Page 31 of The Island in Bramble Bay
MAGGIE STIRRED AND lay with her eyes shut for a while, deciding whether to try and go back to sleep or whether to get up. She could feel Charlie next to her and could hear his even breathing; he was still fast asleep. But she was wide awake and excited to explore San Francisco.
When they’d arrived the evening before, she had been exhausted, despite having slept for a few hours on the plane. She hadn’t paid much attention to anything on the journey to the hotel but what had looked like a run-of-the-mill brick building turned out to be the most spectacular hotel she’d ever set foot in. Charlie had explained that it was a members’ club as well as a hotel and that he was still a member even though he’d not even been in the country for a couple of years. It was just another thing that made Maggie wonder just how much money Charlie must have. She checked every single penny that went out of her bank account every month. For Charlie to have kept up his membership for three years, knowing that he wouldn’t use it, seemed incredible.
She turned and switched her bedside light on and despite being wide awake, was appalled to find that it was only 6 am. It seemed unnatural to be awake this early in the morning. Creeping out of the bedroom into the lounge of their suite, she opened the curtains to find a spectacular view of the city. The sun was low in the sky and glinting off the windows of the many buildings that surrounded the hotel and she could just about see the water of the bay beyond.
Torn between not wanting to wake Charlie as she knew he hadn’t slept on the flight and yet wanting to share her excitement, she eventually went back and sat on the bed next to him and began giving him gentle kisses. It didn’t take long for him to wake up.
He smiled sleepily and wrapped one arm around her waist, pulling her towards him.
‘Morning,’ he said as he opened his eyes, kissing her. ‘I guess the jetlag has kicked in for you to be up before me.’
She grinned. ‘Yep and I’m starving.’
‘Okay, well we could get breakfast in bed or we could go out.’
‘I do want to go out but it’s only 6 am. Do you think there will be anywhere we can eat this early?’
Charlie laughed. ‘Maggie, we’re in San Francisco. You can eat anytime you want.’
They were ready in ten minutes and set out from the hotel hand in hand. Maggie’s heart was bursting with love for Charlie. Despite him having been reluctant to return to America, he seemed confident and happy to be there. He looked the part too, in his smart jeans, boots and jacket. His hair was swept back and tidy and he’d trimmed his beard into cool stubble. It was a smart, well-groomed Charlie that she hadn’t realised existed before.
A stroll down to the water led them to a wonderful place where they ate breakfast overlooking the bay and the Golden Gate bridge. Until now, any time they’d spent together had been confined to Bramble Island or Charlie’s island and it felt wonderful to be exploring somewhere different.
They spent the day walking for miles, interspersed with frequent stops for coffee and food. Charlie couldn’t get enough of the coffee because as good as his machine at home was, he insisted that it simply wasn’t as good as fresh coffee drunk in a stylish coffee house in his home city.
Charlie insisted on doing all the very touristy things for Maggie. They went on a tram to Fisherman’s Wharf, visited Union Square and then walked along the edge of the bay along the Embarcadero. Maggie loved the vibe of the city. It was more laid back than London, felt more spacious and less hurried and she couldn’t imagine how Charlie had ever wanted to leave.
It turned out that Charlie hadn’t lived in the city itself for very long. He went to university at Berkeley, moved to the city and shared a flat with some friends. Then once High 5 started, he and Jared moved to Palo Alto in Silicon Valley. But the city wasn’t far, and from what Maggie gathered, a lot of the socialising that they’d done in the year or so before Charlie had left, had been in San Francisco itself. That was how he came to be a member at The Battery so that he could stay there when he was in the city.
Charlie’s phone pinged with a notification while they were sitting in the Pier 23 café having a beer and sharing some fries.
‘It’s an email from Jared,’ he said, paling slightly. ‘He wants to meet up tomorrow night before the signing on Friday.’
‘Maybe it’s a good idea to see him beforehand, to clear the air?’
‘Mmm.’
Maggie was surprised at how thrown and uncertain Charlie was. It was a big deal having to face Jared, she knew that, but she had expected Charlie to take it in his stride and perhaps hadn’t realised how worried he was about the initial encounter.
‘I can come if you want me to, even if it’s just to help break the ice at the start. But if you want to go alone, that’s okay too.’
‘I suppose I’d thought we might be able to avoid being alone and having to talk. You know, we could have just signed the papers in an office with a load of lawyers and not had to speak to each other.’ He rubbed his face with his hands. ‘I guess I have to do it.’
Maggie reached for his hand across the table. ‘I think you might be surprised. It could help to clear the air.
She watched as Charlie tapped out a brief reply arranging to meet Jared at a bar near their hotel the following evening. She had to admit, she was quite curious to meet Jared and to hear what had happened after Charlie had left. She wondered if he wanted to try and renew his friendship with Charlie. He probably felt like it was a long time ago whereas for Charlie, well, he’d only just begun to get over it all. And a lot probably depended on what had happened to Jessica.
28
HALF AN HOUR before they were due to meet Jared, Charlie suggested going to the hotel bar. He needed some Dutch courage. Maggie wasn’t quite ready which he didn’t mind at all, he was quite happy with his own company for one drink.
The hotel bar was very comfortable with well-worn leather armchairs and a discreet, cosy atmosphere. Charlie sat on a stool at the bar and ordered a double Jack Daniels. The temptation to drink it in one gulp was overwhelming but Charlie forced himself to sip it until Maggie joined him, at least. There was a fine line between steadying one’s nerves and rocking up wasted.
‘Charlie?’
He swung round on the stool and was faced with Jared, right there in their hotel. He stood up, wondering whether he ought to offer his hand and deciding against it, which clearly Jared had too.
‘Jared, I thought we were meeting down the street?’
