‘Do you get lonely here?’ The question was out of her mouth before she had time to censor it. From the little she knew of him since arriving on the island, he wasn’t quite the playboy the media made out – unless of course he hid it well. Who would know if he was having wild parties or bringing a string of women to his beach villa; he had the space, the money, the connections, and the privacy to do what he wanted. But she knew something about loneliness and she sensed it in him.
‘I’m not really sure how to answer that.’
‘Sorry, it’s a bit of a rude question.’
‘No, I mean, I think I’ve always been lonely, even when I was famous and was never by myself. I think that was my loneliest point. I was living a life people dreamed of. If I wanted to, I could go back to the hotel with a different girl each night. We travelled the world, made a shitload of money and yet I was desperately lonely for someone I could talk to properly and share the ups and downs of life with.’
Freya watched him across the table, the candlelight flickering between them.
‘I guess I never thought of that lifestyle as being a lonely one.’
‘Are you lonely?’ he asked, holding her gaze.
‘No, not here, but I was back home.’
‘Is that the real reason you applied for the job?’
‘It was part of the reason, yes. It was less about loneliness and more about escaping from the place that reminded me why I was lonely.’
Zander nodded and looked thoughtful. Freya sipped her wine, suddenly aware that she may have overshared. However much they’d got on and had chatted easily, he was still her boss and it was the situation that had brought them together like this.
‘I’m less lonely than I used to be,’ Zander eventually said. ‘Mainly because I’m happy with my own company and leading a quieter life. I’m well aware of how that sounds when I have this lifestyle and this island and it’s far from normal for the majority of people. I guess what it comes down to is that I’m happier now than I was in my twenties or even my early thirties. I’ve figured out my priorities and that’s made for a more contented life.’
~
They cleared away their plates and Zander stacked them in the dishwasher. Freya wandered round the sprawling downstairs taking in all the details while half watching Zander. She liked that he wasn’t leaving the dirty plates for Maryam to deal with. He was more thoughtful than she imagined from her initial impression of him. The sound of the ocean was constant in the background, soothing and rhythmic. The colours were reflected inside the villa in the driftwood coffee table, the pale worn wood of the huge mirror on the wall, the shell vase filled with dried flowers in sea blues and greens. The deep-set sofas were scattered with cushions complementing the pale earthy colours and she loved the natural lines and materials used.
She turned to find Zander leaning on the edge of the kitchen island watching her. He smiled and walked over.
‘I was being nosy looking around,’ she said, flushing. ‘It really is a beautiful place.’
‘Thank you. It’s nice to have been able to share it with you.’
Freya gathered together the beach cover-up she’d worn that morning and her book that she’d retrieved from the bookshop.
‘Thank you for dinner; it was unexpected and lovely.’
‘It was the least I could do. You’re welcome to stay in the guest room again if you just want to crash and sleep.’
The thought of the huge bed and the luxuriously soft sheets was tempting but it felt like she’d overstay her welcome and he was probably just being nice. Part of her was longing to get back to normality, plus she wanted to see Aaron; she needed to speak to him. A stab of upset twisted at her insides again, the events of last night flashing back and her uncertainty about the role Aaron had played.
‘That’s really kind, thank you, but I should go back and say hello to my roommates. Let them know I’m okay. I pretty much disappeared last night.’
‘Of course. Do you want me to walk you back?’
‘Oh goodness, no. I’ll be fine. I know my way. I know where you’re hidden now.’ She grimaced as the words came out; she hadn’t meant to suggest he was hiding himself away.
Her cheeks burned but Zander smiled, the warmth that she was becoming familiar with putting her at ease.
‘I’ll see you tomorrow then. We’ll have a meeting here about the bookshop at half ten.’ He took her hand. ‘Thank you again, for everything.’ He leant closer and kissed her cheek.
Freya didn’t know how to respond. She gave a little nod and left, walking away across the sand, past the side of the villa and the wraparound pool to the path hidden beneath the trees. As she dived beneath the overhanging fronds of a palm, she could still feel the tingle on her cheek from his kiss. She brushed her fingers across it, not wanting to acknowledge the skip her heart did at his touch, or the image of him imprinted in her thoughts as she’d left him standing on the deck, tall and handsome, his hands in the pockets of his linen trousers, his short sleeved shirt gleaming white against his tanned skin. It had been quite a twenty-four hours and in many ways it felt longer than that, her time at Zander’s villa unexpected. Get a grip, Freya, she thought as she continued through the trees. The full moon guided her till she reached the lantern-lit main path.
~
‘Oh my God, Freya. Are you okay?’ Drew threw her arms around her and hugged her. ‘The whole island is talking about the fire. I’ve been so worried.
