Page 49 of An Island in the Sun

‘Thank you.’ Her cheeks flushed with so many people watching. ‘I hope you don’t mind, but I brought along a friend. Ollie, this is Raff. Raff, Ollie.’

‘Hey, good to meet you.’ Ollie clasped Raff’s hand before frowning a little. ‘How do you two know each other?’

‘Long story,’ she laughed.

‘Just as well we have all night then.’ He draped an arm across her shoulder and, beckoning to Raff, led them further into the plush and glittery VIP area.

Ollie sat down, patting the leather seat next to him so Tabitha was on one side, Raff on his other. More people joined them and glasses ofponchawere handed out.

‘So,’ Ollie said, ‘tell me the long story.’

‘I’ll give you the potted version.’ Tabitha sipped the punchy liquid. ‘It was a complete accident that we even met. The place I’m house sitting belongs to Raff’s parents, but Raff had intended to stay there while they were away—’

‘In my defence,’ Raff cut in, ‘I didn’t realise that Tabitha would be there—’

‘When he turned up unexpectedly in the middle of the night…’ Tabitha continued.

‘And you let him stay?’ Ollie’s look was one of disbelief mixed with a hint of mischief.

Tabitha realised that it really was mad that she’d not only let a complete stranger stay, but she’d now invited him on a night out.

The woman sitting on the other side of Raff started talking to him, while Tabitha continued the story of how she and Raff had wound up at the party together. The more she explained, the more Ollie’s expression and comments changed from confusion to full-on amusement, despite her omitting the drunken snog and them ending up in bed together.

Tabitha tried to focus on Ollie, but the woman deep in conversation with Raff was ridiculously attractive, with long blonde hair and slender tanned legs emerging from a little black dress. She kept touching Raff’s arm.

‘You like him, huh?’

Tabitha’s eyes flicked back to Ollie grinning at her.

‘I, um…’

‘Don’t be coy with me,’ he said. ‘I know you, remember.’

‘I do like him, as a friend.’

‘Yeah, right.’ Ollie smirked.

Tabitha took in the familiarity of Ollie’s dimpled cheeks, baby-blue eyes and his sandy-coloured hair, still styled the same, although perhaps it had receded a little. The crinkles around his eyes when he smiled were deeper, but he was as handsome as he’d always been. No doubt she’d changed too, but they were still the same people inside, even with life taking them on very different journeys. She didn’t want to be cross with him, but he had no idea about her, her life, her feelings, what she’d been through – none of it.

‘I’m not sure you’re in any position to make assumptions about me and Raff.’ Her words were sharper than she’d intended. ‘I’m not ready to move on from my last relationship – something you know nothing about.’

‘Don’t get cross, Tabs. I’m teasing you, like I’ve always done.’

Tabitha breathed deeply, took his hand and held it in her lap. ‘I know you are,’ she said, softly this time. ‘I’ve missed that. The truth is, despite everything, I’ve missed you.’

‘I’ve missed you too.’ His smile had changed to a look of genuine concern. ‘But are you okay?’

‘Yeah, I’m getting there. A lot’s happened in the last couple of years – things that I wanted to talk to you about, like I would have done before, you know…’

‘You can talk to me now.’ He squeezed her hand tightly.

Tabitha shook her head. ‘Now’s not the time or the place.’ How would she even start to unravel the events and feelings that had consumed her over the last few months. Back when their friendship had been rock solid, she would have told him everything and done anything for him. Her expectation that he’d do the same for her had been misjudged. She’d tried hard to deal with that and the breakdown of their friendship and although this was the start of fixing it, she wasn’t prepared to fully open up to him. She released her hand from his and raised her glass ofponcha. ‘Let’s concentrate on you instead, after all it’s your birthday.’

He knocked his glass of beer against hers. ‘Cheers, Tabitha. I’m really glad you’re here.’

‘Me too.’ She enjoyed the refreshing kick of lemon as she took a sip. Although it might not be the time to delve into her heartache, it was the perfect opportunity to put an end to the upset that had interrupted their friendship. ‘I really am sorry I never reached out before, but I think it’s taken me until now to be in a good place with my career and how I feel about, well, everything.’

The blonde woman was leading Raff towards the bar. Tabitha forced her attention away from them and back to Ollie.

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