Page 10 of One Week in Paradise

‘I was half expecting you to introduce him as just a good friend,’ Sara says.

‘How long have you guys been dating? You seem so new.’ She interprets the look of panic on my face as something else and quickly starts to backtrack with a nervous laugh.

‘I mean, obviously , you guys are new. I just mean—’

‘It’s fine,’ I say quickly. I offer her a small smile to try and quell her obvious nerves. ‘I know what you mean, and it’s fine. We’ve been together for about a month now,’ I shrug. ‘New relationship nerves and all that. We’re seeing how things are going.’

Meera and Sara look happy enough with that explanation, but I can tell Bea’s not convinced.

I don’t know what I’ll do if it gets out that I’ve faked a relationship with Cash in order to get a free trip to Jamaica.

I don’t think I’ll be able to handle the embarrassment.

Between this and The Video, I think it will spell the end of my career entirely.

‘Let’s get back out there,’ I say quickly before Bea can add anything else.

Meera pulls her phone out of her purse. ‘Before we go, let’s take a photo.’

We all squish in front of the mirror and pose. It’s a cute moment, and I’m filled with a sudden sense of camaraderie. Amber is the closest thing I have to a sister, but in this moment, it feels like I have another three.

‘Come on,’ says Bea. ‘Penelope said they’ll probably be at the cabana bar for cocktails. Let’s go.’

We step out into the hall, and I’m suddenly face-to-face with Cash. He’s leaning against the wall opposite the bathroom door, and there’s a thunderous expression pasted across his face. The second we make eye contact, his features smooth slightly, but a cloud of anger and irritation still lingers.

‘We’ll meet you two at the bar,’ Bea says. Meera and Sara both echo her, and the three quickly disappear down the hall. Once they’re no longer in sight, Cash steps towards me.

I don’t know why, but I’m holding my breath. I’ve never seen him look so mad before. Is he mad at me ? Did I embarrass him too?

He closes the gap between us and, to my surprise, envelops me in a gentle hug. He gives me a squeeze, then pulls back and looks directly into my eyes.

‘Are you all right?’ he asks, voice low.

I blink up at him. That’s not what I was expecting him to do or say. I can still feel the phantom warmth of his arms around me. ‘I’m fine.’

‘You sure? We don’t have to go back out there. We can head back to the suite.’

‘No,’ I say. It’s a tempting offer, but I don’t want to look like I’m running away any more than I already have. ‘Thanks for coming to check on me, but I’m all good. She just… Lacey doesn’t think things through all the time.’

‘Yeah.’ Cash’s lips twist into a displeased frown. ‘I can see that.’

‘But it’s fine,’ I continue. ‘She didn’t mean any harm. Let’s go to the bar and try and salvage the night.’ I move to walk away, but Cash reaches out, grabs my hand and pulls me back towards him.

‘Are you sure?’ he asks me again. ‘We don’t have to stay anywhere that’s going to make you feel like that.’

His voice is dripping with sincerity, like he truly does care about me. It’s enough to make my heart stutter. But then I remember, he’s just playing a role. None of this is real. I’m sure if I wasn’t Dane’s sister, he’d still be at the table enjoying his meal.

‘I’m sure,’ I say, my tone slightly clipped.

He holds my gaze for a few long seconds like he’s searching for something in my eyes. Whatever it is he’s looking for, he seems to find it because he drops my gaze and my hand and gives me a small shrug. ‘Let’s go then.’

As we walk to the bar, I remember what Sara said, and I groan.

Cash quirks a brow. ‘What?’

‘I don’t think we’re a very convincing couple. The girls told me they were expecting me to introduce you as just a good friend.’ I glance at him sideways and then say, ‘I think we’re going to have to step our game up.’

His Adam’s apple bobs up and down as he swallows. ‘How do you mean?’

I shrug. ‘Be a bit more touchy-feely, I guess? Act like we’re actually into each other.’ That’s rapidly becoming a non-problem for me, but I push those thoughts aside. ‘You think you can do that?’

‘I think I can manage,’ Cash says slowly. A heady expression flashes across his features. ‘You ready?’

I give him a nod, and we step out into the pool area where the cabana bar is located.

There’s loud music playing, and the others are already dotted around the bar on comfortable-looking chairs.

Lacey looks up at me as we walk towards them, but I avoid her entirely.

I don’t need to be bombarded with a thousand apologies right now.

‘You grab a seat,’ I say, nodding to an empty pair of chairs by Bea and Marcus. ‘I’ll get us something to drink. Any requests?’

Cash shakes his head. ‘I told you, I’m not a big drinker. I’ll have whatever you have.’

I play it safe and order myself a porn star martini and a cranberry and vodka for Cash, since I know that he liked it back at the airport.

While I wait for the bartender to mix our drinks, I watch Cash out of the corner of my eye.

He’s in the middle of a conversation with Marcus.

He laughs at something Marcus says, and I find myself mesmerised by how relaxed he looks.

Like he’s genuinely enjoying Marcus’s company.

A pang of jealousy hits me.

Cash’s unnecessary dislike of me has never really bothered me.

Until now. I’ve always just kind of brushed it off as a weird quirk of his and have never really taken it too seriously.

Not everyone has to like me, and who wants to be friends with an egotistical ass like Cash Reid anyway, right?

But as I watch him interact with the others – they’re all crowding around him now, like moths to a flame – I realise that I don’t know Cash.

Not the real Cash. And why does that bother me so much?

I realise that I want to be on the receiving end of one of Cash’s genuine laughs. I want to be the reason he’s throwing his head back, shoulders shaking, as a roar of laughter rips through his body.

I know that he’s only here as a favour to Dane and to get a free holiday out of this and that the second we land back in London, things will go back to how they’ve always been between us. And the thought of that makes me sad.

As I walk back to him, I decide things are going to change. By the end of this trip, Cash and I are going to be friends.