She laughed and then positioned herself on top of me.
"So, you're one of those people who laze around during vacations?" she teased.
"Lazing around is a vacation for me," I admitted. "I don't think I've done that in the past ten years without it being a business trip or something else."
She nodded in understanding.
"I think we might be here for a while longer, so we can take the balloon ride and do other activities, but today I just want to stay here and do nothing. Hopefully, with you."
Her laughter finally escaped, and I was a bit startled.
"What is it?" I asked.
"And here I was, trying to make this the best holiday you've ever had," she said playfully.
"Unexpectedly, that was your plan, even when you weren't feeling well," I replied.
"Trust me, I wanted to do nothing but lie down as well, but my family always did that when we went on vacations, so I wanted us to actually put in the effort to explore here. Honestly, I regretted not doing it the last time I was here, so I promised myself that I'd change that if I ever came back again."
"Well, you've been doing just that so far, but let's have a day lazing on the beach and eating greasy food."
"I have no objections to that," she agreed, turning around to rest comfortably by my side.
47
Lena
I was startled awake by the ringing phone. The calls had been reduced to a minimum during the first few days that we were here, so as I opened my eyes, I couldn't help but notice the difference. We both went straight to sleep after making plans for the beach, but since it was about midday now, I consoled myself that we could head over there in the evening.
"Hello?" I answered, hearing Kane's smooth and calming voice on the other end. He had gone into the other room to speak on his phone after it had rung earlier.
I closed my eyes again as he continued speaking, and then everything went silent.
It remained that way for a while until I felt his warm, comforting frame come over to me.
I accepted this warm embrace, leaning even further into it until he finally said what the phone call was about.
"That was Matthias,” he said. "The company's general counsel." I recognized the name as the lawyer who was close to Kane, so I wondered if the call had a social purpose.
"He just called to say hello?" I asked Kane, and he shook his head.
"Not exactly. He more or less called to let me know that your brother has been trying to reach us."
My eyes instantly snapped open.
"What does he want?"
"It's your brother, he wants us to buy his percentage of the equity," Kane replied, and I turned around to face him.
"My brother? What's happening?"
"It's the same offer he proposed earlier.”
“Hasn't he already transferred it to your sister?"
"Yes, he has, but according to Matthias, the deal isn't officially ratified yet. When he saw that we were immediately kicked out, I think in a way, he got cold feet," Kane explained.
At his words, a sigh escaped me. I didn't know what to think.