CHAPTER ONE
‘IT’S PERFECT.’ Or it would’ve been. Alesha Milligan spun around on her toes, arms wide as she scoped the spacious apartment she was going to spend the next week enjoying. She would enjoy it. Thank you very much, Luke. Her arms fell to her sides, her chin dropped, and all pretence at how exciting a holiday in Dubrovnik would be evaporated.
This was supposed to be seven whole, luxurious days and nights seeing the sights, hitting the clubs, forgetting all about work and patients, having an amazing time with Luke. Instead she was here alone, dumped a fortnight ago. He apparently was now headed for Paris instead of Croatia as they’d planned. Her stomach squeezed painfully. Paris where he was hooking up with another woman he’d met at an accountants’ conference last month.
‘Hope it rains every day in Paris.’
‘Pardon?’ The proprietor, who’d introduced herself as Karolina, looked concerned. As if she’d let her apartment to a madwoman.
‘Sorry. I was meant to be here with a man, only he changed his mind.’ Should’ve seen it coming. It wasn’t as though she was a stranger to men cooling towards her just when she finally relaxed into a relationship and Luke hadn’t exactly been rushing to spend time with her every night lately.
Karolina’s face fell. ‘That’s terrible. You still want to stay?’
She was here, wasn’t she? If she went home she wouldn’t be able to face her girlfriends after all their nagging for her to go to Dubrovnik and have a great time despite Luke. Cherry had even had the audacity to suggest she have a sizzling fling, burn out the angst in her veins. Her? Sex with another man other than Luke? She wasn’t ready. That’d make her seem fickle, and fickle she wasn’t. Desperate for love, yes. She was all of that, and once again had tried too hard and set herself up to be dumped. And now here she was. Alone. Might as well soak up the sun lazing by that beautiful pool beckoning from metres away on the vast deck the apartment opened onto. Throw in some sightseeing. Alone.
‘Yes. I do.’ If right this moment she wanted to run for the hills she could see in the distance, common sense would soon prevail and she’d make the most of this opportunity to learn something about another country she’d always wanted to visit. Finding a smile for Karolina wasn’t easy, but slowly her lips tipped upward. None of this was her hostess’s fault. ‘You have a beautiful spot here.’
‘Glad you’re happy with it.’ The tension that had started racking up in the other woman backed off and she pointed to an expensive bottle of champagne on the table. ‘There’s wine for you to drink.’
Alesha’s smile widened. There were some things on her side, then. Luke was so tight he must’ve forgotten to cancel that. If she knew where he was staying in Paris she’d send him a bottle of lemon juice, no sugar added. This wouldn’t have been a gesture brought on by guilt. He’d been in a hurry to get rid of her, saying the accountant he’d hooked up with was the one. At least he hadn’t demanded she reimburse him for his share of this accommodation. Was it possible it was a consolation prize in his mind? It hadn’t worked, but, yes, ‘I’m going to enjoy it.’ Mouthful by delicious mouthful, swallowing the anger and disappointment that was her latest ex, she would enjoy it as a precursor to having a wonderful holiday.
A holiday alone. Pain blurred her sight, removed her smile. What was wrong with her that men didn’t stay around for ever? Not only men. Her parents hadn’t either.
‘There are plastic glasses in that cupboard if you want to enjoy a drink by the pool.’
Alesha snatched up the bottle, ready for a glass now. ‘It should be in the fridge.’ And she should be acting outwardly strong, if broken on the inside. After all, it wasn’t as though this had never happened to her before. Not a cancelled romantic holiday. That was new, but broken relationships were becoming her speciality.
/> ‘I want you to have a lovely stay. There is a lot to do in and around Dubrovnik.’ Karolina handed her a card. ‘If there’s anything you need, call me. I recommend you put my number on your phone. I don’t live on the premises but I’m available any time.’
‘Will do.’ Alesha slid the card into her shorts’ pocket. She’d deal with that shortly. First she’d go stick her toes in that sparkling, crystal-clear water.
Karolina removed a metal ring from the door, and waved keys at her. ‘Front door, laundry, and the gate off the street, which must be kept locked at all times for everyone’s security.’
‘No problem.’ They also went into her pocket. ‘Do you have a map of the town?’
‘All the information you’ll need is on that shelf above the table. Restaurants and grocery shops are highlighted. Bus stops, the way to the Old City if you want to walk. Anything else just ask around. Most locals are very friendly.’
‘I will, and thanks. I am going to have a wonderful time.’ She really was, as soon as she’d banished Luke’s haughty face from behind her eyelids. Haughty? Yes, he had been, especially as he’d said she’d got too serious too soon. Hello? Hadn’t he also said he’d fallen for the accountant woman instantly? Alesha’s stomach tightened. He could’ve just said it wasn’t working for him, not layer in how wonderful this other woman was—at everything.
A bird tweet in her pocket had her tugging her phone out fast. He’d changed his mind.
He hadn’t.
‘Hi, Cherry. You on break?’ She wandered out to the pool’s edge as she listened to her friend back in London.
‘No, but I wanted to give you the heads up. There’s a six-month position coming up on the paediatric ward starting in four weeks. One of the nurses is taking maternity leave, but she’s told me it’s unlikely she’ll come back at all. This’d be the ideal job for you. I’ve flicked the application form through to your email.’
A couple of weeks ago she’d have jumped at the opportunity. Probably still would once her head and bruised heart settled back into the ‘being single’ groove. But right now? Alesha didn’t want to make any plans for the future other than getting out of bed every morning to go discover this wonderland. ‘Thanks for letting me know. I’ll think about it over the next few days.’
‘Don’t take too long. Rumour has it nurses from all over London will be queuing up for the chance to join our team. It’d be cool to work together. So, how’s Dubrovnik?’
Alesha hadn’t really taken much in yet—she had been too busy feeling sorry for herself on the drive from the airport, instead thinking Luke should’ve been with her. Wandering over to the wall at the front of the deck, she stared out and around. ‘It’s beautiful,’ she gasped. ‘There’s an awesome bridge in the background, and hills, and almost right beneath where I’m standing is the harbour where the cruise ships tie up.’
‘There’ll be nightclubs and the like there, surely? You can be out all night, and lounging by the pool during the day.’ Cherry sounded excited for her.
Down, girl. ‘Yeah, well, I’m sure there’ll be some dancing and drinking going on. Not so sure about having that fling though. I do know there’re lots of places I want to visit during the day.’
‘You Kiwis and your sightseeing. Can’t you visit a town without spending the days walking for miles, taking photos and making yourself too tired to go out at night?’ Cherry laughed. ‘Oh-oh, dragon on the warpath. Got to go. Put your CV in for that job. Bye.’
Click. Gone.
Alesha sank onto a lounger. The heat was softening her muscles, moistening her skin, draining what little energy she had left. The temptation to fall into the water fully clothed was strong. There’s a phone in my pocket. Could remove it, but if she was going to do that she might as well get into her bikini. The tiny red creation made to cover the essentials and cause havoc in a man’s brain. In his shorts. Instead she’d wear it for a swim on her own. She’d also pour a glass of bubbles as soon as they were remotely chilled. Right about now.
Dressed, make that just decent, in her new bikini and with a glass of lukewarm champagne, Alesha tossed her phone on the bed and returned to the poolside to stretch out on the lounger to soak up some sun. Already hot, it was nice to feel the heat pushing her down into the cushions. Talk about the life. If she had to be alone then this was the way to go.
How some fun, maybe get laid. Put Luke behind you. He doesn’t deserve you anyway.
Leap into bed with just any guy she met? As if she were a tramp? Would that make her a more interesting person? When she’d be uptight and stressed about meeting men in bars on her own? They’d have a different agenda from hers. Theirs would be to head straight to bed, while she was far more cautious. If that made her dull, then dull she was.
I can’t deal with this. I’ve been dumped. Like yesterday’s news. A fling doesn’t require getting to know the other person too much.
Forget the fling and just have fun doing the things she enjoyed.
I enjoy sex.
The thought made her start. Sitting up, she stared around the beautiful complex with its stunning pool. Was she broken-hearted over Luke’s defection? Or hurt because once again she’d failed to find love?
So? It wasn’t as if she were incapacitated. Basically she was used to being on her own. Alesha hadn’t moved all the way from the other side of the world because she was a wuss. No, she’d shifted to a humongous city where she knew no one, had found jobs, accommodation, a man who’d enjoyed her company for the past few months—or so she’d thought.
Her hands clenched as sweat trickled between her breasts, down her back. The sun beat down relentlessly, heating her skin while internally her blood was frozen and her stomach a lump of ice. Love was an intangible, and always out of her reach. She’d been searching for love since the day her brother got sick and her parents no longer had time for her. She’d been trying too hard to be loved by someone special. It might be time to accept it wasn’t going to happen and she should just get on with her life. Get busy so she didn’t notice no one was there for her, with her.
Or maybe she should relax, have some uncomplicated fun as Cherry and Shelley suggested and see where that took her.
Alesha gulped a mouthful of champagne, spluttered as it went down the wrong way.
Stop feeling sorry for yourself.
‘Yeah,’ she sighed. She did have a darned good life living in London, sharing a house with other nurses she got on well with and often contracted to work in some of the best hospitals. Much more exciting and interesting than living in Christchurch, New Zealand, where she’d grown up.
Taking a small sip of the champagne this time, she groaned out loud in exasperation. Her clenched hand pounded the mattress at her side. What a fantastic way to start a holiday. She was not going to spend the week lying on the bed feeling sorry for herself. She was not.
Okay. Message received. She’d start enjoying the sun, the blue sky that went for ever, the view of hills and the harbour below. Even the champagne that in all honesty wasn’t flash in its warmish state. There was a whole world out there waiting to be explored. Alesha would not leave here next weekend without knowing the sights and sounds and smells of Dubrovnik. But first she was going to get into that pool and cool off, physically and mentally. Then she’d go for a walk and see what was nearby for eating out. If her appetite returned by the end of the week, that was.
Luke could go to hell in a wheelbarrow. A rusty one with a flat tyre. There were other men out there.
Exhaustion pulled at her.
A sad sigh escaped. She would have a great time despite going solo. She really, really would, as soon as she’d had a snooze. Yeah, sure. Her eyes stung, proving she wasn’t quite ready to let go the hurt. But crying was not happening. Rarely since the day when she was ten, and stood at her brother’s graveside to drop onto the coffin the silver clock shaped like a Labrador and s
mall enough to fit in the palm of Ryan’s hand, had Alesha given into tears. The clock had been bought out of hard-earned pocket money mowing lawns for Dad and the people next door. Ryan had been meant to get better and take it with him wherever he went in the future.
She laid back and closed her eyes, savouring the sun as she’d done so often on family holidays a good many years ago. Sun, sea, surf. It was what Kiwis made the most of every summer around Christmas and New Year. A relaxed, exciting time with family and friends, just mucking about in the water, catching fish...
* * *
A light breeze tightened her skin. Alesha dragged her eyes open and rolled onto her back. ‘Ouch.’ Sitting up, she looked over her shoulder, got an eyeful of red skin. The tube of sunscreen was still inside her case. Probably where her brain was too. Protecting her skin from the sun was always a priority. Not today. The sun was disappearing behind the hills. And she’d wasted the afternoon getting sunburnt.
A gust of wind swished across the pool and deck, and behind her a door slammed. Her fiery skin was intensely cold for a moment then back to flaming. She shivered. Time to put on some clothes.
That door that banged shut must’ve been hers. But it was all right. It wouldn’t be locked. Not when she stood in her bikini with only a towel to wrap around her and the keys still in the pocket of her shorts lying on the floor inside.
The door didn’t budge when she turned the handle, nor when she pressed a shoulder against the wood. Seriously? No way. Someone was playing a joke on her.
She was not locked out of her apartment without clothes, money or her phone. When her stomach was complaining about lack of food. Her day had just gone from average to worse. What else could go wrong? Tipping her head back, Alesha made to shout her frustration, but hauled on the brakes at the last second. What was the point? Screaming wouldn’t miraculously unlock the door, or hand her phone over with Karolina’s number. Had she got around to putting the woman’s number in her database? She couldn’t remember. Too much emotion had been whirling around in her mind.