A Rock & Roll Romance

Ninety Eight

The family had somehow made peace with the new resident on their vacation and vowed to continue to enjoy themselves rather than give him the satisfaction of ruining their time together.

Johnny was enjoying getting to know Meg's brother even better, him, Travis and Dan all seemed to have the ultimate bromance underway. They were three days into the vacation and Meg was lying on the sun lounger beside a dozing Johnny. His fedora placed over most his face but the gentle snores were enough to give his sleepy state away to anyone close by. Poppy and Travis had opted to spend the morning on the beach, relishing in one another's company, whilst Sharon and Ian had insisted on taking Callum out to an expensive brunch. Meg was damn sure her mother had been pushed into making this decision thanks to the tension around the large villa.

As Meg began the next chapter of her book, she heard the familiar giggles and flirtations of her younger sister and her boyfriend as they returned up the stone steps covered in sand. Meg smirked and had no inclination to ask them what they had been up to. "We've had the best idea.. how about we have a proper formal cocktail evening." Poppy blurted out. "Cocktails?" Polly giggled from the pool. "I could get behind that." Dan chuckled. "Sure, why not? We are on vacation after all!" Meg giggled. "AND we all need to dress up! I've hardly worn any of my cool outfits because well you know, us eating in shifts away from..." Poppy said eying Meg. "Okay fineee." Meg whined getting back to her book with a smirk.

A few hours later, the three young women had dolled up, and left the boys around the pool area nursing a sunset drink. Polly emerged in a gorgeous mini dress that showed off her growing tan from the Mediterranean sunshine, Poppy as usual was in bright shorts with a beautiful white top that highlighted her hair, and Meg slowly ventured out onto the terrace in a backless maxi dress, it was light, flirty but with elegance. She immediately gained a huge smile from Johnny, who knew that his girlfriend was tense but seemed in this particular moment rather relaxed and he relished in the feeling.

Soon, Sharon and Ian ventured out and joined in the merriment, Meg kept her distance but was pleasant as always to her mother and step father. Poppy's loud laughter and banter kept the atmosphere from getting too tense. A whole hour managed to go past before Callum stuck his head out, grabbed a beer silently and positioned himself on a chair on the outskirts of the terrace. He took slow slips but ever so slightly his eye moved to watch Meg his step sister. Johnny had only moments prior pulled Meg onto his lap, he was perched on the end of a sun lounger half way round the pool, his ring clad tattooed hand was gently stroking her thigh, the thin material doing little to stop the feel of desire run across her skin. Meg giggled at something her sister in law said, and she caught her step brother staring at her. She quickly snapped her head back to the conversation before snuggling further into Johnny trying her best to ignore it.

"This is my signature Margarita!" Poppy said wandering back from the bar area. Travis was in tow holding further glasses as Poppy stopped and tasted hers. Dan smirked at her reaction and said "Exactly how much alcohol is in that Pops?" Travis coughed and chuckled "enough!" Johnny took a glass and took a sip, Meg immediately put hers down on a nearby table as she hadn't finished her first drink of the evening yet, a simple glass of Prosecco.

The sun began to set across the horizon and Polly declared they all simply had to wander down to the beach and get photographs. Poppy who was very Instagram familiar insisted too, so she looped her arm with her sister's and wandered down the stone steps. Meg who not only rolled her eyes in jest, kicked off her wedges and held them in one hand before strolling down to the beach. Johnny hung back before Travis put his arm round his boss, "You ok John?" "I'm fine T. Just worried about my girl." "Me too actually, P puts on a good front but I know deep down she isn't happy with her mother right now but we're making do aren't we. Let's just enjoy it." "I know that woman is a thorn in my side right now.... But hey look at us dating sisters hey. What could go wrong?!" Travis smirked before Wolf whistling Poppy who was already posing on the beach with her sister. Of course Meg's poses were a tad more elegant and discreet than Poppy's over the top enthusiasm.

Meanwhile, upstairs, whilst Sharon and Ian were in deep conversation looking at the beautiful view, Callum slowly stood, wandered to the sun lounger that had just been vacated, spotted the yellow as of yet untouched drink and slipped quite a substantial amount of something into it before slowly stirring it with his little finger. He removed his finger, sucked it clean and smirked as he looked down at his step siblings frolicking on the beach below with their other halves.