Sunshine and Second Chances Read online

  As a child she used to spend lots of time at the coast at her Aunty Wynne’s house. She was Debs’ nan’s sister and she had many cherished memories of her nan taking her down to her sister’s in Mudeford in Dorset for the school holidays and them going crabbing on the quay. She’d always said she wanted to live in that part of the world when she was older. How could she have forgotten this?

  How was it that as you grew up and real life took over and you became part of a couple, your dreams sometimes got quashed and their dreams, or lack of them in Dave’s case, became the focus of your life?

  She realised that by the end of her marriage, she and Dave spent most nights sitting on the sofa in their tracksuits, because they were comfy and because they both felt they didn’t need to make an effort with each other. They had nothing in common any more and didn’t have any dreams about the future. It was all about existing in the here and now, and living for a Chinese takeaway and Strictly Come Dancing on a Saturday night. And that wasn’t what she had wanted from her life.

  For the first time since she and Dave split up, Debs realised why he had gone off with Perfect Penny. She was young and vibrant, and excited about life. All the things that Debs hadn’t been any more.

  But all the things that she had been thinking about right then, sitting by the sea with Eduardo, made her feel in love with life again and feel possibilities for her own future, whether she was alone or not. Perhaps it was time she took control of her own destiny and made her own dreams come true.

  Eduardo pulled her to her feet. ‘Come! We have lots to see today before I deliver you back to your friends for your boat trip.’

  She laughed, feeling lighter in her heart than she had felt for years.

  A short moped ride took them to Guia, where they parked up in a dusty car park, and Eduardo produced two small towels from the seemingly bottomless panier on the back of the moped. The walked on the short boardwalk to the beach and laid the towels out on the sand. They kicked off their shoes and paddled carefree in the sea, holding hands and giggling like toddlers, jumping the waves as the cold water of the Atlantic Ocean splashed their feet. Grabbing an ice cream from one of the beach vendors, they sat on the rocks, licking at their ice creams, watching the waves lap at the shore, watching the world go by, and as Eduardo draped his arm around Debs’ shoulders she felt safe, loved and happy.

  Being with him felt so different to how she’d felt with Dave in their more platonic relationship. She reminded herself to stop comparing the two men and take this exactly for what it was, a brief holiday fling, which had introduced her once more to the joys in life. But oh boy, she was going to miss Eduardo when she got back to her dreary life back home. She snapped a selfie of them sitting there, which she knew she would print out and put on her mantelpiece to remind her of the person she was while she was with this lovely man, and to remember that this, whatever this was, had really happened.

  Time seemed to be flying by, and Debs hated that they were watching the clock to make sure she got back to the villa in time to go out, even though she was looking forward to spending the evening with the girls on the boat trip. Their precious time together was flying by and she was determined to make every minute count with her friends, as well as Eduardo.

  Their final journey, in the mid afternoon, took them to the small town of Quarteira, where her friends had so enjoyed the markets. Eduardo pulled up in a narrow side street and when they dismounted from the moped, put a key in the lock of a door in a large, arched doorway, which looked like it was in desperate need of a lick of paint. Eduardo held onto her hand tightly as they walked through a cool, dimly lit, tiled hallway, and up a flight of stairs. Debs was really not expecting what she saw when they reached the gallery landing at the top of the stairs, and she gasped as she took it all in. A whitewashed room, with white leather settees, adorned with peacock-blue, hot-pink and lime-green cushions, formed the most delightful seating area. But it was the view that took her breath away. Through French doors, the sunlight twinkled away on the turquoise sea, which looked so close she felt that she could reach out and touch it.

  ‘Oh my!’ she whispered.

  ‘Welcome to my home.’

  ‘Oh, Eduardo. It’s stunning, just stunning.’ She couldn’t tear her eyes away from the vista before her.

  Eduardo opened the French doors and led Debs by the hand onto a huge roof terrace which was like another outside room. Another seating area, with rattan furniture faced out towards the sea. A canopy hung from the doorframe, offering shade if needed. A pergola covered a dining area on the far side of the terrace, and a lone hammock was situated in the other corner. ‘It’s just beautiful. What an amazing home you have.’

  ‘Thank you. Let me show you around.’

  He led her into a bright modern kitchen area, impeccably clean, just off to the right of the lounge, and a twin-bedded guest room to the left. A large modern bathroom with the hugest shower she’d ever seen sat to the left of that. The final door led to Eduardo’s bedroom, which also had access to the vast terrace.

  ‘Oh, how would you ever tire of that view? I love it. It feels so peaceful and full of joy. You are so lucky to live here, Eduardo.’

  They walked out onto the terrace once more and he pointed out to the right the promenade which led all the way into Vilamoura – should a leisurely walk take someone’s fancy. And to the left, there was a long stretch of sandy beach. There was a beach bar in the distance, which Eduardo explained was owned by a very good friend. Debs sighed. It was perfect.

  He led her back into the bedroom and sat down on the bed, patting the space beside him. She joined him and their limbs intertwined as they fell back onto the mattress and desire took over.

  After slow and sensual love-making, Eduardo pulled Debs close.

  ‘Stay!’

  Debs drew back and stared at him. Did he really just say that? She didn’t know whether he was serious. He looked it, but she realised once more that she didn’t know him at all well, and had no idea whether he was jesting with her.

  She smiled. ‘Now, isn’t that a nice thought?’

  ‘Doesn’t have to be just a thought, Debs. Seriously, what do you have to go back to, a job you don’t like? You said yourself that your life was dull. We are at an age in life where we have to take chances. Seize the moment. Maybe things won’t work out, but what if they did? And if we don’t try, we’ll never know. These last few days have been wonderful. You make me smile. You make my heart sing. Just think, you could wake up to this beautiful view every day.’ He ran his hands over his chest and then opened his arms out to the sea.

  She laughed. ‘You or that?’

  ‘Both. Please, Debs. Just think about it. I have never felt like this about anyone. I just want to be with you.’ He pulled the throw from the bottom of the bed and covered them both, drawing her into his arms. She lay with her head against his chest listening to his heart beating. She was totally discombobulated.

  She couldn’t stop hearing that one word. That very short but very powerful word, which could change her whole life. Stay.

  Eduardo looked at his watch. ‘Carinho, I am sorry, but I think we have to make moves. Your friends will be waiting.’ Debs retrieved her clothes, which in the heat of passion had been abandoned and scattered across the floor. They were both quiet, their thoughts taking over. She stood, leaning on the doorframe which led out to the terrace, breathing in the sea air and committing this magnificent view to memory, and wondered if she would ever see it again.

  Eduardo touched her lightly on the arm, startling her from her bubble. Sadly, she pulled herself away from this beautiful sight only for Eduardo to draw her towards him and kiss her firmly on the lips. ‘This could all be yours. You just have to say yes. Easy, yes?’ He winked at her. ‘Come on.’

  She had the choice of two very small words. One with two letters and one with three. Why were all these life-changing words so small and unassuming? But at the same time, so huge and significant.

  A
rriving back at the villa, they dismounted and he took her in his arms. ‘Just think about it, my love. Please. Chances like this don’t come along often in a lifetime and sometimes we just have to grab them. Text me when you get back later and if you want me to, I’ll come over to see you.’

  She clung onto him for dear life, and then they parted and she walked towards the villa. She looked over her shoulder and raised a hand, before the man who had stolen her heart drove away from her.

  Liv was sitting in the lounge as she walked in. ‘We have to leave in about half an hour, darling. That OK for you?’ Debs nodded not trusting herself to speak and Liv must have noticed that her eyes were full of tears. ‘Everything OK, Debs?’

  ‘Yep, just need to go and get ready. Back as quick as I can.’

  OMG! What a quandary she had now. What a decision to make. Should she share it with the others or did she need to get her head around it first? If she went home, she could regret it for the rest of her life, but if she stayed and they tired of each other, it might not work out. She had some serious thinking to do. She threw off her clothes and jumped into the shower, wanting to stay there forever and not have to make the most important decision she’d ever had to make in her life.

  Twenty-Six

  Liv noticed that despite the fact that Debs’ eyes were sparkling, and she was glowing, she was unusually quiet on the journey into Vilamoura. She must try to grab her alone later and ask if everything was OK. She hoped that nothing bad had happened on her day out with Eduardo today. She hoped he hadn’t upset her in any way. Perhaps she was just sad because they were leaving soon. God, the thought of that made her heart race again. She still hadn’t come to a firm decision about her own life and how things were going to change when she got home, and she didn’t have long to sort it out.

  The driver pulled up at a security gate, opposite the Tivoli Marina Hotel, and the friends alighted from the car. It was just after five p.m. and they could still feel the heat of the sun on their shoulders. The marina was already a bustling hive of activity, tourists checking out the yachts of the rich and famous, and people starting their evenings early, before the dining scene began to heave.

  ‘Good evening, ladies, my name is Martin and my brother Jason and I will be your crew on the yacht this evening. Would you like to come this way?’

  Fiona raised her eyebrows at Samantha, both of them unable to believe that they had such a handsome skipper.

  Martin led them down the walkway towards a large white yacht.

  ‘It’s called a passarelle, you know. Often mistakenly called the gangplank,’ Samantha muttered.

  ‘Been on the internet again have you, Sam?’ Fiona asked, and the ladies all laughed good-naturedly.

  ‘You’ll be glad I have when you want to know everything later,’ she quipped back.

  ‘Welcome to Lady Marmalade,’ said Martin. He took each of their hands as he helped them onto the lower deck. He pointed up to the helm. ‘And up there is my trusty sidekick Jason, who is just carrying out the final safety checks.’ Jason gave them a wave and a comic salute from the top of the yacht. ‘Take a seat, ladies, and make yourselves nice and comfortable. Let me get you some drinks.’

  ‘OMG! This is gorgeous!’ Debs seemed to be coming out of herself now they’d got onto the boat and was back to being enthusiastic about their surroundings. ‘I’ve never done anything like this before. In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever been on a boat before, unless you count the ferry to the Isle of Wight.’

  The pop of a champagne cork made them look round as Martin appeared with a bottle of fizz and poured them all a glass.

  ‘An occasion like this deserves a toast, don’t you think? Which of you lovely ladies is going to say a few words?’

  Liv spoke up. ‘May I?’ They all nodded. ‘I’d like to thank you all for agreeing to come away this week. To spend quality time with you all, after all these years, has been the absolute best tonic and I have loved every minute. Thank you all so much for your company. I love you all dearly. Cheers, ladies. To us and our futures.’

  They clinked glasses and called their favourite Corfu phrase ‘Yamas’ loudly and sipped at their drinks. They all seemed excited about what the future held for them when they got home, yet Liv felt differently as she knew that there could be trouble ahead one way or another.

  Martin placed a bowl of olives on a table, with some bread sticks and canapés.

  ‘A little snack to start you on your way. Dinner will be served around seven p.m. We’ll be serving barbecued sea bass, pan-fried Mediterranean vegetables and sauté potatoes with sea-salt and rosemary. I do hope that’s OK for everyone.’ There were nods all round. They all thought it sounded divine.

  ‘So, shortly we’ll set sail. We’ll go out into the ocean and towards the caves, and then we’ll head out to see if we can find you any dolphins before we catch the magnificent sunset on our way back into the marina. Do feel free to wander around the yacht. If you’d like to go up front, I do insist that you wear a life jacket. He gave a short demonstration as to how to wear the life jackets and showed them where they were kept. And if you get chilly at all, there are some blankets just inside. Oh and I’m sure you’ll want to know that the loo is down the steps, to the lower decking and on the left. And if any of you would like to try your hand at driving this beauty, just let us know. Any questions?’ He was met with silence and shaking heads all round. ‘Great. So we’re good to go. All set, ladies?’

  They all nodded excitedly, like eager toddlers waiting for a pantomime to start.

  Martin flashed his white teeth in a Hollywood film-star smile and turned to give Jason the thumbs-up sign, and they heard the engine thrum deeper as the yacht started to gently move away from the mooring. The ladies grinned at each other as they took in the sights and sounds of the marina from a different angle. As the marina started to get further and further away, the yacht picked up speed and Jason grinned as he booted the engine and the boat dipped on one side as they started their journey towards the open sea, leaving a trail of white bubbles and froth behind them.

  When the initial excitement settled, the four friends gazed out to sea, staggered that the coastline disappeared so quickly from sight. People on beaches now were dots in the distance.

  ‘Right, I’m going up front! Who’s coming with me?’ said Samantha.

  She steadily made her way to the bow, holding on tightly to the rails, stopping to pick up a life jacket on the way.

  ‘Come on, let’s all go. You only live once and if we fall in, I’m sure Martin and Jason will do a Baywatch-style rescue.’ Liv started to follow Samantha.

  ‘Worth falling in, just for that picture alone,’ Debs roared.

  ‘This is so exhilarating! Come on, girls. Selfie time! I’m like the lady on the “Rio” video by Duran Duran! But that gorgeous cow never had to wear a bright-yellow bloody life jacket!’ Samantha laughed and plonked herself at the front of the boat. ‘It’s called the bow, you know.’

  ‘Sam, do shut up!’

  Liv threw a pillow she’d brought from the back of the boat at Samantha, and she threw her head back and let the wind rush through her hair, trying to get them all in the picture at the same time as balancing. It wasn’t easy. The others didn’t have the heart to tell her she looked like a wild woman right now; she was clearly having the time of her life. Liv had had the foresight to scrape her hair back into a neat ponytail, and Debs, in her rush to get ready, had put hers up with a clip. Fiona had short cropped hair, anyway, and loved that it hardly took any caring for, even though her mum had once asked the postman who the man was in her house that day and he’d had to explain that it was her own daughter. She smiled at the memory. She had to or else she’d cry.

  After half an hour or so, they were moving in closer to the coast, heading through crystal-clear turquoise water to the rugged headland where an archway through the rocks led to caves beyond. They didn’t stay long, as the daylight was starting to dwindle, but the stunning sight of th
e inside of the caves was another thing that Fiona was committing to memory. She’d found herself doing this a lot lately; closing her eyes and picturing what she could see, trying to almost put a photograph in her memory bank. When there was so much that her mum couldn’t remember, she wanted to make sure she was capturing as many of her memories as she could while she had the chance. She would make sure that when she got back to the villa and before she went to sleep, she wrote everything down. Every sight, every sound, every smell and every taste.

  After the boat turned and the caves were left behind, they headed away from the rocky headland outwards the open sea. The sun was starting to descend. The evening sky was turning into a blend of rich gold, deep orange and red, the sun a glowing fireball in the distance. A truly spectacular sight.

  ‘Look! To the right! Dolphins!’ Martin yelled.

  Three dolphins playfully darted through the wake of the boat, taking it in turns to dance and jump through the air, then glide gracefully back into the water. Samantha reached for her phone and began to snap away as everyone gazed in awe at this spectacular sight, amazed by these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat. As the boat pulled closer towards the coastline again, the majestic dolphins swam away, back out where the sea was deeper.

  Martin appeared back on deck. ‘I’m so happy you got to see them. They don’t always join us, so we’ve been very lucky this evening.’ He placed a plate of bread and tuna paste on the table, along with some knives. ‘I hope you are all hungry as I’m nearly ready to serve. Now, who’s for wine?’