The Secret Cove in Croatia

Peeling his eyes away from her endless legs, he turned and looked around at the boat, letting out a low whistle. ‘This is rather nice.’

He was dying to take lots of pictures and post them onto the family WhatsApp group, but Tara seemed to take all this in her stride and he didn’t want to look too keen and gauche in front of her.

With a careless shrug, she said, ‘I guess,’ and reached over to her tote bag to pull out one of the stack of glossy magazines she’d bought at the airport. ‘I wonder what time the others will get here. Has that awful girl gone? Honestly, some people are such jobsworths.’

She opened her magazine and began flicking through the pages, tutting and shaking her head.

As she was clearly absorbed, he left the lounge area to step out into the warm air on the deck. With a quick grin, he took in the view of the hazy outline of the islands in the distance, lifting his head towards the pleasant balmy breeze. Standing with his legs slightly apart, his hands gliding with pleasure along the smooth surface of the glossy wooden rail, he enjoyed the slight bob and dip of the boat. He was really here. Nick Hadley, on board an expensive yacht with a stunning model girlfriend. Who’d have thought it?

Chapter 5

Now properly covered up, wearing her crew T-shirt and navy shorts, Maddie had taken herself off to the kitchen – sorry, galley – and was hacking a poor cucumber to death. If this pair of self-entitled dickheads were indicative of the guests, it was going to be a long trip.

She checked Tonka’s recipe and grabbed an onion, peeling back the golden skin. Hopefully she wouldn’t have to mix with the guests too much and they might not all be like Mr and Mrs We-know-we’re-gorgeous-and-that-means-we-can-do-what-the-hell-we-like. Nina’s brother, she consoled herself, wouldn’t be like that. In fact she was hoping he’d be an ally. This pair were everything she’d feared about this trip. Maddie was looking forward to meeting Nick; at least he wouldn’t have any airs and graces. You couldn’t get more down to earth than a northerner and a farmer at that.

Chopping and slicing soothed her and she kept a close eye on the time. When she finally heard voices and the clatter of footsteps and cases, she knew the rest of the guests had arrived. That was her signal and she dashed out to lay the canapés on the table in the bow, as per instruction in her handy bible.

Hearing people start to assemble on deck, she tucked the ice bucket and champagne under one arm and picked up a tray of glass flutes, holding it, somewhat precariously, in one hand and headed out to meet the guests. The manual said champagne on the first day, although she was dying to bring out one of Ivan’s demi-johns for a bit of Croatian authenticity.

As soon as she appeared on the deck, a woman with short bright red hair cut in a gamine pixie crop clapped her hands together. ‘Oooh, bring on the champers. The holiday has begun. Can I help you with that?’ She reached for the champagne bucket perched on the tray, carefully lifting it away from the six flutes.

‘Thanks,’ said Maddie, immediately warming to her and following her over to a table. ‘So not all the guests are complete knobs then.’

The woman let out a loud belly laugh and to Maddie’s horror she realised she’d said the words aloud.

‘Oh, God, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to say that.’

‘Not a problem.’ She winked at Maddie. ‘I like people who say it like it is. I’m Siri. And no, I don’t have the answer to everything.’

‘Ah, everyone, this is Maddie,’ announced Ivan, who now appeared to be wearing fancy dress.

Maddie bit back a laugh and looked down at her feet. She could bet that Tonka and Vesna would love the dashing naval officer look with the white shirt complete with black and gold epaulettes, a white peaked hat and white trousers. She suspected Zita, with her wicked sense of humour and more pragmatic approach, would have a lot more to say.

‘Hi everyone.’ She looked around at the faces, deliberately avoiding the gruesome twosome, as she’d now dubbed them, who were on the far side of the table. Four other people had joined the party, two men and two women, and Maddie took a minute trying to work out the relationships between them all. They looked unlikely couples. Seated nearest her, on the ends of the benches, were the two men, one tall, dark and the sort of movie star handsome that could make you go weak at the knees. It was probably no accident that his blue linen shirt brought out the depth of his dark blue eyes. He sat with his long legs out, crossed at the ankle, leaning back in his chair with an arrogant confidence as if he owned the place. If it hadn’t been for the fact that he was as dark as Nina, she might have thought he was the man that had chartered the boat, but he had to be Nick.

‘Maddie is your hostess for the trip,’ explained Ivan. ‘She’ll be looking after your cabins, serving breakfast and lunch and dinner, and on those nights we’re not in moorings or too far from port, she’ll take you in on the launch.’

‘Hi, Maddie,’ said the man she assumed was Nick, in a deep and very smooth voice, with a charming friendly smile. Of course he was being friendly; he knew she was Nina’s friend. Maddie’s breath stalled in her chest as she turned to face him. Why hadn’t Nina warned her? But then she guessed Nina probably didn’t even notice and, if she was anything like Maddie, she thought of her brothers as nothing more than pains in the arse. Phew! Those eyes were amazing.

‘Can I help you with that?’ He took the bottle from her, his fingers brushing hers. Smooth. The corner of her mouth turned up; Nina’s brother was full of surprises. He gave her a warm smile and then put out his other hand. ‘Simon. Simon Beresford.’

‘S-Simon.’ Automatically she shook his hand, her brain whirling. ‘Hi,’ she said in a pathetic wheezy little voice.

She shot a look at the second guy, holding hands with the tall, slim woman next to him, who had a dark curtain of blue-black hair that hung in a perfect straight plumb line. So that was Nick. She remembered Nina saying he was going out with a model. With hair like that, the woman had to be a shampoo model at the very least. The thick lustrous locks glowed with health and vitality, which was a bit of a shame as they contrasted unfavourably with the thinning red-gold sandy hair of poor Nick, who was definitely on the losing side of the battle against baldness. Maddie pinched her lips to hide her surprise. Nick was no looker, although, despite his pudgy, pug-like face, there was something arresting about his hazel eyes which shone with bright enthusiasm as he looked round at everyone with eager beaver happiness.

In the meantime, Simon picked up the champagne bottle and with a deft twist undid the metal cage and removed the foil before removing the cork in a practised move which suggested he’d done it a time or two before. Not a drop was spilled and he handed the bottle to her with an easy smile.

‘Thank you; you have had some practice, then.’

‘Lots,’ he said, managing to make the single word sound suggestive.

She grinned at him and filled the glasses one by one, handing them out to Simon, who passed them back around the table.

‘Cheers everyone,’ said Nick in an unexpectedly plummy voice, lifting his glass. ‘To a bon voyage. May all who sail in this vessel have a jolly good time … and if you don’t, I don’t want to know.’ He took an enthusiastic swig of his drink, beaming from ear to ear. ‘Because this boat cost a ton of cash to hire, so anyone that doesn’t enjoy themselves will have to walk the plank. Happy holidays.’

‘Oh, Douglas,’ scolded his girlfriend, pulling her hand away.

Douglas! Maddie blinked, completely confused, and realised she’d mouthed his name. If he was Douglas … No, no way. Maddie shot the man in the far corner a surprised look which, unfortunately, he happened to look up and catch at exactly the wrong moment. He lifted a sardonic eyebrow and she hastily looked away.

He was Nick! And by the look on his face, he knew she’d realised who he was at that very minute. She shook her head slightly and he lifted his champagne glass in a mocking toast.

‘You can be so crass sometimes.’ Douglas’s girlfriend was still scolding him.

‘What?’ he asked with a crestfallen expression.

‘Nothing,’ she said, pursing her lips and sipping at her champagne.

Simon and Siri lifted their glasses, repeating, ‘Happy holidays.’

‘Sorry, m’dear, I should have done proper introductions. I’m Douglas and,’ he added rather proudly, ‘I chartered the boat.’

‘I think we all know that,’ muttered his disgruntled girlfriend.

Ignoring her, he carried on making the introductions. ‘This is my girlfriend, Cory.’ The girl with the blue-black hair nodded politely, her eyes a little vacant as if she were miles away.

‘And over there, that’s Tara and Nick and this is Siri, my sort of cousin.’ He shot her a warm smile.

Siri nodded, while Tara, who was now talking to Cory, didn’t even look up and Nick stared with complete disinterest, away out across the sea.

‘Lovely to meet you all,’ said Maddie. ‘I hope you have a great trip.’

‘I’m sure we will,’ said Douglas. ‘I’ve just briefed Ivan on our course for the next two and a half weeks –’ he tapped at one of the charts on the table ‘– and we’re going to have an excellent time, island-hopping and partying.’

‘I’m sure you’re going to have a wonderful time. Now, would anyone like some canapés?’

‘Lord, yes, I’m absolutely starving,’ said Douglas. ‘And what time is dinner? The girls will want to freshen up, if I know them.’

‘What time would you like it?’ asked Maddie.

‘Cory, Tara, what time would suit you ladies?’

Tara frowned thoughtfully. ‘Well, if I change for dinner, I’m not going to be ready before nine.’

‘Me neither,’ said Cory.

‘Nine?’ Nick looked ill at ease. Serves him right, thought Maddie; he deserved his picky girlfriend.

‘Tara, darling,’ drawled Simon. ‘You don’t need to stand on ceremony with us. Some of us are bloody starving. An airline lunch just doesn’t cut it.’

‘Nine is a little bit late,’ said Douglas apologetically. ‘And we barely ate a thing on the plane.’

‘You had a sandwich and that packet of shortbread biscuits,’ countered Cory, looking quite indignant.

‘That is not proper sustenance,’ announced Simon and Douglas gave him an obliging look.

What a bunch of hen-pecked wusses, thought Maddie.

‘I’m always hungry,’ announced Siri. ‘Let’s eat at seven-thirty.’

Thank goodness for someone decisive.

‘Done,’ said Douglas fervently.

Maddie beat a hasty retreat before anyone could change their mind.

‘You don’t mind, do you, Nicky darling?’ asked Tara, laying a hand on his chest. ‘But I really need my sleep, otherwise I get the most horrendous bags under my eyes. Poor Cory says that Douglas snores and keeps her awake half the night. Not, of course, that you would snore, but I just find it difficult to share a bed.’

‘It’s not a problem,’ said Nick, taking her hand. ‘Besides, I’m not sure I’d fit in a cabin with all your clothes.’

‘Uh …’ She rolled her eyes. ‘Can you believe it? There’s nowhere to hang anything. I don’t know how I’m going to manage.’ She looked at the slim gold watch on her wrist. ‘It’s so tiresome to have to eat so early. The Spanish know how to do it. When we were in Barcelona last year we never ate before ten.’

‘Well, I for one am very grateful that we’re not in Spain,’ said Nick. ‘I’m starving.’

‘Lucky you have such a good metabolism.’ She ran a suggestive hand down his chest. ‘And such delicious abs,’ she added with a naughty expression.

He lowered his head to kiss her, wrapping his arms round her. Touching her lips with his, he pulled her tiny frame closer, conscious as always that she was so delicate. For a second she kissed him back, with a little murmur, and he deepened the kiss, pushing his hands into her hair, stroking the back of her neck. She leaned into him, her hips grazing his thighs, which made his blood start to race.

‘Mmm,’ she said, and then pulled away, immediately smoothing her hair back into place. ‘As the men have decreed an early dinner, I’ve hardly got any time to get ready.’

‘Tara, you look perfect. You always do.’ He pushed her glorious hair back and dropped a kiss on her shoulder. She squirmed, smiling up at him. ‘Nicky, stop tempting me. I have to get ready.’

Knowing it was useless to argue – Tara redefined the word stubborn – he pushed back the ungallant thought that he hadn’t actually ever managed to tempt her.

‘OK, I’ll see you at dinner.’

She pouted. ‘Aren’t you going to knock for me?’

He laughed. ‘If you really want me to, but as my cabin is on the main deck we might as well meet at dinner.’

‘All right then.’ She turned and flounced into her room.

With a wry smile, Nick made his way up to his own cabin. There was no doubt that Tara knew her own mind. That was admirable, wasn’t it?

Chapter 6

‘Oof.’ Maddie hit a broad wall of chest as she rounded the corner of the back – no, she must remember to call it the stern – of the boat as she headed out for an early morning trip to the bakery, Bobis, that Zita had recommended. She hadn’t expected to see anyone at this ridiculous hour.

‘Sorry. Oh, it’s you.’ Nick’s voice sounded disapproving.

She raised her gaze to meet narrowed blue eyes.

‘What? You don’t apologise to the help?’ sniped Maddie. How disappointing to realise that he was Nina’s brother.

‘That’s not what I meant.’ He glared down at her and she glared back up at him. They were like two boxers in a ring, posturing before either threw the first punch. He stepped back with a snarky smile. ‘After you,’ he said, allowing her to go first down the gangplank.

She inclined her head with a brief nod and strode down the narrow corridor, clutching the wicker basket, the discovery of which, five minutes ago, had given her so much pleasure – she’d always wanted to go shopping with a proper basket. Now she wanted to use it to bash the irritating Nick over the head.

He fell into step with her as she hit the jetty. ‘Where are you headed?’

‘Into Split,’ she replied, remembering that he was a guest and she owed him a modicum of politeness. At this hour she’d assumed all the guests were asleep.

‘Is the centre far?’ asked Nick, shading his eyes against the already brilliant sunshine and looking towards the town.

‘Not too far, but a good twenty-minute walk,’ she said.

‘Presumably I’ve got time to see it, if you’re going in. The boat won’t leave without you.’

He stuck like unwanted glue beside her as they walked along the jetty. Unfortunately, from here there was only one route along the promenade.

‘We’re due to sail at nine-thirty. When everyone’s had breakfast. I’m serving it at eight-thirty but I need to be back at eight.’ She looked at her watch, which gave her a good two hours.

Nick let out a laugh. ‘Good luck with that. Tara isn’t an early riser and neither is Cory.’

‘What? You know both of their sleeping habits?’ asked Maddie. ‘That’s impressive.’

Nick pursed his lips. ‘They share a flat. And models work long hours, lots of late nights.’

‘Hmph,’ snorted Maddie. ‘Nice work if you can get it.’

‘It’s quite demanding,’ said Nick.

‘Yeah, I bet you really break into a sweat standing around looking gorgeous for a few hours.’

‘And you would know?’

‘Ouch,’ said Maddie with a rueful laugh. ‘He noticed I’m not a size zero.’

Nick stiffened, his mouth twisting. ‘That’s not what I meant and you know it.’

‘What did you mean? I’m dying to know because from here it sounded pretty …’ She deliberately left the sentence to trail, leaving him to fill in the blanks in any way he chose.

‘I meant if you’ve ever been on a photoshoot, you’d realise that it is quite hard work.’

Maddie raised a sceptical eyebrow. ‘No mate, hard work is when you break into a sweat, put in twelve-hour shifts, come home and your back is aching and you earn a pittance doing it.’

‘Sounds like someone’s got a bit of a chip on their shoulder. Is crewing hard work? Seems quite a nice gig to me. Didn’t look as if you were working too hard yesterday when you couldn’t be arsed to let us on board.’

‘Like I told you, check-in was at five-thirty. Everyone else managed to get it right … or are you so important normal rules don’t apply?’

His jaw clenched and Maddie was pleased to see that he looked mightily pissed off.

‘Are you always this rude to guests?’

‘No,’ said Maddie cheerfully, swinging her basket as she strode along. ‘Just you.’

Nick didn’t have anything to say to that. They walked along in silence, Maddie smirking to herself. She could not believe this was Nina’s brother. She’d been led to believe he was a nice, normal, down-to-earth bloke and, to be honest, she was a little bit disappointed. So much for her foolish imaginings that he might be a mate or even an ally on this trip. In those shorts, he looked, well, a bit of a dick, which he’d proved himself yesterday. Seriously, who wore shorts that tight, although they did wonders for his backside. If she didn’t know better, in that get-up, she’d have assumed he was gay. And, judging from the second glance of the guy that had just walked by, she wasn’t the only one.

‘I think you’ve pulled,’ she said, trying to keep her face straight.

‘What?’ Nick looked at her, puzzled.

‘The guy that just passed us. Couldn’t take his eyes off your arse.’

She laughed at the startled expression on his face as he shot a quick look over his shoulder and then laughed even more when the dark-haired guy grinned at Nick, revealing lots of perfect white even teeth.

‘All the better to bite you with,’ said Maddie, gurgling with laughter.

Nick’s mouth was pinched shut in a straight line and he swivelled his head back so quickly it was a wonder he didn’t crick his neck.

‘Told you. I think it’s the shorts.’ She eyed the tight fabric with the dodgy turn-ups. They didn’t even look that comfortable.

‘What’s wrong with them?’ he asked warily.

‘Nothing, I guess, if you’re a trainee gigolo or a bit of a fox.’

Nick blew out an annoyed breath. ‘They’re shorts.’

‘They certainly are,’ teased Maddie.

‘You a fashion expert as well now?’ he asked through gritted teeth.

‘You’re on holiday, not the catwalk. Time to relax and enjoy yourself. I’d have thought dressing for comfort was the most important thing.’ Her lips twisted as she tried hard not to smile. In those shorts he might have difficulty fathering children in the future, although she’d be the last to deny that those muscular thighs, covered in crisp sandy gold hair, were pretty impressive and she was on the same page as the gay guy when it came to Nick’s bum. Shame he was such an arse. ‘You want to watch you don’t cut your circulation off.’

‘Is there any kind of filter with you?’ asked Nick.

‘No,’ said Maddie matter-of-factly.

They continued in silence until they reached the palm tree lined promenade, the white stone pavement giving off a strong glare in the bright sunshine.

‘It was pretty lively along here the other night,’ said Maddie, feeling a little guilty that she’d given him such a hard time and that he’d seemed lost in brooding thought for the last five minutes. ‘Are you headed anywhere particular?’

Nick shrugged. ‘No, I just wanted to stretch my legs and see something of Split.’ He gave a self-deprecating laugh. ‘My brother and his wife are avid armchair travellers. If I don’t take the chance to see the city while I’m here, I’ll never hear the end of it. According to TripAdvisor and Dan and Gail, I need to see Diocletian’s Palace, otherwise I might as well have not come.’

‘Yeah, Ivan said it was worth seeing.’

‘You’ve not seen it?’

‘Only a tiny bit the other night and it was impressive,’ she admitted, feeling she ought to try and see a bit more while she could. ‘I might take a quick diversion once I’ve bought the fish from the market and found this bakery and picked up the pastries for breakfast.’ She pulled out her phone and opened up the maps app, trying to work out which direction to head in. The bakery was one Zita had recommended. ‘See you later.’ Holding up her phone, she began to pace back the way they’d just come, then frowned and turned around. Bugger, the little blue dot kept heading in the wrong direction.

‘Do you know where you’re going?’ asked Nick.

‘Yes,’ she said defensively, looking down at her screen. Oh, damn, she was going in the wrong direction again. Map reading, even with GPS, was not her forte. Her sense of direction was woeful.

‘Why don’t I come with you to the bakery and then we can both go to Diocletian’s Palace? I’ll help you find both. You don’t even have to talk to me.’

She gave him a considering look. ‘All right then. I might even let you select a couple of buns, if you’re good.’

Nick laughed, his face lighting up. Bugger, he was a good-looking sod after all. Yesterday she’d been too pissed off to take it in properly. He took her phone from her hand and began to walk across the street to one of the small side streets.

‘Buns.’ He emphasized the northern ‘u’. ‘What happened to pastries? I bet you don’t call them that in front of Nina.’

‘God, no, Nina would scalp me.’ She grinned at him as they walked along the narrow stone paved street. ‘She’s rather particular about her patisserie these days.’

‘Yeah, she’s done well.’ He nodded, a proud smile tipping his lips.

‘She certainly has. Her éclairs are to die for. You know they sell out by lunchtime every day?’

‘No, I didn’t.’

They smiled at each other.

‘So how come you don’t have such a strong northern accent? You sound quite posh for a sheep farmer.’

‘Nina been filling you in?’

‘Well, it stands to reason – if she grew up on a sheep farm, you must have done too. Don’t worry, I wasn’t asking about you.’

‘Never thought for a minute you were. And, to answer your question. I got a scholarship to a local independent school. They were big on rugby and it just so happened that all of us, Nina excepted, were pretty handy with a rugby ball.’

‘Ah, that explains it. Public schoolboy.’

‘And?’

‘Nothing!’

‘You do have a bit of a chip on your shoulder, don’t you?’

‘No,’ said Maddie a shade too defensively. It was just that posh people … well, they made her feel stupid, clumsy and uneducated. On her History of Art degree course there’d been an awful lot of very wealthy people who’d grown up being taken to galleries and museums. It had taken her a lot of study and travel to catch up.

‘Up here,’ said Nick, indicating a street corner.

It was a good job Nick was with her, as her basket was quickly filled with delicious Croatian delicacies and she needed a second bag to carry the bread she’d stocked up on because they might not be mooring up again for a few days. Without asking, he took the bulging carrier bag from her.

They wound through tiny streets flanked by white stone buildings which were blinding in the sunlight.

‘I had no idea it was like this,’ exclaimed Maddie when they rounded a tiny corner and found themselves in what looked like a ruined Roman palace, with tall stone columns and windows high in the walls.

They wandered through a maze of tiny streets, munching on a croissant each; neither of them had been able to resist the delicious smell in the bakery and had succumbed as soon as they’d left. The quiet lanes at this time of day were peaceful and shady with interesting little shops, sunken doorways and large stone flags. It was easy to imagine you’d slipped back in time until, turning a corner, they came to a big open square full of cafés and restaurants.