Sunlounger - the Ultimate Beach Read (Sunlounger Stories Book 1)

by Belinda Jones

  I was motionless, like a figure from Pompeii captured in the last terrifying moment of her life. He glanced back to witness my mortified expression, added a cheeky eyebrow raise, and disappeared round the corner.

  ‘I thought he was Mexican!’ I gasped. ‘Javier, make him Mexican, tell me he can’t understand English!’ I was babbling at the same tempo as my pulse.

  ‘Oh, snap out of it you big drama queen!’ Javier rolled his eyes.

  ‘B-but he heard me!’

  ‘So? What’s the worst that can happen?’

  ‘He’s on his way home now to have a good laugh with his girlfriend?’

  Javier waved a dismissive hand. ‘He was gawking at you all night and he wouldn’t have purred in your ear if he wasn’t interested.’

  I gnawed the end of my straw like a paranoid hamster.

  ‘Tell you what, why don’t you nip to the loo and give me a few minutes to snoop.’

  ‘Discreetly,’ I insist as I get to my feet.

  ‘You know me.’

  I sit back down.

  ‘Oh, just go!’

  As I sloped off through the corridor of palms I spotted Poco Chica darting through some shrubs. I tried following her but she was too quick for me and vanished again. She had to be expelling her babes any day now and I was desperate to act as mid-wife. Or at least be there to stroke her furry brow and coo over her offspring.

  In the bathroom mirror I checked my teeth; no guacamole or lime lurking, that was a bonus at least. The Wonderbra was doing an ample ‘shove and squeeze’ and my mascara was surprisingly still on my lashes not cheeks. It could have been a worse face staring back at me. The same face he had been looking at… My heart did a small cartwheel. I couldn’t recall the last time that I felt like this…

  ‘I’ve got news,’ Javier smirked when I returned to the bar.

  ‘Tell me everything and make it nice.’

  ‘Guess where he’s from?’ He looked fit to burst.

  ‘Clearly somewhere ridiculous or you wouldn’t be asking. Skegness?’

  ‘Wrexham. He’s Jack from Wrexham.’ Javier was delighted with his discovery.

  ‘Jack? Wrexham? Well that’s not very Mexican Mills and Boon is it?’

  Javier chortled into his glass.

  ‘I don’t even know where Wrexham is but it sounds northern. And grey.’

  ‘Ernesto says he’s lived in Mexico for years, his dad is something in coastal engineering, he has a brother who’s now in San Diego, doesn’t have a girlfriend and sadly isn’t gay either. That’s your lot. Can I breathe now?’

  ‘Thank you, Miss Marple. At least his name makes him slightly less intimidating for some reason. Jack from Wrexham. I can do that!’ I looked hopefully at the door. ‘So is he coming back?’

  ‘Not tonight.’

  I felt my insides plummet. Even my cleavage deflated an inch.

  ‘That’s that then, obviously not meant to be.’

  Javier raised a brow. ‘Because you don’t get your instant gratification?’

  ‘You know me – by tomorrow I’ll have lost my nerve again.’

  ‘Not this time.’

  ‘What makes you so sure?’ I queried.

  ‘I’m not going to let you.’

  I stared back at him.

  ‘Seriously, Crissy. What are you going to do? Be brave with someone you actually like or wait another couple of years until you’re bored enough or lonely enough to get it on with the first bloke that comes your way and then find yourself living out your twilight years with someone you were never even attracted to in the first place.’

  ‘Are you trying to scare me into submission?’ I shuddered at the thought.

  ‘I’m trying to wake you up. Don’t let this one go without a flirt.’

  ‘All right, all right! If I see him again I’ll flirt. I promise.’

  But what were the odds of that? Yes we were both musicians, yes it’s a fairly small community. But I reckoned I was going to get away with this. Having an unfulfilled crush doesn’t ruin the heart like a relationship. There are no vulnerability/trust issues to contend with. It was all going to be okay. Tomorrow I’d find Javier a new fling to keep him occupied and get him off my case. And everything would go back to normal.

  The next night I was back singing at the Loco Lizard, watching the throng ease into delirium. ‘In with the alcohol, out with the senses,’ as my Mum would say.

  With three songs to go, and a jiggling crowd singing along to ‘Forget You’, I suddenly paused on a face I recognized. Jack from Wrexham was heading to the bar. My heart collided with my kidneys as I watched him order and then turn, tip the bottle to his lips and wink at me. Suddenly I felt like someone had poured toffee into my mouth. It was no picnic singing through a sticky muzzle but I got through, reaching one last time into the pile of requests. Please be AC/DC. Every night there was at least one AC/DC. I unfolded the piece of paper. ‘Take A Chance’ by Abba. Great. I rocked it up to cover my nerves and fixed on a bottle of Patron on the top of the bar shelf like it was a religious effigy. But somehow my eyes always drifted back to him. Always at the moment the lyrics were inviting to get to know me better.

  ‘Hello again, great song!’ Jack stepped in front of me as I exited the stage, all smiles, confidence and manly fragrance.

  ‘Oh er, great. Thanks. Yes. Uhm. How long have you…? I should get a drink.’ I responded with a random collection of half-finished sentences.

  ‘I got you a beer,’ he grinned, handing me a cold Corona. ‘I can drink it if you don’t want it, a little more Dutch courage won’t do me any harm.’

  Why did he need Dutch courage? He was as cool as air con; I was the blathering wreck with a barometer stuck on ‘stormy’.

  ‘Actually that’s perfect,’ I said tipping half the contents down my throat like a hooligan.

  ‘Someone’s thirsty!’ he smiled. ‘Or maybe you just need some Dutch courage too?’

  ‘Oh I’ll take any courage going – Dutch, Mexican, Wrexham,’ I said, pleased my brain was starting to engage.

  ‘Wrexham, eh? Well researched, Crissy!’

  ‘How do you know my name?’ I gasped, trying not to sound too interested or paranoid, but failing on both counts.

  ‘We have a mutual friend in Ernesto. I’m not stalking you I promise.’

  ‘That’s a shame, I’ve always wanted a stalker – I could tell my Mum I’ve finally made it in showbiz.’

  His face brightened. ‘Well then, fancy letting me stalk you back to Puerto Morelos for a drink?’

  ‘Umm…’ Suddenly it was all too real. The thought of the two of us alone. What would we talk about in the car? Or for the rest of the evening? No this wouldn’t do! ‘Oh look! There’s Javier!’ I blurted.

  I scampered across the room, pulling him to one side and babbling the whole scenario to him.

  ‘What should I do?’

  ‘Well, I would’ve said go with him, of course, but it doesn’t look like you have that option any more.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘He’s gone.’

  I swung around but there was merely an empty space where Jack once stood.

  My expression drooped like Deputy Dawg.

  ‘What do you expect? He asks you out and you physically run away from him? Towards another man no less.’

  ‘I’m sure he knows you’re gay, he’s been snooping just like me!’

  Javier sighed. ‘So why did he leave?’

  I felt a little teary. ‘I don’t know.’

  ‘Oh well, I guess it wasn’t meant to be.’

  ‘Javier!’

  ‘What? Did I steal your line?’ he taunted.

  That night we didn’t say much more to each other. Javier said he wanted an early night. I sloped off to bed too but I couldn’t sleep. Regret was nibbling at me. Why did I do that? How much longer was I going to let Nick restrict me like this? Would it be too much to ask for one more chance with Jack? But if I got one could I be trusted to make a different
choice? The depressing thing was that I couldn’t be sure. It’s a terrible thing to be disappointed in love. It’s even worse to be disappointed in yourself.

  For the next few days I put on a brave face. I didn’t mention my pining for Jack to Javier for fear of unleashing a mighty ‘I told you so’. When we returned to the Posada Amor I deliberately blocked out the memory of meeting him for the first time and turned all my attention to Poca Chica.

  I kept hoping she would be coaxed from her hideout, but I hadn’t so much as glimpsed her bloaty belly sneaking into the shadows, and try as I might to unearth her den, I couldn’t find her.

  ‘I mean, where do you think she’s holing up?’ I asked Javier.

  ‘I know where she’s nesting; I’ll show you if you like?’

  I heard a familiar voice behind me, felt the proximity of a body. Jack! Did I dare turn around?

  Before I could respond Javier was on his feet announcing, ‘Well, I have some errands to run, you two enjoy your cat-hunting!’

  ‘But!’ I experienced a familiar knee-jerk protestation and grabbed at his sleeve, ‘You haven’t finished your drink!’

  He sighed, downed it in one and then raised a brow. ‘Can I go now?’

  I released my grip. ‘Yes.’

  As he turned back to give us a wave goodnight I swear I saw Jack mouthing, ‘Thank you!’ to him. Did Javier call him? Is that why he was here tonight?

  ‘Well,’ Jack turned back to me. ‘Are you ready?’

  The sixty-four million pesos question.

  All I could manage was a nod.

  ‘Follow me…’

  Thankfully my legs acquiesced.

  We walked down the path and then, stooping under a low bush, he took my hand to balance me, meeting my eyes with a smile. We were now at the very back of the bar, the music distant and chatter faint as we approached an old disused store room. Jack pointed inside and there, in a wheelbarrow full of old newspaper and fallen leaves, was Poca Chica.

  I could make out three fat little black and white hamster-like blobs huddled to her belly. Her eyes opened but she didn’t stir. In my excitement I squeezed Jack’s arm and whispered, ‘Look! Look!’ as though he would never have spotted them without my help.

  ‘Aren’t they cute?’ he said. ‘Like little furry dim-sum!’

  We stood and cooed over the kitten dumplings, Jack graciously humouring my constant ‘Look, look!’ exclamations every time one would wriggle and show its teeny pink nose, flat ears and tightly closed eyes.

  ‘Shall we have a toast to Poco Chica and her newborns?’ I blurted bravely.

  Jack grinned, ‘Wait here!’ And then darted off into the foliage.

  I took a deep breath, inhaling the musty warmth. ‘Just enjoy this,’ I urged myself. ‘Don’t think too far ahead.’

  I walked over to the doorway to take in the unfurling night.

  I loved this hour – the cicada band striking up, palms parting in the breeze exposing a sliver of indigo sky with the faintest sprinkling of sequin stars.

  I was just starting to think, ‘He’s never coming back!’ when there he was, brandishing two tequila shots, two bottles of beer and a candle in a small glass jar.

  I think I’m in love.

  ‘Señorita,’ he said handing me the shot. ‘A toast, to all cute things!’

  He gave me a playful wink and we bumped glasses, keeping our eyes on each other for an extra beat before tipping our heads back, scrunching faces and jiggling in response to the heat of neat alcohol.

  For the first time I felt relaxed in Jack’s company. We had the same easy banter that Javier and I shared, laughed often, and he was just flirty enough to make my insides fizz like Spacedust. Whenever he looked away I devoured his face with my eyes, and then quickly looked away when he caught me peeking.

  From the store room we moved to an old tree trunk that made a perfect rustic sofa and enjoyed an impromptu singalong; everything from Bucks Fizz to Tom Jones. It was pretty much perfect until my Gemini twins struck up:

  ‘Crissy he’s gorgeous, witty, and really likes you!’ cheered Sweet Gemini. ‘Take a chance!’

  ‘They’re all like that, then they get under your skin and screw you over, just like Nick!’ Sour Gemini overpowered its sibling, squeezing the bliss out of my head like a boa constrictor.

  ‘Crissy? Are you alright?’ Jack noticed the sudden change.

  ‘I-I…’ I get to my feet.

  ‘What is it?’

  ‘I just…’ I looked around me for some way of excusing my craziness. ‘I’ll be back in five minutes.’

  At the time I just felt like running and running but I knew my feelings were keeping pace right alongside me.

  Instead I dialed Javier.

  ‘I’m ruining it!’ I wailed. ‘Everything is perfect but the voices in my head are ruining it!’

  ‘Okay, take a breath. And another.’

  I did as he said.

  ‘Now tell me, if this situation were reversed, what would you say to me?’

  I slumped down on the sand. ‘Why would you let one rotten apple spoil the whole sweet pie of life?’

  ‘Exactly. What else?’

  ‘Life is for living.’

  ‘That’s right,’ he soothed. ‘And what would Abba say?’

  ‘Take a chance.’ I took another long breath. ‘But what if—’

  ‘What if what? What it doesn’t work out? Then you’ll try again.’

  ‘I can’t—’

  ‘Look at it this way. If you never try you’ll never get love, that’s guaranteed. If you do, you might.’

  ‘Is that the best you’ve got?’

  ‘You want to know the truth?’

  I nodded into the phone.

  ‘You know I love you Crissy, but I’m sick of you. Could you please let Jack take you off my hands for a bit?’

  That had me chuckling. He always knew just what to say to make me feel better. I put the phone back in my pocket. Right! All I have to do is get to my feet and walk calmly back to—

  ‘Jack!’ I jumped as I turn directly into him.

  ‘Are you okay? I was worried.’

  ‘I…’ I gulped. ‘I thought I was going to be sick.’

  Oh great. That’s really going to make him want to kiss me.

  ‘But that feeling has passed!’ I quickly added.

  ‘I’m glad. Is there anything I can do to make you feel better?’

  I smiled. Just don’t be like Nick, I thought. But then I corrected myself. ‘Just carry on as you were.’

  ‘I think I can do better than that.’

  He walked over to a tree, set down the two new beers he was carrying and produced a guitar.

  ‘A little something you prepared earlier?’ I asked.

  ‘Something like that. Come and sit with me.’

  And then he proceeded to serenade me with Frank Sinatra’s ‘Watch What Happens’. It’s not a song you hear too often but as I listened to the lyrics speak of allowing someone to believe in you, to see into your heart, I felt every word, every breath had been written specifically for me.

  I took a gulp of beer to disguise my wobbling lip. It was as though Jack had gazed through me, read the script of my life, and knew my hurt. Then he had bandaged the injuries with the sweetest chords and smiles. And the miracle was that mistrust and cynicism weren’t invited to this private little concert.

  ‘That was lovely,’ I blinked back the tears. ‘I could sing you my death-metal medley now if you like?’

  He hung his head in defeat and then asked, ‘Why are you always hiding beneath this sassy attitude? I mean, much as it amuses me…’

  I gave a shrug. ‘Just because I’m not all slushy and gushy doesn’t mean I’m not romantic.’

  ‘Really?’ He turned to face me full-on. ‘Then I challenge you to do one romantic thing, Crissy – substitute your next quip for a microbe of romance. I dare you.’

  I looked around shiftily, hating to fail but not quite daring to unzip my protect
ive heart-cover just yet.

  ‘How’s your beer?’ I asked matter-of-factly.

  ‘Talk about changing the subject.’

  ‘No really, I want to know.’

  He frowned back at me. ‘Lacking lime, but apart from that good.’

  I nodded. ‘As I thought.’ I got to my feet. ‘You want romance? I’ll give you romance!’

  I kicked off my flip-flops and looked up at the canopy of trees.

  ‘Catch me if I fall,’ I said as I grabbed onto the lowest branch of a tree, dragging myself upwards and then twisting until my belly was flopped across it.

  ‘Crissy, what the hell are you doing?’ Jack scrambled to his feet, laughing but with more than a tinge of concern.

  I was now looking down on the top of his head. ‘Urgh!’ I groaned as I heaved myself further up, using bare feet to grip like a monkey while my hands clung to the gnarly trunk of the tree. Stretching sinews to the max I reached my right arm as far as it could go. Just a little bit further… Got it! I snagged my prize and then wedged it down the V of my t-shirt so it was nestling in my bra.

  ‘I’d make a great sloth, don’t you think?’

  ‘Are you going to come down now?’

  ‘Try to!’ I wheezed as I reversed my ascent, plopping on to the ground like a giant coconut.

  ‘Thank goodness for that.’

  ‘Pass me your beer,’ I held out my hand.

  Jack’s brow wrinkled in confusion but did as he was told.

  ‘Ta-dahhh!’ I said as I produced the plump lime I had just harvested.

  Jack started laughing and clapping.

  ‘The lady want lime, the lady get lime!’ I said in a silly Mexican accent, then took the biggest bite out of the fruit that I could stretch my mouth around. Wearing a huge grimace after the tart mouthful, I squeezed it crudely into Jack’s bottle and then lunged, kissing him noisily on the lips.

  ‘Now tell me I’m not romantic!’ I said smugly.

  ‘Crissy, that is without doubt the most romantic thing ever!’ He gasped, reaching his hand around to my lower back, pulling me into him so our bellies bumped. And then he kissed me, his lips barely grazing mine but the effect was overwhelming.