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I watch her as she walks across the Mediterranean decorated kitchen, taking a small, folded towel from one of the drawers and wetting it in the sink.
“Why are you so sure I have something going on with Dan?” I ask her, my voice low enough so that only she can hear it.
Roxanne returns to me, blotting at the blood underneath my nose with the towel as she speaks. Up close, she really is stunning… I can see why Andries was drawn to her in the first place. “Now, remember, for a long time my job was one of gauging lust between a man and a woman, so it might be easier for me to see, but it’s pretty obvious that something is up between the two of you. Andries has already mentioned how he thinks you and Dan are mad at each other, and when I asked why, he said that there is no way the two of you would have spent so much time together today without arguing, so even he is getting suspicious.”
My brows frown instantly. “Andries is suspicious that Dan and I are messing around… because wearen’tfighting?” My voice is doubtful. “Shouldn’t it be the other way around?”
She sets the wet towel on the counter and washes her hands, chuckling, “Elise, you’re young, so take my advice. Passion that is denied romantically must come out some other way. You and Dan were so fiery toward one another because there was no other way for you to express your attraction to each other. Andries might not be aware of that fact like I am, but he can tell something is different between you guys. Combine that with the longing looks coming from you both and…” She holds out her hands, her eyes meeting mine. “The conclusion is pretty easy to come to.”
A flush of embarrassment is creeping up my neck, knowing that no matter how much I try to hide how I’m feeling, people are picking up on it. “Please don’t confirm it with Andries. Even if he has his suspicions, I don’t want him to know for sure. He’ll be so angry. I’ll find a way to keep it under wraps or whatever—”
She sighs heavily, slicking her wet hair out of her face and rolling her eyes to the ceiling in exasperation. “I knew you were going to ask that. I’m not going to outright lie to him, we promised not to do that to each other ever again, but I won’t say anything if he doesn’t ask.”
“Thank you.” My shoulders sag in relief, even as my face continues to pulse with pain.
“But, Elise, I’m going to give you my honest opinion here.” Roxanne dries her hands, leveling a serious stare at me. “Fucking around with your brother’s best friend, especially knowing how Andries feels about it, is selfish.” I open my mouth to object, but she holds up her hand to stop me and continues. “I don’t care how good the sex is, either. It’s selfish. There are literally hundreds of guys out there that you can choose from, so there’s no reason that Dan has to be the one you pick. You’re putting Andries and Dan’s relationship on the line, and their friendship supersedes your little fling. So… knock it off.”
In the heat of the moment, there are a million curse words I want to throw at her, and yet, all I can say is, “Okay, Roxanne.” I drag my hands over my face in frustration, being careful not to hit my abused nose. “Whatever you say.”
She raises her eyebrows, considering me for a moment as if something has just occurred to her. “But if this is something more than just a hookup—”
“We should get back out there,” I blurt, shooting to my feet. “Before anyone starts to worry.”
My pulse quickens, I’m terrified to have this conversation with my brother’s fiancée, or at the idea that she might have figured out how I really feel about Dan. Andries finding out that he and I had hooked up is one thing, but if he knows that I actually care for Dan on more than just a physical level… their friendship will be over for sure, and I can’t stomach the idea of being the reason for that.
Back outside, I walk past Dan and Mia still sitting on the lounge chairs, her beside him with her arm around his neck while she takes a number of selfies of them. It annoys me even more, though, that he doesn’t even take the time to ask how I am, all of his attention being given to this new girl.
Feeling jilted, I walk back to the pool where the volleyball game is still going strong. I’m not going to play anymore after my accident, but I decide to perch on the side of the pool and dip my legs in, watching everyone compete while being safely out of the way. Roxanne gives me one last knowing glance before sliding back into the water as the players redistribute again to form more even teams.
They play for twenty minutes more, and the entire time Dan refuses to even look to see how I am, even after my brother swam over to make sure I was actually okay. Once the game is done, Lili herds everyone, including me, into a group photo and sends it to all of us. I’m still angry, but the fact that Dan and his newfemale friend aren’t in the first group pictures from the vacation he paid for makes me feel a little better in a petty sort of way. Oh well, if he wants to be immature about all of this, I can too.
I grab a fresh, fluffy white towel and throw it down on a lounge chair that isn’t anywhere near Dan and Mia, but I can’t help but notice that once I lay down to dry off, he stands and offers his hand to the other woman and the two of them leave and head inside the villa. I watch them, my chest feeling tight, and the urge to cry coming on again… hard. I guess this is the end of whatever romantic affair Dan and I were having, because where else would he be taking her inside but his bedroom?
Damn. I really feel something for him. Apparently, that means I’m a fool because if he can move on so easily, I must have meant nothing at all to Dan.
To distract myself, I dig my phone out of the small beach bag I had brought out with me, wanting to see the group photo Lili had taken. Annoyingly, it looks like Andries has already posted it to Instagram and tagged my account without asking me, but luckily it’s a great photo of all of us. No one would know the turmoil going on inside of me from how happy I look in the photo.
There are a few comments even though it was just posted minutes ago, so out of curiosity, I open them to see who could be so interested. I sit up straighter when I see who the commenter is, pulling down my sunglasses to make sure I’m seeing things right.
Johan Bentinck—the only other man who I’ve ever been interested in—commented under Andries’s post saying,Having fun in Capri without me?
My brother had responded,Come over here then!But there was nothing else after that. I turn the screen off and sit the phone down beside me, feeling apprehensive. While Johan coming here would be a wonderful distraction from Dan goingoff and messing around with other girls, if there is any chance I’m reading Dan’s intentions wrong, and he does still want to spend time with me, having Johan here would ruin that before it even starts.
I bite my lip, flip my glasses back up, and lay back down to finish drying in the sun. Maybe Johan joining us would be the better outcome either way. Just because Dan might take notice of me again doesn’t mean I should reciprocate. After all, he’s already treated me like shit. Why would I give in so easily? Johan might have left me high and dry when I was younger, but I was way too young to really be considering a relationship anyway. It isn’t like he left me for another woman right in front of my face like someone else who is close to me…
My parents may approve of Dan for the most part, but there's no denying that Johan is the better match for me on paper. He’s rich, attractive, part of the royal family, and a good man all around. Now that I’m an adult, it could be the best chance I’ll have to give Johan a second chance.
Considering Johan, or anyone for that matter, as my next partner makes me feel even more horrible about sleeping with Dan. When it happened, and earlier this morning, there hadn’t been any regret. I was happy with what had happened. But now that he’s going through with the whole “pretending I’m invisible” thing, I really am starting to hate myself for going so far with him right before we left. I consider texting him and asking him to come talk it out with me, but then like a slap in the face, I remember that he’s inside doing God knows what with his new friend!
What if everyone is right and there are way better men for me out there? If even Roxanne, a former escort, thinks that I’m doing myself a disservice by spending my energy on Dan, well…
I have a lot to think about. And not a lot of time to do it.
I doze off outside for a little while, glad I’d applied enough sunscreen that I didn’t fry, but my nap doesn’t last long. Andries comes outside and shakes me awake, telling me to go get dressed for dinner, which I do reluctantly.
There’s a lovely tan coming to life on my face, so I just sweep on some mascara and highlighter, dragging my hair into a low ponytail and pulling some curling pieces around my face to frame it before pulling on a pale-yellow crop top and a swingy coral handkerchief skirt. Paired with some slip-on sandals, it gives off the casual, lazily sensuous beach vibe I’m going for. The effect is dampened for me knowing that it’s probably wasted now that Dan has someone else to keep him company, but I can’t dwell on that the entire trip. There is still the entire island of Capri for me to enjoy, I can’t just let the whole experience be ruined by one asshole.
I go out to the terrace again where dinner will be served and make it to the table before Dan anyway, so I don’t get to experience him seeing my entrance, but Andries and Roxie stand to greet me, nonetheless. The server pops by and I agree to have a glass of the dry, fresh white wine that everyone else at the table is already enjoying, settling into the comfortable dining chair with a sigh. Looking around, I notice how I’m facing the ocean. The sea breeze blows over us like a welcomed friend, the sun kissing the horizon in shades of pink and orange.
