‘My assistant.’
‘Oh. OK, well that’s kind of him. Where are we staying?’
‘At the Harbour Club,’ Leo said, smoothly, pointing up at the five-star hotel set into the hills behind us. The infinity pool was built out over the rocks and glistened aquamarine as the sun shone through it.
‘Really?’ Good old Chris – whoever he was – I’d have booked us into a bargain BnB. My stomach bubbled with excitement, and I was double glad we were getting the later flight.
‘Yep. We deserve some luxury after sleeping in those broom cupboards for a week.’
A new cruise ship had arrived to replace theEsmeralda, and the harbour was back to heaving. The tourists poured off and scattered, immersing themselves in the local vibe. In and out of the shops and bars, keen to explore the island in the few hours they had. I couldn’t wait to have a shower or bath – or both – in my five-star room.
‘I’m going to swing by the supermarket and pick up a few essentials. Want anything?’ Leo asked. I had a perfume miniature and a lipstick in my handbag and that was about it – I needed more than a few essentials. I needed clothes and knickers and… everything.
I remained relaxed and casual. ‘I’ll come too.’
There was something so shiny and clean about supermarkets on holiday. Air conditioning, deli counters full of meats and cheeses, pyramids of perfect-looking potatoes, glossy tomatoes and huge green beans. But I couldn’t wear a green bean for dinner. I’d have to buy a new dress to throw on – this one was sweaty and muddy, and I couldn’t wait to take it off. We headed for the toothbrushes and deodorants and bought a pink and blue of each. His and hers. I hadn’t been supermarket shopping with a man for years and putting my cucumber-fresh Dove next to his Sure Maximum Strength for extra manly-men felt embarrassingly intimate.
I tried to laugh it off. ‘Do we need anything else, love? Kitchen roll? Fairy liquid? A new mop head?’
A woman ushered past with her toddler and Leo smiled. ‘I think we’re good.’
‘I could actually do with something to change into,’ I said, eyeing the clothes shop through the window.
‘Me too.’ Leo grinned. ‘I’ll sort this lot, and you go get whatever you need. Let’s meet in the hotel reception in an hour and check in?’
‘Done.’
What a treat. A whole hour to myself to mooch around the shops and meander about. I just needed a cheapy cotton dress and some flip-flops and that’d be fine. A bell tinkled as I walked into the one and only shop that sold clothes on the harbour front. There were dozens of mannequins in the window wearing bikinis with tiny shorts and a luscious rack of long cotton dresses to flick through.
‘Olá!’ a fresh-faced teenager called, from behind the till.
‘Olá,’ I replied, scanning the dresses for something appropriate. So many of them had pieces missing or were covered in sequins, or snake sized. I whipped the hangers along faster and faster as the rejections piled up and I could feel myself starting to panic.No, no, no, no.Ihadto find something to wear in this shop. Right now.
‘English?’ the young girl asked.
I nodded, holding up a bright orange minidress.No.
‘I can help you?’ she tried.
‘I need a dress,’ I said, pointing at my boobs and then my bum. ‘For dinner.’ I pretended to eat with a knife and fork. ‘Grandez.If… er…possible.’ I’d run out of Portuguese words, so English with a bad French accent would have to do.
She disappeared off out the back as I flicked from gaudy nightmare to gaudy nightmare. There was a small selection of cotton dresses by the counter, but they looked like they were for children. I held a gorgeous emerald dress up against me in the mirror, but it was strapless and only went down to my knee. I hadn’t worn anything like that for years.
The girl came back with a rainbow of dresses over her arm. Peacock blue, pink, cherry red and white. Cotton-soft maxi dresses that looked like they might work. Surely one of them would do.
‘Oooh!Mucho obrigado!’ I said, taking them and shuffling over to the ‘changing area’ – a mirror and a circular curtain. My muscles instantly relaxed as I kicked off my sweaty trainers and peeled off my dress, standing naked in the air con to cool down. I wanted to throw them in the bin, but I folded them into a pile instead. The blue dress was like a silk sheet on my skin, its plunge neckline and cap sleeves floating elegantly and landing in all the right places. They say dresses are like men – you know instantly when it’s the one. When it’s a definite yes.
I pulled the curtain back to give myself more space and stood in front of the mirror.
‘Ahh! Is very nice,’ the girl said, with a smile, her brown eyes shining. ‘Is your colour.’
It ruffled around my cleavage and pulled me in at the waist, as if it was made for me. There was a slight whiff of chief bridesmaid, but I didn’t have much choice. ‘I’ll take it, please. And a pair of those flip-flops in a medium. Both to wear now.’
‘I have similar dress in red, here,’ she said, holding up the cherry, which was equally beautiful. ‘One is forty euro, both colours I do for sixty?’
‘Erm… OK, go on then,’ I said, wafting the material around like a flamenco dancer, then giving her a twirl. I loved it. ‘And can I have a bag for my… er… other clothes?’
Would it be crazy to buy it in all the colours?Yes.But the costume change had unlocked something in me. I feltcheekier and lighter – a more excited version of myself. Was it the dress? Or was it going commando?
