Detached

CHAPTER 68

*MEERA'S POINT OF VIEW*

After a seemingly never-ending flight, and then twenty minutes on a speedboat skimming over perfect, crystal clear ocean, we finally arrived at the island that we would call home for the next two weeks.

Almost as soon as we stepped onto the jetty, a tall man with golden, tanned skin and sun bleached, blonde hair walked over, smiling warmly and holding his hand out to Riyansh. “Mr Bhutt?” Riyansh nodded in confirmation, shaking his hand firmly, and then the guy turned to me. “Mrs Bhutt,” he greeted.

A nervous giggle slipped from my lips at the sound of the name he’d used. When I’d first heard that they’d changed my name to that, it had taken me by surprise, and I hadn’t liked it at all. Seeing my name attached to someone else’s surname had brought back a lot of unpleasant memories for me. But having Riyansh’s name attached to me was different somehow; it wasn’t as horrifying as I first thought it was. In fact, I even kind of liked it. In a strange way, it was almost as if the name change had given me the freedom to be normal for a little while. After all, nothing bad had ever happened to Meera Bhutt.

“Nice to meet you,” I replied, nodding in greeting.

“My name is Kane, and I am the manager of the resort. If there is anything that you need during the duration of your stay, please let me know,” he said.

Riyansh smiled, slipping his hand into mine. “Thank you. You can call us Riyansh and Meera, not Mr and Mrs Bhutt.”

Another unconscious giggle slipped out, so I chewed on my lip and looked at the beautiful scene that stretched out before me. It was like paradise, like a postcard, and I’d never seen anything more majestic in my life. The sand on the beach was pure white and powdery, and bright, blue sea lapped at it lazily. Little beach hut cabins were dotted along the tree line with hammocks hanging in the shade of palm trees outside. A little further up the beach, a wooden dock went straight out to the calm ocean, with villas each side of it. A little happy sigh left my lips as I imagined staying here for the next two weeks. It was going to be bliss.

Kane smiled and motioned up the beach a little way. “I will show you to your villa. Rob, bring their luggage,” he instructed to the guy that was already unloading our bags from the boat. “Please follow me.” Kane walked off quickly, with his flip-flops slapping against the bottom of his feet with each step.

I grinned and squeezed Riyansh’s hand excitedly as we both followed behind him. When I realised he was walking towards the little wooden dock and the water villas beyond, I let out a little squeal of excitement.

“The main reception is located where we were just speaking. There are three restaurants inside, snack bars, two swimming pools, a spa, a couple of stores, and three bars. Up the beach, we run various water sports, including kayaking, snorkelling and windsurfing. On the edge of the beach here, each night from eight until midnight, we have an outdoor grill. They’ll cook anything you want – steaks, fish and lobster. If they have it, they’ll cook it,” Kane boasted. He stepped up onto the wooden walkway and waved out to the eight or so villas on stilts that sat directly over the sea. “These are our overwater villas. The one at the very end is yours.” Kyle pulled two key cards from his pocket. “The one next door to you is empty for the next two weeks so you’ll have privacy up there. The ocean on this side is restricted access for the villas only so you shouldn’t have people swimming there. No boats or water sports allowed in this area so you can use it freely.”

I swallowed noisily. Clearly my father had thought of everything because no one was even allowed to swim near our apartment.

As he stopped at the little wooden door and scanned the key on the black electronic box on the side, the door clicked and he pushed it open, waving me inside. As I stepped over the threshold, I had to gasp at the sheer luxury of the place. It was stunning.