All or Nothing (18 page)

‘Tell him hi back’ I murmur ‘and thank you
for the trip’

‘She says hi back and thank you for the
trip.  Er no I don’t think so at this point’ she murmurs looking anxious ‘ok
baby, love you too’

‘So shall we have an early one and start a
fresh day tomorrow?’ I ask.

‘Yes I think so it is 10pm now and I am
tired courtesy of something sucking all my energy even though it is the size of
a pea!’

‘First show me the dress’ I glance at the
hanging garment bag.  She turns and unzips it carefully and I spy lace, ‘oh I
love lace’ I gush, it is sensational a love heart neck lace dress with cap
sleeves in cream reaching below the knee with gloves very vintage and extremely
Bella.  ‘Oh Bella it is beautiful’ I hum ‘you are going to be a stunning bride’

********

I am laying in the spa being buffed and
moisturized after a full body massage before having a manicure and pedicure. 
Bella is smiling to herself as her nails are painted a beautiful oyster color
in preparation of her upcoming nuptials.  I feel relaxed but every now and then
my stomach flips at the recollection that I will be facing Grant tomorrow, what
if he ignores me? Is that likely?  How will I feel if he does?  I begin to
panic and take a deep breath, Bella notices and turns to me, ‘you ok?’

‘Yes’ I smile at her exhaling a breath, she
regards me for a while.

‘It will be fine Abi’

‘What if he ignores me?’

‘Why would he you did nothing wrong’ she
frowns and I relax slightly.

‘Shall we have a lay by the pool after?’

‘Yes I could do with some color and you
certainly could you look so pale and thin’ she worries.

‘Gee thanks friend’ I mumble before
reassuring her with a smile.

We return to the room and change into our
bikinis covering ourselves with maxi dresses.  Bella still has a flat stomach
the only sign of her pregnancy being the enlargement of her normally small
breasts.

‘Wow girl you are catching me up?’ I
gesture towards her bikini top.

‘I know right’ she turns admiring her ‘mind
you yours have shrunk you need to eat what size are you now?’

‘About an eight, I have only dropped one
size Bella’ I inform her defensively.

‘You look better curvy’ she informs me gently.

‘Come on let’s go’ I ignore her comment.

I am laying by the pool my mind wandering
to my last visit as the sun beams down, this feels so good. I suddenly realize
I could do with a real holiday by a pool for a week maybe I will arrange
something for the next month or so. 

‘I am going in for a dip’ I inform Bella
standing and pulling my hair up into a high bun.

‘Ok’ she murmurs ‘want a cocktail?’

‘Oh yes please, what you having I feel bad
you cannot drink?’

‘I am fine I will have a mock tail’ she
waves me away.

I swim to the other side of the pool
leaning against the edge my face tilted up against the sun when a splash nearby
disturbs me, I turn and gaze directly into a pair of green eyes and gasp.

‘Hi’ Grant murmurs gently his eyes
assessing me thoroughly his eyes hooded.

‘Hi’ I whisper my body in total shock as my
insides churn and I suddenly feel sick.

‘How are you?’ he moves closer and I push
back against the side of the pool.

‘Fine’ I mumble.

‘You don’t look fine’ he accuses.

‘Well I am’ I frown and he takes a deep
breath.

‘Mike couldn’t stay away’ he gestures
towards our sunbeds where Bella has her arms wrapped around Mike and he is
kissing her passionately.

‘Good for them’ I croak emotionally ‘I am
glad they are happy’

‘Me too’ he murmurs, my eyes move to his
naked chest before zooming back to his face as he turns back but he doesn’t
miss it amusement lighting within his eyes.

‘I am going back’ I mumble before diving
under the water and swimming back to the other side.  I exit the pool and move
to our sunbed picking up my towel to dry myself, ‘hi Mike’ I murmur as Mike
stands up, he leans over and kisses my cheek, ‘thank you for coming Abi’ he
smiles ‘I realize it wasn’t easy for you’

‘Thank you for inviting me and
congratulations’ I utter genuinely ‘in all aspects’

‘Thank you’ he warms glancing over my
shoulder as I assume Grant has followed me back.  I rub myself dry releasing my
hair and towel drying that too, the waiter appears and places our cocktails
down informing Bella of which one contains alcohol.  I sit cross legged on the
bed brushing my hair as Bella is chatting to Mike about our journey and our
room.  I am aware of Grant beside me as he sits on the edge of my bed and
grasps the brush from my hand.  I glance up and he gestures for me to turn
which I do as he brushes the lengths of my hair.

‘You didn’t cut it?’ he exclaims happily.

‘No’ I murmur ‘but I may still, I haven’t
had time’

‘Don’t’ he instructs quietly, ‘it is a lot
longer’ I nod ‘men prefer curves Abi’ he reminds me of my words from the past.

‘I am not interested in men’ I inform him
sternly.

‘No men?’ and I shake my head ‘regardless you
need to eat’

I ignore him, his hands running through my
hair sending sensations throughout my body feelings I had forgotten.

‘Thank you’ I move to retrieve the brush
from his hand but he holds onto it, the electricity in the air crackles as his
eyes darken.  My body betrays me by responding my face flushes and my nipples
tighten, I gasp before using my towel to pretend to wipe my face as I calm my
insides.  He places the brush next to me and dives back into the pool swimming
up and down, I take a breath and grab my drink taking a huge mouthful.  Mike is
laying on the sunbed with Bella his arms around her as they are whispering and
giggling, they are an adorable couple. 

By the time Grant returns I am laying on my
back sunbathing once again, he flicks his hair and showers me with cold droplets
and I sit up with a gasp.  He is grinning at me and Bella turns and regards us,
‘play nicely children’ she teases ‘we need both of you there tomorrow you are
our only guests’

‘Your only guests…’ I repeat confused.

‘Yes didn’t I mention it?’ she appears
genuine but I suddenly realize she has staged this whole scenario.

‘Funnily enough no Bella you didn’t’ my
eyes penetrate hers for a moment but she ignores the accusatory glare I am
sending in her direction.

I frown at Grant for a moment he doesn’t
seem in the least perturbed by this news and plonks himself down onto the edge
of my sunbed again.

‘There is an empty bed there’ I remind him
sternly pointing to the adjacent empty space.

‘Well maybe I prefer to sit here’ he is in
a playful mood, I was expecting harsh, cold Grant as described by Bella instead
I get frisky I am confused. I shake my head gulping down the rest of my drink.

‘Want another?’ he offers.

‘I can get it thanks’ I murmur looking for
the pool waiters, Grant raises his hand and a woman in shorts and a bikini top
saunters over, ‘figures’ I mumble before flopping back against the bed.

‘Hi can we have the same again here please
and…Mike, you want a beer or a girls drink?’

‘Beer please seeing as we are on my stag
do’ he mutters lightly.

‘And two beers please, can you bring us the
pool menu too’ she smiles and wiggles her arse towards him as she departs.

‘I thought she was the stripper’ I mumble
and Bella laughs.

‘Careful Abi you sound….jealous’ Grant
mutters quietly but Bella catches it and smiles shaking her head.

‘Don’t flatter yourself that ship has well sailed’
I snort and he grins ‘what are you grinning about?’ I am cranky as hell.

‘Are you in a permanently bad mood Abi?’ he
enquires.

‘That has nothing to do with you’ I remind
him.

The waitress brings a menu and stands
waiting, ‘you guys want food?’ he calls to Mike and Bella.

‘Oohh yes I do’ Bella calls ‘I am
permanently starving’ she takes one of the menus from the waitress and Mike
grins, ‘are you going to be one of these gorgeous slim women that once they
ensnare their man their arse explodes and they turn into something from fat
camp?’

‘Yep’ she giggles and he kisses her head.
‘I will have a chicken burger please with fries’ she informs the waitress.

‘Make it two’ Mike calls.

‘Sounds good, make it four please’ Grant returns
the menu laying down on my bed leaving me little room to sit back without
touching him.

‘I take it you are hungry?’ I raise an
eyebrow.

‘Yep, so are you’ he taps the space next to
him and I flop down as far as possible away from him.  It doesn’t work because
he snuggles up to me sideways his eyes staring at me.  Bella turns towards us
and sighs.

‘You did hear me I require both of you
there tomorrow so no showdowns’ she informs us then turns to Mike and mutters
‘what a waste of a few months’ and lays back.  I close my eyes to block out the
intense gaze that Grant is directing towards me before huffing and turning to
him,

‘Can you please stop staring at me it is
very off-putting’ I mutter discreetly gazing into his green glorious eyes.

‘Why’ he whispers for my ears ‘because it
is so hard to look but not touch?’

My insides burn and I can hardly breathe,
‘Grant’ I breathe ‘not here’ he continues to gaze at me ignoring my plea.

‘You left me’ he whispers his eyes suddenly
devastated.

‘You hurt me’ I whisper back ‘you allowed
me to leave you, you never even fought for me’

‘You told me you deserved better, I agreed’

The waiter appears with our drinks and
Grant sits up to sign the bill, I relax back breathing deeply attempting to
resettle my insides that are churning and fluttering with the proximity of the
man.  I move in to the middle of the sunbed to prevent Grant from rejoining me. 
He passes Mike and Bella’s drinks to them before holding mine up.  I sit up to
retrieve it as he moves around and straddles me from behind his legs one either
side.

‘Are you kidding me?’ I mutter and Bella
turns.

‘Abi no bickering until after the ceremony
please’ she scolds me and I hold my hand up in an apology.

‘Ok Bella! Well thank you Grant for stealing
my bed by sitting behind me giving me no choice but to move’ I feign gratitude
and he grins pulling me back against him.  He lifts his beer and toasts, ‘well
as the best man I would like to raise a toast to Mike and Bella who I have no
doubt will experience the happy ever after’

‘Here, here’ I raise my drink and the happy
couple turn to us clinking glasses.

‘Thank you guys for flying out to join us
on our special day’ Mike calls over and I smile.

I sip my drink leaning forward on my knees,
‘sit back and relax’ Grant murmurs gently and glancing at Bella I sit back
leaning into Grant’s chest almost moaning at the sensation as our skin touches.

‘Do you feel that Abi?’ he whispers into my
ear and I feel Goosebumps appear all over my body.

My yes turns into an ‘Hmmm’ and he chuckles
his hand moving to my hip, ‘no touching’ I hiss as my eyes sparkle with lust.

‘Come and take a swim with me’ he invites
and I shake my head.

‘No!’

‘Scared’ he taunts.

‘Yep’ he chuckles again, but we are saved
by the arrival of our food.

Bella is excited as she accepts her food immediately
eating a chip, ‘I am starving’ she mutters, Mike grins at her as he receives
his. 

‘Come on Abi you need to eat’ Grant gently
persuades me.

‘I am not hungry, I cannot eat all that!’ I
point to the huge portion.

‘Eat something’ he urges as he moves from
behind me and takes his tray and sits on the bottom of my sunbed facing me.

I pick a chip and eat it glancing
everywhere but at Grant who is watching me, ‘you don’t have to watch me I don’t
have some eating disorder I just don’t eat as much as I used to’ I explain.

‘Ok’ he accepts as he bites into his
burger, ‘mmmm that is nice’

‘It is lovely’ Bella agrees.

‘They know how to make a burger here’ Mike
interjects.

I cut a portion of the burger and eat it,
it is good but far too much for me.  I sip my drink and listen to the banter
that Mike and Grant are giving each other.  They are good friends despite being
poles apart personality wise.  Bella glances at me and smiles
are you ok
? 
I smile back to reassure her and she continues with her lunch.

I pick at a few chips and throw my
serviette on my plate moving it on top of Grant’s empty one as he observes
every move I make.  He gazes up at me before picking a chip and guiding it to
my mouth I shake my head but he all but pushes it into my mouth and I frown
causing him to grin.  A wave of tiredness hits and I lay back against the bed
as Grant moves the plates from the bottom placing them on a table nearby he
lays back down beside me sideways and I close my eyes endeavoring to ignore
him.