Chapter 1 - How It Began
Monday 9th August
Jane
Gazing into the distance, at the sun setting gently on the Mediterranean Sea, I watch it create little red and purple hues in the night sky. I dig my feet into the sand and feel it grate between my toes.
It wasn't supposed to be like this. My honeymoon... on my own, but how could I have been so blind?
My name is Jane Moon 23 years old. I am currently on my honeymoon on my own as the man I was about to marry, Gary Collins, left me, literally on the alter.
You couldn't have written it better if you tried. It just played out in front of me as if I was on a nightmare roller coaster.
Just when the vicar asked "Does anyone know why these two cannot legally be wed?" in came some woman, dripping in jewellery whom I've never seen before.
"He can't marry her as he's married to me and I'm having his baby!" she had let rip.
My jaw had hit the floor, the guests, I noticed, had turned around to stare at this blonde, beautiful intrusion with interest. They had started to shuffle and speak to each other. It definitely made sense why there hadn't been any of his family present. I, on the other hand, hadn't known whether to laugh or cry. At that point my mind was still hoping that it was a cruel joke someone was playing on me.
After she pulled the baby scan out of her bag, I was forgotten. The man who had, less than a minute ago, sworn to honour and protect me, ran back down that aisle, scooped the mystery woman up in his arms and said,
"Let's go home love." I had to watch him give her a lingering kiss and put a hand over his wife's belly. "I'm going to be a Dad," he had softly said.
I had watched them disappearing out the church, out of my life in disbelief. I stared at the ground at my feet, at my fancy white flower pattern shoes, just peaking out from below my ultra expensive wedding dress. I would have made a deal with the devil at that point if it meant the ground opened up and swallowed me whole.
I don't know how long I stood like that. It could have been seconds or minutes even, but it felt like a lifetime. I'd just had my heart ripped out, stomped on and my life turned upside down on what was supposed to be one of the best days of my life... getting married.
All the late nights made sense now. Gary had sold me the old line of working late, not that he was going back to his already wife.
How could I have not known I was his bit on the side.
Regardless, Mum, Dad, my friend Ginny and the rest of my family thought that I shouldn't waste the honeymoon, so that's why I'm here. I'm supposed to be ready to party in Ibiza. Apart from I'm not ready, I'm anything but ready. After being jilted for a blonde bombshell in a completely different league to me, even if she was the wife already, well especially that. I'm feeling the same plain Jane again.
Plain Jane had even been my nickname at school. I don't have blonde hair, it's just brown, no distinct eye colour, just blue, I'm not tall, I'm average and I don't have all the curves that men seem to want on a woman these days. Keeping to that theme I wear minimalistic makeup. Plain Jane.
***
I get jolted out of my reverie by a male voice coming from my right side. I turn to see but all I make out is a shadowy figure as the sun has now set.
He must know he's startled me as he says,
"Hey, I didn't mean to scare you, so apologies for that. I thought you might appreciate knowing that the sea is coming in."
The realisation that what this stranger is telling me is right is truely frightening. Quickly looking down at where my feet had been enjoying the sand, the sea is now lapping, cold and frothy, just above my ankles.
"Thankyou, whoever you are. I was deep in thought and memories," I reply, looking up at him, trying to focus on his face.
"Well, you might want to go back to shore, the tide moves in rather fast," he says, making me feel really stupid. "Here, take my arm."
"Of course," I mumble, so glad that he can't see my blushing face as I can feel it burning.
"My name is Neil, by the way," he answers my half asked question.
"I'm Jane," I find myself replying.
I can't stop myself from wondering whether my time's up. What a totally irresponsible thing to do.. talking to a stranger. No one would miss me for at least two weeks. Anything could happen to me.
"Nice name Jane. My Great Grandmother's name was Jane. It means gracious and merciful if you didn't know."
Great, I really am with a nutter. While I'm debating what world he comes from, we have reached the steps that lead back into the hotel I am staying at, via the entrance next to the massive pool.
The outside is lit with pretty fairy lights.
People are outside drinking at the open air cocktail bar on the terrace to the right of the pool and some erupt into applause as we pass them by.
"Everyone could see you in the water. I was the only one who did anything about it. You were just sport to them," he says with disdain in his tone. "I'm just sorry it took me so long to get to you."
More embarrassment.. again. This time a nice stranger came to my rescue.
I start hurrying faster. I just want to get inside and up to my room as quick as I could. That was when I slip on a wet patch of grass. I'm preparing for the impact, but I never hit the ground as a pair of strong, muscular arms have caught me.
I look up at Neil, the stranger, my Knight in shining armour twice tonight and see him clearly for the first time.
He has golden blonde hair with the bluest of blue eyes, a chiselled face with a worried frown on his forehead. His face seems to soften when he notices me staring at him and a glimmer of a smile plays on his delectable looking lips. What am I thinking? A guy is nice to me and I'm swooning already. Nope. Not happening. I can almost hear Ginny cussing at me.
I gather myself together and muster all the common sense that is left in my brain. "Thankyou Neil, again. Now I need to go to my room to clean up," I motion towards my dirty legs, "and also warm up. Have a lovely holiday."
As soon as it's out of my mouth I realise how cheesy that line was. I'm sure my cheeks are betraying me by blushing as they are burning up.
I untangle myself from his grasp to disappear in the direction of the lifts. There are two and I keep pressing both buttons, they take forever.
I finally manage to get in one and press button 2 just incase he follows where I am getting off. The honeymoon suite floor would mean I need to explain my situation. I lean against the side of the lift. There, I'm at it again, just left at the alter so I must not get dragged into it meaning men. As the door is closing, I hear Neil.
"Jane.."
To which I only get a chance to reply,
"Neil.." Before the door finishes closing and the lift finally moves. His scent has wafted through into the lift and is swimming around in my head, making it like mush.
Two floors up I jump out and turn onto the stairs, running as fast as my legs will take me to my floor.... another four floors up. This floor is reserved specifically for wealthy honeymooners and other travellers who were just plain stinking rich.
All the same, as soon as I reach the top of the stairs, I push the door open onto my floor and run until I reach my luxury room. Getting the key out the bag I swipe it. I finally collapse the other side of my door and close my eyes. I let out a deep breath that I hadn't realised I was holding in and reopen my eyes.
I am still getting used to the opulence of this suite.
The bed is humongous and I wouldn't have believed it unless I'd seen it for myself, but it is heart shape. I thought a bed was a bed but this room is teaching me otherwise. There is a dining area with a mahogany table and chairs. There is a living area with actual leather sofas and a massive TV on the wall. The hide on the sofa's are strong making them ultra expensive, but very comfy.
I go into the luxurious bathroom in burgundy and cream. There is a simply massive bath all on its lonesome in the middle of the room. I put the plug in and run the bath putting lavender bubble bath in under the flow.
I lift my short sheer orange dress over my head, throwing it to the floor. My bikini lands after that, then, skimming my hand in the water to test the temperature, I step into the bath.
I lay my head back and relax into the inbuilt cushions. Yes, there really are cushions in my bath! Whoever designed it deserves a medal. I wonder whether it's within my budget for my home back in England. Probably not.
Memories start to flood back to me of Gary there and my eyes begin to well up with tears. I have to mentally slap myself to stop them from flooding. I try to find any happy thought and in floats Neil's handsome face. My brain has memorised every etch, every hair on his head. When I close my lids I can drown in his eyes. I take my time and the longer I take the more my lips want to kiss him.
I snap my eyes back open, shaking my head in an effort to clear it.
I am no fool. I have no time for a holiday romance. It would be a rebound. What am I even thinking? I'm probably never going to see those eyes... Neil, ever again.
I sigh and pull the plug out of the bath as the water is now tepid. Getting out of the bath I find a massive white, fluffy towel and set to drying myself off before bed.