It’s late in the afternoon and Joshua is swimming in the pool with Didge while I am sitting between Nicholas and Margaret. Everyone else is gathered around the barbeque at the back of the pool area, watching the chef cook an amazing seafood meal, they are laughing and joking. This is a happy time and we are all so grateful that things turned out the way that they did. Just a week ago I was presumed dead and Joshua was in prison for my murder.
“Do you want another drink?” Margaret asks both Nick and I.
“Yes, please,” we both reply, and she stands, disappearing to the bar.
My eyes glance to Nicholas as he watches Adrian. I need to hold my tongue. I desperately want to ask him what’s going on between them but I will have to wait to get Adrian on his own. I don’t have that type of relationship with Nicholas and it would be rude of me to ask him. I know Nicholas still cares deeply, I can tell by the way he watches Adrian. It’s sad if they don’t work it out. I guess sometimes love really isn’t enough. My eyes wander to Bridget and Joshua in the pool. They’re laughing as they talk about something, and Bridget is dancing around mimicking something. The bond between them is strong, I can tell they relied heavily on each other when I was gone. I am grateful that they had each other. We’re going out tomorrow night and I am looking forward to catching up and relaxing. It’s been a too long since I spent time with my friends. Margaret’s phone beeps to signal a text and I pick it up off the table in an attempt to give it to her, accidentally reading the message as it flashes up.
It’s from Deidre.
I’ve told her everything.
I frown. I’ve told her everything – what the hell is that supposed to mean? Who is Deidre? That’s random, and my eyes rise up to Nicholas as he watches me intently. Shit. Busted spying, I change the subject. “Have you spent any time with Margaret over the last month?” I ask nervously.
He smirks as if he has been expecting this question. “Yes.”
I raise my eyebrows in question. “And?”
He bites his bottom lip as his eyes flick back over to his beloved Adrian. “She seems to be doing well.”
I fake a smile. “Great,” I lie.
Hmm, that’s code for… I don’t know what? Is something going on with her that I don’t know about?
What does I’ve told her everything mean? Who is ‘her’ and who is Deidre? What’s to tell?
Margaret walks back over to the two of us followed by a man with a tray of two frozen Margaritas and a green drink of some kind. “Thank you.” I smile as I take mine.
Joshua gets out of the pool and his eyes meet mine and he smiles softly. I can feel myself melt into his gaze, so I blow him a kiss. He holds his arm out for me and I stand to make my way over to him where he kisses me gently on the forehead and wraps his arms around me.
“You ok?” he whispers.
I nod and smile. “I am now.”
“How long till we can go to our room?” He kisses me gently.
I smirk. “Not yet.”
The next few hours are a blur of friends, laughter and my stupid self-analysis. I lay with my head on Joshua’s lap as we all sit around the fire pit. Who texted Margaret? Why am I so damn suspicious of that text? Is it my gut instinct or am I just so untrusting of people now that I don’t know what to think? Robert and Margaret don’t seem to talk much; in fact, if I didn’t already know they were married, I would never guess they were even together. I wonder if they are still trying to work things out? Margaret is sitting at a table with Scott and his wife, and Robert hasn’t been near her for hours. Hmm.
“You ready for bed, Presh?” That husky sexy voice purrs.
I smile. “I am. Are you?”
He nods sleepily and yawns. “Yes.”
We say our goodbyes and make our way to our bedroom. I’m tired, but how is it possible to be this tired from doing nothing? I turn the corner to walk into our room and stop dead in my tracks. Joshua runs into the back of me.
“What’s wrong?” He frowns.
My eyes stay fixed to the small chocolate, leather bound diary that sits on my bed. I feel my heart start to beat rapidly in my chest.
“Where did that come from?” I stammer as my breathing tightens.
Joshua frowns as he walks past me into the room. “What?”
“The diary.”
“Oh, I got Cameron to pick you up a new one today,” he replies casually.
Are you kidding me? I pick it up in a rush and carry it into my wardrobe, I throw it into a drawer and slam it shut.
“I don’t want a diary!” I snap.
Joshua stands still and frowns as he assesses me for a moment. “Ok. Why not?”