissants hasn’t been so fussed about tennis since you sent her off on a wild Dita chase.’
‘Oh no.’ I chuckle. ‘I feel bad.’
‘Don’t. Did you hear what happened?’
I shake my head, intrigued.
‘One of the guys who works on the bar told me that Croissants bumped into Perry Carver last night, after she left the barbecue.’
‘The footballer?’
‘Sounds like it was love at first sight.’
‘Stop it!’
‘True story. Somebody sent a message round on the staff’s WhatsApp chat to say they had breakfast together this morning and they’ve even gone Instagram official already. It’s hot hotel gossip.’
‘That was fast,’ I say.
Luke looks at me. ‘When you know, you know.’ He grins.
‘Agreed. I’m really pleased for her, I did feel bad about sending her off on that wild goose chase.’
‘And thanks to you, my morning is now free and I would very much like to take you to breakfast.’
‘Then it’s a date.’ I beam, rolling over to check my phone. Zodiac Girlie has been busy overnight.
Enjoy the ride, you’re about to accelerate .
Ah, sweet Zodiac Girlie, I think fondly. She’s been disquietingly accurate since I got to Gurnard Cove, I guess she was bound to get something wrong along the way. Because I have definitely done all my accelerating now. Just look at me! Naked in Luke’s bed! Any more accelerating and I will definitely need a lie-down.
Luke leads me outside to the hotel’s beautiful kitchen garden, where fruit and veg are growing in neat aisles and up trellising. There’s a small patch of grass in the middle of the garden, and on it stands a wooden table packed with breakfast treats. Juices, pastries, racks of toast, jams. Two place settings have been made up and he pulls a chair out for me.
‘This is incredible,’ I say, eyes lighting up. ‘How did you do all this?’
Luke watches my reaction. ‘I have connections.’ He grins.
I sigh happily as I tuck into a bowl of fruit and Greek yoghurt, suddenly famished after the world’s most chaotic day yesterday. The maze injury. The girlfriend bombshell. The mad drive to a nearby town. Befriending the locals. Beer pong through the heartache. Luke and the truth. Coasteering with my best friends. Not to mention everything that happened afterwards!
‘I can’t believe today’s our last day,’ I say sadly.
‘About that.’ Luke looks deep in thought as he plunges the cafetière and pours me a coffee. ‘Have you thought what you might do?’
‘Go home, I guess.’ I exhale, the sheer idea of it making my stomach sink. ‘This holiday has helped me to realise that I don’t need to be in Carpston anymore, but I’ve still got some admin to do before my next step. So I’m going to head back and tie up some loose ends. Hand in my notice on the flat. Take the time to figure out what to do with my career. The bookshop where I volunteer are always after more hours so I could throw myself into that for a bit while I work things out.’
I track my eyes over to Luke’s and decide, there and then, to say exactly what’s on my mind.
‘And hopefully spend some more time with you?’ I add. ‘Because the thing is, Luke, I really like you. And that scares me a bit because I haven’t felt like this about anyone before. But recently I’ve realised that I can’t just sit back and let life happen around me. I need to take control of my future. And that starts with you.’
‘I am very much willing to be taken control of.’ He grins, genuinely licks his lips here which renders me speechless. ‘But, to be clear, are you asking me out, Jess?’
‘I believe I am,’ I say, taking a bite of toast.
A smile plays on his lips as he says: ‘That has never happened before.’
I refuse to believe that. ‘Oh come on! Surely that’s not right?’
Luke shakes his head. ‘Nope.’
‘Well then’ – I beam – ‘this really is a day of firsts. I’ve never asked anyone out, either.’
Luke’s smile has stretched to a full-on grin that lights up his face.
‘You know, you’re going to have to answer me at some point,’ I say. ‘Can’t keep a girl hanging.’
‘Jessica Jones,’ he murmurs, voice tantalisingly low. ‘I’ve been yours since the moment I saw you on day one here. I think you’re incredible. I was actually just about to ask you the same thing but you beat me to it. But, ah, there’s one thing I have to tell you first.’
I take another bite of toast, chewing nervously. This sounds ominous.
‘Oh?’ I say eventually.
Luke catches my eye.
‘There’s something else I haven’t been totally honest with you about,’ he admits.
Oh god . My stomach lurches.
‘My job here, it’s not a permanent thing,’ he begins, watching my reaction closely. ‘I took it as a stepping stone really, a chance to get out of America and to do some soul-searching. Exactly like what you plan to do. But the truth is that I never really planned to stay in Northumberland for long. I want adventure, Jess. I want to travel and see more of the world.’
‘You’re leaving,’ I whisper, heart stopping.
He holds me with his gaze and I almost can’t look. It’s unbearable to think that he’s going so soon.
‘There’s a new hotel opening up in the Maldives – it’s owned by the same people who own Gurnard Cove – and they’re after someone to head up their sports department.’
‘The Maldives? That’s far,’ I say stupidly.
‘True. But it wouldn’t be so far if you came with me. If we went together.’ He reaches across for my hand now, hope etched across his face. ‘Jess, the hotel are planning to trial a pop-up bookshop there and they are looking for a bookseller to take control of it all.’
‘What?’ I gasp, not quite able to compute all of this.
‘That job is made for you!’ he says, sounding excited, squeezing my hand. ‘You’ve always wanted to own a bookshop one day, right? And you just said that you’re planning on heading back to Carpston to volunteer at the local bookshop. Look, I know you wouldn’t be owning this place in the Maldives, but, I don’t know’ – he runs a hand through his hair – ‘it could be an incredible way to get you on the right path, maybe? It’s a six-month contract, same as the sports job.’
My jaw is on the floor.
‘Look,’ Luke adds softly after a while. ‘I know this is a lot to take in and I don’t want to scare you off – I really hope you don’t think I’m moving things too fast. And also, if you don’t want to go then I won’t either. I want to be where you are, if that’s okay with you? I just … I haven’t felt like this before.’
He stops to give me an adorably hopeful look.
‘And the timing is perfect,’ he continues. ‘You’ve quit your job, you’re looking for your next adventure. I think I’ve found it, Jess, if you’re happy for that adventure to be with me. Maybe we could kickstart those Pocket Adventures we talked about.’
‘Erm …’
That’s literally all I can manage. All this information has sent my brain into overdrive. Luke wants me to move to the Maldives with him and run a bookshop? It’s like fate just handpicked all of my favourite things and offered them to me on a plate alongside this morning’s delicious breakfast. Almost too good to be true.
Luke’s watching my reaction, trying to get a read on how I’m feeling, and goodness knows what my face is doing right now.
‘It’s too much,’ he says eventually, clearly deciding that my lack of ability to express myself means that he’s somehow broken me. ‘I’m so sorry. Damn, I knew I’d mess this up. I’ll stay here. We can do this the more normal, less a-hundred-miles-an-hour way. Date and hang out and not move abroad together after becoming official five minutes ago. Christ, sorry, what was I thinking? That is, if you even still want to date me after that.’
Finally, I process what’s happening. Good things, that’s what. And I realise that once again, Zodiac Girlie was right. The best is yet to come, all I need to do is put my foot on the gas.
I’m up and out of my seat then, walking around to Luke’s side of the table. I place myself in his lap, set down the coffee cup he’s holding.
‘Where do I apply for this job, then?’ I ask.
Later, once I’ve not even remotely come back down to earth, I skip back to the suite to find Em trying to get Stella to do some yoga. She’s got yoga mats rolled out, calming water sounds playing in the background and is currently encouraging Stella to get into a downward dog.
‘Oh thank god,’ Stella says when she sees me, unfolding herself and sitting down on the mat. ‘That’s quite enough of that.’
‘Jessie!’ Em cheers. ‘Finally! We’re on tenterhooks. How did last night go? You need to spill, I want every last drop.’
‘Woah, let’s keep it PG please.’ Stella grimaces.
I place a reassuring hand on her shoulder. ‘For decency’s sake, let’s just say I had a lovely evening and leave it at that.’
Emerald eyes me then chuckles, delighted. ‘YOUR AURA. I’ll say no more, for Stella’s sake, but basically you get it, girl.’
My flushing cheeks are interrupted by the phone ringing.
‘Hello?’ I answer.
‘Hello, madam, it’s Santi from reception. Miss Ortiz has invited your party to lunch, are you free to join her?’
I cover the handset.
‘Guys, Dita’s asked us to join her for lunch. Are you up for it?’
‘Lunch with a movie star? Why not?’ Stella replies.
‘That’s great, we’ll be there. Thank you!’
‘Yessica has had the impeccable intercourse, no?’ Dita has taken one look at me and is now addressing my friends.
Honestly. Am I a total open book?
Em claps gleefully as we grab a seat at Dita’s table. ‘She sure has, but we’re not talking about it in too much detail for Stella’s sake.’
‘Sí, sí. So tell me, girls, have you enjoyed your spa break?’
I look between my best friends, and feel that familiar sense of joy to be in their presence. And for the first time in a long while, I realise I’m no longer living vicariously through Em’s exciting life. I’ve started my own. And while I will always bask in their successes, I feel genuinely excited about what the new future may hold for me now.
‘It’s been the best.’ Em beams at us. ‘Properly wonderful to spend this time together.’
Stella nods. ‘You guys have really helped me get some perspective on the whole Fran thing. We’re going to have a proper talk when I get back but for now, I feel like we can just keep the conversation going, you know? I have decided on something, though.’
‘Oh?’ I say.
‘I’m going to take some time off work and spend some proper time with Fran. There’s no point discussing whether or not to start a family if we can’t even find time for each other, right? Fran’s been so patient with how busy I am at work, and now this trip. I need to show her that she’s my priority, too.’
‘That’s really sweet, Stell,’ I say. ‘Have you decided what you’ll do?’
‘Not yet, but I’m thinking somewhere sunny, maybe a beach, where we can just be together.’
‘I have a little place on the coast in Spain for you,’ says Dita. ‘It’s one of my houses. You two would be very welcome.’
‘Seriously?’ Stella splutters. ‘Are you sure? That would be amazing, obviously, but—’
‘It’s done,’ Dita says. ‘I will get Viktor to organise it.’
Stella, for once, has been stunned into silence.
‘Now what about you?’ Dita points at me. ‘How are you going to make things work with Luca?’
‘Okay, I’ve got news,’ I say excitedly, blurting out the Maldives plan. ‘Luke’s done all this research on the bookseller job and I really think I could be good at it. Obviously I need to apply, first, so I’m trying not to get too excited just yet.’ I pause while my friends go wide-eyed with excitement. ‘But the thought of something new and so positive and shiny! And sharing it with Luke …’
‘Mate, what the hell? That sounds incredible,’ says Stella.
Em simply has her hands in prayer position.
We’re talking excitedly about selling books on the beach when Luke appears in the dining room.
‘Hey,’ he says, eyes settling on mine. ‘I just came to say hi, I’m on my way to a cardio session.’
‘Aye, aye, aye,’ Dita purrs as Luke plants a brief kiss on my forehead. ‘What a handsome couple you make.’
‘If only you could see their auras.’ Em grins as everyone looks at us.
‘Better go.’ He beams at me.
‘Can’t keep away.’ Stella rolls her eyes good-naturedly.
‘See you later,’ I tell him.
‘You know,’ says Emerald as she leans back in her chair, ‘this has been a seriously successful Saturn Return for you, Jessie. Banging new man, new career on the horizon, a little bit of lead character energy. You’re shining bright, my friend.’
For some reason, this makes me well up.
‘I love you guys,’ I say, taking their hands. ‘Here’s to the next adventure.’