Sighing, I shift in my seat and stare moodily out of the window. This is just great. A whole week with Charles, it’s enough to drive me slowly mad. How I wish he was more interesting. Like the man who is sitting behind me who caught my eye in the airport. Now there’s a man I would enjoy spending a week with. Good looking in a rough and ready way and I bet he’s an animal in bed. The woman with him doesn’t know how lucky she is. Yes, a real man, not the pander pony beside me who wouldn’t even breathe if I tell him I’ve got a headache.
My life is so boring and I don’t know what to do about it. When I married Charles, I thought I had it all. Wealth, a handsome husband and a life stretching in front of me of privilege and adventure. Funny how the dream gets distorted by reality. My life is one endless round of coffee mornings, shopping and visits to the spa which must be most women’s idea of heaven. Not mine. I always wanted more than that, a career, something worthwhile to occupy my time and not to become a trophy wife, but that’s how it turned out. Charles swept me off my feet and I was blinded by his wealth. He’s good looking, charming, and a dream come true. Now the rosy glow has faded from my eyes, I realise how shallow it all is. There is so much more I want to do, but he won’t hear a word of it.
“Darling…” He wraps his fingers around mine and whispers, “I have booked you in for that massage at 3pm, is that ok?”
“Yes, lovely darling.”
I smile and he nods as if he’s just wrapped up another business deal. Mindful of where we are, I say in a low voice, “Charles, I’ve been thinking.”
He actually places his finger on my lips and whispers, “Tell me later, I have an email I need to answer as a priority. Maybe we can discuss your thoughts over a pre-dinner drink this evening.”
I nod miserably and he starts tapping into his phone as I hear a giggle behind me and the low tones of a couple richer than I am in so many ways. “Stop that, what will everyone think?”
The tears well up as I imagine being as happy as the woman behind me clearly is. It’s obvious they are. Who wouldn’t be with a man like that beside them? If only mine gave me half as much attention as he gives his phone, I may not be so miserable.
Looking out of the window instead, I note with interest the landscape as we pass. As paradise goes, we’ve hit the jackpot here and I wonder about the man who made this trip possible. Lotus enterprises is the holding company of the resort we are going to. The fact we are here is by invite only because Charles has been managing this guy’s investments for years. Now the resort is finally about to open and we have been invited to test out the facilities. Charles doesn’t talk to me about business, so I don’t know more than that, but I am interested to meet the man behind the dream.
Sighing, I lean back and look around me and a woman sitting across the aisle catches my eye and smiles. I smile back and wonder why she’s here alone. I saw her in the baggage reclaim area as she hauled her suitcase from the belt and as shallow as it sounds, I liked the outfit she is wearing. Tight black skinny jeans, ripped at the knees, with a silk camisole and short fitted jacket. She has long dark wavy hair and the huge designer sunglasses perched on her head are an expensive brand. Her luggage was all coordinated and I sigh when I realise how much that impresses me. I really need to get a life because I am burning in material hell.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we have reached our destination.” The driver calls out and I look with interest at the palatial resort looming up before us.
We sweep through huge white pillared gates and my first sight of paradise takes my breath away.
Charles looks up and nods with appreciation. “Looking good, then again, I never expected any less of him. That man has it all worked out and probably left nothing to chance.”
“What’s he like?”
“Ok, I guess, to be honest it’s all business with him and he gives nothing away. Good business sense though, he keeps me on my toes, which is saying something.”
He reaches out and twists his fingers in mine and says smoothly, “We’ll check in and while you relax, I’ll tick a few items off my to do list. This week should be fun.”
He looks away and I die a little inside. Fun. I’m not sure if Charles knows the meaning of the word and all I can see is a week of boredom, while I try to remember why I married him in the first place.
As we disembark the mini bus, I look with interest at my fellow passengers, trying hard not to openly stare at the man who sat behind me.
He is so good looking and I feel a shiver of desire pass through me. Dark hair, piercing blue eyes and a body that I can tell would look good lying beside the pool. His wife, or at least I think they’re married, is pretty with her blonde bob and simple shift dress. An understated elegance that makes me feel as if I’m way overdressed. She stands back a little as he looks around him with interest and for a moment, I catch his eye and feel a warm feeling spread through me as he smiles and something shifts between us.
“Come on darling, the porter will deliver our bags to the room.”
Charles snakes his arm around my waist and guides me up the impressive white marble steps towards the reception that opens up into a vast space.
It feels so tranquil here, so beautiful and serene, I can feel the tension leave me almost immediately. I tune out as Charles jostles for position in the line and secures our room and a soft voice beside me says, “Wow, this place is impressive.”
I turn to see the single woman beside me and she grins, holding out her hand. “Hi, I’m Emma.”
“Evelyn.”
I smile and she shakes my hand with a cool grip.
“I must say, I was blown away to win this competition.”
“Competition?” I’m a little confused, and she laughs.
“Yes, can you believe I won this week away on a Facebook ad? All I had to do was comment and before I knew it, I had a message in messenger telling me I’d won. Crazy, isn’t it?”
“That’s amazing. You must be so happy.”
“I am actually.”
“Are you on your own?”
“Sadly, yes, although that’s not unusual. I’m always on my own because I haven’t met anyone I want to bother seeing twice. It must be nice to have found your other half.” She sounds wistful, and as her eyes flick over to Charles, I see a little envy in her stare.
“Yes, it is.”
My words betray me because I would give anything to be in her shoes, actually scrub that, I want to be in the petite blonde’s shoes because my attraction to her husband has shocked me. I don’t look at other men, I rarely even bother to acknowledge they are there. After all, I have a husband, despite how little I see of him.
Emma leans in and whispers, “Maybe there will be a single man here this week, perhaps this is destiny and I will find true love in paradise.”
She winks and as Charles heads our way, says quickly, “It looks as if you’ve checked in. I had better fight my way to the front because I am itching to make it to that sunbed at some point today. Enjoy your stay.”
She smiles. “I hope to catch up with you later, although don’t worry, I’m not a weird hanger on, just come and find me if you want some girly company. Well, anyway, I should go and leave you to your holiday. Have a good one.”
She heads off before Charles reaches us and he says quickly, “Who was that?”
“Her name’s Emma, she won this holiday on Facebook.”
“Oh yes, I heard he was running a competition for guinea pigs.”
“Guinea pigs?”
“Yes, Mr Wheeler wanted to test out the facilities and grab some five-star reviews. He ran the competition on Facebook as a way of stirring up interest. Competition aside, the bookings are phenomenal and as I said before, that man knows what he’s doing.”
“Will he be here?”
Charles shrugs. “It’s doubtful, he rarely stays in one place long enough to breathe. It certainly teaches me a thing or two about time management.”
We step inside a lift that is pretty large and opulent. Mirrors line the wall and unconsciously I study my reflection with a critical eye. Perfect. Then again, that vision gives me more displeasure than if I had greasy hair and no make-up on wearing a dress that is stained and torn. I’m not sure when I hated the perfection my life brings. It crept up on me without me seeing it and now it’s here, I look on my life with hatred and derision.
Charles punches the button for the floor we need, and I’m not surprised to see it’s on the top one. He turns and winks.
“Only the best for us, darling, it pays to have contacts and Mr Wheeler has ensured we are in the best room.”
“That’s kind of him.”
“I suppose, although I would have expected nothing less.”
Charles smiles with the smug look of someone who expects perfection, which makes my heart sink. He looks at me that way too, I’m not stupid. I know he expects the same of me. The designer clothes, the modern tasteful home. The small fortune he expects to pay at the end of the month when he receives my credit card statement, showing him I have maintained the image of perfection by weekly visits to the hairdressers, beauticians and designer shops.
Charles expects perfection in every aspect of his life, even the bedroom. Sex with Charles is perfunctory, probably because he doesn’t want to mess up my hair. It’s cold, clinical and a tick on his to do list and afterwards he leaves me to shower while he answers any emails that came in during the ten minutes or so the phone wasn’t in his hand.
The elevator arrives and as we step outside, I note the plush carpeting that still smells new and the freshly painted walls with not a mark on them. Charles stops at a large wooden door that clearly states it’s the penthouse, and I resist the urge to roll my eyes. I know I’m ungrateful and I hate myself for that too because I have it all and my only worry is getting through the day without losing my mind through boredom.
I follow him into a large airy space and catch my breath. This is outstanding.
Charles laughs softly beside me. “Yes, this will do. A panoramic sea view and a set of rooms suited to our needs.”
He drops his bag on the table nearby and heads toward the double doors leading onto the balcony. As he opens them, I hear the crash of waves outside and as I follow him, I stare in amazement at a beach paradise. The balcony alone is worth a mention because it has its own hot tub and impressive sun loungers. It’s absolutely huge and appears to be in its own little world as it juts out above the rest of the hotel.
The heat is almost unbearable and Charles leans across and presses a switch on the wall, initiating the fan on the ceiling.
“That’s better.”
He looks at me sharply. “Why don’t you settle in and change into something more suitable. I’ll grab us a couple of drinks and we can sit out here for a bit. I’m expecting a call from Paris that I need to take and then it will be time for your massage.”
I nod and turn to leave and he says quickly, “Happy, darling?”
Sighing inside, I turn and smile weakly. “Of course, darling, thank you.”
He nods and lifts his phone and as I walk away, I wonder how much longer I can do this.