The Secret Cove in Croatia by Julie Caplin

Author:Julie Caplin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollinsPublishers
Published: 2019-06-03T17:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

Excitement shimmered in the air the next morning, that fraught, barely contained buzz like children about to go on a school trip. Everyone was looking forward to the novelty of spending some time with some new faces. Maddie had certainly enjoyed a day away from all the guests yesterday. Rather confusingly, Nick had moved into a new category, not quite guest and not quite friend. On Bill’s boat they’d felt like friends and allies but as soon as they’d come back to the Avanturista they’d fallen into an uneasy silence, as if both knew that the lines had blurred but neither knew on which side they stood.

‘Morning, Maddie, how are you feeling after your mishap?’ asked Douglas, sporting smart light-weight cotton trousers and a Ralph Lauren short-sleeved shirt with its familiar polo logo on the pocket. With his Ray-Ban sunglasses tucked in his pocket, his thinning hair brushed and staying put for once, he looked every inch the successful City trader.

‘Fine. It was just a bit of shock. The people who rescued me were being ultra-cautious, which was very kind of them.’

‘Least they could do, when they caused the accident,’ snorted Douglas in a loud voice.

Next to him, Simon shifted in his seat. Maddie shot him a quick narrow-eyed glance.

‘I’m not sure kind had a lot to do with it,’ he said in response to Douglas’s comment. ‘Not when they cut across us like that.’ He met her eyes with breathtaking guileless innocence.

That was the story he was telling, was it?

‘You up to driving us into Hvar for lunchtime, Maddie? Get back on the horse and all that,’ asked Douglas. ‘Although I don’t want to cause you any stress. Do say if you’re not feeling up to it.’

‘I think I’ll be fine, thank you, Douglas,’ she replied, refusing to look at Simon as she headed down to the galley to finish the last bit of tidying up after breakfast.

‘Simon!’ The sneak attack, bundling her into his cabin as she opened the door to clean it, startled her.

‘Are you OK?’

‘I’m fine, no thanks to you.’ Her eyes flashed.

‘I know, I know. I was a macho idiot. I nearly had heart failure when I saw you go over the side.’

‘And that stopped you coming back for me?’ Maddie thrust out her hip, wincing slightly at the movement, and planted both hands on her waist.

‘I tried to … but the bozo twins on the boat caught up with me, gave me a proper lecture and insisted they’d get you and take you to their doctor.’ Simon’s hard done by expression didn’t dent Maddie’s anger.

‘And what’s this about them causing the accident?’ she asked, her words quick and fast.

‘Maddie, sweetheart. It was the only way I could cover up for the fact I was driving. I didn’t want you to lose your job.’

‘Big of you.’

‘You’re mad at me.’ He put his arms around her, pressing his body closer than she was comfortable with. ‘How can I make it up to you? I was an idiot.

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