The Love Island Bookshop

gleaned, Aaron and Zahida had been in love and were planning on getting married, while she was some foreign girl with loose morals eager to jump into bed with him at the first opportunity. Although was that really fair? He’d invited her to his home. And he’d jumped into bed with her. He’d been the one to slip out of bed in the night, climb down from his room and then back up a tree to climb into hers. And Zahida had a best friend who was looking out for her, a best friend who had taken her side over her brother’s. While she had missed all the signs that her best friend was bitterly unhappy and struggling. She’d missed everything. She’d never asked the right questions, and when it mattered most, she hadn’t been the supportive friend she should have been. She’d been blinded by love and a new relationship with Owen, her attention and time given to that rather than a friend who was struggling. And then that same boyfriend didn’t stick around to support her when she needed him the most. She stared over the side of the boat at the clear blue water zipping by, her tears dripping down into it, lost in its depths.

~

Their arrival by boat at Loabi Fushi was less dramatic than when Freya had arrived by seaplane and had her first jaw-dropping view of the island and lagoon. Aaron was in a bad mood. She had felt so optimistic about moving on from the break-up with Owen, but the morning’s events had left her confused and vulnerable. She had let him into her bed and let him inch into her heart.

Freya pulled her rucksack on and stepped off the boat. The sun was already starting to make its journey to the horizon. Lots of guests were sitting in Reef sipping drinks and she wondered if a lucky couple were on Sunset Beach sharing a romantic picnic. The other staff members went on ahead, and Freya and Aaron walked to the path beneath the trees, away from the restaurants and guest area.

‘Are you going to ever talk to me again?’

‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘About everything that happened today. There were too many people on the boat... It’s hard to talk over the engine noise.’ He stopped in the middle of the path and took her hands. ‘I got completely taken by surprise. I know how uncomfortable that was for you. And it had been so perfect.’ He looked at her pleadingly with his deep brown eyes, and it took her right back to the night before and him climbing into her room and kissing her. That was what she wanted, that was how she wanted to feel, not the messed-up emotions of today.

‘I was let down and hurt by someone I thought cared for me. I don’t want any surprises that make me worry we did the wrong thing last night. And it was a shock today, finding out stuff about you in that way.’

‘I didn’t mean for it to happen, and I’m sorry I wasn’t honest with you.’ They started walking again along the empty path, the birds flitting between the trees their only company. She thought he was going to say more; it was an opportunity for him to open up and elaborate on the situation that had played out, but he remained silent all the way to the staff village.

‘I’m going to dump my stuff and head to the dive school, catch up with the guys. I’ll see you later, maybe for dinner?’

There was no one about but she noticed him checking before he pulled her close and kissed her. Her heart was torn in two with desire to repeat last night and savour the feeling of love and happiness she’d woken up with, before confusion and disappointment had spoilt all that over lunch.

‘I really am sorry. I should have told you about my... about everything.’

Freya nodded, but he couldn’t even say the word ‘son’ and he couldn’t have acted less like a loving father around such a gorgeous little boy. She had a lot more questions, but none that felt right asking now. Now they were back on Loabi Fushi, there was little privacy. Maybe last night was just a one-night thing and they could go back to being friends and enjoying each other’s company.

Aaron’s hands left her waist and he gave her a wave as he set off towards the men’s block. Their relationship had changed though, with a mix of intimacy and distrust. It had changed everything.

Chapter Twenty

‘How was your weekend away?’ Drew slid on to the seat opposite Freya and gave her the biggest grin.

It was early evening and Freya had been back for a couple of hours. She bided her time, chewing and swallowing a mouthful of food. ‘It was... interesting.’

‘Oh my God, don’t do this to me, Freya. I need gossip. I need details.’ She raised an eyebrow.

Freya glanced round, conscious the courtyard was filled with staff having dinner. No Aaron; she hadn’t seen him since they’d said goodbye earlier. Despite him suggesting having dinner together, it was beginning to feel like he was avoiding her.

‘Have you eaten?’ Freya asked.

‘I had a main meal at lunch.’

Freya finished her last mouthful and put her knife and fork on her plate. ‘Let’s go somewhere quieter then.’

The fire pit was unlit but three staff were sitting around it chatting, so Freya and Drew walked on across the beach to the far side where a cluster of bushes and trees met the ocean, neatly separating the staff beach from the rest of the island. They sat with their backs against the curved trunk of a palm tree which drooped right on to the sand. The ocean gently slid back and forth only a short distance from their feet.

‘So...’ Drew said, hugging her knees to her chest.

Freya stretched out her legs and wiggled her toes in the sand, watching the grains shower over her dusky-pink painted toenails. ‘So his