Page 31 of It's All Sun and Games

‘Well, you’ve met Rick and James. I’d be wary of Liz, because you could end up being collateral damage if you’re too close to me, but the others are mostly easy to get along with. I think we’re just going to have to go with the flow,’ I reply with a laugh, feeling the weight of this beyond surreal situation lifting from my shoulders, even if it is only for a few minutes. ‘I still can’t believe this is happening – any of it. That we’re here, that you’re you, that we’re pretending to be engaged just to impress my boss.’

‘It’s definitely not how I imagined the two of us meeting for the first time,’ Andrea muses. ‘But it would have been a lot harder to navigate when we were teenagers, if we had stayed in each other’s houses, right? With the misunderstanding…’

‘I suppose there is that,’ I agree, nodding along. ‘Although, thinking about it, having you by my side probably would have made me a lot more popular at school too – especially with the girls.’

Andrea’s grin widens in a way that cannot be described by any word other than ‘delicious’.

‘Perhaps I could rent myself out,’ he jokes playfully. ‘For work, for parties, for any events.’

‘Oh, you would make a fortune,’ I reply. ‘Just don’t start charging until after tonight, please, because I’m not sure I could afford you.’

Andrea stops in his tracks, taking me by both of my hands, pulling me close.

‘Robin…’

‘Robin?’ a familiar voice calls out, interrupting him before he can say whatever it is he was going to say.

Oh, of course it’s Liz.

Andrea lets go of one of my hands but keeps hold of the other.

‘Hello, Liz,’ I greet her with as much brightness as I can muster.

‘Robin, oh my God, is this your fiancé?’ Liz asks, her disbelief palpable, her eyes darting between Andrea and me as if she might find the answer to her real question somewhere in between us. I’ll bet she’s wondering how someone like me has managed to bag someone like Andrea.

‘Ciao,’ Andrea greets her, his smile warm but guarded. ‘You must be the Liz that I’ve heard so many stories about.’

‘All good, I hope,’ Liz replies, her smile widening as she focuses all of her attention on Andrea. There’s a glint in her eye that I can’t quite decipher, but I can’t shake the feeling that she’s up to something. I mean, come on, it’s Liz. She’s always up to something.

Andrea doesn’t say a word. He smiles, but in a way that is polite and yet noncommittal. It’s somehow reassuring but done so in a way that doesn’t satisfy her curiosity, and I am here for it.

‘Rick said you were coming to dinner,’ Liz continues, her gaze flickering between us once again – oh, boy, she really can’t get her head around it and it is so satisfying. ‘I look forward to finding out more about you.’

As she gives Andrea’s shoulder a squeeze, I could swear I notice her wink at him, but I can’t be sure. She’s such a villain that it’s so easy to see the worst in her sometimes. Regardless, I can’t help but roll my eyes internally at her super thinly veiled attempt to charm him. As if she thinks she can swoop in and steal my ‘fiancé’ – even if he is a fake one, she can’t possibly think she can succeed, can she? I mean, I guess she could, because Andrea is a free agent who can do whatever he wants, and Liz does often get her way. But she can’t pull it off over a single dinner, can she? And you would think that not even Liz would have the audacity to steal someone’s actual fiancé, if she even had the skill. Surely even Liz can’t be that delusional.

The resort’s beachfront restaurant is somehow both laid-back and elegant. As we approach, the soft glow of string lights illuminates the outdoor dining area, framing the space like stars in the night sky. The gentle murmur of waves crashing against the shore is still just about audible over the ambient music, and it creates the perfect mood for a summer holiday dinner.

The host shows us to our table, where some members of our party are already waiting.

At a large round table adorned with a bright white tablecloth, Rick, Julie, Cait, and Henry are already seated. There’s no sign of James yet, though.

As soon as Rick catches sight of Andrea, his face lights up with a level of enthusiasm usually reserved for a dead relative.

As he jumps to his feet, he almost knocks over one of the lit candles on the table. Luckily he manages to steady it, before the whole table goes up in flames – surely starting a fire is way more my style, right?

‘Andrea, the hero of the day!’ Rick exclaims as he falls over himself to greet him. ‘Come here, sit next to me. I saved you and Robin seats right by my side.’

Liz’s expression darkens slightly, and I know it makes me sound like a bitch but I feel a wave of satisfaction crash over me at the sight. It’s a small victory, but in this moment, it feels like everything is falling into place.

‘I’ll sit opposite you,’ Liz informs Rick, trying to act like it’s all good, but he’s far too preoccupied with Andrea to pay her much attention. ‘So that we can chat.’

‘I’m starving now,’ Rick announces eagerly as he pats his own stomach with both hands. ‘Let’s order, asap.’

‘James isn’t here,’ Liz points out, mildly irritated that she isn’t the centre of attention, and neither is James – it’s usually one of them.

‘So, Andrea…’ Rick begins, totally oblivious to Liz’s whiny voice.

Oh my God, he can’t even hear her. This is brilliant.

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