by Poppy Blake
When Rosie checked the group into their lodges the previous day, Jess had boasted continuously about the recording contract Suki had just signed after years on the circuit in Ibiza’s cosmopolitan bars. She had warmed to Jess straight away; a free-spirit, a sprite of a girl, with no real comprehension of her sister’s success, and she clearly inhabited an alternate stratosphere. She had even wondered whether the girl was on some sort of medication – she was sweet and fun, but vacant and scatter-brained. Rosie quickly chastised herself for her less-than-kind thought. There was nothing wrong with being forgetful – not everyone craved extreme orderliness in their lives like she did.
‘Will Nadia be okay? She didn’t look very happy about being drenched in water,’ said Rosie, concerned that William hadn’t followed her to their lodge as she had so clearly wanted him to.
‘Oh, don’t worry. She’ll be fine,’ said William, a flicker of irritation floating across his expression. ‘But it doesn’t help when Lucas starts teasing her.’
‘Did you see the look on her face when the water hit her?’ laughed Lucas. ‘Ah, I wish I’d had my mobile ready. That would have been some ice bucket challenge for my Facebook page – seeing the uptight cow brought down a peg or two.’
‘You promised you’d make an effort to be kind to Nadia while we’re here, Lucas,’ Suki reprimanded him. ‘You know how she’s feeling at the moment.’
‘So what? If she can’t be happy for her best friend’s good fortune and insists on indulging in a childish spurt of jealousy, how is that my fault?’
‘Stop it, Lucas,’ interjected William, a sharp warning tone creeping into his voice.
Once again, that strangest of feelings swept over Rosie – as though she, Mia, Matt and Freddie were invisible, incidental onlookers. She saw Lucas flash his eyes at William, clearly considering some scathing retort, but at the last minute he made the decision to change the subject, although Rosie wasn’t sure it was to safer ground.
‘Anyway, where’s Felix got to, Suki? I thought you said he would be here in time for the garden party. Must have been some reunion session with the lads in Colchester last night. Always did say Felix knows how to party. Not the old-ladies-style bash we’ve just been subjected to. Sorry, Rosie, but excuse me if I left my tiara and pearls behind in Ibiza!’
Rosie opened her mouth to respond but had no idea what to say so she closed it again, ending up looking like a gobsmacked goldfish. She caught Matt’s eye and he smirked at her, rolling his eyes at their new friends’ antics as Lucas snaked his arm round Jess’s slim waist, drew her towards him and dropped a kiss on her lips.
‘Had a little par-tay ourselves last night though, didn’t we, honey?’
‘We did!’ giggled Jess, leaning backwards so she could coil her arms around his neck.
‘But hey, Rosie, Mia, I must congratulate you both on earning your crowns as Queens of Culinary Excellence! I don’t know who made those scones, but they were a-maz-ing! And you’ve got to give me the recipe for those raspberry cupcakes! De-lic-ious. I poked my head in the door of the café this morning and I saw you both slaving away. You don’t know how lucky you are to have such great facilities – the windmill’s kitchen is like a real professional chef’s laboratory compared to the pokey crevice where I’m expected to perform my culinary magic for a discerning crowd of inebriated tourists.’
Lucas shoved the sleeves of his sweater up to his elbows and curled his upper lip in disgust at his misfortune.
‘It’s usually roast chicken and chips with a side of coleslaw thrown in, and there’s always a constant litany of complaints. Hard work and talent count for nothing in the restaurants of San Antonio. Any monkey can heat up a beef curry in the microwave or fry a basket of scampi. That is not what I spent three years at catering college for.’
‘Chill Lucas,’ said Jess, trailing her fingers through his blond quiff whilst her own hair, woven with brightly-coloured beads, rippled in the late afternoon breeze. ‘You’re a fabulous chef. It’s just a matter of time before your genius is discovered – then you’ll get your own restaurant where you can do whatever you like, I just know it. I reckon you’re absolutely on the verge of getting your big break like Suki has. In the meantime, you just need to keep working hard at that lobotomy qualification!’
A very unladylike snort erupted to Rosie’s left as Mia spluttered into her glass of prosecco. She didn’t dare look in her friend’s direction in case she succumbed to a fit of giggling too, but instead looked on in surprise at the swift change in Lucas’s demeanour towards his girlfriend.
‘It’s botany, you idiot. Not lobotomy.’
Lucas shoved Jess’s arm away, scraped back his chair and stalked off towards their lodge.
‘So, erm, Suki, where was your last gig?’ asked Matt in an effort to lighten the mood.
‘Nadia and I had a residency in a bar in San Antonio throughout the summer season and this year Will decided to come over from Majorca where his family live to join us, didn’t you, Will?’
‘I play bass guitar in a rock band, but I also get to act as their manager for my sins. I handle all the bookings and do all the paperwork. It was a contact of mine who had actually come to see me play who spotted Suki singing and put us in touch with a guy at Mountside Records. They loved her voice, and the rest, as they say, is history.’
‘So, you were instrumental in delivering Suki’s big break?’ asked Rosie, understanding a little better why Nadia seemed so prickly. It would stretch anyone’s friendship to see their boyfriend arrange their best friend’s route to stardom whilst their own career floundered in obscurity. She watched Suki grab one of the bottles of fizz from the ice bucket and take a swig.
‘That’s right,’ sighed Suki, wiping dribbles of liquid from her chin with the back of her hand. ‘Will was the catalyst to my newfound fame and potential fortune, much to Nadia’s annoyance. He persuaded the guy from Mountside to offer her a gig as a backing singer but she threw it back at him in disgust. It’s one of the reasons we’re here, actually – as an apology. I thought that if we spent some quality time together, doing something completely different, she would come round. To be honest, it was my boyfriend Felix’s idea to come to Norfolk - although I’m not sure he’s going to be my boyfriend for much longer. The selfish idiot promised me faithfully that he’d be here to help me cut the ribbon for the garden party. But, as you can see…’ she swung the bottle in a wide arc spilling some of the contents on the terrace. ‘No sign of him.’
Rosie completely understood Suki’s irritation; Felix’s absence had been the reason she and Mia had become honorary ribbon-cutters instead of their celebrity guest – not that she minded.
‘Why hasn’t Felix arrived yet, Suke? Has he called you to say he’ll be late?’ asked Jess.
‘No, of course not. He’s the most inconsiderate moron this side of the M25.’
Suki’s eyes suddenly came to rest on Freddie as though she was seeing him for the first time. His jaw gaped open and Rosie had the distinct impression that a little drool escaped from his lips. She watched him clamp his mouth shut, slide his hands into his pockets, and scuff his loafers in the grass, raising his shoulders and elbows towards his ears in feigned disinterest.
‘Hey, Freddie plays in a band, too, Suki,’ said Mia with a mischievous glint in her eye. ‘He’s really good, too - had a very successful gig last month in our local pub. He adores all kinds of music, so I bet you have heaps in common. Perhaps you should get together to discuss the quirks of the industry sometime?’
‘Oh, I think I can do better than that!’
As Rosie, Matt and Mia watched on in amusement, Suki drained the remaining contents of the bottle she was holding in one go. Steadying herself, she bent down to remove her stilettos, linked her arm through Freddie’s and began to steer him towards the lodges in the field behind the Windmill Café.
‘Freddie and I are going to compare musical notes and put a bit of the theory into practice,’ Suki shouted over her shoulder.
‘Hey, Suki,’ Lucas called, a smile splitting his cheeks when he passed them on the footpath as he made his way back to the group. ‘I hope you haven’t forgotten you promised to sing for us before we go out for dinner tonight!’
‘Of course not! I’ll get ready and see you back here on the terrace in an hour!’ Suki giggled as she stumbled through the gate, clinging onto Freddie’s arm to remain upright just as Nadia appeared on the veranda of her lodge and performed a rather comedic double-take.
Freddie turned his head for a final look at his friends, his face a mixture of jubilation, trepidation and fear.
Chapter 5
‘Do you think we should rescue him?’ asked Mia, her forehead creased with anxiety as she swung her gaze from Rosie to Matt and back to Rosie again.
‘I’m not sure…’
‘Don’t look so worried, Rosie. I’m sure your friend will be quite safe,’ laughed Jess.
‘What’s Suki doing?’ demanded Nadia when she arrived on the terrace, noticing William’s eyes were still trained on the door of the lodge through which Suki and Freddie had disappeared a few minutes earlier. ‘And was that Freddie she was with?’
‘Yes, he’s Suki’s chosen suitor for an afternoon of summer delight. Love is in the air…’ Jess began to sing before descending into a fit of giggles. She slipped her hand into Lucas’s and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him on his nose.
Nadia rolled her eyes at their public display of affection before turning back to William ‘What are you looking so glum about? It’s me who got the soaking, not precious Suki. Felix should be here by now. If she gets caught it’s her own fault.’
Rosie glanced at Mia whose expression morphed from apprehension to abject anguish. Again, she experienced the weirdest of feeling – of floating above the ground, looking down on their guests’ interactions instead of being a part of them – and she was shocked when she saw Nadia pinch William on the arm to jolt him out of his reverie.
‘I agree,’ said Lucas, taking a long glug from a bottle of beer, all trace of his previous bad mood gone. ‘Felix has had his fun, now it Suki’s turn to have hers. Hey, Nadia, why don’t you ask if you can do a number with Suki tonight?’
‘Because we’re supposed to be relaxing and having fun.’
‘The two things aren’t mutually exclusive, Nad,’ said William, rearranging his facial features into something akin to sympathy. ‘But I’m sure Suki won’t mind if you want to perform a duet together. I see you helped yourself to one of her most expensive dresses. You know she was planning to wear that herself tonight.’
‘She said I could choose anything I like, and I like this one. This emerald green enhances my colouring much better than Suki’s, don’t you think?’ She twisted her hips in the sequinned sheath dress and patted her re-styled bob.
‘You’re gorgeous, Nad,’ confirmed Jess, her ruby nose stud glinting in the sun as she swayed to the fragmented snatches of pop music spilling from the Windmill Café’s open windows.
‘Well, I reckon we should snatch a few more bottles of bubbly and grab a front row seat over on the terrace,’ suggested Lucas. ‘I know Suki’s picking up the tab for the drinks today, but it’ll be a drop in the ocean when she hits the big time, won’t it, Will?’
‘Shut up,’ snapped William. ‘Let’s not forget that we wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for Suki’s generosity. Stop dreaming of being the next Jamie Oliver and get real. I’m off for a shower. See you in half an hour.’
‘William? William…’ Nadia called after him.
‘Stay and have some of this fizz with us, Nad,’ said Lucas, slumping down on the grass and dislodging the cork into the flower beds with a cry of ‘whoop’.
‘Mmm, it’s delicious.’ Jess laid her head on Lucas’s shoulder. ‘Don’t worry, Luc. I think you’re going to be even better than Jamie Oliver. Much more handsome, anyway. When Suki is famous, she’ll eat in your restaurant, bring all her celebrity friends…’
‘Oh, shut up Jess and pass the bottle,’ snapped Nadia. ‘Might as well make the most of the freebies whilst we’re stuck in this dull backwater place. Sooner we’re back in San Antonio the better. There’re loads of luxury spa retreats in Ibiza, so why did Felix insist on us coming here? Oh, to think I could be soaking up the sunshine on your Uncle Ken’s yacht, working on my tan with a selection of cocktails on tap!’
‘Actually, you couldn’t, Nad. Uncle Ken and Aunt Martha have taken The Cortia over to Sardinia for the week to meet up with Bart and Juliette for their daughter’s wedding, or was it for their engagement? Or it could have been the birth of their first baby. Oh, I don’t know. Anyway, they’re not at their villa so that’s why Suki agreed to Felix’s suggestion to come over here.’
‘Where is the sod, anyway?’
‘You know Felix. Once he’s in a session…’
‘I think he’s started to drink much more since he lost his role in that soap opera and didn’t even get through the first round of auditions for the Renault ad. I bet his earnings from acting haven’t even kept him in toothpaste this year. But if you ask me, it’s a little like the pot calling the kettle! Did you see the way Suki was putting away the prosecco earlier? And dragging that guy she’s just met off to her lodge? She’s only doing it to get back at Felix and make him toe the line.’
‘But Felix won’t know, will he Nad? We’re not spilling on Suki. She’s the most fabulous sister in the world, and she’s your best friend, too,’ Jess reminded Nadia, her voice soft and dreamy as she cuddled into Lucas. ‘Felix is just jealous of Suki’s talent, always has been. Even more so now she’s going to be a famous pop star whilst he’s still waiting for his starring role in a Hollywood blockbuster. But he loves showing off at our villa, and down at the harbour on Uncle Ken’s yacht, so he’s not about to give that up, is he? And she lets him run around all the beach resorts in her Z4.’
‘Did you hear what kind of car he’s rented for the week here in Norfolk?’ said Lucas, nibbling at Jess’s neck. ‘Only a Jaguar XJS convertible. Hope he lets me take it for a spin. Are you sure you can’t persuade Big Sis to shell out for a car for you, Jess?’
‘Eww. Get a room you two,’ scoffed Nadia.
Rosie heard a crunch on the pathway behind her and turned around, expecting to see William. However, the footsteps did not belong to William, but to Felix. She had never been fond of verbal fireworks, and, seeing the look on Nadia’s face, she decided it was time she, Matt and Mia left their guests to their own devices before the impromptu mini-concert started at eight. She got up and collected the empty pitcher and glasses to take back to the café, wash in hot soapy water and put away in their allocated space.
‘Come on, Mia. We’d better get…’
‘Hi, guys. Where’s Suki?’
‘Where’ve you been Felix? The garden party finished two hours ago – it’s almost eight o’clock. You were supposed to be here at 2 p.m. sharp to cut the ribbon with Suki.’
‘Can’t blame me for giving it a miss, can you? The lads persuaded me to go to this new Sports bar – a little more exciting that this genteel granny’s outing.’
Rosie sank back down in her seat. It was obvious there was no way she was going to persuade Mia and Matt to miss out on the live entertainment. She saw Felix flash his camera-ready smile at his three friends, displaying no ill-effects from an afternoon on the booze. His bleached-blonde hair looked as though he had just vacated the barber’s chair – neatly cropped and sporting a touch of gel. His designer jeans hugged his buttocks like a second skin and his multi-striped shirt opened at the neck to reveal just a hint of golden chest hair.
‘Hang on a minute.’ Felix jogged back across the lawn to the car park and grabbed a box of craft ale from the boot of a scarlet Jaguar XJS.
‘Is that Felix?’ asked William, re-joining them and taking a seat next to Nadia.
‘Yes, and it looks like he’s brought another crate of beer with him so he can top up his alcohol levels to get through the evening,’ said
Lucas. ‘Look at him. How did he even manage to steer that beautiful vehicle on these winding country roads without ending up in a ditch somewhere? Felix always was a lucky sod.’
‘Someone needs to tell him that his drinking is out of control,’ said William as Felix lurched back towards them, staggering under the weight of the bottles.
‘Not just Felix with a problem though, is it?’ said Nadia. ‘It’s Suki too. You saw her at the party – but that’s the first time I’ve seen her hook up with a stranger. By the way, Jess says we have a gossip embargo. No spilling the juicy secret to Felix and standing back to watch the explosion.’
‘Hey, William, my friend.’ Felix grasped William’s palm and patted him on the back. ‘What’s the word on the high-rolling manager’s circuit?’
‘You’re drunk, Felix.’
‘I think I’ll make a cafetière of coffee,’ declared Rosie, anxious to escape the soap opera. She signalled for Mia to follow her as she made her way into the windmill, but Mia shook her head, her eyes as wide as saucers. Even Matt stayed glued to his seat!
‘Suki’s promised to perform a couple of songs before we go out for dinner tonight.’
‘Oh, goody!’ said Felix, unable to keep the sarcasm from his voice. ‘Can’t wait for that unexpected treat. Yes, coffee with a wee dram should see me through one of Suki’s gigs. I thought we were here to chill out, not to be subjected to another “I love Suki fest.”’
Rosie carried a tray of mugs and two huge cafetières of industrial-strength coffee outside and poured one for everyone. The sun was sinking towards the horizon, sending a kaleidoscope of salmon and indigo streamers across the sky on what had turned out to be one of the most exhilarating and exhausting days of her life – and it wasn’t over yet.