The driver spoke to the man behind the reception desk and deposited Liv’s suitcase. He touched his cap and said goodbye to her.

The receptionist tapped on his keyboard. “Welcome to Croatia, Ms. Starling. I hope you had a pleasant journey.” Tap, tap, tap. “May I have your passport please?”

Liv shifted uncomfortably. She’d not thought to bring Essie’s passport along and only had her own. Her hand shook as she fumbled in her handbag and handed it to him.

The man opened it up and frowned. “Madam?” he questioned, turning it around to show her the photograph. “This appears to be the wrong one. This is for Olivia Green.”

Liv stared at it and didn’t blink. “Yes, I’m Ms. Starling’s assistant,” she said, affecting a posher accent. “Her passport will be in her suitcase. I’m seeing her shortly.”

“Hmm.” He raised an eyebrow. “The driver said you were Ms. Starling. Perhaps a silly mistake, yes?”

Liv nodded. “Must be. May I also check in for Ms. Starling, please? I’ll pass the room card on to her.”

The man hesitated for the longest time. “That is absolutely fine,” he said eventually. “My fiancée is a huge fan of Ms. Starling’s books. Please bring her passport to me when you can. I’m pleased to upgrade her room to our honeymoon suite.”

Liv shoved the passport back into her bag. “Splendid,” she said. After he handed both room cards to her, she hurried toward the staircase.

“Ms. Green,” the man called after her. “Your suitcase...”

Liv looked down at her empty hands and clenched them into fists. She performed a shuffle, not sure whether to move backward or forward. “Oh, yes. Sorry.”

“No problem,” he said. “I’ll have it brought up to your room.”

When Liv reached her own bedroom, it was compact and gorgeous with a view of the gardens from the window. By some miracle her suitcase was already waiting for her, and she carried it up two flights of stairs to look at Essie’s honeymoon suite. Wow, Liv thought as she opened the door.

The floor space was as big as all three of her bedrooms at home combined. It came with a lounge area and small kitchen. She whooped as she bounced up and down on the squishy leather sofa and gazed through the sliding doors that lead to a terrace with a sea view. The bathroom housed a jacuzzi with steps leading up to it, a bidet and two marble sinks.

After Liv and Jake’s wedding, they’d spent a couple of nights at a country hotel for their honeymoon. She’d thought the bathrobes, fluffy slippers and croissants on the breakfast table were the height of luxury, but they didn’t compare to this.