‘Thank you,’ I say. ‘I can fight my own battles, but it’s nice to have an ally too.’
‘I’m sorry about the church trip. You don’t mind, do you?’
‘It’s fine,’ I tell him with a smile. ‘I was rather hoping Amy wasn’t going to come either, if I’m honest.’
‘But then how could she control it?’ He laughs. ‘Anyway, plans for the day? I assume you’re seeing Gabriel.’
‘Not until later. He’s got some work calls to attend to this morning, but he said he’d drop by after lunch.’
‘Do you need the room?’
I blush. I like Robert, but I’m not comfortable with him knowing this much about my sex life. ‘I don’t know,’ I say eventually. ‘Do you?’
‘No, but you might need to hang out the “Do not disturb” sign. I think the cleaners do us in the afternoons, and I’m guessing you don’t want to provide an unscripted floor show.’
‘Good point. Thank you.’
Although I’m very keen to have sex with Gabriel again as soon as possible, and the idea of having a soft bed to do it in is very appealing, it doesn’t take me long to decide that Robert’s and my room is not the place to do it. Quite apart from the cleaners that he’s already mentioned, hanging out a ‘Do not disturb’ sign in the middle of the afternoon is almost as obvious as standing on the balcony and announcing through amegaphone that we’re having sex. Also, knowing my luck, Amy would be bound to spot it and interrogate me about it later.
No. We’ll have to find somewhere else. Let’s hope Gabriel has some ideas.
26
‘I still can’t believe you’re coming to church tomorrow,’ Gabriel tells me. We’re closely spooned together on the single bed in his room at his mother’s house, and I’m idly running my hand across his bare chest, enjoying the firmness of the pectoral muscles just under his skin. Over the last few days, we’ve established a little routine, where he picks me up from the resort just after lunch and drives me to his mother’s house, where we can enjoy each other without restriction, as his mother is out pretty much all day every day. Later in the afternoon, we head back to the Elixir for him to do his stint on the piano, before finishing the evening at Raphael’s bar. Although the single bed is a little short on space, it’s a lot better than being arrested for public indecency on the beach.
‘Random subject, given the setting!’ I exclaim, glancing down at our naked bodies. ‘Doesn’t the church have views about sex outside marriage?’
‘Interesting question. It does, but the way I see it is this: In Biblical times, women would have been married off as soon as they reached sexual maturity, so sexbeforemarriage wouldn’t have been an issue. What I think they were more concernedabout was sexoutsidemarriage, or adultery. So, I don’t believe God’s fingers are twitching on the “Smite” button if two consenting, unattached adults have sex, do you?’
‘And would your pastor agree with that view?’
He smiles guiltily. ‘No. I think it’s fair to say that he wouldn’t, which is why I don’t share it with him. Anyway, I’m sorry that I can’t pick you up in the morning. I was going to ask the church minibus to call by for you, but Grace has offered to drive you over there. She’s got one of those massive seven-seat SUV things so you should all fit in easily. Is that OK?’
‘It’s fine, don’t sweat it. I get that you have to be there early to rehearse with the choir. I’m looking forward to it, actually.’
‘Even though Amy is coming?’
I sigh. ‘I could have done without that, it’s true. I’m still not sure she’s managed to work out the difference between her supposed spirit guide and God.’
‘Hmm. Maybe you should encourage her to ask Pastor Andrew about it. He loves nothing more than getting stuck into discussions like that, although it might make her very late for lunch, which wouldn’t endear her to Mum.’
‘Are you sure your mother doesn’t mind us gatecrashing her family lunch?’
‘Gatecrashing?’ He laughs again. ‘As soon as I told her you were coming to church, she insisted. She’d never forgive herself if she let you go back to the hotel without offering you hospitality.’
‘She does know they feed us there, right?’
‘She does, but she doesn’t have a very high opinion of hotel food especially when, to use her words, “it’s been rotting on a buffet counter for goodness knows how long”.’
‘I bet Grace loves that.’
‘Grace is used to her. There aren’t many things my mother doesn’t have a strong opinion about, even if it’s patently wrong.But we’ve all learned that life is generally quieter if you don’t contradict her.’
‘And we’re bringing Amy into this mix,’ I remind him.
‘That could be challenging, I agree, but, from what you’ve told me, it’ll be entertaining if nothing else. You’ll be glad to know that Mum’s doing a milder version of her jerk chicken for you. It’ll still be lively, but won’t take your head off in the way that Aaron’s did.’
‘I bet she thinks we’re pathetic, doesn’t she.’
