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

was hers; he’d hardly send her packing when the bookshop was to open in a couple of weeks’ time, and yet her gut was telling her not to say anything to offend him. It wasn’t only her time on the island she was concerned about but her future career, whether that would take her back to publishing or to running a bookshop of her own. ‘I’d got to a point in my life where I felt I needed a change.’

‘You were unhappy?’

‘Not with my job, no.’

‘Love life then?’

Freya frowned, taken aback. She opened her mouth to say something, then closed it again. She couldn’t actually believe he’d said that.

‘Sorry, that was rude of me. I have a habit of saying what comes into my head without filtering it first. Honestly, I’m truly sorry. I’m genuinely interested in you and your reasons for applying for the bookseller job, but I overstepped then.’

‘That’s okay,’ Freya said, still unsure quite how to answer and floored by his honesty. ‘I had my heart broken by my ex. Let’s just say he let me down at a time I needed his support the most. But that had nothing to do with why I applied. I wanted to do something different. Have a change of direction and a new challenge.’

Zander nodded. ‘That came across in your application.’

‘Did you read them all?’

‘No. We were inundated. I was passed any they thought I’d be interested in and then we narrowed it down to the interview stages. But ultimately it was my choice. You were my choice.’

Their conversation was halted by Adil returning with their food.

‘Thank you, Adil,’ Zander said.

‘Yes, thank you.’ Freya’s mouth watered as Adil placed a seafood salad in front of her. She was glad to have something else to focus on and was relieved to let Zander continue talking as she dug her fork into the flaked lobster.

‘I’m interested in what motivates people,’ Zander said, looking across the table at her. ‘To change their life and do something completely different. Something different from what they’re used to. I don’t consider myself as someone who’s ever done anything normal – I’ve never had an office job although I’ve been working since I was fourteen, but I know that’s not the experience of most people.’

‘Did you have a normal childhood?’

‘Hardly. I mean, I know it’s subjective what each of us thinks is normal, but I’m pretty confident my upbringing wouldn’t be most people’s experience. I’ve moved about all my life. My parents have spent their lives travelling, living and working in different countries. From an early age I knew I didn’t want a ‘normal’ life, but after a childhood of never being in one place for more than a year or two, I was desperate to put down roots, just on my own terms. When I first started making money in my teens taking tourists snorkelling in Fiji, I was certain I’d make my fortune one day.’

Freya wondered if hers was a ‘normal’ life. It had followed a predictable pattern of school, university, an entry level job in publishing and then she’d worked her way up over the next few years. Nothing as exciting as travelling the world, getting a number one hit at nineteen, becoming a multi-millionaire by the age of twenty and owning a private island in the Maldives by the age she now was. And he was still only thirty-nine. But it was her life and she was proud of what she’d achieved. What was weird was knowing so much about him. However much she understood that the truth could be skewed by the media, it was the excessive money and lifestyle that had jumped out at her, along with the images of him enjoying parties on yachts and in private villas with beautiful women. Freya knew she needed to keep an open mind but a smattering of entitlement and arrogance had seeped through the magazine pictures and the accompanying words.

Freya scraped the last mouthful of seafood salad on to her fork. ‘So, if this isn’t your island, how come you’re here? I was expecting to go straight to Loabi Fushi, although this is a wonderful detour.’

‘I had a run of meetings rearranged in Malé that were too important to postpone. And I like any excuse to pop back here. The manager used to work for me and is a friend. Also I didn’t want you to arrive on Loabi Fushi without us having met, hence the overnight stay here. I hope you don’t mind.’

‘Not at all; the place is beautiful and getting to stay in one of the villas is a treat. Thank you.’

‘It’s nothing.’

Freya had no idea if he was forking out for her stay or not, but she figured it was probably a drop in the ocean for him. A holiday somewhere like this was possible but only after months of saving.

‘It’s the Maldivian buffet this evening,’ Zander said as Adil silently appeared and removed their empty plates. ‘I took the liberty of suggesting a couple of dishes for us.’

Adil returned with a tray and placed a handful of bowls on the table between them.

‘We have rice, lamb curry and a fish curry with fried vegetable and fish balls. Don’t be shy,’ Zander said. ‘Help yourself.’

Freya didn’t need to be asked twice. She dug in, spooning something from each dish on to her plate. Despite having done little else besides snorkelling in the house reef and sunbathing on the beach, she was amazed at how hungry she was.

‘So, tell me, Freya. You applied for the job because you longed for a change, but were you okay to leave behind friends and family to work here?’

‘Yes. I’ll miss friends of course, but it’s easy enough these days to stay in touch remotely. Not quite the same I know, but like I said, I needed a change.’

‘What about family?’

‘My parents live in New Zealand.’ Freya was tempted to leave it at that but Zander was watching, his fork resting on his plate. ‘They