The Love Resort (36 page)

He should have seen it coming. Should have known that she wasn’t just being a drama queen. She was upset. Her resort, the dream of the resort, wasn’t right from the start. He remembered back to when she’d first suggested it.

She told him that England was stifling her creativity. She couldn’t write any more because the weather was horrible and her environment wasn’t romantic. It wasn’t, he agreed. They lived in a large house in London, all decorated to her taste, and he hated it. She said that she needed to choose the decoration so her house would be condusive to her work. He should have realised that Anne-Marie had been sucked into her books and wanted—no, needed—to live that way.

When she had the idea of moving to somewhere more beautiful, Ed envisaged a house on the beach, in the Caribbean, and thought that maybe, despite his wife’s constant criticism, her demands and her contempt of him, perhaps they could be happy there. He never thought about leaving her because he’d tied his life up with hers. He worked for her, he lived with her, and without her he had no idea who he was. He was unhappy but safe, and until he fell in love with Lily, that was enough. But then Anne-Marie showed him her plans. The Love Resort, her brainchild, her chance to live in her own idea of romance. At first he was horrified, but then when he looked into it he saw it from a business point of view. It was a new challenge for him, something that he could work on, and something he could make a success out of. It would take away his boredom.

Finding an old resort that was in need of renovation was easy. Then drawing up plans, getting the work done, hiring staff, kept them both so busy that they didn’t have time to worry about the state of their marriage. He felt a sense of purpose and a sense of self. It was all about her, as it had always been, but Ed had more of a role to play, and he threw himself into it.

When the work was finished and they opened with a blaze of publicity, he felt heady with success. The money rolled in and gave him a sense of achievement. It was only with the arrival of Lily that he realised there was more out there, and for him. Lily finally made him see how unhappy he really was, and how happy he could be. And now, as his wife lay upstairs with a nurse watching over her, and he had the missing guests to worry about, he was in danger of losing that happiness and he saw that he was to blame. If not for all of it, then definitely for some.

*

Lily kept herself busy. She didn’t want to think about the consequences of everything, of Anne-Marie. She didn’t want to think where it left her. Ed was, of course, going to feel responsible; after all, he was a kind person, a loving man. He had a heart. She just hoped that she hadn’t lost him. She couldn’t bear to lose him. Had Anne-Marie, by going mad, somehow managed to save her marriage?

Lily was desperate to talk to Ed about it, but he was deep in thought. She wouldn’t lose Ed, no matter what, and if she had to find the guests alone, and fix Anne-Marie herself, she would. She would do anything for him. Tears welled up as she realised how frightened she was.

When she first came to the resort she was getting over a bad break-up. She wasn’t heartbroken; she was just relieved to be out of what was a tiring relationship. She was drained and the idea of a job, in the sun, in a holiday resort with a famous author appealed to her. As soon as she met Ed, it all made sense—why she was there, why she’d applied. She put up with Anne-Marie treating her like dirt so she could be close to Ed. Lily would never have stayed otherwise. She wouldn’t have let her boss shout and scream and swear at her on a daily basis had it not been for him. And when she discovered he felt the same way about her, she vowed she would do anything to be with him.

That vow still stood. They were made for each other. Life without him wasn’t worth contemplating.

*

‘Who are you?’ Anne-Marie asked, sitting up and seeing someone in a white uniform at the end of her bed.

‘I’m here to look after you.’

‘Oh, good. That’s nice. Did Abigail send you? Dear, dear Abigail.’

The nurse nodded.

‘I’m very tired. You know it’s really hard work writing books. Have you ever written one?’

‘No, I never have, but I hear yours are fantastic.’

‘Oh, I’ve only written one, but my next one will be finished soon. I plan to write loads and loads. You know, I always thought of myself as ordinary, but now I’m not, I’m a writer. I’ll never be ordinary again.’

With a smile across her lips, she lay back and went to sleep.

28

Craft
Shop

Take a piece of The Love Resort home with you, with our lovely selection of souvenirs from the gift shop. Exclusive merchandise from T-shirts to pottery, to jewellery is available to you.* We know that you will have memories, and friendships to take away from your holiday, but also buy a token from The Love Resort so you can remember the best holiday of your lives.

Anne-Marie’s books are also available, all signed by the author herself.

Go
on
,
Spoil
yourselves
! The gift shop is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Guest
Handbook

*Purchases from the gift shop are not included in your all-inclusive package.

*

‘Please, please, please get me something to drink,’ Tim asked, looking at Thea with fear in his eyes.

‘Have some water.’ She put the bottle to his lips. He pushed it away.

‘I need a fucking drink.’

‘Tim.’

‘My head is buzzing, it won’t stop buzzing.’

‘Tim, there is nothing.’ She felt sweat on his head, and wondered how he could be so desperate. God, how could she have not known? Or did she know?

‘Please, please, please.’ Everyone looked at him.

‘Is he all right?’ Emily asked, looking uncertain. ‘It’s just that, well, with growing up in a pub you see this a lot...’

‘He’ll be fine,’ Thea snapped, her overwhelming desire to shield him kicking in. She wanted to protect him at all costs. Was that the problem?

‘If I could only have a drink.’ Tim reiterated. ‘My mouth is dry.’ He clicked his tongue to demonstrate. ‘And I feel sick, and hot. Thea, please.’

‘He’s an alcoholic, isn’t he?’ Katie asked.

‘Don’t be silly. He likes a drink, that’s all. He’s fine,’ Lee said.

‘Lee, he’s not. Katie’s right,’ Emily said gently. Emily and Katie looked at each other in understanding.

‘Emily, Tim’s the funniest person we know, he’s not got a drink problem,’ Jimmy defended him.

‘Thea?’ Katie said.

‘They’re right. Tim likes a drink but he’s fine.’

‘And who are you trying to kid?’ Katie said harshly.

‘He’s
fine
. He just needs to sleep,’ Thea snapped back. Tim started shaking in her arms.

‘Listen to me,’ Katie started. She looked at Todd. ‘God knows when he had his last drink but he’s definitely suffering from withdrawal.’

‘That just isn’t true,’ Thea flew at her.

‘Thea,’ Todd said gently, ‘I think you know that it is.’ He looked at Katie with a new respect, then at Thea with compassion.

‘Please shut up, just shut up,’ Tim begged before he vomited.

‘Emily, can you get a cloth?’ Katie asked as she went to Tim’s side. She knelt down beside him and put her arms around him. ‘I need your clothes,’ she said to Lee, Jimmy and Todd, ‘your shirts.’

‘Why?’ Thea wasn’t happy about being sidelined; she wouldn’t let these people interfere with Tim.

‘He’s cold, Thea. We’re all hot and he’s cold. He’s got the sweats. It’s important that we keep him warm.’

‘Maybe he’s got a bug,’ Carla offered lamely, wanting to help Thea.

‘He’s an alcoholic,’ Katie retorted.

‘He’s not, he’s not,’ Thea stormed, although she knew he was. She knew, had known for ages, but she’d been in denial. She was so far in denial that she’d managed to convince herself that his drinking was a temporary phase. He drank too much, she had accepted that, and she had even told her friends that, but despite the fact that she knew he had a problem, she had always refused to face it properly. A holiday wasn’t the solution—he needed something far more serious—but he was her Tim, her best friend, her family. He needed her; she needed him.

Carla went to Thea and put her arms around her.

‘Thea, you must have known.’ Thea looked at her. Of course she knew; she just didn’t want to. He was all she had.

‘Of course I did, and it’s all my fault,’ Thea replied before bursting into desperate tears.

‘I need a cloth for his forehead,’ Katie said, once the mess had been cleared up. ‘I think we should take him to the other room. Todd, Jimmy, can you help me?’

The moans coming from Tim were getting louder as they moved him. Thea started to go after them.

‘Stay here,’ Katie ordered. ‘Thea, I’m not being horrible, but this is not going to be pretty and I think you should stay out here. I’ll take care of him.’

‘He needs me!’ Thea cried. ‘I can’t leave him.’

‘Thea, you’re not leaving him, you’re just letting me take care of him for a while.’ Tears glistened in Katie’s eyes; she was so gentle. Todd felt it almost knock him over; this woman whom he’d mocked, married, humiliated, almost despised, was human after all, more than human.

‘I’ll help,’ Emily offered.

‘Let’s see if we can get some sort of bowl or bucket as well, Emily,’ Katie said, before she and the boys carried Tim into the bedroom.

Thea sat in the living room with Jimmy and Carla on either side of her. Lee had gone to help Emily. Todd had his head in his hands.

‘Is he going to be all right?’ Thea asked.

Todd nodded but he had no idea. What was happening to them? In the last few days he’d been with a man, been the victim of attempted blackmail, had argument after argument with his wife and now this: kidnapped with a bunch of strangers, one of whom just happened to be an alcoholic. And Katie had been the biggest surprise with her actions. This just served to make him feel guiltier. How could he ever make it up to her? He stood up and went into the bedroom. Tim was lying on the floor; Katie had put a rolled-up T-shirt under his head. She’d tried to make a blanket out of the other shirts to cover him with.

‘He doesn’t look good,’ Todd observed, feeling stupid for stating the obvious but at the same time feeling the need to tell Katie that he admired her.

‘He must have a serious drink problem, probably drinks nearly all the time. He probably gets up in the night, and drinks when Thea is asleep, or something. For him to suffer withdrawal this quickly, he must, I think.’

‘You seem to know...’ he trailed off. What business was it of his?

‘My father,’ Katie said, just as Tim threw up again.

Emily came in with fresh cloths. ‘I’m rinsing them all as fast as I can, but there’s only three in the entire place.’

Katie nodded encouragement. Then, she took off her thousand-dollar top and handed it to her. ‘Soak this in water, needs must.’

Todd looked at her in surprise. The famous Katie Ray had taken her top off, and was sitting, nursing an alcoholic in only her bra. He felt something for her that he’d never fully acknowledged before: genuine affection.

‘Katie, I really need to apologise.’

‘You’re not the only one. But this puts things into perspective, doesn’t it?’ She sounded sad and far away.

‘Would you like to tell me about your father?’ Todd asked, sounding a bit like a psychiatrist, and sitting down next to her.

‘I loved him. I think perhaps he’s the only man I’ve ever loved. But it was all so depressing. My mother constantly shouting because the farm was going down the tubes. I hated her then. I still can’t talk to her because I thought she was the meanest woman in the world for shouting at my daddy.’ Katie shook her head. ‘What was I thinking? Trying to make you straight, shouting and screaming about being in love with you. You were right. I barely knew you. I’m an utter fool, a tired, scared fool. Todd, I feel like the girl from the farm once again.’

He put his arm around her. She was so different, so vulnerable.

‘But your mother, she was trying to take care of things?’

‘Yup. She didn’t have time for anything else. Trying to keep enough food on the table. It’s not a new story.’

‘But it happened to you.’

‘Yes. I left home when he died.’

‘He died?’

‘His liver failed. The drink killed him. I couldn’t repair the relationship with my mom. There was nothing left between us. So I went to Hollywood and slept my way to the top. That’s the edited version.’ She smiled tearfully.

‘Katie, I am sorry. I thought—’

‘That I was a shallow airhead, with no feelings, no compassion. But really, I buried myself because I didn’t want to be hurt again. And I forgot. You know, maybe not forgot totally, but I didn’t remember. Not until I saw Tim.’

Tim shivered, and turned over. Katie, still with tears in her eyes, rubbed his back. As soon as Tim was settled again, Todd took her in his arms and he let her sob and sob for ages.

‘Thea,’ Emily started uncertainly, ‘Katie knows what she’s doing. We’re lucky she’s here.’

‘But I don’t know what to do,’ Thea said, looking at Emily for answers.

‘Oh, you know this isn’t your fault. I grew up in pubs, and we saw loads of people with proper drink problems. They never do anything about it until either they’re ready to, or they’re forced to.’

‘I could have forced him.’

‘No. He’d have run a mile from you. Now this mad woman has locked us up, he has to face it. But you couldn’t have made him and I don’t think you should blame yourself. I know you’re going to, but you shouldn’t.’

‘What next?’

‘Depending on when we get out of here, or if we get out of here, then he needs help and you need support. We’ll all help.’

‘Really?’ Thea looked at Emily with new respect, as did Carla and Jimmy.

‘Oh, guys, I’m not the selfish princess that I make out. Well, not all the time. Thea, we’ve been put in the weirdest situation ever, and I have no idea how to make sense of it all, but if this means that Tim gets better...’