Page 56 of Never Gonna Happen

Emily nodded, having learned a few basic phrases of Creole from her guidebook on the plane. Despite the overnight flight and the huge business class seat she’d only managed a few hours’ sleep, but that was the last thing she cared about right now.

‘Is there any work you need me to do this afternoon?’ she asked, reminding herself that it was currently 3 p.m. on a Friday, so 11 a.m. in the UK.

‘Good lord, no,’ said Mr Hunter, glancing at his watch. ‘It’s technically the weekend, and the best part of the day to be on the beach. You two go and enjoy yourselves, I’m going to have a dip in the pool and a nap. We’ll go to Sam’s Café for dinner just after five, catch the sunset.’

Emily smiled her thanks, trying to contain her excitement and remain totally cool about this whole situation. She followed Jamie to their rooms, which had a shared terrace with a stunning sea view. She’d booked them a double room at the hotel they were staying at from tomorrow, but insisted it was more professional if they stayed in separate rooms in his father’s house. Jamie said he thought she was charmingly old-fashioned, but hadn’t minded.

The two rooms were identical, with white-painted shutters framing the windows and a ceiling fan that spun lazily over the wooden bed. She opened the doors and stepped out to join Jamie, who consented to posing for a selfie with the beach and the turquoise water in the background.

‘Kelly is going to be spitting,’ said Emily, sending it to her friend, then adding it to the family WhatsApp group with the message Arrived safely, wish you were here! ‘What shall we do now?’

‘Let’s go to the beach,’ said Jamie. ‘It’s late enough that you won’t burn.’

‘Fine by me,’ she said excitedly, itching to have time alone with Jamie after days of being in work mode. ‘I’ll just get changed.’

Jamie disappeared next door while Emily emptied the contents of her suitcase into neat piles on the bed. She’d limited herself to hand luggage since they were only here for one week and summer clothes didn’t take up much room. She grabbed her new rainbow-striped bikini and quickly put it on, wishing her skin was less pale; Kelly would have got a spray tan for the occasion, but Emily hadn’t had time. She wrapped herself in a pink sarong and slid her feet into flip-flops, then piled her hair on top of her head in a messy bun and grabbed a pair of sunglasses. It was hardly catwalk beach glamour, but it would have to do.

‘This is my kind of sea swimming,’ said Jamie, floating on his back in the warm, crystal water. ‘Christmas Day was great and everything, but this is more my style.’

‘I’ve never seen anything like it,’ said Emily, watching silvery fish dart around her feet. ‘I’m trying to be super-chilled about it all, but oh my fucking GOD. I can’t believe I’m here.’

Jamie grinned at her, clearly delighted. ‘We’ve got a whole week of this.’

‘It’s like something out of a film. Girls like me don’t come to places like this.’

Jamie gave her a stern look. ‘Don’t say that. Mauritius isn’t at all exclusive; all kinds of people come here.’

‘Does this beach belong to your dad?’ she asked, looking back at the house in the middle of the pretty cove. There was nobody around.

‘No,’ said Jamie. ‘All the beaches are open to the public here. There’s no such thing as a private beach.’

‘Oh, wow,’ said Emily in surprise. ‘That’s really cool.’

‘It’s one of my favourite things about this place. All the locals go to the beach at weekends, it’s like a big family party. We’ll go on Sunday.’

Emily grinned happily and slid her arms around him, pulling him towards her for a kiss. They were waist deep in the warm water with the late-afternoon sun on her back, and she couldn’t imagine anywhere she’d rather be. Jamie’s hands disappeared below the waterline and stroked the curve of her hips, and she flinched and pulled away.

‘What’s wrong?’ he asked, lifting his sunglasses on to his head.

Emily immediately felt stupid, but decided she might as well be honest.

‘I feel a bit self-conscious, sorry,’ she muttered. ‘There’s more of my body out in public than I’m used to.’

‘You’re kidding, right?’ said Jamie, pulling her back towards him. ‘You have a fabulous body.’

‘Hardly,’ she said. ‘I’ve got no boobs and a big bum.’

‘You have perfect boobs and a magnificent bum,’ laughed Jamie. He paused, his eyes widening. ‘Holy shit, you’re not kidding, are you?’

Emily shook her head. ‘Not really. I’ve always felt out of proportion, I guess.’

‘Wow, this is mad,’ said Jamie, running his hand through his hair. ‘Women spend a fortune for a shape like yours. That bikini fits you perfectly; you look strong and fit and gorgeous.’

Emily looked at him, with his flat stomach and broad shoulders and strong thighs, effortlessly handsome, and wished she could be so at ease with her body. Too many years of being teased and mocked for having too much of one thing and not nearly enough of the other.

Jamie sighed. ‘What was it you said to me that day we went riding? After the Christmas party?’

‘I don’t know,’ she said, wincing at the memory of how uptight she must have sounded. ‘I said a lot of things. Something about conflict of interest?’