if she were a lesbian, Meredith would be about the last woman on earth she’d choose as a partner. She was way too bony. If she was going to take a female lover, she’d at least want her to have a bit of meat on her. Nina’s eyes widened—she couldn’t believe where this line of reasoning was taking her.
‘Well, have a good one. See you tonight.’ Matty turned and sauntered off, ducking a low-hanging branch. Nina watched him go for a long moment, appreciating the curve of his shoulders, and then hared off in the other direction, her sarong flapping against her wet white legs.
‘There’s no way we’ll be watching the sunset with those two idiots,’ Meredith said, tucking her hair into her towelling turban before attacking her grapefruit segments with a sleek teaspoon imported from Finland. ‘And don’t tell Annie when she wakes up. If she sees them again, I know what’ll happen. She’ll be off having sex with one of them in the sand dunes before we know it . . . if she hasn’t already. We have to save her from herself.’
Nina reached across the picnic table for a slice of toast and then stopped. A swim in the sea and a grapefruit for breakfast would start her day in the way she meant it to continue. She sliced the fruit, put a piece in her mouth and grimaced at its sourness. How anyone could eat this stuff unless it was covered in sugar . . .
‘Actually, he seems lovely,’ she ventured. ‘He remembered our names . . . and the fact that we were a couple.’
‘That’s hardly a fact! No offence, Nina, but if I was a lesbian I wouldn’t be choosing a partner who’d nag me to death.’
‘Meredith!’
‘Sorry.’ Meredith poured herself an orange juice. ‘But there is one fact, and that’s that Annie doesn’t know what’s good for her. She should find a nice fellow and settle down. There are oodles of good men around. She’s way too picky, that’s Annie’s problem.’
The screen door banged open. ‘What’s my problem?’ Annie stood at the top of the stairs in a rumpled singlet and a fetching pair of cotton pyjama pants splashed with sunflowers. She scratched at her enviably flat tummy, smoothed her curls and blinked against the sharp light of morning.
‘You sleep too much,’ said Meredith airily, not skipping a beat. ‘You’re missing the best part of the day. Come and have some breakfast.’
‘I think I might go for a swim first. It’s stinking hot in this van. I reckon a dive in the surf will wake me up.’
‘Wait a minute,’ said Meredith quickly. ‘I’ve just squeezed some orange juice. Have it while it’s still cold.’ She had one ear out, listening for the sound of a four-wheel drive leaving the camping grounds, but heard nothing.
‘And have a grapefruit while it’s still . . . er . . . fresh,’ Nina stuttered. Meredith raised her eyebrows. Of all the people she could have had as an accomplice!
Annie hesitated, shrugged. ‘OK then. Hang on, I’ll just get my sunnies.’
When she had ducked back inside, Nina leaned across the table and hissed: ‘This is awful. It’s like we’re the ugly stepsisters or something, trying to hide Cinderella.’
‘That would only be true if that yob was Prince Charming. Which he’s not. And if we were ugly. Which you might imagine you are, but I am definitely not.’ Meredith thrust a cup at Nina. ‘Now, pour the tea and shut up!’
Just then they heard the revving of a motor and a skidding on gravel. Meredith smiled triumphantly—the coast was clear. Annie stomped down the metal steps even before the cloud of grey dust billowing from the distant parking bay had settled.
‘This is bloody annoying! I still can’t find my good sunglasses. My Gucci ones. They cost me two hundred and ninety bucks.’
‘You paid two hundred and ninety dollars for a pair of sunglasses?’ Nina couldn’t believe it.
‘Pu-leeze, Nina! You can easily pay twice that much for a decent pair. I got them on sale,’ said Annie irritably. ‘I brought a couple of other pairs with me, but those ones are my faves. I hope I haven’t lost ’em. God, I can’t believe it’s so warm already.’
‘Why don’t you go for a nice swim then?’ suggested Nina.
Meredith kicked her shin under the table. Nina ducked her head, pushed her grapefruit aside, took a slice of toast and helped herself to jam and butter.
Ten
Annie was entranced with the tiny twinned towns of