Carole Mortimer - Forgotten Lover

Greg Boyd had just come into the dining-room, dressed much more formally than yesterday as he came over to their table, his grey lightweight suit and white shirt very smart, as was the rest of his neatly groomed appearance.

‘Hi,’ he greeted them with a smile.

‘Good morning,’ Velvet returned with a smile, and made the introductions.

He sat down at the fourth chair at their table. ‘I’m going to be free this afternoon,’ he told Velvet. ‘I wondered if you would be too.’

‘You’ll have to ask Paul that.’

He looked at the other man. ‘Well?’

‘Why not?’ Paul shrugged. ‘It’s too hot to work in the afternoons anyway.’

‘So gracious!’ Carly grimaced.

Paul quirked an eyebrow at her. ‘I thought you wanted me to drive you to the Everglades?’

‘I do,’ she nodded eagerly.

‘Then shut up.’

Velvet laughed. ‘Don’t mind them, Greg,’ she advised at his worried frown. ‘They love each other really.’

‘Huh!’ Paul scoffed.

‘I have vays of making you suffer,’ Carly said in her most ham German accent.

‘Sexual threats, no less,’ Paul taunted.

‘Are you sure they love each other?’ Greg teased.

‘Very sure,’ Velvet laughed. ‘They just have a strange way of showing it.’

‘You’re not kidding,’ he drawled.

Paul put his arm about Carly’s shoulders. ‘I might even make an honest woman out of her one day.’

‘You should be so lucky,’ she answered in a disgruntled voice.

He nuzzled his lips against her earlobe. ‘I will be.’

‘Huh!’ but Carly was obviously weakening towards him, and snuggled into his arms for further kisses.

‘It’s enough to put you off your breakfast,’ Velvet teased.

‘It sure is,’ Greg grinned. ‘So about this afternoon …’

‘Come with us, if you like,’ Paul invited.

‘I’d like to, but I don’t really have the time to go that far. I have to be back on duty at six,’ Greg explained regretfully.

‘How far are the Everglades?’ Paul groaned.

‘About an hour’s journey either way, and then there’s the two-hour trip round. You won’t see anything if you don’t take the tour.’

‘Oh God,’ Paul moaned. ‘I hate organised tours.’

‘Then cycle round,’ Greg suggested. ‘It’s only fifteen miles, and you can hire a cycle there.’

‘Cycle!’ Carly burst out laughing at Paul’s stunned expression. ‘When did you last ride a bicycle, darling?’ she mocked.

‘When did you?’ he scowled.

‘About six months ago, for an advert I was working on.’

‘As I recall you sat on it, you didn’t ride it,’ he scorned. ‘I think we’ll skip the bicycle ride,’ he told Greg, ‘and take the tour after all.’

Greg nodded. ‘It’s worth it. I guarantee you’ll enjoy it. But don’t expect the Everglades to be like the Hollywood producers would have you believe in the films they make about it. It’s basically flat, no tall trees, with occasional small tree islands.’

‘Oh.’ Carly sounded disappointed.

‘Parts of it are like they show in the movies,’ Greg consoled her. ‘I’m just warning you that the majority of it isn’t.’

‘Still want to go?’ Paul asked her.

‘I’m not sure …’

‘I didn’t mean to put you off,’ Greg sighed.

‘You haven’t,’ Carly gave him a bright smile. ‘We’ll go,’ she told Paul. ‘Maybe I’ll feed you to an alligator.’

‘Sharks, and now alligators! I’m beginning to think you don’t love me any more,’ he mocked.

She gave him a sweet saccharine smile. ‘Maybe I don’t.’

‘Liar!’ he laughed.

Greg grinned, ‘You two are really something!’

‘Aren’t they?’ Velvet laughed.

‘Where shall we go this afternoon?’ Greg asked her.

‘How about Ocean World?’

He grinned. ‘Why is it that all the girls I date want to go to Ocean World?’

She couldn’t help smiling. ‘How many times have you been?’

‘About fifty—this year!’

Paul spluttered with laughter. ‘You poor devil! Was it worth it?’

The other man smiled. ‘Most times, yes.’

‘I think they’re getting personal,’ Carly told Velvet in a stage whisper.

Velvet knew they were. She liked Greg very much, but she had no intention of sleeping with him. ‘Are we going to get any work done today?’ she asked in a stilted voice.

Paul pushed away his empty coffee cup. ‘I’m ready.’

‘And me.’ Carly gulped down the last of her coffee, then stood up. ‘See you outside, Velvet,’ and she pulled Paul away.

‘That remark wasn’t meant for you, Velvet,’ Greg told her anxiously, having noticed her withdrawal, as had the other couple.

‘Wasn’t it?’ she said tautly. ‘I don’t know what you’ve heard about models, Greg, but I can assure you that most of us are very hardworking, and have husbands or steady boy-friends.’

‘Do you have a steady boy-friend?’

‘No. I’m the exception.’

‘Well, I may not be a boy, being thirty and ancient, but I would like to be your friend,’ he said seriously. ‘I like you, Velvet. I just want to spend some time with you.’

She gave him a searching look. ‘Is that all?’

‘Scout’s honour.’

‘Were you ever a Boy Scout?’

‘No,’ he grinned.

Velvet shook her head. ‘I thought not. Look, I think I should warn you that you’re wasting your time if you want anything more than friendship from me. I have a young son in England that I would like to be able to look straight in the eye when I get home. I don’t sleep around.’ But she had once slept with Jerard Daniels, according to him. And she had the feeling it was the truth; the sure way he had found the sensitive areas of her body had seemed to indicate previous knowledge of her in particular. She blushed as she remembered the way he had caressed her back, seeming to know exactly the right places to touch.

‘I understand that, Velvet,’ Greg told her softly. ‘And I’m not denying that I wish it could be different. But I knew straight away what sort of girl you are. And I still want to take you to Ocean World.’ She laughed. ‘For the fifty-first time—this year?’

‘It could be the hundredth and I’d still want to take you.’

‘Okay,’ she stood up. ‘What time shall I meet you?’

‘Two o’clock in reception?’

‘Fine,’ she nodded. ‘And now I really do have to get to work.’

‘So do I.’ He held up his hand in a casual wave.

Carly and Paul were waiting outside in the van, Paul obviously not pleased at this further delay, and Carly agog with the existence of Greg.

‘I’m beginning to wonder about you, Velvet,’ she teased. ‘You have men appearing from everywhere!’

‘I met Greg yesterday, and——’

‘You don’t have to explain yourself to us,’ Carly cut in. ‘You’re free, over twenty-one. It’s just that I’ve never seen you with any man before, and two in two days comes as something of a shock.’

‘Mr Daniels doesn’t count. He——’

‘He looked as if he counted to me,’ Paul scoffed. ‘The man’s mad about you.’

Velvet flushed. ‘He isn’t! He——’

‘You really don’t have to explain to us, Velvet,’ he said gently. ‘We’re just glad to see you coming alive again. You’re too young and beautiful to be alone for ever.’

‘Tony needs me,’ she defended.

‘And what do you need?’ Paul quirked an eyebrow at her.

Her blush deepened. ‘Not that , that’s for sure,’ she snapped, the memory of her reaction to Jerard Daniels still too vivid for comfort.

Paul’s mouth twisted. ‘Believe me, Velvet, everyone needs “that”. It’s just that some people are able to suppress the feelings.’