Alexia x PrivateChef!reader 🍋
Part II
Who doesn’t like a little summer fling?
a/n r is a private chef for some of the Barça (and ex Barça) players during their holidays. Here is part I.
Thanks for all the feedback, hope you like the update.
cw teasing, flirting, swearing, jealousy
wc 11.5k
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Wednesday
You woke up to warmth on your face. The room was quiet except for the distant sound of seagulls outside.
You rubbed your eyes.
Why was it so bright?
Fuck.
You grabbed your phone.
8:03.
Shit.
You were supposed to leave for the harbour at nine — after breakfast, which still had to be prepared.
You swore under your breath, threw off the covers, and ran downstairs, tucking your sleeping shirt into your shorts.
Alexia sat at the kitchen island with two coffees in front of her looking smug as hell.
“Sorry,” you mumbled, avoiding her eyes as you stumbled into the kitchen. Your voice was still thick with sleep. You scratched the back of your head and looked around.
Where to begin? You tried to get your head straight.
When your eyes landed on her, Alexia looked far too pleased with your lateness, like it was the funniest thing she’d seen all morning. “Didn’t get much sleep,” she asked, the corner of her mouth lifting. “I wonder what was on your mind last night.”
You threw her a look.
“Take your time,” she said, sliding a cup toward you. “You look good when you’re a little flustered.”
Great. She’d somehow managed to turn your worst morning into a flirting opportunity.
You blinked at her, still too sleep-fogged to form a proper response, and settled for narrowing your eyes instead. It only made her smile wider into her cup. “Just telling the truth.” She shrugged.
You snorted, shook your head and took a sip of the coffee to let it wake you.
There was no time for this banter anyway. You had a whole breakfast to prepare before… Well, technically 15 minutes ago.
You pulled your hair into a bun and got to work.
Alexia leaned against the kitchen island watching you with quiet amusement as you filled a large pot with oats and milk. She managed to be unhelpfully in your way and didn’t move even a tiny bit.
“You could help,” you pointed out, reaching past her for some bananas and berries to top the porridge later.
“I'm providing moral support here,” she gave back, totally unfazed. The corners of her mouth were still curling.
You huffed out a laugh and shoved a banana into her hand.
She looked at you. “What am I supposed to do with that?”
“Oh, I don’t know. You could slice it,” you deadpanned and nodded towards the cutting board.
She tilted her head.
Looked at the banana.
Then smirked.
Oh no.
She searched for your eyes and started peeling it. Slowly. Very deliberately. Like she had all the time in the world.
When she’d completely peeled it she looked up. She waited until she was absolutely sure your eyes met hers and —
— she opened her mouth and wrapped her lips around the banana.
Oh, for fuck's sake.
She closed her eyes in theatrical delight and let her mouth stay exactly where it was. “Mmhh,” she hummed.
No. Just no.
You closed your eyes for exactly one second, forcing away the images that had popped up in your head.
When you opened your eyes, Alexia bit off a piece of the banana and started chewing.
Slowly.
Her eyes stayed fixed on yours.
Then she swallowed.
And moaned quietly. “So good,” she licked her lips.
You breathed in.
You breathed out.
Closed your eyes again.
And suddenly she couldn‘t hold it anymore.
“You should see your face!” She half snorted, half laughed. “Oh my God, look at you!” She pointed at you and bent forward laughing hard.
She was so not funny.
“I hate you,” you grumbled, shaking your head in disbelief.
“No, you don’t.” She nudged your arm. “You just had the best time having filthy thoughts.”
Heat rushed to your face.
Annoyingly accurate.
You reached over, snatched the banana out of her hand and broke off a piece yourself.
“Hey.”
“You’ve lost your banana privileges,” you said it dryly.
Alexia laughed again, shaking her head. “Is that an official kitchen rule?”
“It is now.” You shoved her.
“Ouch,” she exclaimed dramatically. “Don’t you dare do that again.” She laughed.
“Stop teasing me, then.” You shot back, laughing despite yourself.
She held your gaze for another moment, the smirk never leaving her face. “Never.”
She could probably demand everything from you when she looked like that.
You smirked back and held her gaze.
“I should get back to work,” you mumbled, finally dragging your eyes away from her. You shook your head as you reached for the knife.
You started filling bowls, slicing fruit and pretending to be deeply invested.
The silence between you lasted for exactly thirty seconds. Then Salma shuffled into the kitchen, rubbing her eyes.
“What's so funny?” She blinked between the two of you before spotting the pot on the counter. “Oh, is that porridge? I'm starving.”
She reached past Alexia without a second thought, piled breakfast into an unnecessarily large bowl and mumbled, “Thanks.”
Before either of you could answer, she was already heading for the terrace.
Alexia watched her disappear, then let out a quiet breath. “I'm going to have a shower.”
“Probably a good idea, cooling down a bit,” you said dryly. Alexia shot you an amused look over her shoulder before disappearing upstairs.
🍋
By nine, everyone had gathered on the driveway. Jana still looked half asleep, her sunglasses pushed into her hair as she yawned dramatically.
“Why do boats have to leave this early?” she complained. “Have you packed sunscreen, Jana?” Patri checked her bag for the third time, “I can’t find it in here.”
“It’s got to be somewhere.”
“Dude, I swear if you get all red like a boiled lobster I’m not going to put cream on your whole body tonight.”
“Right,” Kika said, clapping her hands together like she was starting a meeting. “Lucía said to meet her at the harbour at nine thirty. She's got the boat ready. Vamos!“
She got into the driver’s seat and started the engine. Somehow you weren't surprised that Kika was obviously the one communicating with Lucía.
The harbour smelled like diesel and salt. The usual, somehow comforting mix. You spotted La Rizada before you reached the pier. Lucía’s sailing yacht sat in her berth, sleek and simple, like the last time you had seen her.
For a second, your mind drifted back to her christening two years earlier. Lucía’s father had stood on the dock with a bottle of cava in one hand and far too much confidence in the other. The bottle had shattered on the second swing, sending cava spraying over the bow as everyone around you burst into applause and laughter.
While they were still celebrating, Lucía had stepped forward, pulled the cloth from the nameplate and looked straight at you with that familiar grin that had always made your stomach flip.
La Rizada.
You’d stared at her in complete disbelief before breaking into a smile so wide your cheeks ached. When it finally clicked that she’d named the boat after you, your eyes had filled with tears.
Her smile had been soft when she’d approached you, wrapped her arms around you and kissed you so deeply, as if there had never been a more obvious name for something so close to her heart.
“Oy, Chef, what’s on your pretty mind?” Kika nudged you in the ribs, pulling you from your thoughts. “Surely it has nothing to do with you and Ale flirting in the hallway yesterday?” She waggled her eyebrows. “I have eyes and ears everywhere,” she whispered conspiratorially.
You huffed. Being around them was basically like living in the Big Brother house.
Lucía stood on deck in a faded band shirt and jeans shorts. She was tanned as always, her hair sun-bleached and a little shorter than you remembered.
She still looked gorgeous.
And she still looked like she belonged to the sea.
The thought hurt more than it should have. Not because you’d wanted her anywhere else, but because you’d finally accepted that you never truly belonged there with her.
She was crouched over a winch, and when she looked up and saw the group approaching, her whole face opened into that familiar, almost childish grin, freckles dancing across her nose, little dimples appearing in her cheeks. The same smile that had once made your stomach flip.
Then she spotted you at the back of the group.
Her grin faltered for the fraction of a second, just long enough for you to see straight through her.
Surprise.
Hurt.
A dozen things she would never say out loud.
Then it was gone. Her expression settled, the walls slid back into place, and suddenly you couldn’t read her anymore.
“Well,” she said as you came within earshot, “small island.”
Your mouth curved into a lazy smile and you nodded. “Small island.” It came out lighter than you felt in that moment.
Lucía hopped down onto the pontoon and hugged you before you could decide whether that was a good idea. She smelled like sunscreen and salt water. You still missed her smell.
“You look good,” she said, stepping back to look at you properly. “Your tan's coming back.”
“I got some free time at the pool lately whenever I wasn’t cooking for these guys.” You smiled at her easily.
“Ah.” Recognition crossed her face. “So you're the chef everyone's been talking about. I should've known.”
“Indeed, small island,” you repeated after her, and she laughed. It was so easy, so exactly like it used to be, that for a second you forgot there were other people watching the two of you catch up.
You felt Alexia’s attention land on you and then on Lucía.
“Oh hi! There you are,” Lucía called with an easy smile and a little wave toward the group as she stepped away from you. “Perfect timing.”
She was so good at this.
She greeted everyone with hugs and playful remarks about their time on Monday.
Eventually, she clapped her hands once to get everyone’s attention. “Alright, listen up. Bags first, people later,” she said, pointing towards the yacht. “Stow your stuff below deck and keep the walkways clear. If you don’t know where something goes, ask before you shove it into the first place you find.
Everyone nodded. “We’ll cast off in about fifteen minutes. Until then, stay out of the way while I finish getting her ready. And no one touches a line unless I tell you to.”
She scanned the group one last time, satisfied that everyone had at least pretended to listen. “Good. Welcome aboard.”
Kika’s gaze flicked from Lucía to you and back again. One eyebrow slowly crept upwards before a knowing grin tugged at the corner of her mouth. She handed Patri the cooler bag. “This trip just got a whole lot more interesting,” she muttered under her breath.
Getting everyone aboard actually took longer than it should have, mostly because Jana insisted on filming a very serious captain's vlog that nobody had asked for. Alexia just rolled her eyes at her when she shoved her phone into her face for the third time.
Kika tried to take the wheel before the boat had even left the harbor. “Absolutely not,” Lucía told her, laughing as she gently steered her hand off the wheel. “You'll drive us into the breakwater.”
“That's rude. You don't even know me properly.“
“I know enough from Monday.”
Kika pressed a hand dramatically to her chest. “You wound me.”
“You'll survive,” she laughed.
“Coffee sometime? So you can apologize properly,” Kika teased.
Lucía laughed. “Do you ask everyone out this fast?”
“Only the pretty captains.” Kika winked at her. “And maybe also chefs.” She could barely contain her grin.
Lucía just shook her head.
You settled yourself near the stern with the cooler, close enough to help if Lucía needed a hand with the ropes. It was an old habit that came back without any thought at all. You realized how good it felt that this was not your turf anymore.
Alexia sat a little further along the rail with her sunglasses on her nose. She was unusually quiet, obviously working something out in her head.
The engine drove you out of the harbor, and once you’d cleared the breakwater Lucía cut it and put up the sail instead. The boat leaned, found its balance, and settled into a steady lean toward the water.
You'd forgotten how much you loved this. Not the boat itself, no. You and boats had always had a complicated relationship which was built entirely around your love for the person who sailed them. But you loved a morning like this, salt in the air, the sun climbing and wind around your face.
Lucía glanced back at you from the wheel. “Remember how to trim a sail, or did Sóller make you unlearn all of that?” She said mockingly, her hair blowing in the wind. “I could still beat you at it,” you retorted dryly.
You both knew that was nowhere near the truth but she laughed and you laughed too, and for a moment it was just easy and light.
Across the deck, Alexia’s gaze stayed on you.
By midmorning you’d anchored in a small cove nobody but locals knew about. The water was so clear you could see the anchor sitting on white sand fifteen feet down. You loved this island and all its hidden spots.
One by one everyone jumped into the water. Lia shrieked as the cold hit her and immediately clung to Mariona who now had to do the swimming for both of them. Kika tried to teach Jana how to backflip into the water and Salma was just lazily floating on her back l, enjoying the sun.
You stayed on deck to set out lunch when Lucía came to help. You fell into a wordless choreography. She passed you the plates and you gave the good knife to her because you’d always trusted her with it. It was exactly like a hundred mornings before this one.
“So,” she said, not looking up from the bread she was slicing. “How’s life been treating you lately?”
You shrugged as you mixed a bowl of salad on the table. “Pretty well, actually. The restaurant’s doing great.” A smile tugged at your lips. “Enzo has everything under control while I’m gone. I almost don’t know what to do with myself.”
Lucía let out a quiet laugh. “That must be a first.”
“It is.” You smiled back. “I might stop by tomorrow for a bit, though. Just to check in, make sure he hasn’t completely rearranged my kitchen.”
“Oh, he probably has,” she said and the two of you shared an easy grin before you reached for the plate of watermelon she’d cut.
“How’s your mum doing?” you asked after a moment. “Last time we talked she was still in treatment.”
Lucía’s expression softened as she nodded carefully. “She’s good.” A small smile spread across her face. “We got the news about two months ago. She’s cancer-free.”
You inhaled deeply, looking at her. “Oh, Lu, that’s…”
“I know.” She nodded, blinking quickly. “It still doesn’t quite feel real.”
“I’m really happy for her. For all of you.” You smiled and really meant it. You’d always liked her family which made breaking up with her even harder, especially given her mother’s situation. “Please give her a hug when you see her.”
“I will.” Lucía looked at you for a brief moment before returning to the bread. “She still asks about you, you know.”
You gave her a tight smile.
“Every single time I visit.” A faint smile lingered on her lips. “She’ll be happy to hear I ran into you today.” You nodded at her because… What else could you say?
It was sad. And tragic. And totally inevitable in the end. You both knew that. But knowing did not make it easier or better. Only time would heal both of you.
You continued arranging the lunch table in silence, both lost in your thoughts.
“So,” Lucía said after a while, while she was chopping some tomatoes, “what’s up with you and the tall one?“
You looked up, raising an eyebrow.
“The tall one. Serious eyes. Serious tattoos. Muscles all over.” Lucía tilted her chin toward the water, where Alexia was trying to dunk Jana after she’d splashed water all over her hair.
You didn’t really know what to say. “What about her?” You tried to deflect.
Lucía smirked. “Well, either she’s trying to flirt with me and fails miserably or…” she tilted her head, “she thinks I’m very serious competition.”
You huffed. “You’re imagining things.”
The last thing you wanted was your ex getting involved in whatever this was between Alexia and you.
Lucía shook her head. “I absolutely don’t. She keeps looking over at us whenever she gets the chance.” She glanced toward the water again, a mischievous grin spreading across her face. She’d never been one to back down from anything that caught her attention. “And now I want to know why.”
“Lu, please,” you whined.
“Relax,” she laughed, petting your arm, “I’m just curious.”
You raised an eyebrow. “Please don’t make it weird. I’m the one having to spent another whole week with them, not you.”
„Well,“ she reached for a strawberry, “could be a rather interesting week then, no?” She popped the fruit into her mouth, wiggled her eyebrows and headed to the front of the yacht.
You just groaned and poured some dressing over the salad.
After a few moments Kika climbed back onto the boat near Lucía. Her abs flexed and she looked like she played lead female in a Bond movie.
“Captain,” she called, “do I get extra points if I help?”
Lucía looked up from the ropes. “Depends.”
“On what?”
“Whether you're actually helping or just trying to impress me.” Kika grinned. “Can it be both?”
Lucía grinned. “We'll see.”
Kika wrung out her hair and wandered over to your lunch preparations, helping herself to a slice of watermelon.
“So… La Rizada,” she mused, almost to herself, taking a bite of the fruit.
You looked up. “Hm?”
She wiped some juice from her chin and glanced toward Lucía, then out to the water where Alexia was laughing as Jana tried to shove her.
“I mean, I’m nowhere near fluent in Spanish but… interesting name for a boat.” She took another bite and patted the side of the yacht.
“And… interesting taste in women.”
You frowned. “Do I wanna know what you mean by that?”
Kika shrugged lightly. “Maybe it’s just me, but your captain and our captain could pass for cousins.”
“They don’t look anything alike.” You deadpanned.
“Not literally.” She tilted her head, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. “Same energy though. Confident. A little intimidating. And both of them look like they’d enjoy getting their way.”
You opened your mouth, then closed it again. What had you gotten yourself into?
“She’s not my captain,” you told her. “Not anymore,” adding a little more quietly.
“Oh, I figured as much.” Kika grinned. “Shame for her.” She grabbed another piece of watermelon. “Probably good news for anybody else though.” She winked at you, turned around swinging her wet hair and went below deck.
Lunch on deck was quiet and easy. Everyone was tired and sun-warmed. Alexia ate close beside you, closer than she'd been all morning.
Her knee was brushing yours when the boat rocked and neither of you moved away. It was a small thing but you noticed it anyway.
And probably half the boat noticed as well. Lucía grinned at you, Kika hid her mouth behind a fork full of salad.
Great.
One time, Lucía leaned over to hand you a plate, said something that made you laugh, and rested a hand briefly on your shoulder on her way back to the wheel. Her eyes wandered briefly to Alexia to check if she was watching.
Alexia’s jaw clenched. Then she shifted a few inches closer to you, close enough now that there was no accidental explanation left for it.
Kika watched it all unfold like a telenovela.
🍋
The afternoon sail took you further along the coast. The boat dove past white cliffs and over water so impossibly blue it hardly looked real.
Lucía pointed toward an old lighthouse high above the rocks and told a story about a ship that had supposedly drowned there years ago.
“Wait, wait,” Jana interrupted, already holding up her phone. “You started too early.”
Lucía sighed. “You’ve made me tell this story at least five times.”
“And you still leave out the dramatic bits.” She shrugged. A smile tugged at the corner of Lucía’s mouth before she obediently started again, this time with a little more flair. Jana watched her through the screen, grinning in quiet satisfaction.
Nearby, Kika shook her head with an amused snort. “She lets you get away with way too much.” Lucía only smiled to herself and continued the story.
At one point, she reached past you for a rope, her arm brushing yours very deliberately. Alexia appeared at your side almost immediately like a guard dog.
Even you had to suppress a smile. Lucía tried to hide her grin behind the sail and Kika only muttered, “I hope she has that all on camera.”
By the time you reached a second, narrower cove, Alexia had stopped even trying to be subtle. Her eyes followed you across the deck with the same relentless focus she brought to a match. You caught her watching more than once, and she didn’t even look away.
Patri wandered over while the others jumped into the water. “Tía,” she said, bumping her shoulder. “You know you look like a horny teenager, right?”
Alexia didn't even look at her. “I have no idea what you're talking about,” she grumbled.
Patri let out a laugh. “Sure. You've been following her around this boat for the last hour. You practically marked your territory."
“I did not,” she retorted.
Patri raised an eyebrow. “You were one step away from hissing.”
She finally glanced sideways. “You're exaggerating.”
“Am I? “ Patri nodded towards you, where you were laughing at something Mariona had said. “You've looked over there at least twenty times in the last five minutes.”
Alexia sighed, rubbing a hand over her face. “Can you blame me?” Patri's grin softened. “No. But maybe try acting like you're thirty-something instead of sixteen.”
Alexia only rolled her eyes in response.
🍋
The rest of the afternoon slipped by in the easy rhythm of sun, saltwater and lazy conversations. Salma put music on and Jana fell asleep on deck stretched across two beanbags. You caught Lucía looking at her. Not just glancing, but watching. You frowned slightly, a strange little feeling settling somewhere in your chest before you dismissed it and went back to the conversation.
Kika somehow talked Lucía into letting her steer for all of three minutes before being gently relieved of the responsibility again.
By the time you sailed back into the harbor, the sun was hanging low over the water. Everyone was sunburnt, salt-crusted and pleasantly exhausted.
Mariona and Lia were still arguing about whether they'd seen a dolphin or a very large fish, while Jana walked with her head resting on Salma's shoulder.
“Thanks for today,” Kika said as everyone climbed onto the dock.
“Anytime,” Lucía replied easily. “Do you say that to all your guests,” Kika wanted to know. Lucía smiled. "No. Just the ones who tried to steal my boat." "So I'm memorable.“ Kika laughed and straightened her back. "I'll take that as a compliment." She gave her a mock salute before hopping onto the pontoon.
Lucía watched her go for a second, still smiling to herself, before she turned back to tie up the boat.
You lingered behind while the others started towards the cars. “Thanks, Lu.” You brushed her arm lightly.
“Anytime.” She smiled at you easily. “It was really good seeing you, YN.”
You pulled her into a hug. “Come by the restaurant sometime. And bring the others, yeah?”
“The normal others or the footballer others?“ She winked at you. “The normal ones.” You laughed, “no more footballers after this.” “Deal.” She smiled. “We'll make a reservation like respectable people.” “Absolutely not.” You laughed, “you’re family and you know that.” She gave your shoulder a light squeeze.
“See you around, YN.“
“See you.”
You walked back to the cars and turned around, waving at her before she disappeared around a corner.
The drive back was quiet. Salt dried on your skin, the windows were open, and one by one everyone drifted off to sleep.
Back at the villa, nobody had much energy left. They dropped their bags in the hallway, Mariona mumbled something about showering first, Lia disappeared straight to bed. Within half an hour, the house had fallen unusually quiet.
You lingered alone in the kitchen, pouring yourself a glass of water. The silence felt strange after a day filled with waves, laughter and voices.
With you glass in one hand and your cap in the other, you headed upstairs. Just as you reached the hallway, a door opened behind you.
“Goodnight,” Alexia said into the quiet.
You turned around. “Goodnight,” you said back at her with your expression carefully neutral.
Neither of you moved for a second. Then she smiled that small, private smile she'd somehow started reserving just for you and disappeared into her room.
Thursday
At 7, you dragged yourself out of bed, tied your curls into a messy bun and padded downstairs barefoot. The villa was still quiet as usual. Outside cicadas had already decided it was unbearably hot despite the sun barely being up.
You switched on the espresso machine and waited until the heat was right and it hummed to life. Then you reached for two cups and started foaming up some oat milk.
Apparently expecting her to drink coffee with you had become a thing by now. You looked at the cup for a second before shrugging to yourself. If she didn't show up, you'd simply drink both. That sounded like a problem with an excellent solution.
With a cup of coffee in each hand you slid open the terrace doors with your foot. The tiles were still pleasantly cool beneath your feet. The pool reflected the pale morning sky almost perfectly, there was not a ripple disturbing the water.
You settled on the edge, letting your feet dangle just above the surface. It was peaceful. Almost suspiciously peaceful.
You took a sip and checked the time on your phone. She was late. Not late late. Just... later than usual.
Which was somehow enough for your brain to start coming up with increasingly unnecessary explanations after her little performance yesterday.
Maybe she'd slept in.
Maybe she'd just taken a different route.
Maybe she'd decided that having coffee with you wasn’t worth it after all.
Great. One week with this woman and she already had you spiraling.
A minute later Alexia turned the corner of the house. Her hair was damp from sweat, she looked at her phone, with AirPods in her ears and cheeks flushed from the run.
When she spotted you, she took the AirPods out and paused the music. “You made two.” She pointed at the cups.
You glanced down at the extra cup and smiled at her. You wanted to play it casual at all costs. “…Seems I did.” You shrugged lightly, as if there was nothing to read into and certainly nothing worth making a thing of.
She walked over and sat down beside you, so close that your shoulders brushed.
For a while neither of you spoke. You hadn't realised silence could be this... easy. Most people treated silence like something that had to be filled. Alexia seemed perfectly content leaving it alone.
You took a sip. The foam was sweet, the coffee bitter, just the way you liked it. “How was your run?” you asked after a moment.
She looked out toward the horizon. “Good.” She paused. “Hot.”
You nodded, narrowing your eyes. “Breaking news: Mallorca continues to be warm,” you announced in your best TV anchor voice.
She nudged your shoulder and laughed into her coffee. “I’ll alert the weather service.”
You both let your feet dangle in the water, creating small ripples that became tiny waves. Alexia rested her forearms on her knees, and held the cup between both hands. “How did you sleep?”
“Good.” You shrugged. “Iwas really exhausted from the trip.”
Alexia nodded and inhaled, barely audible. You caught it anyway. “You and Lucía are… close,” she said after a moment. A loose strand of damp hair had escaped her ponytail, sticking to the side of her neck. She brushed it back with two fingers.
You opted for the honest and least dramatic version. “We were dating.” You looked over at her.
Alexia narrowed her eyes and made a small acknowledging sound. You turned your head, studying her profile.
She was seriously jealous. Of your ex. And there wasn’t even anything between you and Alexia yet. The whole thing was objectively ridiculous. Somehow, though, you found it ridiculously endearing. She was every lesbian cliché personified.
You bumped your knee against hers. “Alexia?” She turned her head away. You raised an eyebrow incredulously. “Seriously?” You tried not to laugh and failed miserably.
Apparently, that was enough for her to retreat into a very dignified little sulk.
She shook her head and got to her feet. “I’ll go swimming,” she announced. She reached for the hem of her shirt and pulled it over her head in one smooth movement.
Your eyes landed on her flexing abs. You breathed in while she adjusted the strap of her sports bra, rolled her shoulders and walked towards the pool. Her coffee sat abandoned on the ground beside the lounger.
For the briefest moment she stood at the edge, stretching her arms above her head. The movement pulled at the muscles in her shoulders and back, the tattoos on her forearm shifted with it. The sun reflected on her skin.
Then she pushed off. The dive was effortless. No splash, just a clean line disappearing beneath the water before she resurfaced as though she'd been born in it. If someone had told you she'd secretly competed in diving or swimming before football, you would have believed them without question.
You took the last sip of your coffee, shook your head still in disbelief and went back into the kitchen. Cracking an exaggerated amount of eggs into a bowl you watched her through the window. Her muscular arms broke the surface with every stroke, water running down her shoulders before she disappeared beneath it again.
You had to admit jealousy looked very good on her. She’d be the death of you. Maybe you should focus on the eggs.
„She is just so distracting, no?“ Patri materialized behind you. You rolled your eyes but kept them on the eggs. “She’s being a little ridiculous right now, to be honest,” you told her.
Patri smirked. “She’s just being Alexia. Give her some time.” She shrugged. “She’ll get over it.”
You gave her a tight smile.
“In fact...” She nodded towards the pool. “I don't think she'd complain if you made your move. Have fun, live a little.“
You tilted your head and gave her a pointed look.
„What?“ She laughed, „I’m trying to save us all from watching this for another week.“
🍋
By noon, the kitchen smelled of garlic and lemon. You'd roasted trays of baby potatoes with rosemary until the edges turned crisp, then tossed together roasted peach with some goat cheese, honey and some mint from the garden and grilled lemon-marinated chicken breast for the protein they all wanted.
There was a large bowl of traditional aioli in the middle of the counter, made with just grated garlic and olive oil. Next to it the almost obligatory bowl of olives and grated tomatoes with sea salt plus enough fresh bread to make sure nobody stayed hungry.
With their bellies full and pleasantly lazy, they all disappeared into different corners of the villa, sleeping, reading, or doing whatever it was Mariona and Lia somehow managed to spend entire afternoons doing in bed.
You silently envied them.
The table looked like a battlefield by the time everyone was gone. Half-empty glasses next to crumpled napkins, olive pits on the table and breadcrumbs everywhere.
You stacked everything and scraped leftovers into the bin while the sun almost burned your neck.
After loading the dishwasher you poured yourself another coffee. The afternoon heat was pressing against the windows while the rich smell of garlic and grilled chicken still lingered in the kitchen. You leaned against the counter for a moment before setting the mug aside and getting back to work.
Dinner was going to be easy to prepare since you were planning to take most of the afternoon and evening off to visit your restaurant in Sóller.
You started with the filling, browning minced beef with onions, garlic and smoked paprika before adding black beans, sweetcorn and a splash of tomato passata. It simmered away while you cooked rice, chopped lettuce, diced tomatoes and grated an almost unreasonable amount of cheese. You made a quick yoghurt-lime sauce in a small bowl, and some fresh guacamole that you covered to keep it from browning.
Once everything had cooled, you lined up tortillas across the counter like an assembly line. A spoonful of rice, the beef mixture, cheese, a little sauce, then folded, tucked and rolled until each burrito sat seam-side down on the large chopping board.
In the meantime Jana had pulled out a deck of Uno cards from her backpack. “I’m team Alexia,” she announced before anyone had even sat down.
“Jana, that's not how Uno works,” Patri said dryly. “There are no teams. You'll manage to play yourself.“
You smiled to yourself as you wrapped the burritos individually in foil.
Within sixty seconds, the terrace had erupted into accusations of cheating. You honestly had no idea how.
“I HAD UNO!”
“You literally didn't!”
“I forgot to say it!”
“That's... the whole point of this game, Salma?”
You snorted quietly as you stacked the burritos in the fridge and took a look at your watch. 3 in the afternoon, perfect timing. Honestly, chopping vegetables at your restaurant sounded considerably more relaxing than their banter.
“You stacked a Draw Four?”
“You can stack Draw Twos!”
“Not Draw Fours!”
“Who made these rules? They are so stupid!”
You didn't even need to look to know that had been Kika.
“You’re not playing with us,” a familiar low voice said behind you. You turned around from the fridge. Alexia was leaning against the doorframe, a glass of water in one hand. Her face was carefully controlled.
You decided to ignore the unnecessary tension she was so determined to maintain. “I’m listening to your chaos from a safe distance,” you said with a chuckle.
Alexia watched you without saying anything.
“You don’t have to cook already,” she said eventually, gesturing toward the fridge.
“Dinner’s sorted.” You nodded toward it. “You only have to throw the burritos on the grill later.”
“We?”
You shrugged. “I’m heading to Sóller tonight. Need to check in at the restaurant.”
“Oh.”
It was only a single syllable, but the disappointment slipped through before she could hide it. Her eyes dropped for the briefest moment before she took another sip of water, as if she could wash the reaction away.
You bit back a smile. Good grief. A few days of mild flirting and she already looked personally offended by the idea of spending an evening apart.
“It’s only for a couple of hours,” you said, unable to stop yourself.
Alexia looked up immediately. “I know.”
“You’ll survive,” you teased.
One corner of her mouth tightened. “Hm.”
How long was she planning on keeping this ridiculous act up?
You reached for your keys from the bowl on the island. “The burritos are labelled,” you called over your shoulder as you slipped your shoes on. “Medium spice. Don’t let Patri convince you they need another chilli.”
“I can handle the grill,” Alexia simply replied.
“I’m trusting you with my reputation.”
“Oh, no pressure then,” she shot back half serious and half mocking.
You gave the kitchen one last glance to make sure everything was in its place before grabbing your bag. Protests followed you onto the terrace the second everyone realised you were leaving.
“You're abandoning us?”
“Who's going to settle the UNO rules?”
“Ask Alexia,” you said, already moving past them. “She's in charge now.”
“I absolutely am not,” Alexia muttered behind you, followed by objections from the others.
Grinning to yourself, you stepped out into the warm Mallorcan afternoon and headed for your van.
🍋
The familiar roads wound between dry stone walls and olive trees before opening up towards the coast. You rolled the windows down, letting the warm air fill the car, and by the time you parked outside the restaurant, your mind had already shifted gears.
A delivery van stood outside the kitchen entrance, and someone inside was laughing loudly enough for you to recognize the voice before you even walked through the door.
Enzo.
Your business partner looked up from a clipboard the moment you stepped into the kitchen.
“Hey there,” he grinned. “I was starting to think you'd replaced me with footballers.”
He pulled you into a warm hug before handing you the clipboard. “Everything's under control.”
You scanned the reservations almost automatically.
Completely booked, as expected.
“You already checked the delivery?”
“This morning.” He nodded.
“The fish?”
“In the walk-in.”
“The dessert prep?”
He pointed towards the pastry section. “Done.”
You looked around the kitchen. Everything was exactly where it should be. Everything was running exactly the way you'd hoped it would when the two of you had decided to become partners.
“You know,” Enzo said and wiggled his eyebrows at you, “you could actually take an afternoon off.”
You laughed. “I could.” You reached for a clean apron hanging beside the pantry and tied it behind your back. “But since I'm already here...”
He rolled his eyes with a smile. “I swear one day I'll convince you to relax.”
“You can try.” You winked at him. “I simply love this too much.”
He laughed, shaking his head as a ping of his phone indicated another order coming through the app.
Without another word, you stepped onto the line beside him, picked up a pan and slipped back into the rhythm that had become second nature years ago.
Friday
Shortly after midnight, you steered the van back up the driveway to the villa. The first distant rumble of thunder rolled across the hills as you switched off the engine. By the time you unlocked the front door, the wind had already picked up, warm air was pushing through the trees before the rain finally arrived. You lingered on the terrace for a moment, listening as the rain grew heavier and the thunder drew closer.
The villa was quiet. Apparently, everyone had managed to survive the burritos. You smiled to yourself as you slipped off your shoes and headed upstairs. After spending the evening back at the restaurant helping with dinner service, every part of you felt tired. Your feet ached, your shoulders were sore, and all you wanted was a hot shower and your bed.
Ten minutes later, you dried your hair with a towel, slipped on your cosiest pyjamas and disappeared beneath the duvet.
You’d always slept well during thunderstorms. Something about the constant rain made it easier, not harder.
Outside, rain hammered against the windows, thunder echoed through the valley, and every few minutes lightning briefly lit up your room.
You’d almost fallen asleep when you realized you’d forgotten to bring a glass of water upstairs. With a quiet groan, you pushed the blanket off again and padded into the hallway.
In the flash of another lightning strike, you noticed someone standing at the other end of the corridor. She shifted from one foot to the other before knocking on Alexia's door.
“Ale? Are you awake?”
Another flash lit up the hallway.
“Ale?” She sounded more pleading now.
The door opened and a strip of light fell onto the floor. “What is it,” she whispered, completely awake.
“I...”. Jana glanced towards the window as another clap of thunder shook the house. “Can I stay with you? I don't like thunderstorms.”
“Of course.” Alexia stepped aside without a second thought.
Before Jana disappeared into the room, she spotted you standing halfway down the hall and gave you a sheepish smile. You smiled back.
Alexia followed her gaze and looked over too, while Jana slipped past her. “Everything alright at home?”
You nodded.
A small smile crossed her face.
“Good night.”
“Night.”
She closed the door gently behind her. For one very brief, completely ridiculous moment, the thought crossed your mind that maybe she hadn't gone to bed yet because she'd been waiting for you to get home. You dismissed the idea almost as quickly as it had appeared.
🍋
By the time the first rays of sunlight reached the terrace, you had brewed two coffees. One was in front of you, the other sat untouched in front of the empty chair across the table. A peace offering.
You weren’t entirely sure what you were apologizing for. You hadn’t exactly done anything wrong. But watching her get all quiet and stubborn had been far more entertaining than it probably should have been.
The villa stayed quiet for another fifteen minutes before the sliding door finally opened and Alexia stepped outside.
She looked... exhausted. Not in a bad way. Just very, very tired. Her hair was slightly messy and there were dark shadows under her eyes.
She wore an oversized shirt instead of her running gear, and as soon as she spotted you, she rolled one shoulder before rubbing the back of her neck.
“No run today?” you asked, sliding the second cup towards her.
She looked at the coffee, then at you.
A sleepy smile appeared.
She sat down carefully, taking a grateful sip before closing her eyes for a second.
“Rough night?”
“Jana ended up sleeping in my bed the whole night.”She said quietly. “Turns out she's very active in her sleep.” She rubbed her eyes. “I think she managed to elbow me in the ribs three times.”
She winced again, rolling her shoulders.
Without thinking much about it, you nodded towards one of the loungers. “Come here.”
Alexia frowned.
“I'll fix it.”
“Are you a physio too,” she asked and lifted an eyebrow.
“Let’s say I've spent enough years carrying boxes and standing in kitchens. You learn a thing or two.” You shrugged.
She looked at you for a second, as if deciding whether to trust you with her body. Then she sat down on the edge of one of the loungers carefully. You moved behind her.
“Relax your shoulders.”
“They are relaxed.”
You placed your hands lightly on either side of her neck.
“They're really not.”
The muscles beneath your fingers were tight, harder than you'd expected. You pressed your thumbs into the base of her neck before working slowly across her shoulders.
Alexia let out a slow breath. “...Okay.”
“I told you I understand a thing or two about that,” you said quietly.
She grunted.
You smiled to yourself and continued, finding another knot near her shoulder blade.
“There?”
“Mhm.”
Her head tipped slightly to one side without her even noticing. “A little lower.”
You adjusted your hands. “There?”
A soft sigh escaped her. “... right there.”
For a while, neither of you spoke. The terrace was quiet, broken only by birdsong and the occasional rustling of leaves in the morning breeze.
A quiet moan escaped her mouth. “You're... really good with your hands.” she murmured.
You huffed. “That sounded worse than you hopefully intended.”
She chuckled. “I realized the second I said it.”
You felt her shoulders finally begin to loosen beneath your hands. “There you go.”
A small shiver ran across her arms as your thumbs found another tense spot.
She exhaled slowly. “I think I actually have goosebumps.”
“The breeze, probably,” you said innocently.
“Mhm.”
Before either of you could say anything else a sharp whistle cut across the terrace.
You both looked up. Mariona was leaning over the balcony she shared with Lia, wearing yesterday's oversized shirt, her hair sticking out in every direction.
She looked from Alexia to you. Then back again. “Good morning,” she called far too cheerfully.
Neither of you answered.
She grinned. “So…,” she rested both elbows on the railing. “Quick update.”
Alexia closed her eyes. “Oh no.”
“Have you two slept together yet, or are we still pretending this is a slow burn?”
Alexia pinched the bridge of her nose as you removed your hands from her neck and scratched your ear.
“Good morning to you too, Mario.” Alexia called.
“I'll take that as a no.” She winked.
From inside Lia's voice drifted out onto the balcony. “Schatz!”
“What?” Mariona turned around.
“Leave them alone.”
“I'm just asking what everyone else is wondering!” She shrugged innocently. “Keep me updated, will you?”
“You’re the first to know. Small island, much gossip, you know how it goes,” you replied in a mocking voice.
Alexia looked back at you, equal parts embarrassed and amused.
“Just… ignore her.” You waved her off and picked up your coffee before turning back to the villa. “I was planning to,” she called after you as you went inside.
🍋
Judging by the dark circles under almost every pair of eyes that wandered into the kitchen that day, the thunderstorm hadn't been particularly kind to anyone.
Which made today's breakfast an easy decision. You cracked half of the egg supply into a large bowl, whisked them with a splash of milk, salt, pepper and chopped chives. Then you cut thick slices of sourdough that went into the oven to toast while bacon sizzled in a large pan. The kitchen filled immediately with its familiar smell and even lured Lia and Mariona downstairs.
On another burner, mushrooms browned slowly in butter alongside cherry tomatoes until they started to blister. You sliced avocado, cut up a bowl of fresh fruit and set out Greek yoghurt, honey and granola for anyone who wanted something lighter.
The scrambled eggs were the last thing you made on low heat, with plenty of butter and constant stirring until they were soft and creamy.
By the time the last footballer wandered downstairs, rubbing sleep from their eyes, the kitchen smelled of coffee, toasted bread and butter.
“Please tell me that's all for us,” Patri mumbled.
You slid another slice of bacon onto the tray. “Considering half of you survived a thunderstorm and the other half survived Jana, I figured you'd earned a proper breakfast.” You winked at her as she loaded her plate.
By around eleven everyone had woken up properly and the villa came back to its usual chaos.
Outside, loud reggaeton blared from the speakers. You'd barely finished stacking the dishwasher when Kika burst into the kitchen, singing along to a song she only seemed to know every third word of.
“Chef!”
Before you could react, she grabbed your wrist and pulled you away from the island.
“Kika…”
“Dance with me!”
“I'm working.”
“Exactly. You're too serious.”
You laughed despite yourself as she spun you around the kitchen, narrowly avoiding the island.
“Come on, I want to see your moves before the party tomorrow.”
She spun you around again. “It’s more like a small local thing, you know. Lots of food stands, drinks,” you said.
“But there is a dance floor, right?” She wanted to know.
“Last time I went, yes,” you nodded. “I’m not sure this is my kind of party though,” you told her.
“But we won’t hide you in here,” she exclaimed.
You rolled your eyes but let her drag you through another exaggerated turn before gently pushing her away and reaching for the pan to clean it.
Kika leaned against the counter, still moving to the music.
“By the way…,” begun and you already didn't like that tone.
“...would you mind if I invited Lucía?”
You blinked.
"What?"
She shrugged like she'd just asked you to pass the salt. “She's hot.”
You stared at her for a second before snorting. “Go ahead.”
“Yeah?”
“She's my ex, Kika. Not my property.”
Good.” She grinned. “Just thought I'd check.”
“How considerate of you,” you said dryly and scrubbed the pan with some warm water.
“I have my moments.” She shrugged and winked at you before disappearing back onto the terrace, dancing the entire way out.
You just shook your head at the audacity. But then again… who doesn't need a little summer fling from time to time?
🍋
When you prepared lunch an hour later it was simple on purpose: pan con tomate, cheese, some olives and a board of anchovies with a squeeze of lemon.
By half past two, everyone had scattered into their usual afternoon comas. You'd cleared the table, eaten standing at the kitchen island like the professional you were, and escaped before Jana could rope you into another round of Uno.
The afternoon had settled into that slow kind of heat where even the cicadas sounded too lazy to make much of an effort.
At the far end of the lawn, beneath an old olive tree, stood a large daybed hidden behind sheer white curtains that shifted lazily whenever the breeze wandered through. From the terrace it almost disappeared entirely.
Exactly why you'd chosen it.
You kicked off your sandals, climbed onto the mattress and stretched out with your book resting open against your stomach. The linen above you filtered the sunlight into soft patches that drifted across the cushions whenever the curtains moved.
On the terrace Jana loudly accused someone of cheating at Uno for what had to be the third time that afternoon. Lia's feet skimmed absent-mindedly through the water, sending small ripples across the otherwise still surface.
You smiled to yourself.
This was nice.
You'd barely made it through two pages before your eyes grew heavy. With a quiet sigh, you let the book fall onto your chest and closed your eyes for a moment, listening to the breeze in the olive tree.
A strip of sunlight suddenly fell across your face.
You lifted an arm to shield your eyes and blinked against the brightness.
Alexia stood above you and held the linen back with one hand. She'd changed into a dark green bikini.
For a brief moment, you simply looked at her.
Honestly, she was becoming increasingly inconvenient to look at.
A lazy smile spread across her face.
“Are you hiding in here?”
“I prefer strategically avoiding people,” you replied. “But... yes.”
She laughed, glancing back towards the terrace before looking at you again.
“Mind if I hide with you?”
So much for being mad at you for absolutely no reason. But apparently, the coffee and the massage had done their job.
You shifted across the mattress, patting the empty space beside you. “I suppose I can make an exception.”
She climbed onto the daybed beside you, settling against the cushions. The mattress dipped beneath her weight, your body dipped slightly toward hers and you didn't bother to correct.
You felt the warmth of her skin against yours. It was soft and slightly sticky from sunscreen which was carrying that familiar scent of coconut and salt that seemed to follow her everywhere after a day by the pool. When you turned your head ever so slightly, a loose strand of her hair brushed across your nose. “Hi there.” You blinked against the light.
Alexia kept her eyes on her book. They were hidden behind the dark lenses of her sunglasses, but the corners of her mouth twitched as though she was trying, and definitely failing, not to smile.
You pushed yourself up onto one elbow, studying her for a moment longer.
She still kept her eyes on the book.
Okay then, challenge accepted.
You lifted your hand and let your fingers brush the skin on her waist. The touch was small but her breath caught, just for a fraction of a second.
“Ah, now I got your attention,” you murmured only centimeters from her face. You began to trace slow, lazy circles from her waist and onto her stomach. Her skin was warm and so soft.
She turned another page with deliberate calm, though the rhythm of her breathing never quite settled again.
“Do you mind if I get a little more comfortable,” you asked in a bittersweet voice.
One eyebrow lifted above her sunglasses. “More than this?”
A smile tugged at your lips. “If that's alright with you…”
You took her smile as a yes and shifted down carefully, turned a bit on the bed until your head came to rest in her lap.
The movement caused her to stop breathing for a second. Her center was even warmer then the rest of her body. For a brief second she simply looked down at you, her book forgotten in her hands. “Comfortable?” she asked quietly.
You flattered your eyelashes at her.
“...Very.”
She held your gaze for another heartbeat before taking a deep breath and leaning back against the cushions again.
A breeze slipped through the white curtains, carrying the scent of warm grass and rosemary into the little cocoon the two of you had somehow created.
For a while, neither of you spoke.
Then you felt her hand. Her fingertips settled lightly against your chest, drawing absent-minded circles through the fabric of your shirt.
Shit, she also knew how to play this game.
You pursed your lips as goosebumps spread across your arms before you could stop them.
Slowly, and curiously, her fingers started to circle your collarbone.
Apparently she had no intention of letting you have the upper hand.
“You know,” she murmured, “if someone pulls that curtain back…”
You breathed in long and deliberately. “I guess they'll find two people reading.” You smiled without opening your eyes.
“Oh, depends on how convincing you are,” she murmured as a quiet laugh escaped her. “Right now I don't think you're making this particularly believable.”
Her touch drifted lower until her fingers found the ink on your forearm. She traced the outline of one tattoo, then another, following the lines with feather-light touches. “So many stories,” she murmured.
“Hm,” was the only thing you could reply right now.
Her hand wandered a little further, over your shoulder this time, brushing a loose curl away from your neck before tracing your collarbone.
You kept your eyes closed and listened to the curtains above you.
Alexia smiled to herself as her fingertips resumed their lazy journey, never lingering long enough to demand attention, but never moving quickly enough to be ignored. They skimmed over your shoulder again, along your upper arm, before coming to rest for a brief moment at your upper chest.
Your breathing had become slightly more heavy. Her fingertips traced lower until they were circling just above your breast.
“You know,” she said teasingly, “I can do this whenever you want. Wherever you want.”
A reluctant smile tugged at your lips. She let the words hang there for a moment.
“You'd only have to ask.”
Your smile betrayed you long before your voice did. “I'll keep that in mind,” you murmured.
“Ale!”
You groaned internally.
“Ale, where are you?” Kikas voice traveled from the pool. “Let’s play some ball, I need you against these wannabes.”
Alexia took a long breath. “I guess, I can’t let her lose against Jana and Salma,” she smiled down at you.
“Hmm, I guess not,“ you said teasingly and reached for her arm. “I’ll remind you where we left off,” you told her and held her gaze for a moment, gently stroking her arm.
“Go get them then.” You pushed up from her lap and picked up your book again.
Alexia moved to the curtains and turned around. “The offer stands,“ she said in a low voice before she winked at you and disappeared.
Saturday
At 6:30, you were already on your way into Palma. The roads were still quiet except for delivery vans and a few cyclists. It was your favourite time.
The bell above the door chimed.
“Bon dia, Tía Catalina.”
The woman behind the counter looked up and smiled immediately.
“Oh, Y/N. Bon dia! I was beginning to think you’d found another butcher.”
“As if,” you dismissed the idea with a warm smile.
You stepped up to the glass display, taking in the day’s selection.
“What are we cooking today,” Catalina asked. She’d been one of your mother’s closest friends for as long as you could remember.
“I’m putting together a barbecue. Eight people.”
“Family?”
“Something like that,” you grinned.
She nodded, knowing you well enough not to press further. “What do you need?”
You pointed towards the beautifully marbled Galician ribeyes. “Four of those.”
She wrapped them carefully before looking back up. “What else?”
“And four Iberian pork secretos.”
“Ooh.” She smiled approvingly. “Beautiful batch this morning.”
“I can see that.” You scanned the rest of the display. “Then eight herb sausages, six chorizos for the grill… and two lamb chops.”
“Anything else?”
“A tub of your green chimichurri. I’d be stupid not to.” Catalina chuckled as she reached for one from the fridge.
“How’s your mother?” she asked while wrapping the last parcel.
“She’s good. I actually haven’t seen her in a couple of days. I’m working at a villa up in the hills at the moment.”
“So that’s where you’ve disappeared to.”
You nodded.
“Tell her I said hello. I haven’t made it to book club lately. I really should stop by again.”
“I will.” You smiled as she stacked the parcels into a wooden crate and pushed it across the counter.
“Enjoy your barbecue.”
“I will.”
After paying, you exchanged a warm goodbye before carrying everything back to your car.
🍋
By the time you pulled into the driveway, the villa was still asleep. You carried the crate straight into the kitchen, unpacked every wrapped parcel into the fridge and closed the door with a satisfied nod.
Breakfast didn’t take long. You set out the overnight oats you’d prepared the night before, sliced some fruit and filled a basket with the pastries you’d picked up on your way back from Palma.
While the espresso machine finished brewing, you grabbed two mugs and set them next to each other on the kitchen island just as footsteps approached.
Jana came down, still half asleep. “Oh, you’re the best,” she mumbled. Before you could say a word, she picked up one of the cups.
“That’s actually…” you pointed at the cup, then shook your head. “Nevermind.”
“You’ve literally saved my life,” she sighed. You just reached for another cup.
A minute later Salma appeared, dressed in shorts and a simple shirt and her sunglasses on her head. “Good Morning,” she said cheerfully.
“Morning.” You smiled at her.
Her eyes drifted on the fresh coffee. “Oh, perfect.” She grabbed the second cup.
“Actua…” you breathed in and out and turned to the machine again.
“Perfect, you’re awake,” she said, looking at Jana. “Should we head into Palma after breakfast?”
Jana looked up instantly. “Yes! I need something nice for tonight. I packed for the pool and beaches, but not for whatever Kika is planning with this party tonight.”
Lia stormed down the stairs. “Did you just say you’re heading for Palma?”
Jana nodded over the rim of her cup.
“Great, I’m in. There is this cute new shop in the city centre I wanted to check out.” She turned to the kitchen island. “Please tell me there’s coffee left.”
You looked at the empty space where the two cups had just been. “I’ll make some,” you sighed, wiping your hands on the towel. “Give me a second.”
You poured yourself another espresso and made one more for Lia to take upstairs to Mariona.
Jana clapped her hands together. “Perfect.” She looked around the kitchen. “Where’s Ale?”
“Probably still asleep,” Salma guessed.
“Probably in the shower, after her run,” you said without thinking.
They turned their heads to you. Lia slowly raised an eyebrow. “Are you two already syncing your schedules?”
“What?” You looked up. “No.”
A smile tugged at Salma’s lips. “You answered that awfully fast.” You shrugged. “She usually goes for a run before breakfast.” Lia tilted her head. “And you know that because…?”
You opened your mouth before thinking better of it. “She’s just…” You waved the thought away. “Never mind.”
Jana was already in the hallway.
“Ale!”
No answer.
“ALEXIA!”
Still nothing.
She cupped her hands around her mouth.
“A-LEX-I-A! Where are you?”
A door upstairs swung open. Patri leaned over the railing with an annoyed look. “Jana, go upstairs if you want to talk to her.” She shook her head. “Madre mía.”
“You don’t think she wants a quiet morning?” Lia called after Jana as she stormed upstairs. Jana waved dismissively without looking back. “She always wants a quiet morning. That’s exactly why she needs to come.”
She disappeared upstairs. “Ale! Come shopping with us! It’ll be fun, I promise!”
You took another sip of your coffee. “Good luck,” you muttered.
A moment later, Alexia’s voice came down the stairs. “I said no, Jana.”
You smiled into your mug.
“That wasn’t your final answer!” Jana protested.
A few moments later, she reappeared, closely following Alexia, who was drying her hair with a towel draped around her shoulders. “I already packed enough clothes,” Alexia said as she walked into the kitchen.
Jana refused to give up. “Enough clothes doesn’t involve a party outfit.”
“I don’t need a new party outfit.” Alexia gave back as you wordlessly handed her the cup of coffee that had been hers all along.
She smiled at you warmly.
“We’re not saying you have to buy anything.” Salma told her from across the kitchen. “You’ll probably leave with nothing,” Lia added.
Alexia wrapped both hands around her coffee and smelled it. “Which is exactly why I don’t need to go.”
Jana let out an exaggerated sigh before walking over to her. “Please,” she whined, “I need you to tell me when I’m about to make a terrible decision. And you just happen to be best dressed in Liga F.
Alexia smiled into her coffee. And Jana caught it immediately. “Ha, you’re so predictable, my little fashionista,” she reached over and pinched Alexia’s cheek.
Alexia smacked her hand away.
“I promise, you don’t have to shop.” Jana’s voice softened. “Just come with us. For moral support,” she said, fluttering her eyelashes.
Alexia let out a quiet breath through her nose. “…Fine,” she sighed. “But let me finish my coffee first.”
Jana beamed. “We’ll be super quick.”
Alexia took another sip of her coffee. “I already regret saying yes.”
Jana looped an arm through hers anyway. “Come on, my moral support.”
With the others gone, the villa became noticeably quieter.
You put on some music and started working. The chicken went into a marinade with lemon, garlic, rosemary and smoked paprika. The pork secreto only got olive oil, salt and pepper, while the ribeyes stayed plain as they were.
You chopped vegetables for the grill, made a tomato salad, mixed herb butter and prepared a dressing for the green salad.
The only thing left to do that afternoon was light the barbecue and cook.
🍋
By the time the last plates had been cleared, everyone agreed that the barbecue had been the perfect foundation for the night ahead.
Kika put on a playlist for the evening just as everyone disappeared to get ready.
Jana was the first one back downstairs, wearing the oversized striped shirt and loose white linen trousers she’d bought that morning. She spread her arms. “See? Worth it,” she beamed.
“I told you it would be.” Salma laughed as she joined her in a dark linen set she’d picked up.
Lia came down a few minutes later in the white summer dress she’d tried on three different times before finally deciding to buy it.
Mariona looked up from the sofa and smiled. “You look beautiful.” Lia’s cheeks coloured slightly.
Alexia appeared a moment later in black trousers and a white linen shirt, the sleeves casually rolled to her forearms. Her hair was down and fell over her shoulder in waves.
Apparently she had the unfair ability to make the simplest outfit look like it belonged on the front page of a magazine.
Jana looked her up and down before shaking her head. “You know what’s annoying?”
Alexia raised an eyebrow.
“You always look good.”
A small smile appeared on Alexia’s face. “I’ll take that as a compliment.” She nudged Jana’s shoulder playfully.
As Patri emerged from the kitchen with a bottle of tequila, as you leaned beside Alexia on the kitchen island. Your arms brushed as you leaned in just enough for only her to hear. “For the record,” you murmured, “you don’t just look good.”
She turned her head slightly towards you.
“You look hot in that outfit.”
The corner of her mouth lifted. “You’re one to talk,” she replied quietly.
“So, who’s in?” Patri asked loudly, nodding toward the bottle. “One before we leave.”
Nobody argued. You grabbed a knife and cut a few of Juan’s lemons into wedges while Patri passed the shot glasses around and filled them one by one.
🍋
“Uber’s here,” Mariona called about half an hour later. As everyone grabbed their bags and headed for the door, you slipped your phone into your pocket and scraped the lemon rinds into the bin.
Alexia handed you the last few glasses to put into the dishwasher. When you closed it, she was still standing there, watching you.
“You ready?” You looked at her.
She nodded but didn’t move.
“Hey.” You frowned and stepped closer. “Everything okay?”
When you stopped in front of her, she reached out and lightly touched your forearm, as if she needed somewhere for her hand to be.
“You know…“, she began, “there’ll probably be a lot of people taking pictures tonight.”
“Oh, your agency already made me sign a non-disclosure agreement,” you joked. “I won’t leak anything, promise.” You held up two fingers.
“No.” Alexia smiled, shaking her head. “That’s not what I meant… I just...”
She took a deep breath. “I’ll keep my distance from you tonight.”
She searched your face to make sure you understood.
You smiled at her teasingly. “You mean the Barça star footballer shouldn’t be seen with the girl from the island?”
She huffed. “I’m just a girl from Mollet who happens to be good with a ball on her feet. And who’s actually pretty smitten with a certain Michelin star chef from Mallorca.”
“Oh, so now you’re flirting with me?” You kept teasing her.
“Well, I’m trying here,” she smiled while her fingers caught the hem of your shirt and tugged lightly. She looked up again, there was something shy in her eyes. “Just from a safe distance.”
You tilted your head slowly. “Well...,” you mused, “I really can’t promise that I can do that.” You brushed the back of her hand with your fingertips. Neither of you managed to look away.
You felt that familiar pull low in your stomach. It made your breath stutter slightly. Her fingers traced yours, the touch barely there.
Your eyes flickered to her mouth.
She wetted her lips.
She leaned in.
“I swear, if you two are making out in there, I’m charging you for waiting time!”
Jana’s voice came up the driveway.
Alexia inhaled deeply. Then her mouth curved millimetres away from yours. “I think we need to go,” she murmured.
You nodded slowly, then took her hand, intertwined your fingers and squeezed them gently before letting go again as you stepped outside together.
🍋
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a/n I had to split it here, but we’ll get to see more of their Saturday and the party in the next part.
