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‘Not silly at all.’ He paused and then, looking away into the distance, added, ‘We all need dreams. What’s yours?’
For once there was no need for secrecy. It didn’t matter if this stranger found it odd or funny. ‘If I could be anything in the world, I’d like to be an actress one day.’
‘Why?’ The simple question caught her off-guard, but when she tipped her head up to look at him, he seemed genuinely interested.
‘Because … Look, I know it sounds a bit fanciful – my mam would think I was mad if she knew. You see, I’m quite shy, but when I’m pretending to be someone, I’m not shy any more. It’s as if I can leave myself behind. It’s empowering and liberating. I can be anything, anyone I want.’
‘I can understand that. It’s difficult being the person other people want you to be.’
Her skin tingled as their eyes met in a moment of understanding.
‘I know that feeling better than you think.’ He pulled a self-deprecating face that tugged at something deep inside her, making her want to offer sympathy and comfort.
‘And you want to do something different?’
He sighed. ‘I am expected to run the family business, to be the next patriarch.’
‘But you don’t want to?’
‘It seems ungrateful. Look’ – he spread out his hand, indicating the plush surroundings – ‘I have everything I could possibly wish for. But I have a dream of my own, too.’
‘What’s that?’
He stood up quickly as if irritated and went to the guard rail at the side of the yacht. For a while he remained there, looking out over the marina, both hands gripping the metal. Because there was a touch of loneliness about him as he stood there, she rose and went to join him, each caught in the shadows of their own thoughts as they stared out at the horizon and the crisp line where the cobalt blues and dusky pink and oranges of the twilight met the deep blue sea.
‘We are a family of boat builders, but you know what? None of us build boats any more; we pay other people to do it.’ He looked at her. ‘I want to build my own boat one day. From scratch. Hand-crafted. A sailing boat that is built to respond to the wind and the sea. That works in harmony with nature.’
She smiled. ‘Sounds wonderful.’
Demetrios looked self-conscious now. ‘And now I am the one who is being … what did you call it? “Fanciful”.’
Shauna put her hands on the guard rail, small and slender next to his dark capable hands. She could picture him working the wood himself.
‘You know, I can see you doing just that, right now in my head.’
Demetrios held her gaze. ‘Shauna, I find myself quite liking the idea of being inside your head.’
‘Oh, it’s full of stuff and nonsense.’ She dropped her eyes. ‘Like being an actress,’ she said with a wistful sigh.
‘Hey …’ He reached up and gently touched her face. ‘Always remember, those dreams keep our souls burning brighter.’
She swallowed, lost for words. It was a beautiful thing to say and all she could do was smile back at him.
He lowered his hand. ‘Never lose your dreams.’ Then he was businesslike once more. ‘Now we are strengthened with our liquid courage, it is time for you to play a new role. Tonight, you will be one of Monaco’s finest. It’s your time to shine – think you can pull it off?’
Shauna didn’t know if she could, but she was now filled with a fizz of anticipation as well as alcohol. ‘I’ll give it everything I’ve got,’ she said.
‘That’s my girl,’ he replied, and a thrill of pleasure shot through her.
Chapter 7
Hardly an auspicious start, she thought to herself with a slightly giddy giggle as she tiptoed down the gangplank.
A black car glided to a halt beside them and, even though she was expecting it, she gave a start. For a moment, she stood there, staring at the tinted windows, until Demetrios opened the door for her and said, ‘Jump in.’
She got in first and he slid in beside her. It was impossible to ignore his nearness.
As they drove the short distance to the palace, Shauna felt the question burning inside her that had been at the back of her mind since Demetrios had asked her to join him this evening.
