‘So let’s make a wild assumption. If she started serving alcohol, it would cost more initially, but she’d make it back pretty quickly if it helped her to move away from offering the discounts to entice people to come.’
‘How quickly do you think that would work though?’
‘You know England and the English, right? Most of us would consider going on an alcohol-free holiday a crime against nature. And we’re just one country.’
‘Thinking of which, your glass is empty. Where’s Raphael when I need him?’ He spots his brother and waves energetically.
‘Can I ask you a question now?’ I begin after Raphael has delivered more drinks and I’ve had a sip. ‘Why are you playing the piano in hotels when you’re so talented?’
‘Talented?’ He grins.
‘I mean it, Gabriel. You’re good. I don’t know much about music, I’ll admit, but I think you’re wasted in places like the Elixir, especially as the bar is generally empty during the time you’re playing. You deserve to be heard by a wider audience.’
‘That’s very kind of you to say. Thank you.’ His words are sincere, but there’s a hint of amusement in his eyes and once again I’m certain that there’s something he’s not telling me. The problem with that is it just makes me determined to find out what it is. In order to do that, I’m going to have to spend more time with him and see if I can get him to trust me enough to open up.
That’s a very welcome thought indeed, and I’m smiling as I take a sip of my rum punch.
15
There’s no sign of Robert when I get back to the room, which is no surprise. I expect he’s gone out drinking with Stuart again. What is a surprise is the note that he’s left on my bed.
Hi Tori (or Libby, depending on your mood)
I’ve been thinking about our conversation last night a lot today. It was incredibly helpful. I’ve texted Fliss to apologise for being such an arse. She hasn’t replied – it’s already the middle of the night in the UK, and she might not reply because she hates me, but it felt good to at least say sorry.
So, as a gesture of my gratitude, I’d like you to have the big bed for the remainder of the holiday. I should have behaved like a gentleman and given it to you in the first place, but I was too busy being (as you would put it) a massive dick. Hopefully, that will change going forwards.
Thanks again
Throbbert
‘Bloody hell,’ I murmur as I glance around me. Not only has he given up the bed but, unless I’m very much mistaken, he’salso put all his clothes away. I open the cupboards to look and, yep, they’re all in there, either hanging or neatly folded on the shelves. I stick my head in the bathroom, and am amazed to see that all his toiletries are also neatly stacked around one of the basins.
‘Who is this, and what has he done with Throbbert?’ I ask myself as I stretch out on the bed. To be fair, the single bed was perfectly comfortable last night, but this is really nice. However, lovely though it is, I wonder whether I should let Robert keep this bed as a reward for not being a dick. He is quite tall, and he might overhang the single one. I’ll just savour it for a little longer first.
‘Wakey wakey, rise and shi-ine!’
‘Oh, for fuck’s sake,’ Robert’s voice grumbles in the darkness. I open my eyes and I’m momentarily disorientated, before I realise that I’m still in the huge bed.
‘Umm, Robert?’ I ask.
‘Morning, sleepyhead. Do you feel better?’
I take a moment to contemplate his question. I do, actually. I don’t remember waking once in the night. To be fair, I was so dog tired by the time I’d got back from Raphael’s and had something to eat that it would have taken something pretty spectacular to wake me up.
Before I can answer, there’s another pounding on the door.
‘I know you’re in there!’ Amy sings again, although her voice has an edge to it now, like she’s pissed off but trying to disguise it.
‘Leave this to me,’ I say, clambering out of bed and discovering, to my surprise, that I’m still fully dressed in the clothes I was wearing last night.
‘This is your 7a.m. breakfast call!’ Amy chirps when I yank open the door. ‘You two are a real pair of slugabeds, although I’m pleased to see you’re actually dressed this morning.’ She’s incredible, I think as I look at her. The voice is all sing-song and friendly, but the look in her eyes is quite different. Once again, Stuart is standing behind her, but he looks very slightly disappointed if anything. Probably hoping for another eyeful of my nipples, the dirty pervert.
‘We’ve really got to do something about your timekeeping,’ Amy continues, adopting a school-teacher tone. ‘For my schedule to work, everything has to happen punctually, otherwise we’ll just get in a mess. The mani/pedi is booked for eight thirty, if you remember, so you need to get a move on if you want breakfast before.’
‘Yeah, about that,’ I tell her. ‘I’m not coming.’
‘Of course you’re coming. I booked you a slot.’
