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bitterly.

    â€˜And this is your room, Sophie. I do hope you like it.’ Elena, Juan’s daughter, smiled as she showed Sophie her bedroom.
    Sophie stared in delight at the bright, airy room that had its own balcony overlooking the sea.
    â€˜It’s lovely, Mrs Suarez,’ Sophie declared with pleasure.
    â€˜You must call me Elena,’ the other woman insisted. ‘You will become like one of the family.’
    â€˜I feel like one already,’ Sophie laughed as Maria hugged her tightly. ‘How about I bring this young lady tothe beach and you can enjoy a little siesta?’
    â€˜That would be wonderful. The baby was kicking all night and I didn’t get a wink of sleep. It must be a boy.’ She patted her bump with pride.
    â€˜And I will make us the best paella ever for dinner, to celebrate your arrival,’ Juan announced. He was delighted that everything was working out so well.
    That night as Sophie lay in the big double bed looking out on a moon-lit sea she smiled happily. This was such a comfortable bed compared to the narrow, lumpy one she’d slept on since she’d arrived in Spain. Her
en suite
bathroom was spotless. It had been a pleasure to have a bath and wash the sand away after her afternoon on the beach.
    Dinner had been delicious. Juan wasa marvellous cook. And she felt nicely tired after the two glasses of red wine Elena had pressed on her. ‘You must have one for me.’ Elena had laughed, sipping her soda water.
    Later, Elena’s brother had called by. His name was Carlos. He was a doctor.
And
he was drop-dead gorgeous.
    Sophie blushed in the dark as she remembered a pair of smiling brown eyes twinkling at her attempts at Spanish.
    â€˜I will have to teach you,’ he teased in English. She was very glad that Melissa was nowhere in sight.
    For a moment she wondered what the other girl was doing. It had been one of the best moments in her life when she’d closed the door of the apartment. Guilt had not got the better of her. She hadn’t been a doormat. Forthe first time in her life she had put herself first. It felt very good.
    Sophie closed her eyes. She snuggled into the pillows and fell fast asleep as the moon shone silver on the sea and the stars sparkled like diamonds.

    Melissa twisted and turned on her hard, narrow bed. Her leg itched inside the plaster cast and it was driving her mad. Needless to say there was no air-conditioning in her poky, little, kippy bedroom. She was afraid to open the sliding doors in case one of those awful little monsters got in. The insects were a nightmare.
    How she hated Sophie Mason’s guts, she thought grimly. She had spent the most boring time of her life lying on a lounger down by the pool. Four horrid kids had screamed and splashed in the pool for ages. The din had givenher a headache. Later she had hobbled over to the bar and had a revolting burger and chips for her dinner. She’d tried to get pissed on
sangría
. It didn’t help. She wasn’t in the mood. She’d just got a headache for her trouble.
    There wasn’t even a sexy barman to flirt with, she thought mournfully. Pedro was fat and greasy. His shirt had tomato sauce on it. His nails were dirty. And he couldn’t smile to save his life. She made a face in the dark. She hadn’t even made an effort to be nice to him. Grumpy old sod.
    This was the worst holiday she had ever been on and it was all Sophie Mason’s fault. Tomorrow she was going to phone home and beg her mother to pay for a flight to get her home. She couldn’t bear to stay in this hell-hole for another day.
    Melissa slept fitfully. When she awoke, she sat up in bed glad that itwas daylight. Her eye felt strange. She rubbed it. It was sore. She rooted in her bag and found her make-up case. A glance in her pocket-mirror caused her to squeal in dismay. Her eyelid had swollen to twice its normal size. It was red and watery and completely gruesome