The morning of departure tasted like salt and endings.
Eliot was back at the villa wrestling with two over stuffed duffel bags and a mountain of sandy towels, trying to make everything fit before the 10 a.m. water taxi.
Liam had been given one last half hour of freedom. “Go say goodbye to your friends, but stay on the main path and come straight back, okay?”
Liam had nodded solemnly, then bolted toward the adult beach like a heat seeking missile.
He found her exactly where he expected. lounging on the same sunbed, white bikini, big hat, pretending to read a magazine while staring at the sea.
“Queen Aria!”
She looked up, and for a split second the mask slipped. Something soft and almost scared flickered across her face before the cool smile locked back into place.
Liam skidded to a
