by Kate Frost
‘Those are quite some photos.’
Aaron loomed over her as she was eating dinner. She turned and looked up into his beaming face. He winked and slid on to the seat opposite, placing his tray on the table.
‘Thank you,’ she said as her cheeks heated up. The photo shoot had caused more of a stir than she’d anticipated.
‘Really beautiful and seductive, just like the island itself.’ He jabbed his fork into a piece of chicken. ‘Did Zander take them?’
‘Oh God no. He had a professional photographer flown in – I think he’s used her for most of the shots of the island. Mind you, it’s kinda mad to have had someone like her fly in just to take photos of me.’ She blushed again. ‘Well, not just me, the bookshop too. It’s all for the bookshop.’
‘There are quite a lot just focused on you.’ He raised an eyebrow. ‘After all, you fit perfectly with the look of the island.’
Freya nodded but didn’t say anything. Once again, the idea that she’d been chosen for the way she looked over her credentials had been fuelled, and by someone other than Zander.
‘That’s not a bad thing, Freya.’ He reached across the table and put his hand on hers. ‘You’re beautiful.’
He held her gaze, his brown eyes mesmerising in the dim light of evening. His touch felt electric, accentuated by everything going on around them, other tables filled with staff eating and chatting, the buzz of a generator, the clink of cutlery and plates, the hiss of steam from the kitchen.
Drew and Aaron had become a permanent fixture in her island life. Although she mostly worked alone, she rarely felt lonely as she began to get to know the other staff, from the small team in the office where Meena was based, to the head of the bar staff and the executive chef. She enjoyed her own company during the day and in the evenings, she had company in Drew who’d quickly become a friend. And Aaron. She looked forward to seeing him each day and he often strayed into her thoughts as she gazed out of the bookshop window at the glistening ocean, imagining him diving down below the surface with a guest, showing them the hidden watery world.
~
The day of the bookshop launch party arrived and Freya woke early with nerves attacking her stomach. The bookshop would be open to customers for the very first time, so she went there straight after breakfast to make sure everything was ready before heading on to meet Mia. The air conditioning was a tonic and the wooden floor was cool on her feet after the warmth of the sand outside. She gazed round at all the new books lining the driftwood shelves and stacked in piles on the tables. The fridge behind the counter was full of drinks and the long window let in light and pockets of colour: the green of the trees, the glowing white of the sand and the azure blue of the ocean. I’m the love island bookseller, she thought.
Freya had drooled over the villas, but she’d never actually been inside one of them. Mia had arrived late the day before and had been met by Zander, but Freya was looking after her for the rest of the day. She took the quicker ‘island walk’ route beneath the trees, bypassing the guest village and emerging on to the beach by the dive school. Snorkels bobbed in the clear shallows as guests explored the house reef, and Freya wondered if Aaron was out there somewhere diving into the cool deep water beyond the reef.
Freya left the beach, walked along the wooden walkway that passed the Sand Bar and crossed the lagoon to the ocean villas. The water was so clear she could see right down to the coral and sea plants waving beneath the sun-kissed surface. A school of trigger fish darted out from beneath the walkway and a ray glided along the seabed. The sun beat down relentlessly as her bare feet pounded the warm slatted wood. She took the walkway that curved to the left and went past five villas until she reached Mia’s, relieved to finally be in the shade.
Freya knocked on the door. No answer. She knocked again, pushed open the door and poked her head in.
‘Mia? It’s Freya.’
‘I’m out on the deck!’ a voice called back.
Freya closed the door and made her way across the polished wooden floorboards. A king-sized bed sat pride of place in the centre of the room facing an uninterrupted view to the outside deck with its infinity pool and the ocean beyond. Freya stood for a moment open-mouthed, soaking up the view and the luxurious interior.
‘Not bad, is it,’ Mia said, laughing. She was submerged in the pool, her arms resting on the bleached wood of the deck.
‘It’s insane.’
‘And it’s all mine for seventy-two blissful hours.’
Freya walked back out into the blazing sunshine and smiled down at Mia. ‘I might have a hard job dragging you away from here then. Signing books might not have quite the same appeal.’
‘Ah, but I’m looking forward to seeing this bookshop. Somehow I think it might beat signing books in Waterstones.’
‘That is true, and we’ve got plenty of time yet – I just wanted to meet you properly and go through the plans for the next couple of days.’
‘Yes, Zander said you’d take good care of me. In fact, I can’t fault his hospitality so far. It feels like I’m in a dream.’ She swept a wet hand through her choppy blonde hair. ‘I tell you what – if you’ve got a bikini on underneath, come and join me in the pool. It’s far too hot to be sitting out on the deck for too long.’
Freya faltered, unsure if she should when she was supposed to be working.
‘Come on, don’t be shy. It’s blissful in here and we can chat through everything.’
Freya decided not to argue. Apart from Mia being so insistent, the thought of submerging herself in the cool water of the pool overlooking the shimmering ocean was too good to resist.
An almost empty bottle of champagne and two glasses were on the table and as Freya stripped off her skirt and top, she wondered if Zander had been here the evening before entertaining Mia. From the things she’d read about his womanising, she wouldn’t be surprised. Mia was striking and confident; she was an excellent writer of books that sold like hotcakes, and she looked good, knew lots of people, plus she had the ability to command the attention of a room. No wonder Zander had his sights set on her for the opening of a bookshop that had captured the attention of people all around the world.
Mia was floating on her back, gazing up at the sky. Freya walked down the steps, relishing the cool water caressing her hot skin. She sent ripples over the surface as she swam across the pool. Even though she’d only swum in the ocean off the staff beach a handful of times so far, it felt natural to Freya to pop a bikini on beneath her clothes each day. They’d taken up little space in her suitcase too, so she’d splashed out on half a dozen. She was wearing a particularly nice one today, a burnt orange colour that complemented her light tan.
Freya leant on the edge of the infinity pool and Mia joined her. She was at least ten years older than Freya, perhaps more, but she had a confidence that Freya could only dream of. She was more comfortable with her nose buried in a book and talking with people one on one, which was why running a bookshop seemed to suit her so well, but this evening’s launch party was out of her comfort zone. She was glad to have someone like Mia as the star of the evening, someone who oozed confidence and was used to speaking to hundreds of people.
‘It’s quite something, isn’t it?’ Mia said as they gazed out at the ocean stretching to the horizon. The mesmerising colour of the shallow lagoon emphasised the darker patches beneath the surface which teased hidden wonders of the house reef. Freya imagined shoals of fish darting about in the water.
‘I saw a ray swim past this morning while having breakfast.’ Mia wedged her sunglasses into her hair. ‘I can’t tell you how lucky I feel to get to stay somewhere as magical as this. There have been plenty of perks to being a bestselling author, but this beats everything hands down, so thank you for inviting me.’
‘I’d love to take the credit, but I don’t think it had anything to do with me. I’m pretty certain Zander had his sights set on you long before I came on board. He’s pretty definite about what he likes and how
he wants things run.’
‘Well, either way, I’m very glad a member of Bloom & Cole got this opportunity. I’m only here for a couple of days, but my God, this place, I mean... I’m so jealous you get to spend months here.’
‘I’m not getting to stay in a place like this though.’ Freya swept her hand around them. ‘But, yes, I get to spend all day talking about books by the ocean. It’s pretty special.’
‘I’d say. Beats London hands down and I’m a city girl at heart. So, tell me, what’s the plan for the next forty-eight hours?’
Freya talked through the next couple of days while they floated in the infinity pool. She didn’t want to leave but with the morning marching on she couldn’t be late to open the bookshop, so they had to drag themselves out of the pool. Mia towel-dried her hair while Freya put on her skirt and sleeveless top over her wet bikini. It would dry out soon enough and only the ends of her hair were damp. She’d embraced the laid-back beach look and loved not having to spend time straightening her hair.
‘Is this suitable?’ Mia reappeared in a floor-skimming dress with a colourful flower print.
‘Wow, absolutely.’
‘And you have captured that beach-goddess look perfectly.’ Mia put a straw hat on and headed for the door. ‘Barefoot chic, eh?’ She wiggled her red-painted toes and they set off together, back over the lagoon along the sun-drenched walkway.
Chapter Thirteen
Freya took Mia the picturesque way along the beach and they chatted about Bloom & Cole, Freya’s boss Esther – Mia’s editor – and about the introduction Freya was going to give that evening. They passed the beach villas, their cream walls and thatched roofs camouflaged by the screen of lush trees, their inviting pools hidden from sight, although Freya wasn’t convinced the pool she’d just swum in at Mia’s could be beaten.
‘Oh, it’s stunning,’ Mia said as they left the beach and entered the bookshop clearing.
The midday sun slid through the gaps in the foliage and cast patterns of light on the sand-covered ground. The bookshop itself was bathed in honeyed sunshine. It resembled a glowing beacon surrounded by the luminous green leaves.
Freya set Mia up at a table inside the bookshop with a pile of her books next to her. She wedged the large windows open to let the breeze in and threw open the bookshop doors. There was no immediate stampede of people like there would be in London; Loabi Fushi was far too laid back for that. Instead, a steady trickle of couples dropped by all afternoon, eager to see the bookshop and get a book signed by Mia, or to browse then sit and read out on the deck with a cold drink. It was a relaxed few hours and Freya revelled in talking books.
Zander strolled by just before they closed. ‘I’ve heard chatter all afternoon about how much people are enjoying the bookshop,’ he said, leaning on the counter. ‘One lady was delighted at your recommendation, Freya – she started reading it on the beach this afternoon.’
‘And I’ve spent a delightful afternoon signing books and chatting to interesting people from all over the world.’ Mia left her table, now almost empty of books, stretched and came over to them.
‘Hungry?’ Zander asked.
‘Absolutely starving.’
‘Freya, do you want to join us for dinner, or do you have things still to do?’ Zander put his hand on Mia’s back but looked in her direction.
Freya faltered, uncertain if he was just being polite. ‘Thank you, but I’ve still got stuff to do before tonight.’
She really did, plus she was too nervous to eat and didn’t fancy feeling like a third wheel at dinner with Zander and Mia. They made quite the couple as they strolled away from the bookshop, laughing together – Zander tall and handsome, Mia petite but striking.
Freya did pop back to her room to get changed though. Her strapless maxi dress was as dressed-up as she got but at least she wouldn’t feel too out of place alongside Mia and the guests. She got a big thumbs-up and a wolf whistle from Drew as they passed each other in the corridor. With the heat, the sand, and the barefoot ethos, it was a joy to be make-up free, her skin sun-kissed and healthy. A feeling of joy and lightness washed across her as she made her way back to the bookshop. The sun was setting, the lanterns lining the clearing were glowing, fairy lights decorated the edge of the reed roof and the waiters and bar staff were milling around, preparing the drinks and trays of canapés.
Zander and Mia arrived with the first guests, a couple who’d been in the bookshop earlier chatting to Mia about writing while she’d signed a book for them. With the waiters and bar staff taking care of the food and drink and Zander and Mia mingling with those who’d arrived early, Freya was able to spend time greeting guests. When it got to eight and she thought most people had arrived, she made eye contact with Zander and gave him a thumbs-up.
He stood on the deck that overlooked the guests in the sunken seating area and raised his glass.
‘Evening, all,’ he said as a hush descended over the clearing. ‘I’m absolutely thrilled that you’re all here for the opening of Loabi Fushi’s very own bookshop. This island has always been fondly referred to as the ‘Love Island’ – partly to do with the beautiful heart-shaped sand bank on the edge of the lagoon that I’m sure many of you have enjoyed a romantic picnic on, and also because it’s a place honeymooners love and couples come to celebrate their anniversary. For me, I fell in love with the island before I’d even set eyes on it, and when I did get to see it, I knew it was a place where I could make people’s dreams come true. I’ve achieved my own dream here, and this bookshop is a part of that; it’s been my passion project for a few years now and I can’t tell you how wonderful it is to finally be able to share it with you all.’
Freya suddenly saw a different side to him; what she’d thought was his controlling nature was his desire to get everything right for his guests. He seemed more thoughtful and less showy than the articles she’d read, which had unashamedly painted him in an unattractive light. He was no longer the floppy-haired, overly sexualised teen heartthrob, but a man who had grown into his good looks. As he continued, she realised he was talking about books in the same way as she felt about them – as an escape, particularly as a child when she’d happily disappear into a story for hours on end. Stories had been her refuge more recently too, taking her mind away from heartache and loss for a few precious hours.
‘Now,’ Zander said, casting his eyes across the guests before focusing on her. ‘Without me rambling on any longer, and I know most of you have already met her, I’d like to officially introduce our wonderful love island bookseller, Freya.’
Applause rang around the clearing as Freya stepped up on to the deck to join Zander. His smile and obvious enthusiasm for the bookshop he’d created was infectious, and Freya felt a surge of pride at being the person to run it and help bring his dream to life. She turned to the glowing faces of the guests looking up at her.
‘To say running the bookshop is a dream come true is an understatement. Like Zander, books have been my passion since I was a child. I knew I wanted to work in the industry. Publishing was the route I took. Unlike this evening’s special guest,’ she said, glancing at Mia. ‘It wasn’t writing them that I was passionate about, but discovering new voices and great talents who can work magic with their words. Bookshops are my happy place and I’ve spent many an hour in them browsing and spending a small fortune on books which I’ve run out of space for, so getting to work in one is the perfect answer. And getting to work in a bookshop on the most beautiful island in the middle of the Indian Ocean, well, it can’t get much better. Today is a special day and I’m delighted to introduce our very special guest, award-winning and bestselling author, Mia Jacobsen.’
It was Mia’s turn to join them on the deck, her long dress swishing against her legs as she took the steps two at a time. She kissed Zander’s cheek, then Freya’s, and turned to face everyone.
‘Thank you, Freya, for the introduction, and thank you, Zander, for inviting me to your incredible island.’ She looked do
wn over the sea of tanned faces. ‘I have to say I’m incredibly jealous of all of you getting to enjoy what I can only assume must be a holiday of a lifetime. Loabi Fushi – the love island. It certainly lives up to its name, not least because of the amount of passion and love that has been put into this bookshop from the craftsmanship of the building to the carefully curated books. A dream come true for any book lover. Yet if I’m honest, when Zander contacted me to ask if I’d officially open his brand new bookshop in the Maldives, my initial reaction was that he’d muddled me up with someone else. I figured he wanted someone who wrote uplifting escapist fiction with a good dash of romance fitting for the beach setting, but then, when he insisted he meant me, I realised on Loabi Fushi, you’re already in paradise so no escapism is needed.’ She picked up a copy of her book, raised an eyebrow and held it to her chest. ‘So actually, a gritty fast-paced thriller might be the perfect complement to candlelit dinners, romantic strolls along the beach and infinity pools – my goodness those villas are incredible, aren’t they?’
Laughter echoed around the clearing and Freya had a surge of pride at being a part of the bookshop’s journey and helping to create such a magical evening.
‘So, beneath a starlit sky, with the ocean soundtrack and plenty of champagne and cocktails to relax us into the evening, I’m going to read a short extract from The Other Son to counteract all the lovey-dovey-ness,’ she continued, laughing. ‘But first, let’s please all raise our glasses. I’m delighted to announce that the bookshop is officially open!’
Cries of ‘the bookshop!’ echoed around the clearing. Zander caught Freya’s eye and they smiled at each other.
Mia read the first chapter of her book to an enraptured audience who hung on every word. She was the perfect choice, Freya realised, as her silky voice filled the clearing and she effortlessly held everyone’s attention. Her red lips complemented the bold print of her dress and her chin-length blonde hair was tousled and natural from drying in the sun.
