New beginnings by the su.., p.11
New Beginnings by the Sunflower Cliffs, page 11
‘He might have done,’ Bea laughed. ‘I think their looks complement each other, the tall, dark Frenchman and the shorter, blond Jersey boy. They do seem happy.’ It was the first time Bea had seen Paul with anyone since his long-term partner had broken his heart by leaving him to return to Canada five years before.
Mel took Grant’s hand in hers. ‘Come on, let’s go and find other people to talk to.’
Bea looked around the darkened room with its purple lighting and mirrored dance floor. She was relieved she’d worn trousers and not a dress. ‘Love’s young dream,’ Bea murmured to Shani, wishing she didn’t feel just a touch of envy at her stepsister’s happiness.
‘Love’s young drips, if you ask me.’ Shani rolled her eyes, smiling at Paul as he and Guy came up to them.
‘Don’t take any notice of her.’ Paul joined them. ‘She’s jealous.’
‘Oh bugger off.’ Shani shook her head emphatically. ‘You wouldn’t get me being all soppy like that in public. Shouldn’t you be getting the drinks in? It must be your round by now.’
‘No problem, your ladyship.’ He patted his pocket. ‘Plenty in here to spend tonight, but you can come and help me carry them.’ He flounced off towards the chrome bar at the other end of the cavernous room, taking Guy by the hand, a wide smile on his cheeky face.
Tom laughed as he watched Shani striding after Paul, her long toned legs on display in the shortest skirt that barely covered her knickers. ‘I’m beginning to think you’re surrounded by mad people.’
Bea secretly agreed. She held up her hands and nodded. ‘I know. And what’s more, these are my closest friends, so there’s no hope for me. Guy seems fun though, don’t you agree?’
Bea watched as Shani, bored with waiting at the crowded bar, swayed her hips onto the dance floor and waved her arms in the air, lost in the music. Paul followed and mimicked her, leaving Guy to buy the drinks.
‘It’s like something from one of those documentaries on 1970’s discos in New York,’ Tom joked. ‘Except these two haven’t quite mastered the moves.’ As he took a gulp from his drink someone caught Tom’s eye on the other side of the room. He nodded at them.
Bea couldn’t see who it was over the mêlée of people, then noticed Shani gesturing frantically in her direction. She scanned the bustling nightclub, unable to see what all the fuss was about.
Tom leant closer to Bea. ‘Look at—’ he started, before a hand landed heavily on his back. Tom turned around mid-sentence and, his shoulders tensing, he forced a smile. ‘Luke,’ he shouted, over the noise. ‘How are you?’
Bea frowned. She hadn’t expected to see him here.
‘You know Bea, of course,’ Tom said, sliding his arm around her shoulders. Bea shrugged him off.
Luke’s mouth twitched. He nodded at Tom. Was that contempt she spotted on his face? He caught Bea’s eye and his expression softened slightly. Luke found the power of speech first. ‘Of course,’ he answered, his deep blue eyes boring into hers. ‘You haven’t met Leilani yet.’
Bea noticed movement next to him. Her heart plummeted when she saw one of his arms was casually slung around a tall, tanned brunette, who she couldn’t help noticing was wearing the same scarlet stilettos she and Shani had lusted over in the latest edition of Vogue. Bea didn’t think she’d ever met anyone this glamorous and impossibly beautiful before. No wonder Luke was seeing her; Leilani was utterly gorgeous.
She looked down at Bea and smiled. ‘Hi, I’m pleased to meet you,’ she said, before turning her attention to Tom, who, Bea couldn’t help noticing, was dumbstruck at the vision in front of him.
‘This is Tom and Beatrice,’ Luke said, his smile showing off his white teeth. His beard appeared to be clipped, little more than designer stubble. They made a breathtaking couple, and Bea wanted to cry. She swallowed the lump in her throat, determined to appear unfazed.
‘God, they even have matching teeth,’ Shani whispered from behind her.
‘What a typically English name,’ Leilani drawled sexily.
Bea’s insides had contracted so much they hurt, and try as she might she couldn’t help sneaking another peek at Luke’s face. He didn’t seem as happy as she’d expected, although his lips drew back into a smile when he caught her looking at him. Tom gazed appreciatively at Leilani’s impossibly pert bosom, which was almost at his eye level. Bea couldn’t imagine where Luke had found Leilani. She had certainly never seen her in Jersey before.
‘Nice to meet you, Leilani,’ Tom stammered. As both men turned their attention to her, Bea knew in no uncertain terms that she could never hope to compete with this impressive Amazonian.
‘Lukey has been showing me round the countryside you have here on Jersey. Everything is so quaint. I must admit to being a city girl at heart, though. As far as I can see, you either turn left or right when you go for a drive on this little island,’ she giggled. ‘And you still end up back in the same place one hour later. There’s not much space here to escape to, is there?’
‘We say in Jersey,’ Shani said pointedly. ‘Not on Jersey.’ She leant towards Bea. ‘Lukey?’ Shani murmured a little too loudly. Luke glanced at her having obviously heard her comment and Bea couldn’t tell if he was annoyed or simply amused.
‘Manhattan is more my thing,’ Leilani continued, oblivious to Shani’s sarcasm. Bea suspected Leilani was used to dealing with jealous females. She couldn’t help being amused by Shani’s instant dislike of Leilani, though; it made her feel much better.
‘You’re on holiday, then?’ Tom asked, not appearing at all bothered by her insulting comments about his place of birth.
‘Yes.’
‘How long are you planning on staying in Jersey?’ Bea asked, feeling happier at this news.
‘I haven’t decided yet. I suppose I’ll be here for as long as Lukey wants me to be.’ She stroked the tight, hard bottom that Bea sadly remembered only too well. She stiffened at the memory. Bea cleared her throat. Leilani pouted at Luke. He replied by giving her a slow smile that was so sexy even Shani gawped.
‘What is it that you do?’ Tom asked, unable to take his eyes off her.
‘I’m a model,’ she announced, smiling at him as if to prove her point. ‘On runways mostly, but I specialise in stockings and lingerie.’ She pointed one foot forward and raised her immaculately waxed eyebrows.
‘Well, it was nice seeing you again,’ Luke said. He glanced at Bea. Taking Leilani’s hand, he added, ‘We’ll catch up with you all later. Have a fun evening.’ He led her away across the dance floor.
‘It was lovely to meet with you,’ Leilani added over her shoulder at Bea. She oozed sex appeal, and Bea doubted she had ever felt as thoroughly self-satisfied as Leilani seemed. Bea wanted to dislike her, but apart from her proximity to Luke and her perfect looks she couldn’t honestly do so. What little confidence she had managed to muster before leaving the house had completely vanished. And, as for Lukey, well, Bea decided, Leilani could keep him.
‘Wow,’ Shani said. ‘He is so hot.’ I know, thought Bea. ‘But Lukey?’ said Shani once again. ‘Eugh.’
‘I think all the sex they’re having has turned his brain to mush.’ Bea grimaced at the thought.
‘He could turn my brain to mush any day.’ Shani glanced away from Luke’s receding back and noticed Bea watching, hands on her hips. ‘Oops, sorry.’
Bea shrugged. ‘No, you’re right. He’s gorgeous, although I thought that performance was a little staged, didn’t you?’
‘That smile wasn’t.’
‘Ladies,’ Tom said, reminding Bea that he was still there. ‘Can I get you both a drink?’
Bea pulled a face at Shani and turned to him. ‘Yes, please.’
Bea watched as Luke and Leilani moved away, horrified when he looked back over his shoulder and caught her. She stared at him transfixed, mortified when Leilani noticed him looking. She immediately pulled him closer to her, winking at Bea. ‘Come on, big boy, let’s have some fun,’ she said, kissing his neck. Luke took her hand away from his buttock and led her to the bar, where he said something to her for a few seconds before turning to the barman.
‘Well,’ Mel said later, when the girls visited the ladies’ room. ‘It didn’t take him long to get over you, did it? Typical man.’
Bea could have killed Shani. She must have told Mel what had happened between them and now her sister would never let her forget it. She regretted being so open, and stupid.
‘Two entirely different things,’ Bea assured her through the locked door, grateful for the time to gather her thoughts. ‘It was a friendly meal, nothing more.’
‘He kissed you.’
‘So?’ Bea felt instantly bad for suspecting Shani of gossiping behind her back.
‘Er, you had sex?’ Mel said, rather more loudly than Bea would have liked.
‘Thanks, Shani,’ Bea called to the next cubicle. So she had told Mel about their conversation.
‘Sorree.’
‘So what? Now he has a proper girlfriend.’ Despite her bravado, Bea felt thoroughly fed up, and she struggled to zip up her tight trousers before exiting the cubicle.
‘Melanie,’ interrupted Shani pointedly. ‘None of us are in a position to criticise Bea’s choices. You’ve had your problems with Grant, and look at me with Harry.’
‘Harry who?’ Mel said sarcastically. ‘I don’t think any of us have been allowed to meet him yet, but I suppose you’re right,’ Mel said, reapplying her crimson red lipstick. ‘Though Bea, he can’t have been that hurt by you being so weird towards him. After all, he took no time to replace you. And you must admit, he looked happy with Leilani. At least you don’t have to feel guilty about anything.’
‘I wasn’t,’ Bea said, brushing her hair and wishing it was straight and shiny like Mel’s, rather than curly and a little wild.
‘I just don’t understand, that’s all,’ Mel added, her expression one of concern. ‘You don’t jump into bed with guys, so you must really fancy him.’
Bea shrugged, trying to make light of her reactions to Luke. ‘What’s your point, Mel?’ Bea asked, bored with her sister’s interest in her non-existent love life.
Mel narrowed her eyes. ‘I don’t understand why you’d sleep with him, even if he’s a little rugged and messy-looking, and then give him the brush-off?’
Bea groaned. She was too embarrassed to tell Mel about discovering that Luke had a girlfriend after they’d slept together, and couldn’t divulge the information Tom had given her about the suspected money laundering, but her sister was a legal assistant and knew how these things worked. She considered her words carefully. She wanted to prove to herself that her instincts weren’t completely rubbish. Maybe if she could find out more about Luke’s alleged money laundering activities then at least she might feel a little less foolish for not seeing through him.
‘Tom told me something about him and as much as I may like him, I stand to lose my professional integrity, not to mention my freedom, if I allow some sort of closeness to develop between us. Sleeping with him was just a one-off. A moment of weakness I mustn’t allow happen again.’ She watched Mel trying to make sense of what she’d just told her. ‘At least for the time being.’
Her sister wasn’t stupid and would be able to put together various scenarios that could link Tom’s, Luke’s and her own business connections. At least she hoped she could. She waited for a moment.
‘Ahh.’ Mel raised her eyebrows as it dawned on her. ‘I think I understand your predicament, and if it’s what I think it is then it’s definitely better that you keep your distance from someone who could be involved in… washing.’
Bea nodded miserably. ‘I know.’ She put her hairbrush back in her bag and clipped it closed. Life stank sometimes.
Shani shook her head, frowning. ‘I have no idea what the hell you’re both prattling on about, but if that’s the case then am I to take it that Tom did a good thing by tipping Bea off about Luke?’
Bea caught Mel’s eye and pulled a face at Shani’s unintentional use of one of the two words they’d made a point to exclude from their conversation. ‘You could say that,’ she said, as they left the loo and returned to the others.
She was soothed by the sight of Paul grimacing as he relayed an amusing anecdote to Tom, who was laughing loudly. Guy watched Paul, his black eyes glistening with adoration. Noticing Bea walk up to him, Tom smiled at her. ‘You all right?’
‘Fine, thanks. Shani had some gossip for us. You know how it is.’ She was determined to relax and enjoy her evening out. At least she didn’t have to worry about Tom causing her emotions to go into meltdown. She studied his sea green eyes as he bent his head towards Paul to catch the punchline of a joke and noticed Luke out of the corner of her eye as he leant against the bar, his back to Leilani. He didn’t seem bothered that his girlfriend was flirting with the barman right in front of him. When Bea looked back at Luke she saw him staring directly at her with an intensity that confused her. She saw Mel had noticed too, so glanced quickly at Tom who was listening to Paul and Shani, debating which bands played the best music.
Mel gently took Bea’s hand, and in a rare moment of sisterly affection gave it a light squeeze. ‘We’ll talk tomorrow. I’ll have a think, see if I can maybe find out more about the case against him. Try and switch off until then.’
Bea sighed. Somehow this was more painful and heart-breaking than finding out Simon had been unfaithful to her. It seemed ridiculous, but true. She’d been drawn to Luke and it concerned her that her instincts could be so wrong. What an emotional mess, and this time she had no one else to blame.
11
NEVER ENOUGH THYME
Luke watched Bea leave the nightclub with Tom. He couldn’t miss her reaction to Leilani, and knew she’d assumed they were sleeping together. There was more to her emotional distance towards him than his relationship with Leilani, surely? Bea was an independent woman, a professional who didn’t need validation through whatever man she was seeing, but he should have insisted she listen to him about Leilani. Then again, if she’d told him the same story, would he have been willing to believe nothing was going on? He doubted it. He wasn’t going to let her believe that he was moping around after her, especially now she was spending time with Tom Brakespear again. What the hell was going on between them?
‘Honey, are you sure you don’t want to invite me onto your boat for a nightcap?’ Leilani raised an eyebrow. ‘It’s closer than my hotel.’
He shook his head. ‘No, I think you should go back to your room.’
‘You never used to be so reluctant to sleep with me.’
Luke laughed. ‘We used to be in a relationship.’
‘It’s that Beatrix girl, isn’t it? Something’s happened between you.’
Luke shook his head. ‘It’s Beatrice, and it’s not your business what, if anything, has gone on between us.’
‘Lukey,’ she teased, pouting. ‘Come on, you know you want to.’
‘Stop it.’ He tried to sound stern, but it didn’t work; she knew him too well. ‘We both know you’re only here for a few months, and whatever happened between us finished long ago.’
‘You were my first love.’ She smiled, tilting her head to one side and flicking her long hair behind her shoulder. ‘We could still make it work.’
Luke couldn’t help thinking back to when everything seemed so much clearer. He’d thought himself in love with Leilani, and probably had been; after all, she was good fun as well as very beautiful. But he had more pressing matters to consider now. His business was in a mess, and despite his better judgement he knew he had strong feelings for Bea.
‘What?’ Leilani asked, resting a hand on his thigh. ‘You’re not thinking of changing your mind, are you?’
‘No, I’m not.’ He laughed, removing her hand. ‘Right, you can sleep in one of the cabins tonight if you like.’
Leilani groaned. ‘I’ve never had anyone play as hard to get as you, and I don’t like it.’
‘Too bad. Now, where will you be sleeping? I’m shattered and must get up early, so I need to get you settled.’
‘I’ll sleep in the other cabin, then. If you’re sure you can’t be persuaded. It’s just a shame you won’t be in there with me.’
‘You’ll be fine, stop sulking.’ Amused at her persistence, he thought of his younger self. He would never have turned down such an appealing offer.
With enormous relief, Bea arrived home. She couldn’t wait to shower and somehow wash away the memory of seeing Luke with Leilani at the club. She began removing her makeup and did her best to push away thoughts creeping into her aching brain. However, as much as she tried, she couldn’t help thinking about her being in this room with him that night.
She had little choice but to admit that while she may have strong feelings for Luke, he was having the time of his life with someone else. Worse still, someone like Leilani.
Bea sat down heavily on the edge of her bed. Her life had been mapped out since she was a teenager. She’d always planned on living in her own home with a supportive husband and two children. She tried not to get upset as the memory of her miscarriage seeped into her mind. Her child would have been starting nursery school about now. She pictured her aunt sewing name labels into endless pieces of Bea’s own uniform, and had always imagined doing the same for her own little boy or girl. It hurt to know she’d missed out on something so life-enhancing. Children might not have come along, but she had thought Simon to be the one when they married. They had this house, even if he resented her aunt being here with them. It hadn’t occurred to her that her life would ever change so drastically.
‘No wonder I’m making such a mess of it all,’ she groaned. ‘I never saw this coming.’
The following morning, bored by her self-pity, Bea went through to the small room her aunt had used as a study and sat down in front of the untidy desk. She rested her palm on the scarred wooden surface and sighed. If only she could solve the puzzle of the Jersey Kiss. It must be something important if her aunt had included it in her will. Maybe there’d be reference to it in her aunt’s papers? She pulled open the middle drawer and lifted out the mass of papers, sifting through one invoice after another. Nothing referencing a mysterious item in there, she thought, frustrated by her unsuccessful search.
