Summer Nights

by Serena Jennings

  “Italy sounds lovely.” He replied and took her hand.

  “I love you baby.” She said.

  Chapter 7

  When they got back to the Motel that evening there were messages that the biggest news channel was doing a report on the success of Select, and there was also a message that a very successful film director wanted to do a film about them.

  “Wow baby. This just keeps getting bigger and bigger.” Said Ivan as he looked over the messages.

  As they curled up in bed together that evening, Ivan turned to Selena.

  “It is a real concern baby.” He said. “If we do do this film, it means we are going to have to be away from the nightclub. The director wants to film us on location, which is somewhere over in Alicante. It means we won’t get many days at the club. I don’t know if it is a good idea.

  “Let’s think about it in the morning.” Said Selena, leaning over to switch out the light.

  “Ok baby, you are the boss.” Said Ivan, and together they fell asleep in each other’s arms.

  When they awoke the next morning they decided to stroll through the small streets and lanes of Mikanos, taking coffee and croissants in a little café near the bay.

  The bougainvillea hung brightly displaying its vivid purple shades against the blue sky, and against the white wash buildings. The soft winter breeze caressed their bodies as they strolled through the stone cobbled streets.

  As they passed as music store Selena noticed a festival poster on the door.

  “Oh look,” she said pointing at the poster. “Adam is playing in Italy.”

  Ivan looked at the poster and suddenly felt a twinge of jealousy inside. Feelings he had not felt since the summer, of possessiveness, fear and insecurity, began raging inside him. He pulled his hand away from Selena’s and walked to the distance. She walked after him, confused and in despair.

  “Ivan” she called. He stormed away, edging past people in the street. She raced after him, and fell. “Ivan!” she called, having stumbled in the road, now sitting on the floor. He ignored her and raced ahead.

  That evening Selena sat in their room at the Motel. Ivan had disappeared earlier that day and she did not know where he had gone or why.

  He had left her in the middle of the street as soon as had mentioned Adam’s name.

  But why? He couldn’t know what had happened between Selena and Adam. As far as he knew Adam was just another DJ who had played for them. And anyway if he did know, why had he not been angry with her before?

  Questions swirled around in her head. At that moment Ivan entered the room.

  “Hey baby.” He said softly, coming inside and shutting the door.

  “Hey, where did you go?” she asked. “I was worried about you.”

  “I just needed a walk.” He said.

  “Oh” she decided not to question it further.

  “I’m going to go away for a while. I need to sort my head out.” He didn’t say anymore, but got up and pulled a suitcase from underneath the wardrobe and started packing. Selena felt her heart racing and tears welling up in her eyes. She tried to think of something to say but no words came to her.

  Moments later, suitcase in hand, he had left the room.

  “Ivan.” She called after him, but he was gone.

  Chapter 18

  Selena had been eagerly waiting for this event for a long time. As the driver pulls up outside her Hampstead house in London, she takes one last look in the mirror, her eyes gliding over her white linen suit and the amber coral necklace. Her deep long curly hair is pulled up into a bun, and her translucent green eyes are hidden behind large dark glasses. Her slim 5’7 build is toned and healthy. After Ivan had left, she had stopped taking drugs and moved to London, determined to make a success of things on her own. She had thrown herself into her work to keep her mind occupied and she had. She picks up her bags and takes them to the door.

  Her chauffeur meets her outside and places her bags in the boot before opening the back car door. She slides inside onto the grey leather seats and removes her sunglasses as she settles in.

  “Hello madam. The journey time should be 2-3 hours” says the driver.

  Selena smiles and nods without saying a word.

  They were driving to a large new hotel that had opened on the outskirts of London. The hugely successful lifestyle magazine ‘Privilege’ that Selena was deputy editor for were launching a new off-shoot magazine ‘Inspire’ and had asked Felicity to be the managing director and open the launch party with a speech. This was something she had waited for for years - to direct her own magazine.

  ‘Privilege’ had in the last decade had become ‘the lifestyle magazine’ of the UK. It prided itself of articles of intellectual merit, and focused on current affairs as well as fashion. It’s readership was both the successful man and the successful woman Selena had begun to find the work tedious and she had wanted to create a magazine with more colour, more creativity, that didn’t focus on fashion or current affairs, but that focused on life – family, health, relationships, the earth, travel. “Inspire” She had a vision, and now after two years of working for ‘Privilege’ and having made it one of the most successful lifestyle magazines in Europe, they had finally given her the chance to do what she wanted, to make her own rules for the magazine, beginning with the name which she had chosen. Inspire Magazine. Selena took a deep breath.

  “So we have one stop off to pick up the fellow passenger and then we drive straight there.” Said the driver.

  Selena smiled. She had asked Viv to accompany her to the hotel. It had a spa, and it would give them both a chance to relax and catch up, and be outside the hustle and bustle of London. Selena had been so engrossed in her work of late she had not seen her friends, plus she didn’t want to be alone. She wanted her old friend Viv around.

  As the car pulled into the willowy road where Viv’s hotel was lived Selena took out her cell-phone and pressed the speed dial for Viv’s number.

  “Hey sweetie, we are just pulling up outside” Selena said in her husky voice.

  “Yeah!” sung Viv’s voice on the end of the line. “I’m sooooooo excited!” Selena smiled as she closed the handset of the phone. After a few moments Viv’s front door opened and Viv, carrying two bags, in an oversized cardigan, tight skinny black jeans, and ugg boots, dark shades and loose hair came dancing out. The driver rushed over to help her with her bags and after locking her front door Viv jumped into the back seat, still singing and dancing.

  “This is so fantastic!” said Viv enthusiastically. “Ah! We can spa, chill, chat. Finally! Catch up time! How have you been??!!!! It’s been ages!” She leant over and hugged and kissed Selena who hugged her back.

  “I know. It will be great.” Said Selena.

  The drive to the hotel was smooth. They listened to the Stones album ‘Black and Blue’ singing along to the songs, laughing and catching up. By the time they had arrived at the hotel Selena had almost forgotten about the impending launch, and the speech she had been reciting over and over in her head over the past month. The car pulled up along the circular gravel drive, to the large white marble columned entrance with a huge fountain with a statue of Venus with flowers. The driver opened the doors and the two women made their way to the hotel reception. As Selena checked the room bookings a tall, very suave tanned man made his way over to them and tapped Viv on the shoulder. She swung round to face him. Her face lit up.

  “Oh my God! Paul!”

  “Hey what are you doing here?” Paul smiled.

  “My friend Selena is launching her own magazine!” said Viv, pointing at Selena.

  “Congratulations” Paul smiled. Selena nodded.

  Paul turned back to Viv.

  “How about you? What a coincidence! Seeing you twice in one week!” said Viv.

  “Yeah. It must mean something.” Said Paul. He continued. “My friend is giving a speech for the new Golf courts they are opening on the hotel. So I came down to accompany him.”

&n
bsp; “Ha! Well same goes!” said Viv.

  “I am here to give Selena some moral support. Not that she needs it.”

  The receptionist handed over the room keys to Selena, who turned to face Viv, still engrossed in conversation with Paul.

  “I am going to head up to the room. It is 207.” Selena smiled at Viv.

  “I will meet you up there.”

  Selena crossed the marble hallway, with a crystal chandelier hanging in the centre. Large vases filled with vast arrays of different flowers hung magnificently from the walls. Gentle classical music infused the air and Selena at last began to feel more excited than nervous.

  Just moments after she had entered her hotel room, there was a knock at the door.

  “Your bags mam.” Said the hotel porter as Selena popped her head around.

  “Just call reception if you need anything.”

  “Thanks.” Said Selena.

  She lay down on the bed, tired from the journey and her apprehension. Without intending it, she drifted into a light sleep, only to wake to Viv excitedly poking her and bouncing on the bed.

  “You will NEVER guess who is here.” Said Viv.

  “Who?” asked Selena as she opened her eyes, somewhat dazed and wondering where she was.

  “Ivan. Yes, Ivan. YOUR ex BOYFRIEND!”

  Selena didn’t say anything. She thought for a moment that she felt something, but she wasn’t sure what.

  “Well!?” said Viv.

  “Well what?” Selena replied.

  “Well, you haven’t seen him for years and he was the love of your life!” exclaimed Viv.

  Selena stayed silent.

  “I just have too much to think about right now.” She said quietly. “I don’t want any distractions.”

  Viv took a long look at her and raised her eyebrow but did not say anything.

  Chapter 19

  The midday sun shone brightly over the gardens as Selena and Viv sat on the room’s balcony drinking tea.

  “ So anyway.” Said Selena. “Who is this Paul? You seemed very happy to see each other.”

  “I know!” squealed Viv excitedly. “I can’t believe he is here! I was even going to tell you about him, but I haven’t seen you – I mean, it’s nothing, yet, you know. We met at a wedding in France last week and spent lots of time talking, but I didn’t even think I would ever see him again! Oh my God! Isn’t he goooooorrrrrrgeous!” Viv excitedly pulled out her bikini as Selena laughed.

  “Yeah, he is cute.” She said.

  “Shall we go down and check out the spa?” said Selena.

  “I want to have a steam and a swim.”

  Viv ran over to the suitcases on the floor, throwing out clothes and make-up and magazines.

  “Aha!” she found her bikini and held it up triumphantly.

  The girls put on their robes and headed down to the spa.

  “Oh my God! He is in the Jacuzzi!.” Said Viv as she spotted Paul in the Jacuzzi. She squeezed Selena’s hand excitedly.

  “I’m going to swim a few laps before I Jacuzzi.” Said Selena. “See you in a bit.”

  Viv sidled over to the Jacuzzi where Paul looked up and smiled as she stepped in. Selena began swimming laps in the pool. As she swam Selena tried to get the thought of Ivan out of her mind. What was he doing here? Had she come to see her? Why after so long? As the questions swirled in her mind the sound of the water drowned out any sound from the outside world and the questions seemed to get louder and louder.

  “I need to focus on what I am doing here.” She said to herself. “I can’t think about him anymore. Memories of his deep blue piercing eyes and how she would caress his jet-black hair came flooding in. Exasperated she stepped out of the pool and headed over to the shower. She tried to wash away the memories. She looked over to the Jacuzzi area and saw Viv and Paul excitedly enraptured in conversation, laughing animatedly. She headed over to the steam room.

  The steam room was so steamy she could make out the silhouette of someone but nothing more. She placed her towel on the blue marble seat and sat down and closed her eyes, breathing slowly.

  “So it is you.” She heard a voice say. It couldn’t be.

  Quickly she opened her eyes and glanced through the steam trying to focus on the silhouette opposite. Had she imagined it?

  “I saw the sign.” The voice continued. “I saw Selena launches Inspire magazine. I thought it must be you.”

  “I-i-i-Ivan.” Stuttered Selena. “Hi.”

  “Hi.” Ivan said gently.

  “Whew! It’s really hot in here.” She stammered and headed for the door. Before Ivan could say anything she had left, her heart pounding.

  She left the pool area, not even glancing toward the Jacuzzi to see if Viv was still there and headed straight up to her room. She crawled into bed as if hiding from the world, trying to stop her heart from pounding. A few hours later Viv came back and asked if she wanted to go to dinner with Paul and a few of his friends.

  “Anything to escape my own mind.” Selena thought to herself. After showering and dressing she looked at herself in the bathroom mirror as she glided her nude shade lipstick over her lips and then tousled her hair. Viv joined her in the bathroom and applied some finishing touches to her make-up.

  “I really like him!” she said, still talking about Paul. “I feel selfish. This is your trip Selena. Is there anything else you want to do. I don’t want to make it about me and this random guy.”

  “Don’t be silly.” Said Selena. “It’s fun having you around. I’m fine. And anyway, he is not just a random guy if you like him.”

  Viv smiled.

  “I’m so lucky to have you as a friend.” She said. “Now let’s go have some fun.”

  They met Paul in the hotel lobby who had a driver waiting outside who was to escort them to where they were having dinner. As they were heading outside the door the lady at the reception desk called out to Selena.

  “Ms Shaun. There is a message for you.”

  Felicity headed over and waited for the receptionist to pass her a note. It read

  “Selena, I am so glad I saw you. I have been wanting to for so long now. Let’s meet later for a drink. I will be at the hotel. Ivan.”

  Selena folded the note and placed it in her purse and went over to join Viv and Paul who were waiting by the door.

  “Who was it from?” Asked Tamara.

  ‘No-one. Just some work thing for tomorrow.” Selena replied.

  They climbed into the taxi.

  Chapter 20

  As they waited at the restaurant bar to be met by Paul’s friends, Viv asked her again who the note was from.

  “It was nothing.” Said Selena.

  “It’s just you seem to be acting really distant. I know you have a lot on your mind, but anyway, you know you can tell me anything.”

  “Of course.”

  Just then a group of three came over to join them.

  “Ah! Let me introduce you to my friend Viv, and to Selena, who is launching her magazine at the hotel tomorrow. Viv, Selena, this is Susan, Adam, and Geoffrey.”

  They exchanged greetings.

  “So, shall we have another drink at the bar or shall we sit at the table?” Paul questioned.

  “Oooh, I’m starving.” Said Susan. “Can we sit to eat?” The group nodded in agreement.

  Victorian art graced the walls of the large establishment. They were led to a big round table in the corner, flanked with a white tablecloth and laden with crystal glasses.

  Susan sat beside Selena who had Viv to the other side.

  “So, what magazine are you launching?” asked Susan. She was a pretty woman, in her early thirties, with a slim athletic build and short blonde hair.

  “Inspire.” Replied Selena. “It is an off-shoot of the magazine I work for now, ‘Privelege’.”

  “Oh wow, so you are in the top game. Privilege must be world famous by now!”

  “Yes, it has been doing well.” Said Selena.

  “Inspire�
� will be a very different sort of magazine, much more creative, and dare I say it, holistically minded.”

  “Sounds amazing, I know mind body spirit can be frowned upon, but I have nothing against it.” Susan smiled.

  Selena returned the smile.

  “What do you do?” she asked Susan.

  “I look after horses, and prepare them for races.”

  Susan replied. “I live in country in Kent, and I grew up with horses and have always loved them.”

  “Mmm, I love horses to, though I don’t ride as much as I like.”

  Adam and Geoffrey who had been listening to the two women, joined in the conversation at this point. Adam told of a riding injury in he had in his teens which had stopped him riding, and Geoffrey admitted that he had never gotten over his fear of horses nor ever dared to ride one.

  Paul and Viv were whispering quietly to each other.

  As the evening went on, and dinner came to an end, the group decided to go to the nightclub at the end of the road.

  “I had better head back to the hotel.” Said Selena. “I have an early start in the morning.”

  They said their goodbyes.

  “Do you want me to come with you?” asked Viv.

  “No, I will have an early night.” Selena replied.

  That night as she tossed and turned thinking of her speech in the morning she fell into a deep slumber. The thoughts she had been fighting all day crept into her dreams. She dreamt of Ivan and her, making love with the intense passion she had only ever known with him. They laughed and played, and then found themselves in thrusting and pounding each other with unquenchable sexual desire.

  “Ivan…...” Felicity murmured.

  “I will never leave you.” Ivan whispered to her as he kissed and caressed her neck. The dream evolved into one of more love-making, this time soft and sensuous.

  Chapter 21

  The next morning Selena awoke to the radio alarm playing ‘Video Killed the Radio Star” by the Buggles. She stretched across the bed, and leant over to turn the volume down. Memories of last night’s dream lingered in her mind.