Thai rainforest, but for the only resident languishing in the bar,
the opulent lifestyle was losing its sheen. The man stretched out
his six-foot-three frame on a comfy rattan sofa and obligingly
flashed the quietly spoken receptionist his best smile. A smile that
melted hearts. A smile that loosened knicker-elastic and emptied
bank accounts.
He casually signalled for another drink and yawned. God, he
was bored. It would be so easy to seduce the pretty Thai
employee. She was smitten and believed him to be the cash-
strapped and downtrodden partner of an uber-rich, uber-bitch
who held the purse strings tighter than Ebenezer Scrooge. And
the best bit, his fiancée unwittingly helped in the charade as she
sneered down her privately educated and privileged nose at the
whole world.
Yes, bedding the hired help might be fun but he just couldn’t
be arsed. His fiancée should have been a winning lottery ticket –
easy on the eye, adventurous between the sheets (and everywhere
else) and more than happy to rattle through daddy’s money. The
banking tycoon was delighted his daughter was off globetrotting
(undoubtedly glad to be shot of her). The man had barely raised
an eyebrow at their engagement after three months. It made
Javier wonder if her father gave a toss. He certainly wouldn’t be
so calm if his only child announced plans to marry a seemingly
penniless stranger double her age. In his experience, those that
saw themselves as a cut above were often the easiest to deceive.
And in a grungy Bangkok hostel, Suzy had been the easiest of
them all. He’d immediately clocked her and, over a drink, she’d
spouted claims of being a hard-up American traveller, forced to
work menial jobs to get by. Heaven knows how anyone fell for
that claptrap. Everything about her screamed wealth. And in turn,
he spun his fictitious tale of woe, hesitantly confiding how it was
such a comfort to find somebody so understanding and easy to
talk to. As the drinks continued to flow, he’d fearfully taken her
hand and, with guilty embarrassment, admitted to being
confused. He felt such a strong connection (surely, she did too?),
which made his broken heart sing. But how could it be right so
soon after the tragic death of his wife? He’d abruptly pulled away
and hurriedly requested that she allow him to go. He should leave,
he’d said too much. She’d expected a pleasant evening and not to
be burdened by his hardships when hers were far worse.
She’d implored him to stay, persuaded him to put aside guilt
and accept that fate had brought them together. And through his
honesty, she wanted to do likewise and tearfully admitted to the
(obvious) truth of being an heiress. She’d wanted to be liked for
herself, not her father’s vast wealth. He enveloped her in his arms,
sympathised and soothed away her apologies before they tenderly
kissed and returned to the backpackers long enough to gather
their belongings. He then watched as she flounced up to the
reception desk of the city’s most luxurious hotel and demanded
the best suite – where they feasted on room service for a week.
After that, it was five-star living all the way as each place became
more luxurious than the last, and they crammed their days with
once-in-a-lifetime experiences. It would and should have been
easy to carry on, but the novelty had worn off. And for the simple
reason – it had become far too easy. Suzy was the culmination of
three years swindling a never-ending line of naïve women All he
needed to do was turn on the charm, say what they wanted to
hear, and bingo. In an attempt to refocus, he withdrew a
crumpled handwritten note from his wallet.
Gone to fry me the biggest fish ever! No hard feelings. It was
good while it lasted. Thanks for the memories. Cx
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Jackie writes uplifting and thought-provoking fiction set on the Greek island of Lefkada.
She is based in North East England and lives in the Tyne Valley with her partner and their extremely cute and characterful Miniature Schnauzer. If not working or writing you will find her striding around the countryside, pottering in their allotment, running or occasionally cycling. There have been many travelling adventures to far-flung destinations, touring the UK and Ireland in a motorhome or camping in the Lake District.
The Apokeri Bay trilogy was born from a recurring dream about a feisty female protagonist who unexpectedly falls in love with a quaint Greek seaside village. With a unique style, Jackie weaves into her storytelling what we all love about great fiction – the chance to step into the world of somebody else and share in their life. But she certainly doesn’t give her characters an easy life. They might discover life-changing friendships, love and hope but need to overcome family friction, dark secrets, guilt and betrayal. Ultimately, they must learn how to embrace and overcome everything life throws at them.
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