so confident and worldly. She chuckled inwardly. Despite herself she couldn’t help but compare Natalie’s wonderful self-assurance with Emma’s annoying listlessness. At times, her sister could be so lethargic that going as far as corner shop on her own was an ordeal, let alo ne a country in the Middle East.
The two girls lay side by side in companionable silence for a while, Tara becoming nicely engrossed in her book and Natalie just as engrossed in her sunbathing. Then, before they knew it, it was time for lunch.
Tara, who had anticipated having to do everything alone for the day, decided it might be nice to have some company for lunch, and good company at that.
“Do you fancy getting a bite to eat over there?” she asked, nodding in the direction of the pool snack bar. “They do great sandwiches and pizza.”
“I’d love to!” Natalie grinned enthusiastically, before getting up and wrapping herself in a beautifully patterned and indecently short sarong that made the most of those fabulous cellulite-free legs. “In fact, while we’re at it,” she added with a wink, “we could always try something from the cocktail bar, what do you think?”
They walked together towards the snack bar.
“I’d love a cocktail,” Tara agreed, “but it’ll be a virgin one for me.”
“Oh, you don’t drink?”
“Nope,” Tara replied and she had to laugh at Natalie’s shocked expression. “Not exactly living up to the drunken Irish stereotype, am I?”
The other girl blanched. “Goodness no. I mean – that’s not what I mean and – oh, I’m frightfully sorry – I really should just quit while I’m ahead.” The poor thing looked embarrassed and Tara felt for her. “I’m really sorry. I hope I haven’t made you uncomfortable.”
“Don’t be silly. I’m not an alcoholic or anything,” Tara told her easily, as they sat down at a vacant table. She picked up the menu. “I’m just not mad about the taste of alcohol – or the effects to be honest. I got drunk once in my life and, believe me, once was enough.”
“Bad hangover?”
Tara smiled. “Something like that.”
“Well, I know where you’re coming from. Although unfortunately, it’s never stopped me from going back for more. But I do love a cocktail on holiday – so you don’t mind if I …?” she trailed off and almost apologetically indicated the menu.
“Of course not. ” Tara insisted. “You work away.”
It was funny really she thought, how people reacted to her teetotal ways. Most seemed to automatically assume Tara was an alcoholic, and found it hard to come to terms with the fact that she just didn’t like drinking alcohol. And for a foreigner like Natalie who, she supposed, probably associated the Irish with being rip-roaring drunks, no doubt it was doubly confusing.
“I’ll have a Mai Tai, and a chicken sandwich,” Natalie told the Egyptian waiter, who was busily trying to avoid looking at Natalie’s magnificent bust, his religion and culture totally at odds with all this Western exhibitionism. But refreshingly, Tara thought, the girl seemed totally unaware of her beauty and the effect she was having on all the surrounding males in the vicinity.
“And I’ll have the virgin Poco Loco and a pizza,” Tara told him, throwing her usual healthy eating habits out the window. To hell with it, she was on holidays.
“Well,” her new friend smiled, when the waiter had taken both their orders and left, “thanks to you this holiday mightn’t turn out to be such a disaster after all.”
Chapter 7
Later that evening, Natalie sat alone in the hotel, still quite unable to believe that she was in this amazing place all alone. It was such a pity that Steve hadn’t been able to make it.
Such a pity because he’d sounded so eager when she’d first mentioned her grand plans for a holiday.
“Sounds good,” he’d said. “I could do with a break. Like I said, we’re in the middle
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