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“She loves the water.”

Isla’s voice startled him out of his Nina-shaped daydream, and he sat up. “She does?”

“Yeah. She used to be a champion swimmer at school.”

Cameron watched Nina cut through the water. I can believe that. He shifted his gaze back to Isla and was about to ask if he and Ash should go for a walk to give Nina and Isla time to talk, when Isla’s phone buzzed with a message. She took it out and started quickly texting. He lay back again, not wanting to pry. He started watching Nina again. She was coming back out of the water, her skin glistening with beads of seawater and wet tendrils of dark hair falling onto her chest. He swallowed hard and tried to drag his gaze away. There was a movement out the corner of his eye and he became aware that Isla had stood and was gathering her belongings into her bag.

Cameron raised his eyebrows. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” she said. “I’ve just ordered a cab. I’m going to meet someone.”

“Right now?” he asked.

She gave him a look. “Yes.”

“Okay,” he said, taking the hint not to ask any more questions. “Are you going to tell Nina that you’re leaving?”

Isla glanced toward where Nina was sitting with Ash. “Can you tell her?”

He rubbed his forehead. “What do you want me to say?”

“Just tell her that I’ve gone to see Zac.”

Cameron frowned. They were both seeing Zac? No wonder they’d been arguing. Though, he didn’t know why he was surprised. That was Zac all over, playing multiple women off each other. And if it was best friends then it was bound to give him some sort of perverted extra kick.

Cameron tried to think what to say to dissuade her from going or to at least speak to Nina before she did, but she was already leaving. She glanced back over her shoulder. “I’ll meet you at yours tomorrow.”

“Okay,” he said weakly. The cab was already pulling in. It must’ve been nearby. He glanced back to the surf but the others hadn’t noticed Isla’s departure. His heart sank as he tried to think how he was going to break it to Nina that Isla had left in order to respond to a booty call from the guy that she was also seeing.

Chapter Five

Nina glanced at where Cameron was sitting on his lounger, running a hand through his hair. For a moment she was distracted by the thought that she wished she were the one running her fingers through his hair, and also along the contours of the perfectly chiselled torso he had on display. It took her a few seconds to realise that Isla wasn’t there. Nina wrenched her eyes away from the appealing sight of Cameron to scan the beach. Was there a nearby public toilet that she’d gone to?

Nina turned to Ash. “Can you see Isla?”

Ash stopped talking for a second and looked around. “Nope. That’s weird.”

Nina’s heart rate picked up. ”I’m going to ask Cam if he knows where she went.”

“Sure,” said Ash. “I’m just going to get a couple more shots in the surf.”

“Okay,” Nina said as she hurried away. She quickly closed the gap to the loungers. Cameron rose from his seat and took off his sunglasses. There was concern in his hazel gaze. Nina berated herself for still being distracted by his eyes, even with her mounting worry regarding Isla.

That morning Isla had arrived at the hotel just before they had been due to leave for the beach. She’d clearly stayed over with Zac somewhere the night before but wouldn’t tell Nina anything about it. Nina had attempted to talk Isla out of getting involved with him further, including a narrative about how he’d made a move on her just before he’d tried, and succeeded, to do the same with Isla, but Isla was having none of it. She’d told Nina that she was just jealous. How on earth could I be jealous when I’d knocked him back, on account of him being a total tool?

She reached Cameron, slightly out of breath. “Do you know where Isla’s gone?”

He gestured for her to sit and took a seat next to her. His voice was strained. “She’s meeting someone.”

Nina’s heart sank. “Who?” she asked, though she could guess.

He glanced away. “Zac.”

Nina stayed silent. Why was Isla running around after that guy? Especially when they were here to make the track. What if her unprofessional behaviour caused Cameron to change his mind about working with her? He must have hundreds of other singers he could choose from. She studied his profile as he toyed with his sunglasses. He certainly didn’t seem impressed. Nina’s heart rate picked up. Please don’t let him drop her. She cleared her throat. “I’m sorry.”

He stared at her, frowning. “What for?”

“For Isla running out when you’re supposed to be working on your song,” she said, speaking quickly and trying to think what to say in order to smooth it over. “She’s not normally like this. I don’t know what’s going on with her, but I promise I’ll sort it out.”