Page 23 of At Her Service (Club Velvet #2)
CHAPTER 23
A bby stepped off the gangway and onto the dock, Valerie beside her with Hazel in her arms. They’d landed in Pisa early in the morning before being whisked off to a yacht that had taken them to the small island off the Tuscan coast. Already, the trip had been luxurious beyond Abby’s wildest dreams, and they hadn’t even made it to the resort yet.
As porters streamed off the boat with their luggage, Valerie set Hazel down, holding tightly onto her hand to keep her from wandering off. Hazel was awestruck by all the new sights and sounds. And so was Abby.
They reached the end of the dock. Abby slipped out of her sandals and stepped onto the beach, burying her toes in the sand. It was fine and white, and it had been warmed by the morning sun. The turquoise waters beyond the beach were calm and crystal clear, and behind it, a blanket of trees stretched out into the horizon. In the distance, she could just make out the facade of a building that had to be the resort.
“It’s beautiful,” Valerie said. “Isn’t it?”
Abby shook her head. “It looks too perfect to be real.”
Valerie took off her sunglasses, gazing out over the island. “I can picture it now. Our cast of characters stepping off the boat with no idea that their lives are about to be changed forever. No, their hearts are about to be changed forever.”
Abby studied Valerie’s face. This wasn’t the first time she’d heard Valerie talk about her work, but it was the first time she’d heard her speak about it so passionately.
“This movie means a lot to you, doesn’t it?” Abby asked.
“It does. And my hope is that everyone who watches it will feel the same. I want every person in the world to be able to see something of themselves in it, no matter their gender, or race, or sexual orientation. That’s always been important to me, but it became even more important when I had Hazel. I want her to grow up in a world where she gets to see herself on the screen, along with her mom, her aunties, everyone else around her. I want her and everyone else to know that they can find the kind of life-changing love that the characters in the film will find.”
Butterflies flitted in Abby’s chest. This side of Valerie—sentimental, romantic—was something she’d only ever caught glimpses of. And only when the two of them were alone. So what was different now?
What had changed?
Her thoughts were interrupted by a middle-aged man in a shining white polo shirt and khaki shorts, a sparkling gold Rolex around his wrist. He greeted them both by name in heavily accented English, introducing himself as the resort’s owner and inviting them to follow him back to the resort.
As they made their way up the tree-flanked path running alongside the beach, the owner chattered away about all that the resort and the island had to offer. Abby took a cue from Valerie, responding only with polite nods. It wasn’t long before Hazel began to tire, so Abby picked her up to carry her the rest of the way.
Finally, the trees thinned, and the resort came into view.
“Here we are,” the owner said. “Palmieri Resort. It was named by my great-great-great-grandfather, who built it almost two hundred years ago. It’s been here ever since.”
Abby looked up at the building. The sprawling resort was even bigger than it seemed from a distance. The sandstone facade shone the same bright white as the sand on the beach, and it was surrounded by lush tropical gardens dotted with marble statues and fountains, all timeworn but pristine, just like the resort itself.
“No need to check in,” he said. “I’ll take you straight to your villa.”
He guided them past the main resort building and down a path that led deeper into the trees. Other than a few staff milling about, they didn’t pass any other people.
Finally, they reached their villa. It was more like a coastal mansion, spanning two stories with a private pool at the back. It was surrounded by trees, and the doors and windows were flung open to let in the cool sea breeze.
As the owner led them to the door, Valerie gave him a nod. “We can take it from here.”
The man hesitated. It was obvious he wanted to keep talking up the resort. But it was impossible to argue with Valerie.
He reached into his pocket and handed her a set of keys. “Let me know if you need anything. Anything at all. Just give me a call.”
Valerie waited for him to leave before ushering Abby and Hazel through the door. “Thank god. I thought he’d never leave us alone. Now, why don’t you put Hazel down for her nap so we can settle in?”
Abby nodded. “Sure thing.”
“I asked the resort to set up a bed for her. It should be in the bedroom closest to ours.”
“Ours?”
“Yes, the main bedroom. You’ll be sleeping with me. Is that a problem?”
“No, of course not.” It wasn’t the first time they’d shared a bed, but most nights, they slept in their own rooms. And judging by the size of the villa, there were plenty of other bedrooms. But Valerie had said that they wouldn’t have to hide while they were on the island.
Warmth bloomed in Abby’s stomach. Maybe someday, they wouldn’t have to hide at all.
She headed upstairs, Hazel in her arms. The toddler was already half asleep, having dozed off on the walk from the beach. Abby wandered the villa, peering into each room until she found the main bedroom. Their suitcases had been left inside, right at the end of the bed.
She went into the room next door. It was a smaller bedroom with a low bed that had safety railings around it. After placing Hazel on the bed, Abby returned downstairs to find Valerie on the couch in the living room, her laptop open on her lap and a stack of papers on the coffee table in front of her. How had she gotten unpacked so quickly?
Abby took a seat next to her. “Hazel is down. She’s out like a light.”
“I’m not surprised,” Valerie said. “She falls asleep easier when we travel than she does at home. Handles jet lag better than most adults.”
Abby glanced at the papers on the coffee table. “Getting to work already?”
“Unfortunately, I have to. There’s plenty that I need to do while we’re here, so I can’t afford to waste time.” Valerie set her laptop on the table. “But that doesn’t mean we won’t get to have any fun. I plan to explore every inch of this resort, along with the island itself. And I want you to come with me while I do it.”
“You do?”
“Of course. My film is about lust, love, romance, and everything in between. How else will I know if this is the right location for it without seeing the resort the way the characters will? I need to experience everything the island has to offer. The sun and the sand. The sights and the sounds. The food, the wine, the beauty. I want to experience it all, with you by my side.”
Abby’s heart thumped. Valerie’s eyes, her voice, were as impassioned as they had been on the beach when they arrived.
But this time, she was looking at Abby.
“We have three days,” Valerie said. “Three days in paradise, hardly another soul around. Three days away from the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles, from the crowds and paparazzi. Three days to be as free as we please.”
She drew a hand up Abby’s thigh, sliding her dress up and leaning in close. Abby’s breath caught in her chest, her eyes falling shut as Valerie’s lips brushed hers?—
The buzz of a phone on the glass coffee table pierced the air. Valerie sighed and pulled away, reaching for her phone. Abby bit back a groan. Just a brief kiss had been enough to get her all worked up.
But Valerie’s attention was on her phone now. It was still ringing, but she didn’t answer it. Her face was hard as ice.
Abby frowned. “What’s the matter?” When she didn’t answer, Abby put her hand on hers. “Is everything okay?”
Valerie silenced the call. “It’s nothing. Now, where was I?” She set her phone down and picked up her laptop again. “I need to deal with these emails. Why don’t you go unpack?”
“Oh. Yeah, sure.”
“I won’t be long. By the time I’m done, Hazel will be awake, and we can all go out and explore the island together, okay?”
Abby nodded and headed up to the bedroom, her stomach churning. She’d never seen Valerie so flustered before. And all over a phone call? Who was calling her? Why didn’t she answer it?
Abby shook her head. It didn’t matter. She had a whole weekend at an island paradise with Valerie.
And she was going to enjoy it.