Page 5

Isla studied her. “I hope you’re feeling revived after a sleep because we’re going to Cam’s villa in an hour.”

Nina’s stomach lurched at the thought of seeing him again. It was hard to tell if that was because she was embarrassed or because she found him so attractive—probably both—plus her hangover, of course.

She met Isla’s gaze. “I’ll do my best.” Nina held the packet of meds aloft. “These will help.”

“You should eat,” Isla said. “I’ll go to breakfast while you get ready, and I’ll bring you something.”

Isla was right, but the thought of food filled Nina with dread. “Okay.”

Isla got up. “I’ll be back in half an hour.” She exited the room with a wave.

Nina dragged herself out of bed and into the bathroom. She removed the previous day’s clothing and stepped into the shower. The hot water felt good and the painkillers were starting to kick in.

She towelled off and went to choose an outfit. After witnessing everyone in beach gear, she figured it was best to wear swimwear under her clothing because it seemed to be the go-to apparel on the island. She went with a patterned bikini with a vest top and shorts.

Nina took a seat to wait for Isla’s return. She wrestled her shoulder-length dark hair into a messy bun, trying to tuck in any stray strands. Should I put on makeup? Whenever she was in a hot climate, it seemed to slide off her face. She opted for a bit of waterproof mascara, hoping that framing her brown eyes might make her appear more awake, and left it at that.

The door went, signalling Isla’s return. “You look much better. Here… Get this down your neck.” She handed Nina a plate of fruit and toast. Nina made an effort to eat at least some of it.

Isla looked out of the patio window while Nina ate. “We’ll need to catch up once you feel more like yourself.” She nibbled her thumbnail. “We’ve not talked in ages.”

Nina nodded carefully as she chewed, afraid of making her head throb again. She swallowed. “Definitely.”

Isla opened her mouth for a second, then closed it again and smiled. “Come on. Let’s head for the lobby. The car will be coming for us.”

Nina hadn’t taken much in when Isla had brought her back the previous day, but now she was struck by the modern opulence of the place, all clean lines and glass. She was lucky to get to stay here at all, never mind at no cost to her.

They walked through reception and outside to wait for their car. The heat blasted Nina’s face as they left the air-conditioned building. She’d made the right choice with minimal makeup.

Nina put her sunglasses on. “Whereabouts is his villa?”

“The other side of Ibiza Town,” Isla said. “It’s gorgeous. Absolutely massive and has great views.”

Nina looked at her. Isla had always been tempted by the flash lifestyle. She was glad Isla was getting to experience it but concerned that she might get swept up in superficiality or materialism. She wondered if subconsciously that was the reason Isla had chosen her for the trip. Nina had been the one to keep her grounded, even back in their university days. She cleared her throat. “You’ve been there already?”

“Yeah, I went over yesterday to hang out.”

Nina nodded. “What’s on the agenda for today?”

Isla smiled. “There’s not a schedule. That’s not how the creative process works. We’re just going to chill at his place and throw some ideas around.”

Nina took out her water bottle and sipped. She wasn’t used to the creative process. When she managed a project at work, everything was mapped out and she made sure all the steps were followed to the letter. “Has he got a studio at the villa?”

“Yeah,” Isla said, waving at their driver as he arrived. “He bought the place a couple of years back and had the basement converted. It’s so cool.”

They climbed into the car and the driver started out. Nina hoped that she could make a better impression on Cameron this time. The car had air conditioning, but she wound the window a little to get a bit of a breeze.

Isla touched her arm. “Okay? You can close your eyes until we get there.”

Nina smiled and nodded. The alcohol must have impaired her sleep because even after a full night, she was exhausted. She nestled her head back against the seat, only intending to rest her eyes for a minute.

She awoke to Isla shaking her shoulder gently. She was at the door of the car, holding it open.

Nina blinked. “We’re here already?”

Isla smiled. “Yep.”

Nina climbed out and her jaw dropped. The villa was enormous, spread out over acres. A long, white-walled path lined with palm trees led the way to the entrance, which was embedded in a white-stone wall. She followed Isla along it, enveloped by a sense of unreality. The front door was ajar and they made their way along a glass-tiled hallway, past a black staircase and a large sitting area with a huge wall-sized TV screen, then into a huge open-plan kitchen-dining-sitting area. The length of the room was lined along one side with glass patio doors, which were open, the sea breeze blowing gently into the room. Nina was drawn out onto the terrace. To the right, a long dining table sat beneath a gazebo. Farther out, seating lined the edge of the balcony, looking out toward the sea.