Page 41 of Paradise Pride

“Yes.” Meghan clinked her glass against Florence’s, took a sip and hesitated before she continued. “Actually, I was hoping I’d see you in London first.”

Florence’s heart warmed at Meghan’s comment. “Me too.” She paused. “Does that mean you see this going somewhere beyond your holiday?”

“I hope so.” Meghan gave her a shy smile as she steadied her cheek in the palm of her hand. “I’m hoping I will have come to terms with…well, with this by the time you move to London for the winter.”

“Six weeks isn’t long.”

“No, it’s not. And some time apart is probably good, so I can clear my head.”

Florence nodded. “What do you want to do? When you’re in London, I mean. Do you want to be in contact? Or do you need space?”

“I don’t know.” Meghan paused. “I’m sorry, I wish I could give you answers, but right now, I don’t know anything.” She sighed. “I’m comfortable here because we’re alone, and I’m fine when we go somewhere out of the city centre, but as soon as I’m anywhere crowded or close to the hotel, I’m constantly looking over my shoulder, worried I’ll see Kim.”

“That’s why I brought you here,” Florence said.

“Thank you. It’s ridiculous, but…”

“Hey, it’s okay.”

Meghan nodded. “Have you ever dated someone who wasn’t out?”

“Yes, once.” Florence’s mind drifted to the woman she hadn’t thought about for a while. She’d banned her from her memory because she felt guilty for breaking up with her for exactly that reason: she wasn’t out. After a few months, she was tired of only meeting in the woman’s home and late at night in obscure bars. They could never do something fun and in the open together, and when Florence started doubting her girlfriend would ever come out, she’d taken the decision to move on.

“But I don’t want to talk about past relationships,” she said, painting on a smile. “Let’s just focus on us, right here and right now.”

41

Meghan

“This is a nice beach. Do you come here often?” Meghan sat down on the blanket they’d brought and opened the bottle of red wine from Florence’s backpack. It was quiet, apart from a few couples dotted around, but they were far away, doing their own, romantic thing. The sand was soft and dry, like flour under her bare feet. With the dunes behind them and the dark water ahead, it felt as if they were far from civilisation, even though it was only a twenty-minute bus ride away from the city.

“I haven’t been here in a while,” Florence said. “But it’s nice, isn’t it? Because it’s so hidden, only locals come here—well, and the occasional tourist who happens to stumble upon it when they’ve chartered a boat.” She took off her sneakers and poured the wine. “I like London, but the best thing about living on the Spanish coast is that there’s always a new beach to discover.”

“I see why you like it.” Meghan took the glass from her. “Where do you live when you’re in London?”

“Wherever I can get a room closest to a central Tube line.” Florence shrugged. “They’re not always the most inspiring places to live, but I never spend much time at home anyway, so it doesn’t really matter.” She smiled at Meghan. “I bet your apartment is nice. You must have your shit together, casino boss.”

Meghan chuckled. “It’s okay, but I could probably find something nicer if I took the time to look around. And, no, I don’t live in a penthouse with glass tables, an art-deco cocktail bar and a safe room, in case you’re wondering. It’s just a one-bedroom apartment in Olympia, nothing special.”

“Iwaswondering about that, actually.” Florence shot her a wink. “Would you have a problem dating someone who was still finding their way in life? Someone who didn’t have the stability you have?”

“You mean someone like you?” Meghan tilted her head as she regarded Florence. The word ‘dating’ was loaded, and it confused her, as she found it hard to picture herself officially dating a woman out in the open. Introducing a woman to her family, bringing her home for Christmas, building a life together and being a couple seemed so far from her bed. “In my opinion, you’ve got it all figured out,” she said, shaking off her thoughts. “Summers here, winters in the UK, doing something you enjoy… What’s wrong with that?”

“True. I enjoy what I do,” Florence said. “But sometimes I think it would be nice to have a real home. My life is always temporary, wherever I am. I don’t even know what job I’ll be doing this winter until my agency decides where to place me.”

“Monotony isn’t everything either,” Meghan said. “The same office and the same people day in, day out. Don’t me wrong, I like my job and my colleagues, but it can get a little boring from time to—” She stalled when she heard familiar laughter. “Wait, I recognise that voice.” Raising a finger to her lips, she ushered Florence to be quiet. Was she mistaken or was that Kim? It couldn’t be…

“Oh, Andres, this is so romantic,” she heard Kim say, and her stomach dropped. “Why have you not brought me here before?” Their voices were coming from the dunes behind them, and as she looked over her shoulder, she saw two dark silhouettes descending.

“Fuck,” she whispered, then turned her back to them so they wouldn’t recognise her face.

“Just relax,” Florence whispered back. “It’s dark, they won’t even see it’s you. Stay quiet and they’ll probably just walk past us.”

Deep down, Meghan knew Florence was right, but she couldn’t think through her anxiety. In a reflex, she got up and ran in the opposite direction without waiting for her. She ran and ran, until she was out of breath, then sank down in the sand, feeling horrible for leaving her behind. After a few minutes, she saw Florence approaching in the distance, carrying the blanket, the wine bottle, and their glasses as well as her backpack with their shoes.

“I’m so sorry,” she said, taking their glasses when Florence finally caught up with her. “That was a silly thing to do.”

“A little.” A hint of irritation flashed across Florence’s face, but she smiled dryly and knelt to rub Meghan’s shoulder. “Are you okay?”

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