The Sun in My Eyes

19 Kiss Me Once 'Cause You Know I Had a Long Night

"What's Lottie actually done," Gary asked, his brow furrowed as he reached for the butter knife. Priya slammed her palm on the counter, bouncing the knife onto the floor.

"You're saying you haven't noticed?"

The battle swirled on. Priya was angry because Lottie made rude comments all the time about her, and Lottie's stance was that nothing she said was untrue and therefore it was fine to do what she'd been doing.

Lili rubbed her fingers between her eyebrows. "That's not how real life works, Lottie. Anyway, you've argued enough. You need some space from each other. Maybe once everyone's had a breather we can discuss this like adults."

Both girls stormed off. Lili's shoulders slumped "So much for a nice evening."

"Come here, lass," he said, needing to give her some care. She walked to him and he tugged her into an embrace. She sighed and melted against his chest.

"Thank you," she whispered, as if his arms were a balm. He gave her a squeeze. Holding her was a balm for him too. He could hardly believe what Gary had told him. He was so goddamn lucky to have her.

"It's only day four in here! I'm not having this kind of thing kick off already," Hope declared.

Lili pulled away and raised her brow but didn't say anything about Hope's queenly statement.

"We need to get those two to see eye-to-eye as soon as possible," Hope said. "Lili you're probably the best person to do this. They might actually listen to you. I'll talk to Priya. You sort Lottie out, okay?" She walked off toward the pool and Marisol headed to the villa.

"Yes, Lady Hope, I am ever at your service," Lili muttered, curtseying at Hope's retreating back.

"Drama much! Sorry you're caught in the middle of all this." He pulled her close and kissed her forehead. "Can I do anything to help?"

She pressed her head to his chest and groaned. "No. I'd better go figure this out."

"Okay, well why don't you come find me if you need to chat?" He gave her hand a squeeze.

"Thanks, babe." She squeezed back and sighed. "Off to slay some dragons."

"Bring me back some gold or a pure sweet set of armor."

"And here I thought I was the only treasure you needed," she said, some of her cheek returning. She gave him a wave and headed into the Villa where Lottie had run off.

"What the hell do you make of that?" Gary asked. "Have the girls finally snapped?"

"Looks like it," he said, tearing open a packet of crisps. "Wish there was something I could do to help."

"I get that," Gary said. "But best to stay out of the way of girl fights. Women are brutal. When they start battlin' just cover your bollocks and keep your head down." He picked up his miserable, gloppy sandwich and took a bite. "Ugh, too much mayonnaise."

Bobby couldn't stand it anymore. He sliced his sandwich in half and handed one side to Gary. "Please throw that thing away. It's murdering my appetite, lad."

The disgusting approximation of food was quickly binned, and Gary took what was offered with a grateful smile. They ate in silence until he frowned and sat the remaining bit of his sandwich down. "Do you uh... do you believe in 'The Spark'?"

He could have made a joke, but the big man's eyes were vulnerable and a little surprised, as if he hadn't meant to ask something so unmanly, and Bobby couldn't bring himself to squash that vulnerability for the sake of a bad joke.