Luke and I are fairly subdued as we head back to the Love Palace. I’m not sure why but seeing his life up close and personal brought it all home a bit. When this week is over, it will be hard to say goodbye. We have only known each other for a few days but I feel as if I have known him a lifetime. They say this happens in books and films but I never thought it would happen to me. It’s going to be hard going back to Malcolm and the realities of my lonely life. Maybe we will become pen pals and just reminisce about the one thing we have in common - Mexico. Then the letters will become less frequent and the whole glorious dream will fizzle out.
Once we are back to our rooms Luke looks at me with a lost expression. Pulling me towards him, he whispers,
“Please stay with me tonight, Becca. I’m just conscious that we only have a few more days and tonight has brought it home. I’m due to return to work soon and may be away for some time.”
He looks at me nervously.
“I can’t ask you to wait for me, that would be selfish. A beautiful woman like you could have her pick of the guys who must hang around you all of the time.”
Gosh, Luke doesn’t know me at all. Tequila certainly messes with the head. He smiles anxiously.
“When we get home, can I still see you whenever I can?”
He smiles and his eyes twinkle as I hold my breath. Something is happening here and my heart is racing as I swallow hard. He cups my face in his hands and the look he throws me would melt an iceberg.
“I suppose what I’m trying to say is, will you be my girlfriend, Becca? I’ve wanted to ask you that all week but thought you would think I’m some sort of madman for rushing in so quickly. But I know deep down that you are the one for me.”
Tears spring to my eyes as we stand in the hallway of the Emporio and I nod slowly. “Well, I knew as soon as you walked onboard the aircraft, so I win.”
Luke laughs and then without any further delay, kisses me so passionately I think I will burst. This is what I’ve been waiting for all my life - him. The trouble is, I am destined to be like Elizabeth Swan on Pirates of the Caribbean and wait for my Will Turner to return every ten years. It will be worth the wait though. I know in my heart that I can cope with a long-distance relationship as long as Luke is at the end of it.
Waking up in the Love Palace the next morning feels different. Now I am officially allowed to be in Luke’s bed because we are - a couple! Maybe we will become like those super cool couples who finish each other’s sentences and wear matching sweatshirts. Ok, maybe that’s not so cool, but the thought of introducing my boyfriend to my family is the best feeling I’ve ever had. Gosh, Kieran is nothing like Luke, my sister will be so jealous. I’ll be able to show him off at family parties and everyone will envy me. He will only have eyes for me, though and I will glance around with smug satisfaction at the jealous, envious, looks thrown my way. Oh, I hope there’s a school reunion. Imagine their faces when I rock up with Luke on my arm. Matthew Billingshurst will seem like Quasimodo next to Luke.
As I plot out the tour of my past to showcase my new boyfriend, the man himself stirs beside me. Quickly, I glance in the mirror above the bed, checking that I look like a sex siren and not my usual mess. His arm reaches out and pulls me close and he whispers, “Morning sexy. I like waking up with you.”
Trying not to giggle stupidly; I mean, sexy? Me? I just smile in my new mysterious way.
“Did you sleep well?”
He nuzzles my neck and pure happiness consumes me. “Hm, did you?”
“I did actually. I never thought sleeping on water would be so restful. I may have to invest in one of these for myself when I get home.”
Luke looks into my eyes and my heart almost stops. Sexy morning Luke is totally irresistible. His sleepy eyes look sexy and the designer stubble on his chin makes me want him to rub it all over my body like one giant exfoliator. He smiles.
“When we get home, I still have a week before I’m due back. If you have any days off and fancy it, would you like to come home with me and meet my parents?”
Oh. My. God! Meet the parents! This is serious. I smile at him with excitement.
“Of course, I would love to meet your family. Won’t they be surprised though? I mean, in less than a week you’ve gone on a honeymoon and returned with a stranger. It may well send them over the edge after what happened with your brother.”
Luke laughs. “They will love you on sight. In fact, don’t be surprised if they start talking about wedding bells before they’ve even made you a cup of tea. I told you, they are desperate for me to settle down and leave the Navy.”
I look at him thoughtfully.
“And what about you? What do you want?”
He pulls me close and growls, “I think you know the answer to that. What I want is right here and I am never letting you go.”
As we cement our newly formed relationship alliance, I think I am the happiest I’ve ever been in my life.
We spend the rest of the day sunbathing. It would appear that most of us are now worn out and need to rest and recharge before our wild night out with her Majesties’ Navy. Luke is sprawled out next to me on his sunbed with his headphones on and there is not a more heavenly sight. Rachel lies next to me and I decide to have a chat with her in advance of tonight’s temptations. Nodding over to her I say, “Do you fancy a cocktail?”
Grinning, she grabs her sarong and we head off to the bar.
As we sit waiting, she sighs.
“This is all so perfect, Becca. Out here we have no ties or obligations. There is no daily routine to follow and no demands on our time. We can be whoever we want to be and there are no consequences. I couldn’t give this up and live tied to a pram or a kitchen sink. It’s just not me.”
I agree with her, it’s not. But the trouble is, she has made her marital bed, and she does have responsibilities and the consequences of her actions waiting for her back at home. I smile reassuringly.
“You know, all of this isn’t real, Rachel. It’s just a bubble we live in for a few days before real life comes to claim us back. Trips like this happen so few and far between. Take it from one who knows, it's lonely living on your own and waiting for something good to happen. You’ve had an argument with Lorenzo and are feeling bitter. Just remember what made you fall in love in the first place. How would you feel if he was here now, sharing all of this with you? Would you look at anyone else, or would he be everything to you? You have to weigh up the short term with the long term and I’m sure you will see things aren’t that much better.”
Her eyes fill up again and she takes a sip of her margarita. “It’s not just an argument. We’ve been having a lot of them lately. I can’t seem to do anything right and he appears disappointed with me. I have tried to fit in but his family is so close. They make me welcome, of course they do, they are lovely people; but I know they are disappointed in Lorenzo’s choice. I’m too much of a free spirit to settle down so soon to family life. I want us to travel and experience things together, but he won’t hear of it. Maybe all we have in common is lust and sex. That’s not enough to build a solid foundation for a marriage - is it?”
Before I can answer, I do a double take. Nudging Rachel we look at the sight coming our way. If I didn’t see legs underneath it all, I would think a huge moving, magical carpet was heading our way. Escorting it through the sun-kissed bodies lying worshipping the sun is Marcus, looking very pleased with himself.
Rachel looks as confused as I am as they stop before us. I gesture to the carpet mountain.
“What’s going on, Marcus? Is this your new business or something? Surely things aren’t so bad that you must resort to bed to bed selling for your tequila money.”
Marcus grins and wags his finger at me.
“Now, now, Becca, this isn’t anything to do with me. Underneath all this woven cotton is Elvis. He has been charged with distributing Mexico’s finest Artisan crafted rugs to all the poor sick sailors from yesterday’s boat trip. They are by way of an apology from Captain Elviras who was inconsolable with grief that we didn’t enjoy his trip of a lifetime. Just pick one each and we can carry on.”
I look at Rachel and she shakes her head in amazement.
“I’ll never get this in my Samsonite luggage. Tell him it’s fine, I couldn’t possibly accept such a kind gift.”
Marcus looks annoyed.
“It would be insulting to him to refuse. Even if you have to fashion a uniform out of it like in the Sound of Music, you’re having one and be grateful for it.”
Rachel rolls her eyes.
“Ok, I’ll have the one on the top to save Elvis from a rug avalanche.”
I smile incredulously.
“I’ll have the next one. Tell your uncle that we are extremely grateful and not to worry at all about the trip. It wasn’t his fault that the sea wasn’t very hospitable yesterday.”
I hear a mumbled response from underneath the stack and then watch with amusement as they carry on with their mission.
Rachel grins. “What are we going to do with these? I must say, I quite like mine, actually. I’m sure it would look lovely in my conservatory.”
I have to agree. “Yes, they do have a certain charm about them. Maybe Pete will let us stow them in the hold. One thing about being crew you don’t have to worry about baggage allowance.”
Rachel snorts. “Yes, do you remember when we bought a bike each in Orlando? The looks we got as we pushed the boxes through customs. I think every member of the crew bought one on that trip.”
I grin. “Yes, the trouble was when we unpacked them they were all in pieces. It cost me a lot more to get the local wheelies bike shop to put it together. Not to mention that I had to put it on eBay a few months later because it was taking up valuable space in my lobby. Sometimes a bargain isn’t really a bargain after all.”
Rachel giggles.
“Yes, what about that CD player I bought in Miami? I completely forgot that the plugs and voltage were different and it was useless at home. It was a total waste of money.”
Laughing, I roll my eyes. Despite everything, we have a great life and I can see why Rachel doesn’t want to give this up. Despite the mundane job, this life is exciting in a lot of ways. Anything else would seem dull to memories like these.
I look at her with concern.
“Will you be ok, Rachel? What will happen if you can’t work things out with Lorenzo?”
She shrugs sadly.
“I don’t know. I was brought up to believe that marriage is for keeps. You work at it and resolve your problems and move on happier for it. I never thought it would be this hard. We’ve only been married for a few months and I’m already looking for flats to rent in estate agent’s windows and wondering if I could afford them on my own. That’s not normal, is it? Surely, we should still be in the honeymoon period. It’s as if my life is on fast-forward. What if Lorenzo doesn’t turn out to be my Prince Charming, and it ends up that I’ve kissed a frog instead?”
She gulps her cocktail miserably and I don’t have an answer to her question. I am running out of good advice and platitudes. The problem is greater than I first realised.