Three's a Crowd Read Online Free PDF Page B

Jonno’s face softened as he looked at Eve. “You’ll enjoy the Open Mike Night tomorrow. And Lola’ll be back then too.”
    I glanced at Eve and mouthed “Lola?”
    “Dad’s latest girlfriend,” she said in a disapproving voice.
    Jonno grinned. “You’re gonna love her, Babycakes. But tonight, while I’ve got you to myself, let’s catch up. Leave the others to explore.”
    My heart sank. I stared at Eve, willing her to defy him, to say she wanted to explore too. But she was looking down at the tablecloth. Crap. She was already nodding her head.
    “Sure Daddy,” she said in this babyish voice. “I’d love to.”
    After the meal, Jonno and Eve disappeared upstairs. Chloe, Ryan and I sat in silence for a couple of minutes, then Chloe leaned over and kissed Ryan.
    “Shall we go outside?”
    Ryan grinned. “Fancy another ‘walk’ then, Pig Baby?”
    Chloe grinned back. “You should be so lucky, Skankface.”
    I saw Ryan glance sideways at me.
    Chloe rolled her eyes. “Okay.”
    Ryan slapped me on the back. “Come on, Babycakes,” he boomed in a not bad impression of Jonno’s voice. “Marco told me where the staff hang out.”
    I followed them out through the main lobby and onto the terrace outside. The two wings of the hotel stretched out on either side, with a large lit-up swimming pool in-between.
    Fairy lights hung from the trees that led down to the pool. Most of the sunbeds were stacked in a corner, but one was out. A couple lay on top of it, quite still in each other’s arms. They weren’t talking, just looking up at the sky.
    I sighed. Eve was a total sucker for romantic places like this. Still, we had plenty of time, I consoled myself. There would be other nights.
    I followed Ryan and Chloe round the pool and down through a little wooded area to the beach. The tide was out, the dark sea hissing in the distance.
    We sauntered along the sand a few hundred yards until we came to another wooded area on the left. Through the trees I caught a glimpse of a row of wooden cabins. The sound of dance music drifted towards us across the sand.
    “Staff quarters,” Ryan said. “The bigger building on the end’s where they come after work. Marco said it’s called . . . what was it, Chlo?”
    “El Garito.” Chloe said. “It literally means a place for gambling. But here it just means Party House.”
    Ryan stepped over and pushed open the door. Inside the music was deafening, the bass pumping through the floorboards like a frantic heartbeat. The room was dark – just a few lights round the sides – and packed with people. Some of them were standing around chatting – cigarettes and beer bottles in their hands. Others were snogging in corners. Most were writhing in waves to the music, arms curving down and round – hard, urgent, insistent.
    We stood by the entrance and looked around. The air was heavy with heat. It smelled of sweat and smoke and beer.
    “Wow,” Chloe shouted. Ryan nodded.
    Marco appeared, weaving his way towards us through the throng of dancing bodies. He was smiling, holding hands with a petite, dark-haired girl in a short skirt.
    “ Hola ,” he shouted. “This my girlfriend. Catalina.”
    Catalina smiled up at us. She had a tiny, oval face and huge brown eyes. As her gaze met mine, her eyes narrowed slightly in this really sexy way.
    She leaned across and touched my arm. “You can calling me Cat,” she shouted.
    Marco indicated we should follow him to the far end of the room. As we walked, the music got quieter. My eyes fixed on Catalina’s skirt, on the way it clung to the tops of her slim legs as she wiggled sexily after Marco. She had a massively hot body – all compact and curvy.
    She turned round suddenly and looked at me. I swallowed, wondering if she’d noticed me staring.
    We all sat down in a corner. Marco vanished to get us some beers.
    Chloe waved her hand towards the people smoking behind us. “Doesn’t Mr Ripley mind all the drink and stuff?” she said to