Page 78 of A Taste of Paradise

‘Everything OK? You seem tired. I get it though, believe me. I had no idea how much work went into organising this thing. But it’ll be worth it and I can’t wait to attend my very first Palms sunset party. First of many too, I hope.’

‘Yes, a little tired. As you say, lots to think about. But I think we’re ready.’

Erin agreed. Nothing more to do now, but light the tiki torches, fire up the barbecue, pop open the champagne and wait for the fun to begin.

For the very first time since she’d arrived at The Palms, Erin started to feel herself relax, and she was really looking forward to letting her hair down a little tonight.

Ultimately, there was still no way of knowing whether Eugenie Cooke’s warning was legit and whether some elusive guest at the hotel had been trying to take them down. Erin figured that with the help of The Palms’ staff, she’d pretty much done what was possible to keep the hotel afloat.

But it was really only tonight, once the famed sunset party went off without a hitch, that she could truly count all their efforts as a success.

Her mother was frustratingly chipper as later Lily sat glumly at Sea Shells kitchen island watching Barbara tidy up after dinner, before they headed out to the party. While Lily was over the moon that her mother felt up to coming along, it was also bittersweet since this would be the first year her dad would be absent from the big community occasion.

Plus she felt childishly annoyed that Barbara hadn’t queried her own melancholy. ‘Mum, haven’t you noticed?’

‘Noticed what?’ her mother replied, as she began to wash the dishes.

‘That I feel like hell …’ Lily muttered.

‘Of course I did,’ Barbara said gently. ‘I was waiting for you to say something. Now that you have, we can talk about it. And before you say it, I’m not going to ask you what happened,’ her mother continued as she scrubbed a frying pan. ‘Because I already know.’

Once again, Lily was taken aback and immediately suspicious. ‘Did Dee call you?’

‘No, Shay did. He was here earlier.’

At this, her mother could have knocked Lily over with a feather. She’d spoken to Shay? First Dee and then her mum? What on earth did he think he was doing?

Now Lily’s temper flared unbidden. ‘I can’t believe he did that. He shouldn’t involve you. He barely knows you. You met him only once,’ she ranted.

Her mother watched her but didn’t stop what she was doing.

‘You’re right,’ she replied calmly as she rinsed off a glass.

Lily knew she was right, her mother didn’t have to tell her. Still she was curious.

‘What did he say?’ she asked and again got a reply she didn’t like.

‘That’s not important right now,’ her mother stated. ‘What is important is how you respond to it.’

Lily couldn’t believe what she was hearing. ‘Mum, you don’t know what you’re talking about,’ she argued.

‘You mean about Shay’s fiancée being here and wanting him back?’

Her face slackened. ‘He told you that?’

‘Yes, he did. Plus some other things, but I won’t speak about them. If you want to know then you’re going to have to face him.’

‘Mother—’

‘Lily, what do you think your father would say about all this?’

Why did she have to bring her dad into this? It wasn’t fair. Lily knew what he’d say and that he definitely wouldn’t be at all happy with her sulking around and avoiding things. Richard firmly believed in taking risks and owning your own actions. He’d told Lily that her entire life. But she was sure that whatever Shay had to say wasn’t going to leave her singing choruses afterwards.

Now, she could feel her mother watching her closely, but didn’t want to meet her gaze. ‘I know what he’d say.’ She sighed resignedly.

‘Do you have feelings for Shay, sweetheart?’

‘It doesn’t matter—’