Escape to the Riviera by Jules Wake

Author:Jules Wake
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780008185305
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Published: 2016-06-01T04:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY

She had to stop this. She pushed the phone firmly away across the dressing table-come-desk. Another glorious day and not a cloud in sight. She was not going to check her phone again until at least ten o’clock. No, make it eleven o’clock. No, twelve o’clock. With a nod of resolve, she tilted the screen of her laptop towards her and then paused. Damn it. She pulled open the drawer and slid the phone into it and slammed it shut. There, temptation banished.

Quickly, Carrie reread the last scene she’d written and smiled. Over the last couple of days, for the first time since they’d arrived in the villa, she’d written and written and written. It was more that she couldn’t not write.

For the last few mornings, she’d woken with the words almost bursting out, like wind-filled sails billowing, ready to take a boat skimming at full speed across the waves. Ideas for the play that she’d been working on for months suddenly coalesced and she knew exactly how to finish it. The characters of another idea she’d been toying with had also decided to make an unscheduled arrival in her head, along with huge chunks of perfect dialogue.

Just as well, because she’d heard diddly squat from Richard. Complete radio silence. Which was absolutely fine by her.

She yanked open the drawer and glared at her phone before grabbing it and stomping downstairs. She poured herself a coffee, put the phone on top of the breadbin and stomped back to her room, closing the door behind her.

Angela and Jade were out by the pool. Both of them had got used to her holing herself up in her room and left her to it. A natural holiday rhythm had asserted itself. Whenever Carrie came to a natural stop, she re-emerged for a swim in the pool, playing ball or racing lengths with Jade and taking time to taste Angela’s latest creations from the kitchen. She had no problem going back to work, knuckling down and finding her way back into the story.

At quarter to twelve, she closed the lid of her laptop with a decisive snap and jumped up, stretching aching shoulders, and wandered through the house out onto the terrace. Jade sprawled on a lilo, in the pool, drifting along with her eyes closed. Maybe it was the delirium of finishing the play she’d wrestled with for so long or high spirits, but some imp of devilment took hold. Stripping off the kaftan she wore over her bikini, she ran the full length of the terrace and, with a terrifying war cry, launched herself into the pool, dive- bombing the waterbed and breaking the surface of the water with an almighty splash.

The wash upturned the lilo, spilling Jade straight over the side. She emerged, spluttering and furious, and immediately began splashing Carrie with angry screeching.

‘You, you.’

Carrie splashed her back, grinning like a loon.

Then Jade ducked under the water and yanked her legs from under her. Carrie emerged, spluttering and laughing, much

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