Mediterranean Fling to Wedding Ring

by Jessica Gilmore

  ‘It was blissful.’ She stretched, the shirt rising up her thighs in a way that made concentrating on work almost impossible. ‘No breakfast shift! No carrying coffee to tables, so desperate for a gulp it takes everything I have not to stop en route and finish the pot. No having to be perky and friendly first thing. Don’t get me wrong, I love being there so much more than I could ever have imagined, but I was getting to the stage where I would have considered selling my soul for a lie-in.’

  ‘No soul required and...’ he jerked his head towards the kitchen counter ‘...there’s a fresh pot of coffee over there.’

  ‘You are a wonderful man, do you know that?’ Lily padded over to the place he’d indicated to pour a cup, then returned to the kitchen table, pulling out a chair to sit opposite him. ‘Mmm, this smells delectable.’

  This was the first time they had spent a morning together like this. On the occasions Lily stayed over she usually got up bright and early and either Damir took her back to Lokvar or she caught the ferry home. Coffee was quickly gulped, breakfast snatched. This morning was unusually domestic.

  And to his surprise he liked it that way.

  ‘So what are your plans for the rest of your day off?’ he asked, and she leaned back in her chair, pushing her unbrushed hair off her face.

  ‘I think I might explore. There’s a nice walk around the City Port, up towards Lapad, with plenty of beach clubs and swimming spots along the way. Maybe a spot of shopping. What about you? Can you play hooky at all?’

  ‘Not today,’ he said, more regretfully than he would have imagined possible. ‘I have several conference calls today, a site visit and a board meeting.’

  ‘Fun, fun, fun,’ she teased, and he laughed.

  ‘I’d rather spend the day with you.’ He meant it.

  ‘To be honest, it might be good for me to spend some time alone. I had an idea last night and I need to mull it over.’

  ‘What kind of idea?’

  Lily sipped her coffee, her eyes bright with mingled emotions: excitement, happiness and a tinge of grief. ‘I think I finally figured out what I want to do with Izzy’s legacy. I know I only found out just how much money she left me yesterday, and the sensible, cautious part of me is warning me not to make such a huge decision on so little time and with so little research, so a day walking and swimming might help me figure out whether I want to explore it further. But it feels right, you know?’

  Damir pushed his laptop away and reached for his own coffee. ‘What feels right?’

  ‘I want to help other children like Izzy.’ Lily’s words came tumbling out. ‘Help foster carers like Janet, who looked after Izzy for her entire teen years. You know, literally dozens of children have passed through her hands. Some only stay a few nights, some like Izzy for much longer. Before Janet, Izzy lived in about eight homes, but Janet gave her the chance to stay at the same school for all her secondary education, to be settled. It was such a gift.’

  ‘She sounds wonderful.’ How could it be that some people had the capacity to care for so many children, when others, like his own mother, couldn’t muster up enough affection for just one?

  ‘She is! But it’s not an easy life and it’s hard to give the children she looks after things that other kids take for granted. Like holidays abroad, for instance.’

  ‘I’d never thought of that before.’ Damir donated liberally to several causes, some because it was expected, local hospitals and cultural centres, and a few secretly, ones closer to his heart, such as marine charities. But he had never thought about what he could do personally. The difference he could make with his money and influence.

  ‘I am thinking of using Izzy’s money to bring families like Janet’s, foster families, on holiday to the B&B. I want to put three rooms aside in the school holidays for them to use free of charge and to pay for flights and transfers so there’s no reason not to come. I want to make sure children like Izzy get the chance not just to have a beach holiday but to learn to swim, to sail, to paddle board. And more than that, I’d like to be able to offer summer jobs to kids who have turned eighteen, who aren’t sure what to do next, to give them an opportunity to spend some time abroad and learn some skills. The villa is so magical, Fire Cove is so peaceful and so beautiful, letting children like Izzy was experience it feels like the best birthday gift I could give her.’

  ‘What does Marija say?’ Damir asked, trying to process what Lily’s plan meant for him and his plans, his promises.

  She looked down at her coffee and inhaled. ‘I haven’t broached it with her yet. There’s a lot to think about, to plan and to figure out before I do, but I would like to have an answer before Izzy’s birthday. I don’t want to be sad on that day. I want to try and celebrate her life the way we couldn’t at her funeral. If I knew that I could make this work that would make a celebration so much easier.’

  It was a great idea, Damir could see that, but to fulfil it meant the villa staying as it was—and that meant he would never make his father’s dream come true. There had to be a middle way. ‘It’s a great idea, Lily, but you don’t actually need the villa, do you? It’s Lokvar, not the B&B itself that’s important, so you could pay for these families to stay anywhere on the island. In fact, I could donate rooms at my hotel, it would be my privilege. And I could take on a couple of summer workers. I’d be happy to support you.’ Why couldn’t they both get what they wanted, what they needed?

  ‘That’s very generous of you,’ Lily said slowly, the enthusiasm in her face dimming. ‘And your hotels are lovely, but some of these children will have never been abroad before, some have quite complex needs, they’d probably prefer somewhere a little more homely. I mean, I get intimidated by all those pristine white walls and all that gleaming glass in your hotel. I’m not sure it would be the right environment. But I will give it some thought, of course. Thank you.’

  Another thought occurred to him. ‘Does this mean you’re planning to stay on Lokvar?’ He wanted her to say yes and no in equal measure. He hadn’t planned for her to stay, the only way he could cope with his feelings for her was by knowing she would leave in just a few weeks. ‘Marija is over seventy, she needed to take this year off. At some point she’ll have to sell the villa if Josip doesn’t want it. Like it or not, change is coming. Your plans are wonderful, but you need to think about the future. Accept my offer, that way you’ll be able to help more people for as long as you need.’

  ‘Well, I was thinking maybe I could buy the villa.’ She peeped hopefully up at him. ‘I feel at home there in a way I’ve never felt before. I don’t even mind those breakfast shifts. What do you think?’

  If he were a different man, if he was interested in a long-term relationship with Lily, if he was capable of one, then surely this would be fantastic news. But he wasn’t that man. He was Damir Kozina with a promise to keep and a plan that didn’t allow for a curveball like a bright-eyed English girl who set his pulse racing and his heart feeling emotions he couldn’t afford to feel.

  ‘But that would take all your money, surely, and then how would you pay for flights and everything else you want to provide? The season is short, remember. Besides, would you want to stay here for the rest of your life? A summer, sure, but wait until you see the island in winter. Just you and three hundred other people who have known each other all their lives. It can be a lonely existence, Lily.’

  ‘I know, I know. At the moment it’s just an idea.’ If she was disappointed at his lack of enthusiasm at her suggestion she stay, she hid it well.

  ‘It’s a good idea,’ he said honestly. ‘And I meant it when I said I wanted to help. I have other hotels, other villas that might be just as suitable. Fire Cove is special, but the whole coastline is full of beautiful spots that might serve you just as well. Why don’t we discuss it tonight? After you’ve had the day to think about it?’

  ‘Yes, you’re probably right,’ she said. ‘Right now it
’s just ideas and dreams, maybe we can plan it all out this evening. I’m going to go and take a shower. I’ll see you in a bit.’

  * * *

  Lily stepped out of the shower and swathed herself in the huge, sumptuously soft towel she’d found folded in the en suite bathroom. She felt more herself, with caffeine back in her system and freshly washed hair. Ready for the day that lay ahead.

  She’d been a little deflated by Damir’s lukewarm if helpful responses to her idea. But she had to admit he had a point. One perfect summer wasn’t the same as making a life out here. Ana went back to Zagreb once autumn hit and the island quietened down, and it wasn’t as if Damir had promised her anything more than a good time. She shivered, pulling the towel closer around her.

  Was she basing her potential future on the hope of the connection between her and Damir being more than a one summer thing despite no indication from him that he was considering that? More fool her.

  The irony didn’t escape her. She, cautious Lily Woodhouse, considering giving up her hard fought for career to live on an island because she’d fallen in love. The very thought was laughable. After all, she’d considered herself incapable of falling hard and fast for any man. Turned out she’d just not met anyone capable of igniting that kind of desire before. It had been easy to think passion was beyond her when she’d never allowed herself to really relax with a potential lover. And she hadn’t, her guard always up, even with the handful of boyfriends she’d had before. No wonder none of the relationships had lasted, she’d kept so much of herself locked away, all that was real and vibrant.

  She pulled a face at herself in the mirror. No more dark introspective thoughts. She’d planned a fun day of leisure and exploring and she was going to enjoy every moment. Be a tourist, take selfies and live in the moment.

  Lily dressed quickly in a pretty pink sundress before slathering herself in sun cream, adding the bare modicum of make-up, just some tinted moisturiser, lip salve and mascara and running the hairdryer over her thick hair to take the worst of the wetness out of it. She’d already prepared a tote bag with a bikini and towel, her phone, sunglasses and purse. She needed nothing else.

  Grabbing her tote bag, she exited the bedroom and headed back down the landing and stairs into the kitchen diner where she had left Damir. He wasn’t there, his laptop also missing. Neither was he in the shaded part of the terrace where he sometimes worked.

  Lily stood irresolute. She didn’t want to leave without saying goodbye, making plans to meet up later.

  She wandered back through the kitchen, peeking into the large sitting room to see if he was there before trying the book-lined study at the front of the house. She had hardly set foot in this room, only peeped in that very first evening when he’d given her the grand tour. The laptop was here on the large desk set against the far wall, along with a tablet and Damir’s phone, but no sign of the man himself.

  She looked around, impressed by the large sunny room. It was exactly the kind of study she would like for herself, with its filled bookcases, cosy stove for winter days and a leather sofa in the bay window.

  A large square table stood in the middle of the room, unrolled plans neatly laid out, an architect’s impression, finely detailed in 3D. Lily glanced at them with idle curiosity and her heart thumped with painful recognition. The meticulously rendered plans showed a grand hotel curving round a gentle bay facing out to sea. It was lavish with rooftop swimming pools, grand terraces and lushly curved architecture. The sandy beach showed a swish-looking beach club, small boats bobbing off a pier. It all looked extremely exclusive.

  There were very few sandy beaches on this part of the Dalmatian Riviera, and the size of the cove, the hillside carefully rendered in what she assumed was exact scale, was all too familiar. She took another look, trying to block out all the buildings and concentrate on the topography instead. She could swear that it was Fire Cove. That the heart of the hotel was exactly where the B&B was...

  ‘Lily, are you okay?’

  She whirled round. Damir had obviously been swimming. He stood there, wet hair slicked back, drops still drying on his olive chest, a towel slung low around his hips. His gaze quickly dropped to the paper then back to her. ‘Do you want some breakfast before you head out?’

  ‘Damir, what are these?’ She gestured towards the paper and he shrugged elegantly, but his expression was wary—wary and a little sad.

  ‘Plans my architect drew up.’

  ‘Where for? Damir, I’m not a fool,’ she said, proud that her voice wasn’t shaking because right now she felt exactly like a fool. A fool who had been played. More than played. Who had walked straight into a set-up. ‘This is Fire Bay isn’t it? You’re the businessman Marija mentioned. The one who offered to buy the villa but only because he wanted to tear it down. You still want it and that’s why you’ve been so persistent. Wanting to get to know me, show me around, buy me flowers, seduce me. Isn’t it?’

  Emotion flashed momentarily in his dark eyes and for one moment Lily could believe it was sorrow. ‘Not seduce you,’ he said levelly. ‘That was never part of the plan, believe me.’

  And just like that the rosy haze she’d been operating in evaporated. How could she believe him, even though sincerity rang in his voice? She couldn’t believe anything he said, anything he’d done. The room swam as she took in exactly what this meant. Their entire relationship was an orchestrated lie. She had been used. Worse, she had allowed him in, confided in him, opened up in a way she’d never opened up to anyone. Not even Izzy. Nausea swirled as she fought to show some control, hide a hurt so deep she couldn’t begin to contemplate it. ‘I’m leaving. Please don’t contact me again.’

  Damir didn’t say anything, but then again why would he? He’d been well and truly caught out and there was nothing he could say or do to change that. He had no need to try and make her stay, any use he had for her was at an end. All Lily could do was gather the scattered remains of her dignity and leave. Head held so high her chin ached, Lily marched out of the study, retrieved her bag and shoes, stuffing the silver dress and wrap on top of her bikini. She didn’t look back once as she headed for the door, resisting the urge to slam out of the villa.

  The lush front garden stretched out before her, the gates tightly closed. She forced herself to move forward, swallowing a half-hysterical sob as question after question tumbled through her mind. Was this what happened when she tried to be impulsive? To have fun? Was this what happened when she let down her guard? Had this all trying to be a new person, to live a different way been a terrible mistake? Should she have stayed home and stuck with what she knew, what she’d been working for her whole life? Wouldn’t that have been a better tribute to Izzy, to achieve the dreams that they’d first made together?

  She walked slowly to the gate, the sun hot on her bare skin, pain throbbing deep inside. Reaching the gate, she pushed it, but it was locked. ‘Dammit,’ she cursed, looking around to see if there was a release button. She couldn’t go back inside, and it was too tall to climb over. She stood there, irresolute, when she heard a voice behind her.

  ‘Lily!’

  Damir stood stock-still in the study and stared at the treacherous plans. How could he have been so stupid as to leave them out? It was almost as if he had wanted to betray himself, to let Lily know who he really was before things went any further.

  He laughed, short and bitter. Who was he kidding? How much further could they go? He was already in too deep whether he liked it or not. But wasn’t this what he did? Break promises, let people down, betray them? His father, Kata, and now Lily. She was better off knowing who he was, better off without him. He hurt and he betrayed, it was in his DNA.

  With a muttered curse he turned around, not wanting to look at the plans, and strode towards the study door. He was ruthless, yes, he had to be. But he wasn’t an out and out bastard. Was he? Was that who he’d become somewhere between his father’s hear
t attack and the day Kata had walked out?

  A beep caught his attention as he reached the door and Damir looked back, at the pile of paperwork lying on the table, at his phone flashing with who knew how many unread and unheard messages. There was always far more to do than any man could fit into a day, even when his day started at dawn and lasted long into the evening. He took a step towards the phone, trying to drag his mind back to where it needed to be, to the many things waiting for his attention, but all he could see was the anger blazing in Lily’s eyes, at the stricken look on her face. A look he was responsible for.

  He cursed again and then reeled around, making for the door, not allowing himself to think about what he was doing. Stepping out, he saw Lily standing by the gate, her back to him, slumped as if she’d given up. Shame shot through him. He’d seen her unhappiness that first day and disregarded it. He should do the decent thing, let her out, apologise then walk away and leave her alone. He didn’t deserve to be forgiven, didn’t deserve any kind of absolution.

  ‘Lily!’

  She looked over and her gaze caught his. There was no running away now. Holding her gaze as calmly as he could, Damir crossed the short distance between them, stopping just beyond touching distance.

  Lily was the first to look away. ‘What do you want? Because unless it’s the key code for the gate I’m not interested.’

  ‘Lily, I...’

  He took a deep breath. Never apologise for who you are, his father had told him many times. Never apologise for your ambition, what it takes to do what you need to do. Damir had never stopped to think about those words before, to wonder if perhaps there was another way.

  ‘I’m sorry.’