the back. Tom is standing right in front of me.
I clutch the Pringles tube to my chest like a miniature comfort blanket. My heart is pounding and panic is swirling through me like a baby tsunami.
‘I didn’t mean to startle you,’ he replies, managing to look amused and concerned all at the same time. I open my mouth but the words won’t come out. I have to get back to my room. I drop the Pringles tube and leg it as fast as I can, slamming the adjoining door behind me.
Back in my room, and I’m trembling all over with the shock and shame of the too-close encounter. I pull off the manky underwear and ram it into the rubbish bin before flinging open the door to the minibar and grabbing two Jack Daniel’s miniatures. I run into the bathroom, locking the door behind me. Feeling mortified, I guzzle one whiskey after the other, fling an enormous white fluffy towel around my body and punch out Sam’s number.
‘What’s the matter?’ In between hiccups I describe the moment of horror to her. ‘OH MY GOD. OH MY ACTUAL GOD …’ She keeps shrieking it over and over. ‘He’s there. How exciting … well, he’ll certainly take your mind off James,’ she giggles. ‘Sorry, I don’t mean to laugh, but look, keep calm, it’s not that bad.’
Not that bad? It’s a total embarrassment, off the scale even by my standards.
‘It’s horrendous,’ I manage to say, dramatically, before letting out another ricochet of hiccups. I put my phone down beside the bath and, pinching my nose, I hold my breath for a count of five in a desperate attempt to steady my breathing.
‘Are you still there?’ Sam’s voice trills out from the phone. I pick it back up.
‘Yes, just trying to clear these bloody hiccups.’ I hiccup again.
‘Oh dear, it must be bad,’ Sam giggles, remembering how this happened at school whenever I got totally overwhelmed.
‘Bloody right it is. I have to spend the whole night here with him in the next room thinking I’m some kind of lunatic stalker woman with a fetish for themed knickers,’ I say, and burst into a fit of nervous laughter, punctuated by more hiccups. Sam is laughing too, and for a moment neither of us can talk. I can’t believe I’ve made such a show of myself in front of him – yet again. ‘Oh God,’ I groan, as fresh waves of mortification wash over me.
Sam is the first to recover.
‘Right! Fetish woman, get yourself together, and if Tom says anything about, the … err, encounter,’ she pauses momentarily to have another chuckle, ‘then, like I always tell you, just laugh it off.’
‘Laugh it off?’ I say, incredulously. ‘Oh Tom, I just love prancing around in other people’s bedrooms in my manky underwear, it’s such a hoot.’ We both chortle again, with me venturing into hysteria territory.
‘Well, you could always pretend you don’t know anything about it. Like you were sleepwalking or something.’ There’s a short silence. ‘I know! Tell him you have narcolepsy.’ We both crack up laughing again.
‘But I was still in his bloody bedroom and I shouted at him for startling me, so that’s not going to work, is it?’
‘Well, just brave it out. But don’t – whatever you do – apologise. He probably couldn’t believe his luck in any case.’
‘Now you’re being ridiculous. He’s probably on the phone to Maxine right now, telling her what an idiot I am, and to bin me as soon as she’s got enough sales commission out of me.’
‘Hardly. Stop being so paranoid.’
‘I can’t. Ever since she turned up, my nerves have been all over the place.’ I let out a feeble laugh.
‘Well, you deserve a bit of fun then … and it was only a couple of dates with James. And I have to say that he wasn’t exactly slow in condemning you, was he?’ I mull over what she’s said, and I know that she has a point. I’m just not sure I’m quite ready to hear it.
‘Oh, I don’t know, part of me thinks that James just needs more time, he’s bound to be suspicious and unwilling to trust after what he’s been through with his wife cheating, but Tom … well, he’s sooo hot, but he’s shagging Maxine.’ I pause to fantasise about him for a bit, he really is gorgeous. ‘But whenever he and I are alone there’s a spark … something. I don’t know what the game is.’ There’s a silence while I try and work it out. ‘Listen to me, like I even stand a chance with him,’ I say, rapidly coming to my senses. ‘Anyway, it doesn’t say much about my loyalty if I just turn my attentions to Tom now.’
‘But you don’t owe James anything, and so what if Maxine and Tom have got some stupid game going on? Personally I don’t think so. No, I think you’re letting your paranoia get the better of you. You fancy the pants off him, so just go for it. Grab him with both hands … one on each bum cheek,’ she urges. ‘You never know, he could be your Valentine date, imagine that?’ And for a brief moment I try, but the thought is just so ridiculous I can’t even seem to get an image of it in my head.
‘Have you finally gone mad?’ I laugh, trying to change the subject.
‘Well, think about it at least. Anyway, how do you know he’s shagging Maxine? I’ll ask Nathan.’ And before I can shout ‘NOOO!’ I hear her muffled voice quizzing him. My insides churn – what if it gets back to Tom that I’ve been asking about him? The shame of it. ‘Right, Nathan says that as far as he knows he’s not a player. A true gentleman, apparently. But then he only knows him from the club … but he agrees with me, and I say just go for it.’
‘Stop it. I can’t believe we’re even having this conversation,’ I say, wishing I’d never mentioned it.
‘Remember what I said about James, and I was right then, wasn’t I?’
‘Yes. But that was totally different. He was happily married, or so I thought, and besides he asked me out. And we’ve been friends for ages.’
‘OK. So next time you’re alone with Tom … well, just try flirting a bit.’ There’s a scratchy sound, as if Sam has dropped the phone, but then I hear her telling Nathan that it’s ‘girls’ talk’. ‘Sorry about that, I don’t want him hearing my seduction secrets,’ she laughs.
‘So are you having a good weekend?’ I ask, keen to change the subject.
‘Faab-u-lous.’ I hear Sam squealing, followed by a squelchy sound that I guess to be Nathan’s lips. ‘Georgie, I have to go. But try to have fun. And remember … one on each cheek!’
The line goes dead. For a few minutes I ponder on everything Sam said. The idea is ludicrous. But perhaps I am just being paranoid – even Eddie seems to think so. I allow myself a moment to indulge in fantasising about Tom, before dragging myself back to reality. He’s probably in his room right now, laughing his head off.
25
The hotel lounge is deserted when I eventually make it back down, but then I am half an hour late.
‘Can you tell me which way the pier is, please?’ I ask a passing uniformed girl, figuring it won’t be too hard to catch up with the others, given the size of the group.
‘Sure,
