Chapter 3

Layla compressed her soft full mouth and pushed her rippling fall of fiery hair back from her taut brow, where a stress headache was beginning to tighten its grip. Her cousin’s best friend, Aria, who had originally planned to accompany Emily, had broken both legs in a car accident. Sadly, that was the only reason why Layla was being invited to take Aria’s place and, equally sadly, Layla didn’t want to accompany Emily, even though it was a very long time since Layla had enjoyed a holiday. The unhappy truth was that Emily didn’t like Layla. Emily had never liked Layla, and even as adults, the cousins avoided spending time together. A much-adored only child, Emily had thoroughly resented the arrival of another little girl in her home, and Layla wasn’t even sure she could blame her cousin for her animosity. The White’s had hoped that their daughter would see Layla as a little sister, but perhaps the fact that only a year separated the two girls in age had roused competitive instincts in Emily instead, and the situation had only worsened when Layla had unfailingly outshone Emily in the academic stakes and eventually gone on, in spite of her disrupted education, to study medicine. ‘I’m afraid at such short notice, Layla is your only option.’ Madison directed a look of sympathetic understanding at her daughter. But I’m sure she’ll do her best to be good company.’ Emily groaned. "She barely drinks. She doesn’t have a boyfriend. She doesn’t do anything but study. She’s like a throwback to the nineteen fifties!’ Madison sent Layla an exasperated look. ‘You will go with Emily, won’t you?’ she pressed. ‘I don’t want to go to the expense of changing the name on the booking only for you to drop out.’ "I’ll go if Emily really wants me to." Layla knew when to beat a strategic retreat because crossing Madison White was never a good idea. While she continued to live under the White’s roof and paid only a modest amount of rent, Layla knew she had to toe the line in any family crisis, regardless of whether or not it suited her to do so. As a child, she had learned the hard way that her compliance was taken for granted and that any kind of refusal or reluctance would be greeted with the kind of shocked reproach that screamed of ingratitude. For that reason, the cash fund she had been hoping to top up to help her through term time would have to take a setback. More worryingly, though, could she even hope to still have a job to return to if she took a week off at the height of summer when the bar was busy? Her boss would have to hire a replacement. She suppressed a sigh. ‘We’re so lucky. I thought to renew your passport when I was still hoping to take Mum away for one last holiday.’ Madison’s voice faded and her eyes filmed over at the recollection of her elderly parents' passing. "I haven’t really got any clothes for a beach holiday," Layla warned mother and daughter, conscious that Emily was extremely snobbish about fashion and very conscious of appearances. "I’ll see what I can find you from my cast-offs," Emily remarked irritably. But I’m not sure my stuff will stretch to your big boobs and even bigger behind. For a wannabe doctor, you’re very laid-back about having a healthy body image. Layla responded with quiet amusement, having grown past the point where Emily's taunts about her curves could cause long-term harm.Yes, Layla would very much have liked to be born able to eat anything she liked and remain naturally thin, but fate wasn’t that kind and Layla had learned to work with what she had and exercise regularly. * * * A door slammed noisily, and Layla came suddenly awake, sitting up with a start and swiftly realizing, with a sinking heart, where she was. I am sorry, but it is forbidden for people to sleep here. "It is a reception area," the young woman behind the desk told her apologetically. Layla threaded unsteady fingers through her tousled mane of hair and rose to her feet, glancing at the clock on the wall with relief. It was after ten in the morning, and hopefully she could now return to the apartment she was supposed to be sharing with her cousin. The blazing row she had had with Emily late the night before returned to haunt her. So far, the holiday has been a disaster. Possibly, it had been rather naive of Layla to assume that her cousin would not be on a holiday man hunt when she already had a steady boyfriend back home. Unhappily, Layla now knew differently. Emily had only wanted her cousin for company until she found a suitable holiday fling, and now that she had found him, she simply wanted Layla to vanish. And unfortunately for Layla, Emily had met Freddie on the very first day. He was a banker, loud-spoken and flashy, but her cousin was really keen on him. For the past two nights, Emily had told Layla that she could not come back to the apartment they were sharing because she wanted to spend the night there with Freddie. Layla had sat up reading in Reception that first night, but when Emily tried to throw her out a second time, she stood her ground and argued. "I’ve got nowhere else to go," she pointed out to her cousin. ‘I don’t want to sit up all night in reception again!’ If you were halfway normal, you’d have found a man of your own by now!’ Emily had snapped. ‘Freddie and I want to be alone.’ It’s a one-room apartment, Emily. There isn’t room for anyone to be alone in a one-room apartment. Couldn’t you go back to his place tonight?’ Layla had dared to suggest. "He’s sharing with a crowd of six blokes. We’d have even less privacy there. In any case, my parents paid for our apartment. This is my holiday and if it’s not convenient for me to have you staying with me, you have to get out!’ Emily hissed with a resentful toss of her head. Recalling that final exchange, Layla grimaced and knocked on the apartment door rather than risk using her key because she did not want to interrupt the lovebirds. It was a surprise when Emily opened the door. Her cousin was already fully dressed and, astonishingly, her blonde cousin smiled at her. "Come in," she urged. I was just having breakfast. Do you want a cup of tea?’ ‘I’d kill for a cup.’ Layla studied the bathroom door. Is Freddie still here? "No, he left early. He’s off scuba-diving today, and I don’t know if I’ll be seeing him tonight. I thought you and I could go to that new club that’s opening up.’ Layla nodded, relieved by Emily’s friendlier attitude while being irritated that Freddie’s elusiveness had caused it. "If you like." Her cousin clattered busily around the tiny kitchen area. "Freddie wants to cool it...thinks we’re moving too far too fast."