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Chapter Seven
As it turned out, you couldn’t just skip to one of the reserved lounge beds and not order a drink. An attendant cleared up that misunderstanding.
‘I heard the rum punch is nice,’ Roman said.
Samantha nodded her approval. They ordered two. When the attendant returned with their umbrella-topped drinks, they clinked glasses.
‘Do you like weddings?’ he asked.
‘I do, and I don’t. It’s complicated. And you?’
‘Me? It’s simple. I don’t.’
‘Not at all?’
‘I’ve got nothing against marriage. Just can’t take all the fuss around weddings.’
‘With that attitude, you won’t make it through the week.’
‘Here’s what I’m thinking,’ Roman said. ‘We should forge an alliance, stick together, watch each other’s back.’
‘Share intelligence?’ she suggested.
‘Exactly.’
‘That might be smart,’ she said. ‘If we’re not careful they’ll set us up with any random person.’
‘Oh, we’ll be careful,’ he said.
She liked the smoky quality of his voice. ‘All right,’ she said. ‘We can give it a try.’
‘Good. Now tell me what you really think about Anthony and Naomi’s getting married five seconds after jumping into bed.’
Samantha covered her mouth. She’d come close to spitting out her cocktail, which would have been a shame because it was quite nice. She went with the simplest explanation. ‘It’s love! Don’t you believe in it?’
He was silent for a bit. ‘I think it’s great they’re so sure.’
‘They better be: it’s only days away from “I do”. But I admit I was sceptical.’
‘Not anymore?’
‘It’s just … they look so happy, ridiculously happy.’
He agreed. ‘They make a good couple. I like Naomi. Her people are from Tobago, that’s a plus. And Anthony is one of the good ones.’
‘Sounds like we’re the bad people.’
He nodded. ‘Bitter, jaded people.’
‘It’s obvious they’re in love,’ she said. ‘Why can’t we trust they’re doing the right thing?’
‘Because we know that love isn’t always enough.’
Samantha paused to look at him. She tried seeing past the hardened mask of self-confidence. Had he been hurt, too?
‘My plan was to come down here and talk some sense into Naomi,’ she said.
‘Don’t you think it’s a little late for that?’
