Chapter 8
BEN
We were there, we were almost there, the women were finally starting to trust me, but it all unravelled when they saw Miguel’s wrinkled and surprisingly tanned arse floating in my pool.
He had a snorkel and a brush in hand, he was ‘getting the last of the tiles’, he explained, like it was normal practice to be completely naked whilst cleaning a swimming pool. No, I lie. The man had flippers too.
Luckily, Zara thought it was all mildly hilarious, Jess took pictures, but Chloe visibly stepped back into the shadows of caution again. I thought we were the only ones here. Is this some sort of nudist retreat? Why the flippers? she had asked.
She had so many questions and so much doubt that when I suggested we have some wine and olives in the garden, she said she was going to have a nap and freshen up.
‘That’s quite an unorthodox type of groundsman,’ Jess says, laughing as we look at the pool area and see Zara chatting to Miguel, who is now dressed. Jess watches me as I hack at a watermelon. She bites into a piece of pineapple and sighs with happiness, wiping up juice as it drips down her chin.
‘Of sorts. He helped me get this place together when I inherited it. Again, I apologise for the lack of clothes,’ I say.
Jess seems less perturbed, more amused. She’s changed; now she has sunglasses on her head and wears a long teal kaftan.
She’s poring over the different types of fruit I’ve cut up, sipping on a small glass of sangria.
There is something about the way her face lights up at all these novel, different things that is endearing and sweet.
‘So, tell me about yourself, Jess,’ I say.
‘Oh… wow.’ She perches on a stool by the breakfast bar, her elbows on the counter as she bites into a slice of watermelon. ‘Yeah, so I’m twenty-five and married to Dean. I have two little girls, Ellie and Amber, and they are both nearly one.’
‘Twins! Do we have pictures?’ I ask.
Jess smiles, rolling her eyes incredulously.
‘Do I have pictures?’ She goes to her phone, scrolling through.
A quick peek tells me that pictures and videos of her daughters take up most of her camera roll.
She stops at a few, beaming to herself, and turns the screen towards me. ‘This is them on holiday in March.’
The photo is of two little girls with impossibly curly blonde hair, wearing matching sunsuits.
‘Well, they’re beautiful. They clearly take after their mum,’ I say. Her surprised reaction makes me worry. ‘God, sorry, was that creepy?’
She shakes her head. ‘No, that was… kind. Thank you.’
‘And how long have you and Dean been together?’
‘Married for three years, together since we were at school.’
I adore this story already. You can see the pride that Jess feels when she talks about her family, the love she obviously feels for all of them.
‘And where was the holiday?’ I ask her.
‘Tenerife. It was… Let’s just say it was less a holiday and more the same routine in a different place with more sun. Holidaying with babies is an experience.’
I decant some olives into a bowl, taking one and popping it into my mouth. ‘My two older sisters are mums, they say the same. Did you get any chance to relax?’
‘Not really. I went shopping one day. It was a bit of a disaster, but I guess… I mean…’ Jess takes another sip of sangria. ‘I never want to sound ungrateful to be a mum but since they were born, I’ve not really had a proper break. When this came up, I think Dean thought it would be nice for me.’
I smile but suddenly feel a responsibility to make this as peaceful and restorative for Jess as possible. ‘Well, is there anything you want to do in particular? Any dishes you would really like to eat?’ I ask.
She bites her lip, blushing slightly. ‘I mean, I was hoping to have a bit of a detox this holiday. I need to lose some baby weight.’ The light in her face seems to drain when she says this out loud.
I push the bowl of olives in her direction. ‘But… you’re also on holiday. I don’t think you’ll be completely relaxed if you’re hungry.’
Jess smiles and takes an olive.
‘I make everything fresh here, no crap, so please don’t deny yourself. Do you like seafood?’
She nods.
‘I saw some amazing prawns at the market. Grilled with lemon, garlic and chilli, lots of olive oil. I was thinking of making that for lunch tomorrow.’
She allows herself to smile again. ‘That sounds bloody delicious.’
I put a hand to my chest. ‘I’ll ensure it is.
’ I see a glimmer of light return to her face.
I’ve grown up with women who’ve battled on the daily with new roles, new lifestyles and changing bodies.
I watch her as she fiddles with her kaftan, trying to cover up her legs.
‘There’s a blackboard in the kitchen so write down what you like and what you don’t. I’ll cater to that.’
‘Really?’ she asks, surprised.
‘Really. Make that your mood board, not just about food either. Write down music, activities you want to do, places you want to see.’
‘I’m a big reader. I’ve come with the latest Emily Henry,’ she tells me.
‘Then you should read. Relax. I found a whole shelf of Mills & Boon in the living room. There are some brilliant titles: My Spanish Billionaire’s Lover’s Secret…’ I don’t know why I say this in a deep, Zorro-style accent but it makes Jess laugh.
‘I’ll have a look,’ she says, smiling.
We hear a loud splash from the pool outside. I look and see that Zara has jumped in, joined by Chloe who is wearing a burgundy one-piece swimsuit. Well, at least she’s left her room, but I keep an eye out for Miguel, who bursts into the kitchen, thankfully clothed.
‘Benjamin, I tell them the pool is safe,’ he announces. ‘Now they are in the pool. Hello, Senorita!’ he says smoothly as he approaches Jess and takes her hand to kiss it. ‘I am sorry I scared you. I tell Benjamin I will clean the pool, but I mix up the times. I did not expect people to see me.’
‘Do you do all your cleaning naked?’ Jess asks.
He laughs raucously, with the sort of volume that makes Jess’s eyes widen. ‘No, my darling. I swim naked because I like to be one with the water, but I do all my other duties in clothes. Unless you know, you prefer?’ He points at Jess jokingly.
She giggles, choking on her sangria. ‘I like how free you are with your body but clothed is fine. Otherwise, my blood pressure might not be able to take it.’
‘I know my lovely, the temptation would be too much.’ Miguel comes over and slaps my bum playfully. ‘Oooh, pinas. You know I love pinas, don’t you, Benji?’ he says, taking a piece of pineapple. I shoot him a look as he shrugs at me. ‘?Qué?’
‘I think I’ll take my leave and head out to the pool,’ Jess says. ‘I’ll take the sangria out to the girls.’
‘I’ll be out in a minute with the fruit. I’ll bring some jamón too,’ I tell her. She nods and exits the doors into the courtyard.
‘They are nice girls, Benjamin. I think this will be a lovely vacaciones,’ Miguel says as I turn around to see him spying on them in the pool.
‘That’s if you haven’t scarred them for life,’ I tell him. ‘We bought that machine to clean the pool. Why were you in there? Naked?’
‘The machine is no good. I like to use the hand,’ he says, making a strange motion with his hands. ‘And I was wearing the flippers.’
‘The flippers didn’t cover your penis.’
He laughs that big laugh again. ‘Imagine, a flipper for your penis! So it could swim like a fish.’ Miguel makes a strange bodily motion like a drunk dolphin. ‘Again, I am sorry. I thought you told me they arrive at nine in the evening, not the daytime.’
‘Well, thank you for doing such a lovely job with the pool and explaining everything to Zara.’
‘The lady with the big hair? I like… she is friendly. This girl in here, also very nice. What about girl number three?’
I laugh, watching them through the window. Chloe dives underneath the surface of the water and re-emerges at the other end of the pool, leaning her arms against the side. ‘I don’t think we should be referring to them as numbers, Miguel. Her name is Chloe,’ I say, still watching her.
‘Bonita,’ Miguel remarks.
‘I don’t think she’s totally convinced by me though,’ I say. He follows my gaze as I stare at the water droplets on the backs of Chloe’s shoulders. ‘She’s an enigma, that one.’
‘I do not understand this word,’ Miguel says.
‘Well, I mean that I don’t understand her. I need some time to figure her out.’
‘You want to get to know her figure? OK then…’
I turn to him, despairing. ‘Miguel, I love you but you’re a dirty old man.’
‘It is why me and your Uncle Lorenzo were such good friends,’ he says. ‘I hope that girl gets to know what a lovely boy you are.’ He pats my cheeks with his hands.
I look out to the pool again. I hope Chloe and I manage some level of civility otherwise the next week or so is going to be bloody painful.
There’s work to be done. I smile as I watch her elegantly swimming breaststroke to the other side.
My attention is then drawn to Jess who sits by the edge of the pool, not taking off her kaftan, watching the other women swim, dunking her feet in and swishing the water about with her hands. There is definitely work to be done.