‘O…this and that.’
‘She’s multi-tasking.’ It was Dov, who had opened his eyes, taken off his I-Pod and was staring at Candy Katz as if he had found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow and was wondering whether it would be really weird to penetrate it before spending it.
‘I’m writing a book,’ Jackie contradicted him. ‘About my travels. And what I’ve learned from them.’
‘At the end of it, she’s hoping she’ll get eaten by cannibals when she takes her hands-on interest in local customs to its logical conclusion,’ Dov smirked, his eyes fixed on Candy Katz, waiting for a laugh. But the girl merely looked horrified.
‘O, wow! I can, basically, so see you DOING that - being so TRUE to your writing! But I can’t IMAGINE a world without Jackie Swallow in it!’
This kid really was the most intelligent young woman, Jackie reflected. ‘Do you fancy some lunch?’ she asked her.
Candy looked as if she had just been offered oral pleasure by the risen ghost of a young Paul Newman. ‘What - with YOU?’
‘And me,’ said Dov quickly. He stuck his hand out. ‘Dov.’
Candy shook it briefly. ‘Cheers, Mr Swallow.’ She jumped to her feet. ‘That would be AMAZING!’
‘We’ll go to Manta Ray,’ Jackie decided. A girl of such singular beauty and first-rate intelligence deserved the best.
‘Would you mind if we just went to the place over there?’ Candy pointed at the Landwer Cafe between the pool and the beach. ‘You must be so busy, and I’ve got so much to ask you. I know it’s selfish, but I don’t want to share you with a taxi driver.’
Jackie got a look at Dov’s face as they gathered up their belongings, Candy Katz actually hoping from foot to foot. He looked - for once - absolutely bemused. This pleased her. He was a bit too used to having his foot on the pedal of their marriage, and it would do him good to see that she wasn’t just some washed-up old drunken slut. Though, to be fair, she quite enjoyed being that too. But it wasn’t ALL she was.
‘I should have told her that this was the adult’s pool,’ Dov muttered as they followed Candy Katz to the turnstiles as she literally gambolled ahead of them - Jackie had never seen a human gambol before, and she felt pleased with herself that she had caused such a reaction. She saw the double-takes that the gorgeous waiters - so used to seeing beautiful women - did when Candy romped in ahead of them in her black swimsuit and sarong, and felt curiously proud. But she was meant to be jealous, wasn’t she, that she was middle-aged and ‘invisible’? She had the strangest feeling that Candy Katz was her spirit animal.
Candy gambolled to a table in the sunshine, sat on a chair and put her beach-bag on the one next to her. When Dov made to take the seat opposite her, she actually put out her hands as if to push him away. He stared at her, amazed.
‘Oh, sorry, Mr Swallow - ‘
‘Dov - ‘ he hissed. Jackie could tell that his pride would never permit him to correct her in regard to his surname. Five years ago she would have found it horny. Now it made her smirk.
‘Ooo, Dov Swallow, what a lovely name! Dov, sorry to be so rude, but would it be OK if your wife sits opposite me? I’ve dreamed of this moment so long!’