Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Waking up to a wall of tanned muscle was something that hadn’t happened to Suzie for a very long time. Christian’s back was about an inch away from her nose, but at least he was fast asleep, if the snoring was anything to go by. There definitely hadn’t been any snoring forty years ago.
She crept out of bed and staggered to the bathroom, the water from the cold tap eventually slaking her considerable thirst. Her head pounded, and her stomach was doing somersaults at the mere thought of all that beer mixed with Limoncello.
What it had led to crowded her brain as the pictures ran through on a loop.
Deep down, she knew she couldn’t blame the alcohol.
She’d wanted it as much as he had, maybe more.
When she tried to sneak back into bed, a hand reached out and grabbed her by the ankle.
‘Where do you think you’re going?’
Christian’s sleepy blue eyes, the eyes that had caused all the trouble, crinkled at the corners.
‘I’m not going anywhere. I’ve been drinking water from the tap like a street cat.’
‘Bad head?’
‘Yep.’
‘Me too. We never had hangovers back in the day, did we?’
‘Not that I can recall. We were straight up and back at it.’
Christian smiled.
‘That sounds like a plan.’
A glance at her phone made Suzie leap off the bed.
‘Oh, my God. It’s already midday!’
‘And?’
‘I’ve got my friend Vicky coming round to the flat at one. She’s bringing me lunch.’
Christian pulled back the covers and beckoned her in.
‘Can’t you cancel? We’ve got some unfinished business.’
Tempting though it was, Suzie didn’t want to let down her friend. Vicky had seemed particularly keen to chat. Christian could wait. She didn’t want to give him the impression he was the centre of her world.
‘I can’t just drop everything. Maybe you could come round to the flat for a drink later?’
‘What time?’
‘Around five?’
‘Can’t do five. Got a big Zoom call with the band and our manager about a new proposition.’
Her stomach muscles clenched tight.
‘What proposition?’
‘We’ve been offered a spot in a major six-month tour of Europe off the back of that gig in Athens. Kicks off next month.’
He was watching her carefully, waiting for a reaction.
Suzie turned away and made a big show of finding her clothes on the floor to hide her shock.
She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of showing him how upset she was.
She’d only just found him again, and he was off.
Typical Christian. Last night had been amazing, but it had to be a one-off.
Letting him get close had been a mistake. Her fragile heart wouldn’t cope.
‘Sounds like an amazing opportunity.’
She pulled on her shorts and T-shirt and stuffed her underwear into her bag for a faster getaway. Breezy and unconcerned was the name of the game.
‘Six is fine, or a bit later. I’m not working tonight. Why don’t you go back to sleep.’
With that, she stepped into her sandals and closed the door behind her.
Back at her flat, after using the shower for its usual purpose, Suzie was dressed and ready when Vicky rang the bell.
‘Hi, lovely.’
‘Hi, yourself. You look well.’
The night of amazing sex would probably account for her glow, not that she was planning to reveal all to Vicky. She didn’t know how she felt about it herself, especially now it looked like she was about to lose him again.
Vicky had brought the ingredients for a simple salad, complete with juicy olives, ruby red tomatoes and fresh green cucumber, and had picked up a roasted chicken on the way, so they ate out on the balcony, pulling apart the still warm meat and letting the juices drip down their fingers.
Combined with the garlicky mayonnaise that Vicky had whipped up in Suzie’s kitchen in what seemed like seconds, it was food fit for the gods.
And there were shiny cherries as big as gobstoppers to follow, purple globes of sweetness.
Against her better judgement, Suzie allowed herself to be persuaded to have a glass of the rosé that she’d offered Vicky, and one had led to two. They’d chatted through the events of the last couple of days, and now, pleasantly mellow, were stretched out on the comfy chairs in the sun.
Suzie was willing herself not to fall asleep when Vicky’s hand on her arm stopped her eyes from closing.
‘I’ve got to tell you something. Something I’ve been dying to tell you in person. And now I’ve drunk enough to do it.’
It sounded serious. She hoped her friend wasn’t in trouble, or she’d changed her mind about investing in the sanctuary.
‘Fire away.’
‘I slept with Alex!’
Suzie laughed out loud. ‘And I slept with Christian!’
Vicky joined in the laughter.
‘What are we like? We both swore off men just a few months ago. The thing with Alex wasn’t planned, I can tell you.’ Vicky’s voice changed from shocked to dreamy. ‘But it was amazing.’
‘Good on you. Mine wasn’t planned, either. But also amazing.’
Vicky sat up with a jolt.
‘Was it last night? After that incredibly sexy karaoke performance?’
Suzie nodded, suddenly shy.
‘That explains the glow then. What happens next?’
‘No idea. It sounds like he’s off on tour next month. So probably nothing. We’ll just leave it as a very pleasant memory.’
Suzie tried her best to make her voice sound upbeat, but Vicky gave her a hard stare.
‘Is nothing what you want?’
‘I really don’t know what I want. He’s coming round for a drink later, so I’ll find out more about his plans. What about you?’
‘Again, no real idea about where we go from here. It’s all been such a shock. Alex also wants to meet up tonight. He’s got something special to show me, apparently.’
Suzie’s giggle set Vicky off.
‘No, not that. I’ve already seen plenty of it, from all angles.’
‘Stop it. I’m going to choke. What do you want to happen?’
‘Nothing can happen. It can’t go anywhere. He’s so much younger than me, for one thing.’
‘Rubbish. You’re hot. The age gap’s nothing. If it were the other way round, no one would bat an eyelid. And now you’re staying on the island … there’s no excuse not to sample more of his special talents.’
Vicky put both hands up.
‘OK, enough. Just promise me you’ll update me on what happens tonight with Christian.’
‘And you with Alex.’
‘It’s a deal.’
Arriving back at the sanctuary, Vicky’s eyes were automatically drawn to the clinic area.
She’d seen Alex arrive before she left for lunch, and she could see him still moving around the examination room.
There’d obviously been a new animal brought in.
Maybe he needed help. She’d only taken a couple of steps when a taxi drew up, and a dishevelled man in a baseball cap and dark glasses got out.
For a second she could have sworn it was Ian. But why would he be in Greece?
The man moved towards her.
‘You bitch! You tricked me.’
Vicky swallowed. It was indeed Ian, angry Ian, the version that could very well deck her if she let him. Not that she would. Never again.
‘You lied about that money. Half of it should be mine.’
Keeping icy calm was the key here. Her mind raced. How had he found out? Had Tasha somehow let it slip? But she had to make everything plain as day. Any hesitation and he’d be on it like a rabid dog.
‘None of the money is yours, Ian. It’s all mine. It was left to me by my parents, in an account in my name. I’ve consulted a lawyer, and you are not entitled to any of it.’
She was using a tone she’d learnt to use with injured animals.
Low and slow. He was so close she could see his brown eyes bulge.
He seemed shocked she was answering back, rather than backing down as she’d done too many times in the past. The realisation that she was no longer afraid of him was empowering.
She’d spent so many years at the mercy of his moods; she needed to show him she’d broken free for good.
‘And can I remind you, you kept your pension in the divorce. I could have said I was entitled to half of that, but I didn’t.’
He was standing right in front of her. Behind him, she saw Alex run across the courtyard, with Maeve, Seamus and Aoife following.
‘How do you think I felt when the bank copied me into an email confirming your purchase of half of this place…’ Ian waved his arm around the courtyard. ‘Not that it looks like it’s worth a tenth of what you’re paying, and if you want my opinion, my professional opinion, you’ve been done.’
‘That’s just it, Ian. I don’t want your opinion, about anything. Not now, and not ever.’
She’d lost any ability to keep it calm. Her voice was as loud as his.
‘And I’ll be straight onto the bank about their stupid mistake in contacting you. It’s none of your business.’
Alex now stood directly behind her ex-husband, his face like thunder. Vicky lowered her voice again.
‘I’d like you to leave now. You’ve had a wasted journey. And for the last time, you will never get your hands on any of that money.’
Ian’s face, contorted with hate, came right up to hers. She could feel his breath on her face.
‘You absolute cow.’
He drew back his fist, but before he could get any closer, Alex had delivered a right hook out of nowhere and knocked him to the ground.
Ian’s crestfallen face as he staggered to his feet was Oscar-worthy. He looked between the two of them, stroking his jaw.
‘I’ll have you for this. You and your fancy man.’
Alex stepped in front of her.
‘Don’t even think about it, mate. Look behind you. There are plenty of witnesses to your disgusting behaviour; witnesses who’ll testify to the fact that you accidentally fell over while threatening your ex-wife.’
Maeve, Seamus and Aoife all nodded in his direction and waved goodbye.
Ian turned on his heel and wrenched open the back door of the taxi.
‘Pah! Forget it! I’m getting out of this dump once and for all.’
A round of cheers greeted the taxi’s exit onto the main road.