The Love Island Bookshop by Kate Frost (ebook reader with internet browser .TXT) 📕

‘I’m a bit like you; I needed a change. But it was friends who made me aware of the job, it wasn’t like I was actively looking for something. It just came along at the right time. And it’s only for nine months.’

Drew tapped her glass of juice against Freya’s. ‘If you say so. I don’t think you’re going to want to leave – and if you’re the right person for the job, well, I’m sure it’ll be open ended to how long you can stay.’

Freya chewed her mouthful of curry and gazed across the now bustling courtyard. The sky was darkening, a wash of pale blue merging with inky black and the solar lights around the edges of the building had come on.

‘Or is there someone special back in the UK you want to go back to?’ Drew asked.

‘No, there’s not. The last year or so I’ve thrown myself into work and concentrated on my career.’

‘You’ve not even dated?’

‘Not really. I’ve had friends try and hook me up but nothing’s come of it.’

‘It’s kinda hard to date here too.’ Drew placed her fork on her empty plate and sat back in her chair.

‘Oh?’

‘I was seeing a guy who worked on a different island out here. We met on a delayed flight back to the UK – although he lived in Austria. It was complicated from the beginning, but we had a bit of fun for a couple of months. It’s hard trying to maintain a relationship when it’s sort of long distance; you don’t even live on the same bit of land and you don’t get much time off.’ She shrugged. ‘Made some good friends though. And I’m totally made up meeting you.’

‘I’m really glad to meet you too.’

‘Have you met Zander, yet?’ Drew asked.

‘Yeah, the first day I arrived, although it was on a different island.’

‘What did you think of him?’

‘Have you met him?’

‘A couple of times, only briefly though. He’s got quite a reputation.’ She raised an eyebrow.

‘I’ve read stuff about him.’

‘The bookshop is his passion project; I imagine you’ll get to work quite closely with him.’

Freya nodded. She finished her curry and put her fork down. She loved the idea of working in the bookshop and on the island. It was a challenge and combined so much of what she was passionate about. But Zander’s reputation and her first impression of him had not put her at ease one bit. She wouldn’t judge, not on one conversation and gossip from bloggers and magazines. She would remain open-minded and throw herself wholeheartedly into the job.

Chapter Seven

It took Freya an age to finally fall asleep. She was filled with adrenalin and her head was busy processing all that had happened since she’d left the UK. Gone was the traffic noise from outside her flat. It was replaced by the gentle hum of the ceiling fan, the occasional voice from somewhere in the staff accommodation, and if she listened carefully, the sound of the ocean a short walk away, although the fruit bats in the trees made quite a racket.

She was woken early by a door banging and voices from the kitchen. After having dinner with Drew, they’d gone back to their apartment and met Lin and Khadeeja, the other two women they shared with. Although she didn’t need to be up early – today at least – she was sharing with staff who worked six days a week and their days started at the crack of dawn. She’d relaxed too much, almost forgetting she was there to work.

Everyone had left by the time Freya got up at just gone eight. There was air-con in the communal kitchen and with the sun streaming in, it was needed. She peered out of the window. The courtyard tables were filled with staff grabbing breakfast, no one she yet recognised. It was a real mix of people though and she liked that, locals and staff from all over the world from what Drew had told her. She was thankful Drew was from the UK, and although she hadn’t spent much time with Lin and Khadeeja yet, they seemed cheerful and friendly. It was a hard job they had, spending their days cleaning the guest villas, although when Freya really thought about it, they were at least able to work in air-conditioned rooms, with to-die-for views and they got to enjoy the peace and tranquillity of walking to work across the island on a daily basis. There were a lot of worse jobs.

Freya blasted herself awake with a cool shower and dressed in a floaty skirt and a sleeveless top. She decided to let her hair dry naturally in the sun. Clutching her mobile, she went downstairs and into the courtyard to get some breakfast.

There were fewer people around now and the queue had gone, so she said hello to the staff working in the restaurant, ordered a plate of scrambled eggs on toast and went and sat outside. The view across the courtyard was broken up by tables and chairs, a couple of lemon trees and bushes, all the way to the screen of palm trees with a glimpse of white beach and sparkling ocean beyond.

The only part of the island she hadn’t seen on the website was the bookshop. She’d been teased by a ‘coming soon’ page and an image of a stack of books on a piece of driftwood. She knew it was going to be part of her job to plan the content to go on the website and be in the photo shoot that Zander had mentioned. Her palms started sweating at the thought.

‘Hey, can I join you?’

A smooth, deep voice with a hint of an accent that Freya couldn’t immediately place made her look up. She shaded her eyes and squinted at the tall man silhouetted against the morning sun.

‘Of course.’ Freya gestured to the seat opposite.

‘It’s good