“What the fuck are you doing here? This is a family event, and you’re no longer welcome. Not that you ever were. If you don’t leave, I’ll call security.” His chest puffs up at the idea that he’s got the power to get someone else to see me off.
“Don’t worry, I’ll be leaving in just a minute. But I couldn’t go without saying goodbye, could I? Oh, and letting you know how wrong you are. About me. And about Lilavati.” I make a move to turn, midstream, and Warren jumps back. It’s occurred to me before that I wouldn’t piss on this guy if he were on fire. And despite what he thinks of me, I’m too well-behaved to piss on him when he’s not. But I’m not above enjoying giving him a fright.
“You had a lot to say to Lil this morning. Most of which fell somewhere between inaccurate and a total fucking lie.”
“I’m not the one who lied about my job,” he sneers.
“No. You’re right. Although I didn’t lie so much as I didn’t correct an assumption. But the shit you said to Lilavati about me only being with her to get to you was not just untrue, but cruel. I was—am—with Lil because she’s smart and funny and loving and beautiful. She’s the best person I’ve ever known. I’ll have to learn to live with breaking her trust in me. What I will never learn to live with is why the man who should be looking out for her, supporting her and encouraging her, takes every opportunity to pull her down. I know this is too much to expect because you’re not self-aware or smart enough, but you should be ashamed of what you’ve done to Lilavati. Not just today, but since the minute you met her.” I punctuate the end of my monologue by jerking up the zip on my trousers.
“Who do you think you are to talk to me like that?” Warren’s face is the colour of the hibiscus in the resort gardens.
“I’m the man who loves Lilavati. That’s who I am. And if she gives me the chance to tell her the truth of my situation, I’m the man who will spend my life atoning for the poor decisions I made before I had any real idea how special she is.”
“I wouldn’t count on that if I were you. I’ll make sure she never gives you a chance. And if you think you’ll find money to prop up your ridiculous businesses, think again. I know all the key players in the funding business. They’ll never lend you a cent. You’ll continue to be a little guy making surfboards and coffee in a couple of two-bit cafés until you die.”
I take a moment to wash and grab a hand towel before answering.
“Oh. I’m not counting on Lil forgiving me. Hoping, but not counting. As for the businesses, let me give you a little insider information.” I ball up the towel and lob it across the room to the bin. “I’ve already secured the funding. I was in preliminary talks with an investor when I met Lil. Contracts will be signed as soon as I get back to Sydney.” Okay, I might be jumping the gun slightly, but I have reason to be pretty confident I’ll get an offer.
“Another lie. I’d have heard if that were the case. Who is this supposed deal with?”
“No lie. And not that it’s any of your business, but Benedict Carter is investing. You may have heard of him. Made millions—or is it billions? I forget—funding all kinds of tech startups and clubs and music labels. He loves a bit of diversity, does my mate Ben.”
Mate is probably too strong a word right now. But we’re well on the way. And Warren doesn’t need to know the extent of our relationship, business or otherwise.
I guess he found out I was looking for investors from one of the larger venture capital firms I had approached. It was an easy decision to turn them all down. None of them made an offer thatworked for me. Ben and I have the same vision for my business, and I can’t wait to get started on the expansion.
Sweat has popped out on Warren’s brow, and he looks like he’s choking on his tongue. Ben might not be a traditional investment firm, but in the past year or so, he’s become known as a smart business mind. And I know there’s no way Ben could or would be influenced by anything Warren might throw at him about me.
“You don’t know Ben Carter,” Warren sneers. Sounds like Warren does, or at least knows of him. Which is not surprising. Ben’s been making some big money with his investments in the last few years.
“Well, that’s where you’re wrong. Actually, his brother-in-law, Josh Markham, is an old surfing buddy of mine. Anyway, what you believe or don’t believe doesn’t matter to me in the slightest. You’re a despicable human being, and I only hope one day Lilavati is able to unlearn all the lies you’ve taught her about herself.”
I spin on my heel and start to stalk out, but at the door, I turn and give him one last glare.
“Oh, and a word to the wise. Don’t ever call in to any of my cafés for a coffee. You might find a little something extra in your cup.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Lilavati
Louise fixes my face and sees me safely onto the community shuttle bus that circuits the resorts, restaurants and clubs of Kapalua. It’s the same driver Ant and I have seen a couple of times collecting people at the hotel. There are passengers getting on and off all over the place, and we’re halfway back to the resort before she has time to chat.
“What are you doing going back to the hotel? I just dropped your young man off at the chapel not twenty minutes ago.”
“You what?”
“Your young man. I told him he’d probably missed the ceremony, since I saw the coach letting you all off earlier, but he said that didn’t matter to him.”
“You’re sure it was Ant?”
“Positive. I may be old, honey, but you don’t forget eyes that blue in a hurry.”
The rest of what she says is lost over the thundering of my heart. Ant hasn’t left. And he went up to the chapel. But didn’t come and find me. Why?
I pull out my phone, bring up our text exchanges and open a new message. But I have no idea what to say. The last message he sent me catches my eye.
Ant:Finished my surf. On my way back. Any chance you’ll be waiting for me naked on the lanai?
