Chapter Six

THEN

 

Lenox was in a funk for the rest of the afternoon. After he deserted Bambi and Bubbles, he found himself walking down the same stretch of beach as that morning in the hope of locating his now officially missing phone. But also in the hope of spotting the music guy again. A vain sense of optimism tickled his insides as he searched the throngs of people gathered around umbrellas. He inwardly scolded himself when disappointment flooded through him as he realised there was no “mystery man” to be seen. And no phone. He sighed but made a mental plan to give it at least another day before going online and reporting his handset as missing. He’d be phone-free for the rest of the holiday, which was inconvenient to say the least, but would get a replacement, and perhaps a well-needed upgrade, when he got back to the UK.

After a quick swim on the less-crowded Figueretas beach, he returned to the villa to have a nap and get himself ready for dinner with the girls.

Their reservation was at Las Dos Lunas, one of the island’s swankiest and most iconic restaurants near San Rafael. Lenox remembered visiting with his parents when he was younger and sitting opposite who he would learn to be Mick Jagger, only one of the many celebrities who visited the posh establishment on a regular basis.

Tonight’s crowd was a mixture of posh Ibiza locals and bohemian beauties, draped in colourful layers of sheer fabric and jewels that caught the vibrant overhead lights of the restaurant, casting glittery shadows on the walls. But as much as the patrons themselves rivalled the glitterati of London, the ambience and vibe within was true Ibizan, laid-back couture. The hushed tones of the diners were blanketed by the deep house music grooves that came from the DJ booth at the front of the room, creating a melodic atmosphere that complemented the decor beautifully.

As Lenox and his friends dined on small plates of chargrilled eggplant, gratin of mussels, and gnocchi gorgonzola, and drank bottle after bottle of Campillo and Marqués de Arienzo, their conversation flowed just as easily. There was no denying how busy their lives had become as of late; juggling working late nights with early morning classes, so for them to get together outside of the club and on their own terms was a rare occurrence.

Being outside London was a chance to soak up what the rest of the world had to offer. Sometimes, living in the belly of England’s capital city caused Lenox to feel claustrophobic and stifled by the fast pace and constant influx of information and sensory overload. Ibiza provided the antithesis to his daily routine and was the perfect medicine that he gladly would drink by the bottle if he could.

At some point, Lenox became aware that the wait staff had begun to tidy up, moving chairs around him and his friends. They were the last remaining patrons of the evening, and this was an obvious attempt to signal to them that it was well beyond last call.

A quick glance at his watch showed it was indeed after one-thirty in the morning.

“Shit, guys, where did the time go?” Lenox said.

“Why, what time is it?” Bambi asked.

“Gone half one,”

“What? Really? But we’re just getting started!” Del Rey whined.

A man dressed in the seemingly universal wait staff attire of white shirt and black trousers came over and signalled with his head towards the front of the restaurant.

“Los taxis están al frente,” he whispered under his breath.

Lenox had taken A Level Spanish before he left school and remembered enough to know that the waiter had just said that the cabs were out front.

The girls looked at Lenox for a bit of help as their expressions told him they were lost in translation.

“He’s basically telling us to get the fuck out!” Lenox joked, downing the remaining wine in his tall glass.

“Right, finish up, ladies!” Bambi ordered, ever the group organiser.

“Where to now then, kids?” Tulip asked, wrapping her leopard-print half-wrap around her otherwise bare shoulders.

“We’re fairly close to Amnesia,” Bubbles said hopefully.

“I’m not sure I’m up for a club night tonight…” Lenox countered.

“Whaaat? Why not?” Bubbles whined.

“How’s about we keep this party going down on the beach?” Lenox threw the suggestion out there, his eyes searching their reactions. “Maybe grab a couple bottles of fizz from the all-night shop, then drinks on the beach…And take the rest of the night from there?”

The girls exchanged silent glances as the wait staff busied themselves around the empty tables.

“I promise it’ll be fun.”

Lenox was all wide eyes and cheeky smiles, putting on his best puppy dog face in a last-ditch attempt to get what he wanted.

As much as he was trying to hide it from the group, he hadn’t been able to get the sexy, ukulele-strumming guy from the beach out of his head all day. Secretly, a part of him hoped that he might run into him again. But even as he waited for his friends to respond to his lame attempt to deter them from a club night, he realised how ridiculous he was being. Despite the small size of the island, the chances of his running into someone he’d only glanced from afar once, at the start of tourist season on the party island capital of the world, were slim to none.