Maggie

The week passes quickly, too quickly. Before I know it, Friday has arrived, and the peace that Jackson and I have wrapped ourselves in is shattered by the arrival of the rest of the band with their various partners.

We wake to the piercing shriek of seagulls and the gentle lapping of waves on the villa’s private beach. The bedroom Jackson and I are using sits in the corner of the villa and has a large, wrap-around balcony overlooking the Med. The room is spacious and comfortable, with accents of cobalt and cream. Colourful, blown-up photographs of the island adorn the walls, something I couldn’t help but comment on the first time I walked into the room, which, in turn, led Jackson to reveal some band secrets.

“These pictures are amazing. The style is unique. But weirdly, I feel like I have seen something like this before. Were they taken by someone famous?”

“Chase’s ex-fiancée took them,” Jackson had informed me matter-of-factly.

“Oh,” I responded quietly, unsure how to process that little nugget of information. Had Chase been engaged? That had definitely been kept from the media, as I am sure I would have heard about it.

“It’s okay, Kat. They are still good friends. Tilly is a professional photographer now, but this is some of her early work. She was an up-and-coming photographer for the Times when she and Chase met. It was a whirlwind; I don’t think Chase ever believed in love at first sight, but meeting Tilly changed that. Unfortunately, not long after he proposed, we went on a year-long world tour, and Tilly took an assignment in Afghanistan. They tried to keep things going for ages, but in the end, they admitted it wasn’t working; emails and messaging just weren’t enough. They both maintained that the split was mutual. Sometimes I wonder, though…” Jackson had trailed off, and I had raised an eyebrow in response. “Well, they just seemed like, you know, it for each other. Chase hasn’t been serious with anyone since Tilly, and I think they stay in touch, so I wonder if maybe… I don’t know; maybe they will get a second chance.”

“You’re such a romantic, Jackson,” I complimented him before kissing him playfully on the cheek.

I smirk at the memory of Jackson’s cheek going pink under his tan. He is such a softy at heart, which is just as well; I am not sure whether anyone else would have seen through my bullshit.

A week of lying in the sun has given us both a healthy glow, and the streaks in my hair have whitened considerably. Even Jackson’s dark hair has lightened a little. Sleep and lazing about have just about banished the dark circles under my eyes, and for the first time in ages, I feel well and truly relaxed.

Our lazy brunch of eggs benedict and fresh fruit on the deck is just about finished when we hear the front door slam, and a chorus of voices filter through the bifold doors that are pushed back across the length of the property.

“Yo, man,” Chase greets Jackson, coming across to do that whole back-slap, fist-bump thing blokes do. “Kat.” He smirks before picking me up and giving me a bone-crushing hug. I am not sure where this friendliness has come from, as the last time I saw him was in the bar when he apologised for the girls’ behaviour at the wedding. But hey, I will take a friendly hug over bitchy comments any day.

“Feeling better?” he asks quietly. There’s concern in his eyes, making me wonder how much Jackson has told his bandmates about my condition. I’m not sure I’m comfortable with them knowing that much about me yet.

“Much,” I respond, making a conscious effort not to show my agitation. “Thanks so much for letting us stay here this week. You have a beautiful home.”

“Ah well, mi casa et su casa,” Chase grins while sweeping his arm in a grand arc towards the house.

The rest of the group has filed onto the deck, and I feel a little uncomfortable under everyone’s scrutiny. I have to remind myself not to jump to conclusions; perhaps I am reading something into nothing. Cara and Lisa hover at the back, probably unsure how I’m going to greet them after the fiasco at the wedding. Brody and Evan’s faces are inscrutable, but James smiles warmly as I meet his gaze.

Nerves are starting to get the better of me, but I do my best to swallow them down before plastering a warm smile on my face and greeting everyone with a cheerful wave. “We’ve just finished brunch, but if anyone is hungry, I can whip up some eggs.”

Jackson slips his hand into mine and squeezes my fingers in gentle reassurance. The tension recedes a little as the girls and their hubbies smile and greet me slightly awkwardly while politely turning down my offer of food.

“Mate, there’s something you need to know…” Chase murmurs in Jackson’s ear, not quite low enough for me not to hear. Jackson stiffens abruptly. His eyes are locked on the group in front of us, and as I follow the line of his gaze, I spot someone I don’t recognise.

When the colour drains from Jackson’s face, the nerves return with a vengeance. Who could elicit such a reaction?

“What the fuck, dude?” Jackson turns to Chase. “What the hell is she doing here? Especially now?”

“Relax, man. She’s here for Lisa to help if the baby comes early.” Chase has the grace to look a little bashful as if he knows that he should have given Jackson the heads up, but it does nothing to appease Jackson.

“This is all I fucking need,” Jackson snaps, running his free hand through his hair. He drops my hand and strides forward, then quickly grabs the arm of the tall, willowy brunette and pulls her into the villa.

My mind is racing and coming up with endless possibilities regarding how Jackson and this girl are connected. Given his reaction, I am guessing none of them are good. A wave of nausea crashes over me, and I glance around to see everyone avoiding my gaze.

James appears by my side, apparently the only one willing to fill me in on what the hell is going on. “That’s Maggie. She’s Jackson’s ex. Well, ex-ex, if I’m counting correctly.”

“Okaayyyy.”How could this get any worse?

“I had no idea she would show up; otherwise, I would have ensured Jackson knew. Lisa and Evan have been staying on Formentera for the last month, and Maggie has been with them. She’s Lisa’s best friend and a qualified midwife. With Lisa insisting on a home birth, Maggie now goes wherever they do. None of us realised she was coming until they pulled up outside of the villa just as we were also arriving.” James is clearly uncomfortable telling me all of this, but given that Jackson disappeared without an explanation, he’s the only one who seems willing to fill me in. Even Chase made himself scarce the moment Jackson stalked off with Maggie in tow.

Great. This is going to be bloody awkward. “Okay, so how ‘ex’ are we talking?” At James’ confused look, I clarify, “Are we talking ex-shag, ex-girlfriend, or ex-fiancée? There’s a big difference.”

James’ posture goes rigid, and his discomfort becomes even more apparent. “Ex-girlfriend. But Jackson was gearing up to propose.”

“Oh, jeez,” I say, rubbing my temples as I feel a headache forming. “This just keeps getting better. As if things weren’t awkward enough after the wedding.”

“Sorry.”

“Not your fault,” I reply despondently. I glance over the now-empty deck and realise that people have made themselves scarce. Letting out a sigh, I review my options: throw a wobbly and get the first flight off the island, or try to take the mature approach and get on with it. At least until I can’t anymore.

“It’s only three days,” I mutter to myself, giving James what I hope is a reassuring smile. “I think I’m going to go for a wander up the beach. Let everyone get settled in.”

“Um, okay.” James nods before heading inside.