Page 47 of Strictly Friends
Ruby opened her mouth to bat away the compliment, and then closed it again and smiled her thanks. A world-famous artist was painting her portrait, after all, so who was she to argue?
The evening sun moved slowly towards the horizon, the red streaks in the sky casting a pink sheen across the ocean as Zeke pulled up to the Marina Beach Bar and Restaurant. The exterior of the two-storey structure set back from the beach was lit with strings of fairy lights and, judging by the loud music spilling out of the open front door, the bar was as lively as Diego had promised.
Entering the building, Ruby felt as if she’d been hit by a wall of sound. A live band, with Diego on keyboards, was up on the stage blaring out fast-paced Latin music with a beat so infectious that her feet itched to move. Other than a well-stocked bar across the room and next to a staircase, which presumably led up to the restaurant, the rest of the space downstairs was a huge dance floor packed with people.
Griffin tapped her shoulder, but unable to make out what he was saying over the din, Ruby shook her head with a helpless shrug. Taking her hand, he led her through the crowd to the bar, where he could make himself heard.
‘What do you want to drink?’ he repeated.
‘A rum cocktail would be lovely.’ She beamed, hopping up on to a bar stool to watch the skilful, rhythmic moves of the couples on the dance floor while Griffin caught the barman’s eye and ordered their drinks. Her feet were tapping in time to the music, and she couldn’t wait to join them.
‘Here you go!’ Griffin planted a tall glass filled with a dark liquid and shaved ice in front of her. Taking a long sip through the straw, Ruby gasped at the strength of the cocktail. After a couple more sips, she felt her inhibitions slipping away like a heavy cloak.
‘Come on, let’s dance!’ she exclaimed, sliding off the stool and pulling Griffin into the crowd. Their salsa classes paid off as she and Griffin danced for almost an hour, stopping only to rehydrate with a steady supply of cocktails.
When the band eventually took a break, Ruby and Griffin were standing by the bar when Diego appeared. After high-fiving Griffin, he gave him a warm hug before shaking hands with Ruby.
‘You folks having a good time?’ Away from the restaurant and dressed casually in jeans and a black t-shirt, he looked younger than Ruby had first assumed, and she nodded enthusiastically.
‘Ilovethis place and the music is incredible! You guys are brilliant.’
‘Thank you.’ Diego grinned, wiping his damp brow with a handkerchief. ‘We’ll be back on stage in a few minutes.’ As if struck by a thought, he turned to Griffin. ‘Hey, you play guitar, right? You want to jam with us?’
Griffin looked startled. ‘What, really?’
‘Yeah, go on, Griff!’ Ruby squealed, grabbing his arm excitedly. ‘You’ll be amazing.’
Griffin stared at her doubtfully for a moment and then his face broke into a grin, and he shrugged. ‘Okay, then, why not?’
Clapping her hands with glee, Ruby watched Griffin follow Diego across the floor and climb the steps on to the stage. He shook hands with the other band members and chatted to them for a few minutes before strapping an impressive-looking guitar across his chest.
When the band kicked off again, this time with a Latin rock tune, Ruby sat on a bar stool, whooping loudly when Griffin joinedin. After playing a couple of numbers and delivering an impromptu solo, Griffin slipped off the guitar and handed it back to its owner before hopping off the stage to appreciative cheers and whistles from the crowd.
As he approached her, Ruby jumped off the stool and threw her arms around his neck in an exuberant hug. ‘Omigod!I knew you were good, but that was incredible!’
‘Thank you, ma’am.’ He smiled, taking her hand. ‘Come on, dance with me.’
For the next couple of hours, caught up in the music, they danced almost non-stop to a medley of rock, Latin, and reggae, letting the music and cocktails melt away any residual tension until eventually, sweaty and exhausted, they made their way outside for some fresh air.
Slipping off her heels, Ruby hooked her arm into Griffin’s as they strolled along the deserted beach behind the bar. She shook back her long braids, feeling the warm night breeze against her heated skin and relishing the sensation of cool sand under the soles of her tired feet.
Exhausted from dancing, and buzzing from the strong cocktails, she dropped her shoes on to the sand and collapsed on to a smooth outcrop of rock, pulling Griffin down beside her.
The strains from the music playing in the bar drifted across as they sat silently watching the receding tide wash on to the sand. The gentle breeze whispered through the fronds of the coconut trees, and the only illumination other than the twinkling fairy lights outlining the Marina Bar came from the stars in the sky and the moonlight reflected on the water.
Ruby leaned her head against Griffin’s shoulder with a sigh of contentment. ‘Isn’t this the most perfectly romantic setting ever?’ she murmured.
‘It’s beautiful. Thanks for coming with me and making this such a great night.’
She raised her head to look at him with a smile. ‘Thankyou. I’ve had a fantastic evening, and I can’t remember the last time we danced so much.’
She should have stopped there, but before she could help herself, Ruby added, ‘Just imagine, you could have brought someone out here with you if you didn’t keep finding silly reasons to dump your girlfriends.’
‘There’s nothing silly about knowing when a relationship isn’t going to work out,’ Griffin drawled.
‘Hmm... so what about excuses like Melinda’s voice being too shrill, or Kaitlyn playing with her hair too much, or... what was her name? Oh, yes,Angiewanting you to meet her mum after only two dates.’
When Griffin chuckled, Ruby added dryly, ‘And let’s not forget Shirlee.’
