Page 58 of It's All Sun and Games

Back at the resort, chilling by the pool, I wonder what was said in the office after Rick, Beppe, and Andrea went off alone. I want to ask Andrea, but I haven’t had a chance, not with us sharing a car with some of the others, and Rick commanding Andrea’s attention ever since we arrived back.

We’re all sitting around the pool, soaking up the sun. The pool area is so swanky, a total paradise with tall palm trees swaying gently in the breeze, casting dappled shadows over the sun loungers where we are hanging out. Right in the middle of the area is the huge, sparkling blue pool, its waters shimmering invitingly under the bright sunlight.

The sun loungers laid out around it, each with fluffy towels draped over them, are mostly taken. Andrea is over with Rick, having a ‘private’ chat, and I’m stuck in the seat right next to Liz, with nowhere to go.

James is definitely showing off, repeatedly jumping off the diving board, doing all sorts of different moves as he jumps, each one more daring than the last. He flips, twists, and dives like a pro… However, I’m pretty sure he’s only doing it to try to impress me, because he keeps looking over to see if I’m watching, so I’m doing everything in my power to make it seem like I’m not noticing what he’s doing and, even if I do happen to glance that way, I don’t care. I can tell it’s driving him crazy.

‘Come on then, Robin, what’s your big idea for Come a Casa?’ Liz asks, her tone almost reluctant, but her curiosity is clearly getting the better of her.

I smile diplomatically, not quite ready to reveal my hand just yet.

‘Oh, you know me, I’m still figuring out the details,’ I reply casually.

Liz raises an eyebrow, clearly not satisfied with my vague response. I think she can tell that I’m holding something back.

‘Come on, Robin, spill it. You know I won’t steal your idea,’ she presses, leaning in closer. I mean, it hadn’t crossed my mind, until she just said it. Still, I’m not telling her. No way.

‘I’ll let you know once it’s more polished,’ I say, deflecting again, hoping she’ll drop the subject.

‘Well, you better hurry up,’ she warns me. ‘James and I have been working on something pretty amazing, and it’s going to blow anything you come up with out of the water.’

Oh, so she and James are working together, are they?

I suppress a sigh, refusing to let her get under my skin.

‘That’s great, Liz,’ I reply, making myself more comfortable on my sun lounger. ‘I’m sure you and James make a great team.’

Liz seems even more annoyed than she did before. But strangely, her stress only seems to make me feel calmer. I know I have a strong idea – based on what Andrea has been advising me, and what I saw at Come a Casa HQ today – so, for once, I actually feel like I have a good chance of coming out on top. I might really be able to win this one.

‘Dinner, tonight,’ Rick barks at me as he heads off, his authoritative tone pissing all over the otherwise relaxed atmosphere. ‘Just you, Robin. And Andrea, of course.’

I glance over at Liz out of the corner of my eye, and her reaction is priceless. She looks like she’s about to burst, her eyes look wide and crazy, and her face is turning redder by the second. If she jumps in the pool right now, she’ll sizzle and smoke – which is funny, because if that were to happen, it would also prove she was a witch.

Before Liz can even pick up her jaw from the floor, Andrea appears beside me.

‘Okay, Robin, let’s go get ready,’ he suggests.

‘You’ve got ages before dinner, surely,’ Liz points out, her voice tinged with scepticism – and she’s sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong, which annoys me.

‘We’re going to make mad, passionate love,’ I clap back, with a playful grin and a cheeky wink.

This seems to really catch Liz off guard, and she falls silent, speechless for maybe the first time in her life.

Okay, I know that was petty, but it felt so good.

With a satisfied smile, I turn to Andrea, take him by the hand, and lead him away in the direction of my apartment.

As soon as we’re out of earshot from the rest of the group, I lean in towards Andrea, ready for him to spill the tea.

‘Okay, I’m dying to know, what was Beppe saying?’ I ask, unable to contain my eagerness. ‘And Rick, has he said anything worth knowing?’

Andrea’s expression becomes more serious – something I’m not used to seeing.

‘Listen, Robin, you have to keep this a secret, okay?’ he begins. ‘Because Rick asked me not to tell you.’

‘But I’m your fiancée,’ I blurt, feeling a twinge of hurt at being left out of the loop – and obviously Andrea would tell his fiancée everything, if this were real, right?

‘And I am telling you,’ Andrea replies with a chuckle, his eyes softening. ‘Listen, winning this pitch for Beppe, it’s about so much more than just having the best idea. Beppe wants someone here, to work in the office, to oversee it all from this side until it’s all up and running. It sounds like there is a pay increase, and there’s accommodation here, and it’s going to be you, or one of you colleagues, who Beppe chooses from. If this is something you want, you need to really show Beppe that you’re the one who deserves it.’

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