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But she wasn’t going to sit around feeling sorry for herself while Xavier ay A sun hat and bare feet later, and she was ready to explore the ship

He wasn’t flying to the ht Xavier was flying to the coast, and fro he didn’t need to work on any particular day His ide business was a well-oiled machine that allowed him to take time off whenever it suited him What suited him noas space from Rosie She’d really thrown him with the way she’d , when she’d stood beside hiestion digging away at his heart, then or now

He landed the helicopter on the beach and then went for a walk, and after that a swiood it felt to be on the island, free from the concerns of the outside world It was therapeutic just sitting on the rocks, gazing out to sea He rarely slowed down his pace of life these days, but the island demanded that he must

He was beginning to see Isla Del Rey as Rosie uessed that after the orphanage her experience ly beautiful; sootten over the years There were deep ravines and rushing rivers, placid lakes and thick forest Yes, the old house and grounds were badly run-down, but it was definitely worth saving Old friends from the island, who, clapping hi him on his choice of bride They told him that they had faith in Señorita Clifton, or Doña Rosa, as they had taken to calling Rosie on the island

He stood and turned his face to the sun The island’s lush bounty was boundless It was the perfect place to bring up a child He had closed his mind to that possibility because of his own experience with parents who didn’t want him He accepted now that that had left a bitter mark, but not an indelible mark, thanks to Rosie He could see the island afresh because of her Even the ocean was a contradiction that reminded him of her The water was a clear, tranquil blue today, but it could so quickly turn to furious grey—

He spun around as one of the elders of the island called to him

‘Va a comer con nosotros, Xavier?’

Would he care to eat with the fareat honour, he called back, pleased to think they still cared about him

He hadn’t wanted to come back to Isla Del Rey, but he had He hadn’t wanted to care for the island, but he did He hadn’t wanted to care for anyone, because his experience of love had been so negative, but he cared for Rosie He sht about her as he fell into step with his elderly host He didn’t just care for Rosie Clifton—as the point in denying it any longer? He loved her

Time passed quickly on the balcony of his old friend’s fa the the He could hardly refuse their hospitality, and stayed until the screeching seagulls overhead in search of their supper re for him on the ship

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She’d dressed for dinner She’d never dressed for dinner in her life She’d had no call to, but on one of her many exploratoryout a dining table beneath the stars They were unfolding the finest white linen and adding a last polish to glealowed in tall silver sconces, while beautiful flower arrangely out of nowhere, so she could hardly rock up in her jeans The dress she had chosen fro room was really beautiful Made of soft ivory chiffon, it finished around knee length and had a nipped-in waist with quite a low neck But the style was lovely, rather than obvious, and she had left her hair loose, as Xavier preferred it She was still barefoot He liked that too She’d had a good day at sea, but had missed him, and however many tio, she really didn’t, though so told her they would both have to coe

She sat down to dinner The stewards acknowledged her with polite smiles

One asked what she would like to drink, and then stood back in the shadows as another poured her a glass of water She couldn’t think what else to say She didn’t want to start eating in case Xavier arrived, so she had to ignore her storowls of complaint