“I thought I ought to check you’re okay with this?” He watched her, searching for the girl he’d once known. Once loved even…
“Okay with what?” She raised an eyebrow, drying her hands on a tea towel.
It’s like that is it?
“Okay with me being here. You know, given our history.”
“Of course it’s okay.” She shrugged. “Why wouldn’t I be alright with it?”
That’s me told then…
“No reason I suppose. If you’re okay then that’s…great. Only if you wanted, I could try to find some other accommodation? I’m not sure we’d manage to find somewhere for all four of us but I could try…”
God this was hard.
“Don’t be ridiculous.” A spark of irritation flashed in her eyes, flaring into full-blown annoyance. “Why on earth would you do that? You’d end up paying twice. Holly and Scott wouldn’t refund you at such short notice; no one would.”
Why on earth? So it’s just me this has thrown then, is it?
Obviously.
His heart felt inexplicably heavy and his head pounded. The last thing he wanted tonight was another night out drinking. He needed a clear head.
How he was going to clear these thoughts from his mind was a headache in itself. Seeing Amy had rocked him to his foundations. He wanted to talk to her, to reconnect to the girl who’d been his best friend at university as well as his lover.
If only he’d known how rare that had been, instead of taking it for granted and assuming all relationships would be like that. How had he managed to lose touch with the person he was back then, not to mention his friends? None of the guys here with him this week had known him longer than a few years. Coping with the challenges of a new job and moving abroad had cut him off. He’d let it happen. And he’d paid dearly for his mistakes.
“Was that all you wanted?” Amy asked sharply. Where had her usual sunny smile and good nature gone? He missed the cheeky, smily girl he’d met in fresher’s week. He hadn’t seen a single genuine smile from her since he’d got here.
“Right, yes. I was wondering what time we’re eating?”
“Seven o’clock. The same as last night.” She turned her back to him, taking a pan drying from the draining board and plunging it into the soapy water again. Hadn’t she already washed that?
“Great, well, I’ll see you then.” He forced a friendly smile to his face but quickly abandoned the attempt. After all, she wasn’t even watching, so what was the point?
He shrugged and left the room. His muscles ached from the pistes that day; there’d been too much time at his desk lately. It’d been good to get out in the fresh air. But his head ached even more. He’d grab some ibuprofen; one of the guys must have something with them. If not then he’d ask one of the other chalet girls. Not Amy.
He knocked on Matt’s door before entering his room.
“Got anything for a sore head?” He grimaced at Matt.
“Hair of the dog?” Matt glanced up at him from his iPod and gestured to the bottle of duty free vodka on the bedside table.
Josh winced. “No, I was thinking more of headache tablets.”
“I think there’s some in my wash bag. Check the en-suite.” Matt took a swig from the bottle. “You’re not turning into a lightweight on us, are you?”
“Hmm.” Josh rummaged in the bathroom and took a couple of tablets. “Maybe we could give the bars a miss tonight?”
“And miss S Lodge? Weren’t we going there tonight?”
“STD lodge more like. Isn’t that what the seasonnaires call it?” Josh snorted. He shook his head and instantly regretted it. Christ that hurt. “We could just hang out here.”
“We could give the Jacuzzi a go.” Matt’s eyes gleamed. “And we can get the chalet girls to join us. Great thinking mate.”
“Well, er…” Josh frowned. This was going to be difficult. He didn’t need the added complications. But then…Amy didn’t seem to give a stuff. “Maybe.”
It would be better than giving his liver another battering.
Who are you trying to kid?
“Think they’d be up for a bit of fun?” Matt took another slug of vodka. “I like the look of that little blonde with the green eyes and the heart shaped face, Amy I think her name is.”
Ice trickled down Josh’s spine. “I’m sure there are rules about them dating guests.” Josh frowned.
“Rules are made to be broken.” Matt winked back.
Josh watched Matt at dinner and saw his eyes flicker over Amy’s breasts when she bought their starters to the table.
He wanted to throttle him.
“These look nice,” Josh gestured towards the goat’s cheese tartlets. “Did you make them yourself?”
“I helped to make them, yes.” She avoided his eye and slid into her seat.
He took a sip of water but before he’d even picked up his cutlery Amy leapt out of her seat and darted towards him, eyes wide with anxiety.
“I’m sorry, I’ve given you the wrong plate.” She snatched his tartlet away before he had time to pick up his cutlery. “This one’s mine, it’s er…gluten free pastry. Have this one instead.”
“She put her own plate in front of him.
“You’re gluten intolerant? Since when?” he asked, the words escaping from his mouth before he could stop them.
Everyone stared, expressions ranging from blank to curious. He wondered if anyone knew they’d dated. He’d not said anything to the guys because, well, it was private stuff. Had Amy told the other chalet girls?
Probably. Girls talked about that stuff, didn’t they?
“It’s just I’m sure I saw you eat a croissant at breakfast,” he added.
Thank God he’d dodged that bullet! At least he hoped he had. He could really do without his relationship with Amy getting out. He’d never hear the end of it.
“That was a…er…special croissant,” Amy said tersely, picking at the tartlet she’d taken from him and pushing it around the plate. “It was made with gluten free flour.”
He watched her; his own appetite had vanished too, despite the day’s skiing. Mountain air usually made him ravenous. He wanted to get Amy by herself. He needed to talk to her.
“Aren’t you going to eat
