Page 41 of Strictly Friends
‘I’m surprised you’re still so chilled about Kenny. I thought you’d have torn his head off by now.’ Griffin looked at her quizzically, and Ruby grimaced.
‘Believe me, the anger is still there, but after all these years it’s like there’s a layer of ice sitting on top of it. Kenny and I need to have a proper talk and I suppose I’ve been dragging it out because I’m scared of digging into all those feelings again.’
Griffin seemed to hesitate. ‘I’m the last person to judge, but at some point, if you don’t let the truth out, the silence will crippleyou. Mum kept secrets for years and it caused a mess. If she’d been honest with me about her background, her life could have been so different. Even if she didn’t want the money, she would have been able to look me in the eye instead of feeling guilty for so long. Guilt can rob you of living, and just spending time with the kids at Ocean House is making me appreciate that you can’t hold on to the past.’
They had stopped to cross a busy road and, struck by a strange note in his voice, Ruby looked at him curiously. ‘Do you feel closer to making peace with what she did, and her reasons?’
Griffin scanned the traffic and took her hand as they hurried across the busy intersection, letting go once they were on the other side.
‘I don’t know, Rubes. It’s complicated. The more I deal with the lawyers and advisers to the trust, the more I understand why she ran away from that life. They’ve been trying for years to get me to put money into stuff I don’t believe in or that I know Mum wouldn’t have given a crap about, and I’ve had to educate myself about everything from property law to investment strategy just so I can push back against some of the schemes they come up with. I know it’s been years, but I’m still struggling to decidehow much money to keep and how much I should give away. What’s the best way to even decide who should get some of the money, and how do I keep it from messing with my life and relationships and still look after the people I care about? I didn’t earn a penny of this money and yet it rules my life. Yeah, I know I’m privileged and that most people think having loads of money is the ultimate dream, but, frankly, it’s been a nightmare.’
‘Sorry, mate, but I can’t feel sorry for you because you’re burdened with a fortune.’ Ruby smiled to soften the impact of her words. ‘I’m still working out how to pay my credit card bill when we get back from this trip.’
‘I know. I’m playing the world’s tiniest violin, right?’ Griffin gave a bark of mirthless laughter. ‘If it helps, I’m trying to focus on the future rather than the past, but I just wish I’d had the chance to talk to Mum about this and tell her that she could trust me to do the right thing.’
Ruby took his arm as they walked and squeezed it reassuringly. ‘Shedidtrust you, Griff. It was the people who would surround you who she didn’t trust – you’ve seen for yourself how being wealthy has changed the way some people act towards you. Yes, the money has caused a lot of heartache, but you’re in a position now to do something good with it and that’s what matters.’
‘The money definitely hasn’t changed the way you see me, though, has it? You still treat me like an irresponsible adult on probation,’ he said evenly.
‘Is that how I make you feel?’ Ruby stared at him, startled by the charge, but his profile gave nothing away.
Then he stopped and turned towards her, his eyes studying hers intently. ‘Maybe it’s because we’ve known each other so long, but I don’t think you’ve moved on from thinking of me as anything but a messed-up teenager.’
For a fleeting moment, she saw something in his eyes that sent a shiver down her spine, and the automatic denial died on her lips. For a few moments they gazed into each other’s eyes and then Griffin’s mouth curved into a wry smile. Linking his arm through hers, he urged her forward.
‘Come on, I’m starving!’
29
Ruby could taste the faint tang of salt in the air, and moments later the road sloped sharply downhill, bringing the harbour and the surrounding blue sea into view.
‘Oh my God, it’s so beautiful,’ she murmured, quickly unhooking her camera to snap a series of shots.
This part of the island was a far cry from both the high-rise buildings of the commercial district and the lush serenity of Paradise Inn. The harbour road was busy with traffic going back and forth from the bay, and as Ruby and Griffin made their way down the steep paved sidewalk, they passed a long line of brightly painted corrugated-metal kiosks displaying canned goods and household items for sale. The kiosks appeared to be exclusively owned by women, and when Ruby and Griffin stopped at one to buy a bottle of water, a few women from the kiosks nearby called out greetings in a mixture of English and the local dialect, one or two of them optimistically blowing loud kisses in Griffin’s direction.
Approaching a vivid pink kiosk, Ruby’s nose picked up a familiar scent. ‘Oh my God, fried plantain!’
A large, covered bowl of spicy fried plantains sat on the counter, and hearing Ruby’s excited squeal, the kiosk owner, who was bent over a large fryer, straightened and beckoned her over. She scooped a pile of the hot snacks into a newspaper cone and held it out.
‘Here you go, darlin’. You make sure to share with your ’usband.’ She gave a broad smile as she pocketed the notes Ruby handed over.
‘He’s not my husband, but thank you,’ Ruby laughed. She popped a couple of the plantains into her mouth and savoured their spicy sweetness for a moment before reluctantly offering the cone to an amused Griffin.
The harbour was a bustling hub teeming with fishermen offloading heavy nets filled with crabs, fish, and lobsters while workers lugged crates of produce between boats and vans. There was no shortage of restaurants along the harbour front and after a few minutes, Ruby had had enough.
‘I’m hot and parched and I cannot walk another step. Just pick somewhere so I can sit down and have a drink,’ she begged.
Griffin nodded towards a double-fronted restaurant with bright blue signage a few metres away. ‘Go on then, after you.’
Ruby didn’t need to be asked twice and, taking the lead, she hurried up to the front door and pushed it open. Inside, the air-conditioned eatery was blissfully cool, and a friendly-looking waiter ushered them to a table by the bay window.
After taking a quick detour to the spotless facilities to wash her hands and freshen up, Ruby sank on to her chair with a groan. ‘My feet are tanked, and my calves are killing me. God knows how many miles we’ve walked today!’
Griffin picked up the menus the waiter had left on the table and handed one to Ruby. ‘I could kill for a cold lager,’ he said, flipping over the laminated card. ‘What about you?’
‘Yeah, that sounds good,’ she agreed absently, her attention shifting to the food on offer. Although not extensive, the dishes on the menu sounded delicious, and when their waiter reappeared, Ruby quickly ordered lobster soup with dumplings while Griffin chose the spicy grilled fish kebab and roasted sweet potato wedges.
As soon as the waiter had served their drinks, he walked over to a half-hidden piano in the corner of the restaurant and began to play.
