Books cluttered the bleached wood of the driftwood coffee table. The beach theme continued throughout the villa with the muted sand and sea tones: white sofas with pale-blue and warm-grey cushions. Freya padded across the living area towards the open side of the villa.
Zander entered from outside.
‘Morning,’ Freya said.
Zander glanced at his watch and smiled. ‘Just.’
‘Oh, I’m sorry, I know. I think I was dead to the world last night. I remember getting here but can’t remember going to bed.’
‘No need to apologise.’ Zander went over to the large sleek kitchen to the side of the living area and Freya followed. ‘I’m teasing. It’s totally understandable after what happened.’
The smell of coffee was coming from the pot brewing on the kitchen island. Freya’s mouth watered.
She folded the edge of the kaftan between her fingers. ‘I presume I have you to thank for the clean clothes.’
‘I didn’t want anyone rifling through your personal things so I got someone to pick those up from the boutique. Maryam, my housekeeper, is washing your clothes. We both smelt like a bonfire; I was tempted to hose us down!’
‘Well, thank you. You even got my size right.’
Zander laughed. ‘You told me. You were seriously out of it. Smoke inhalation, adrenalin – I’m surprised you managed to even walk back. Here.’ He took the pot of coffee and poured her a large mugful. ‘Milk? Sugar?’
‘Dash of milk please.’
He slid the mug of steaming coffee across the counter.
‘This is seriously the most gorgeous place. I woke up this morning thinking I was still dreaming.’
‘Thank you. Much like the bookshop, it’s been a labour of love and a dream of mine for many years.’ He poured himself a coffee. ‘You must be starving. There’s food outside. Come and join me.’
The villa had a wraparound terrace with steps leading directly to a large pristine beach, which was empty apart from a white breasted waterhen pecking about in the sand, and another couple of birds dive-bombing down to the beach and swooping high into the sky. The luxury she’d seen inside continued out here with a pool that curved around in a L-shape to the side of the villa. Lounge chairs dotted the terrace and a hammock was slung between two palms on the beach.
Zander sat at a table with an uninterrupted view of the beach and a tray filled with plates of grilled pineapple, chunks of grapefruit, fluffy omelettes and cinnamon swirls.
‘You made all this?’
‘Honestly, I do more than people think, but no, Maryam did. She’s a godsend – she does everything I don’t have time for. She keeps the place looking the way it does. I don’t know what I’d do without her.’
‘She lives here?’
‘Yep, most of the time. She goes home and visits her daughter and grandchildren for a few days every month. She’s widowed. Both her and her late husband have worked with me for years. They’re like family.’ He paused for a moment and stared out at the ocean. ‘They are family.’
They ate in a companionable silence for a while. Freya soaked up the sights and sounds of Zander’s bit of paradise. She started to feel more and more alive as she tucked into sharp and juicy grapefruit chunks and delicious, sweet pastries. It didn’t take long for her to feel refreshed by the ocean breeze, good coffee and the absolute peace.
Freya dabbed her mouth with a napkin and sat back in the chair with her mug of coffee.
‘It’s strange, it doesn’t even feel like we’re on the island – I thought I’d seen every part of it.’
Zander nodded. ‘It’s why I chose this spot. This bit of beach is the smallest on the island but because the trees on either side reach right to the ocean, it’s formed its own bay. I’ve always called it Driftwood Cove. And it’s not signposted from the main island walk route. There are a couple of paths that lead here, but only if you know where to look.’
‘It’s magical.’
‘I’m very lucky.’
Freya looked at him as he gazed out over his beach to the ocean view he got to enjoy every day. ‘You’ve worked hard for it.’
‘That may be, but I’m still lucky.’ He turned to her, concern written on his face and in his green eyes. ‘How are you feeling?’
‘Much better, thank you. I needed food and coffee. Oh, and a good night’s sleep.’
‘Passing out might have helped.’ He winked at her. ‘Talking of which, I don’t think I said it properly last night and even if I did, I don’t think you were with it enough to remember, but thank you for raising the alarm.’
‘You’re welcome. But it wasn’t me who raised it.’
Zander’s eyebrows pinched together. ‘Oh?’
‘I asked Aaron to. And it was only by luck that I was even there that late. I’d left the book I was reading on the counter – I’ve suffered with insomnia at various points in my life and I’ve had a bout of it again here, not sure why because I slept like a baby when I first arrived. Anyway, reading helps me to eventually drift off and I really wanted to finish the book I’d started, so I went back to get it, otherwise I’d have been none the wiser.’
‘I did wonder why you were there; I assumed you’d been working late.’
‘No, not last night.’
‘So, Aaron didn’t think you’d be there?’
‘I guess not.’
‘Huh.’
Freya frowned. ‘Why? What’s it got to do with Aaron?’
Zander folded his arms and dropped his sunglasses over his eyes so his expression was hidden. ‘He didn’t raise the alarm. Hassan heard the noise and you shouting on his evening rounds – although he didn’t realise it was you at the time. He saw smoke and the glow of the fire, contacted me and organised help.’
Freya shuffled in the chair, the
