Revenge of a Chalet Girl

Lorraine Wilson

A division of HarperCollinsPublishers

www.harpercollins.co.uk

Contents

Lorraine Wilson

Dedication

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

Love Romance?

About HarperImpulse

Copyright

About the Publisher

Lorraine Wilson

I live in Wiltshire with my husband but love to travel and have lived in four continents. From playing amidst Roman ruins in Africa as a child to riding a Sultan's racehorse in the Middle East as a teen, I’ve many experiences to draw on for the stories I’ve been writing ever since I can remember. When I’m not writing you'll find me listening to audiobooks while I sew or design handbags, usually with a rescue terrier or two curled up on my feet!

A big thank you to the team at Harper Impulse but also special thanks to David, Lilian and Doug for all your support. x

CHAPTER ONE

No, no, no!

Amy’s heart leapt wildly about her chest, pounding even harder than it had the time she’d tried a spinning class.

It has to be a different Josh Carter. It has to be!

Despite the crackling fire in the fireplace and cosy underfloor heating, Amy shivered.

“Are you okay there, Amy? Have you got those tree decorations? We’re running out of time, especially if Scott and Holly have a clear run back from Geneva Airport,” Sophie called out from the open plan living area.

“Er, yes.” Amy hastily put the bookings print out back by the telephone. That would teach her for being nosy. She picked up the cardboard box full of Christmas lights, glass icicles and shiny red baubles and walked into the room, taking it over to Sophie.

It’s not my Josh, it can’t be…

“Great.” Sophie twisted her caramel-blonde hair up into a ponytail and got up from the cowhide sofa to take the box from her. “I think we’ll have enough now.”

They both looked at the non-drop Christmas tree that soared up to the double height ceiling in the corner opposite the fireplace. They’d already put two boxes worth of decorations onto the tree and were fast running out of time before a minibus full of guests descended on them.

Tash and Amelia walked in, carrying four mugs of hot chocolate between them.

“Drink up, I’ve made them Irish.” Tash winked at Amy who attempted a weak smile but it felt forced and unnatural. A reflection on how she was feeling - disconnected from her surroundings.

If it was her Josh Carter she needed the alcohol. And the chocolate. In fact she’d need a shedload more of both…

“Thanks.” Amy took her mug and tried to let the Michael Buble tracks playing softly in the background get her into the Christmas mood. Candles flickered on the windowsill and thick flakes of snow fell steadily outside, the sky so white it felt like they were immersed in the snow cloud.

It should be perfect. She had been looking forward to Christmas, even though she’d be working. There’d be parties, skiing and snow…

But now her mind was full of Josh, the thoughts had latched on, unshakeable. Memories of the last Christmas they’d shared together at his parents’ house in Devon taunted her. Josh had saved up to buy her a silver hare brooch, he’d always joked she was like a hare, full of bounce and a bit wild. If anyone had suggested it was going to be the last time she’d celebrate it with him she’d have laughed.

Unthinkable.

She lifted the mug to her lips and swallowed a lump of pain down with the warm chocolate. The instant rush of sugar helped to take the sting away a little. She was used to swallowing down pain when it came to Josh. She’d had a lot of practice.

Christmas in Verbier had sounded such fun. Far better than going home to her parents and being asked if she’d met any nice boys yet, or when was she was going to settle to a ‘proper’ job?

“Anyone know anything about the guests coming today?” She tried to sound casual, getting down on her knees on the cowskin rug to sort out the Christmas lights, testing the bulbs so she wouldn’t have to look any of the girls in the eye. Sharing a dorm room meant they all knew each other pretty well.

Sometimes too well.

Tash was only too happy to share the gory details of her latest sexual conquests. How she got away with the things she got up to Amy didn’t know. Luckily for Tash, Scott and Holly were great to work for and made it clear that what their staff got up to in their own time was their own business.

“I think it’s a stag party.” Sophie flopped back on the sofa with her mug and a packet of silver strands to untangle.

Amy and Amelia groaned but Tash whistled. “Just think of the tips, girls.”

“But what will they expect us to do for those tips?” Amelia pulled a face. “Don’t you remember the time that stag group made us have a drinking competition to compete for our tips?”

“Hey, you might enjoy it. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.” Tash retorted. “Anyone’d think you were forty-six, not twenty-six.”

“Where are they from? Oh crappitty, crap, crap…” Amy cursed as the plastic casing of one of the lights snapped in her fingers. She’d have to make sure that one went around the back of the tree.

“Who?” Tash stared at her curiously.

Really, that girl had the attention span of a gnat. Either that or she was being uncannily perceptive.

“The stag party of course.” Amy’s jaw clenched with the effort of trying to sound casual. Really, she wanted to grab hold of Sophie and shake the details out of her.

“Not sure,” Sophie replied, sipping at her chocolate, fixing her hazel eyes on Amy. “Why?”

Why indeed?

Amy couldn’t think of a reasonable answer. Not one she wanted to give, anyway. She shrugged, “Just wondering.”

“Fancy your chances with one of them do you?” Tash asked. “Decided to stop being so choosy?”

“Leave her alone Tash.” Sophie got to her feet and came over to the box of decorations, emptying and sorting it with her usual efficiency. “Don’t you want the field left clear for yourself?”

“There’s plenty to go around and you’ve got to be generous at Christmas, haven’t you?” Tash replied, grinning.

Amy fumbled with the lights, almost dropping them as she passed the string up to Amelia, now up on the stepladder next to the tree. Every muscle in Amy’s body tensed and a familiar tight sensation had gripped her chest. She tried to reassure herself.

There were other Joshua Carters. There was absolutely no reason why it should be him. She’s never heard him express an interest in skiing when they’d been together.

No, but you can bet he has the kind of friends who ski…who might invite him on their stag weekend.

She glanced at the clock on the wall, feeling positively twitchy. If the flight had arrived on time she’d find out soon enough. Her stomach lurched and when a wave of nausea washed over her, she dropped the end of the string of lights.

“What’s up?” Amelia called down, flicking her straight blonde hair over her shoulder and fixing cool blue eyes on her.

“Sorry, I need the loo,” Amy practically raced out of the room, ignoring the curious looks of the others and not waiting for a reply.

Instead of heading for the bathroom, she raced outside, desperate for fresh air, needing to breathe again. This hadn’t happened to her for years. She’d never had panic attacks before, well, before her life had imploded, leaving her crushed under the debris.

But she’d moved on from that bleak time, hadn’t she? Had been depression-free for years, yet now it seemed to hover like a dark cloud on the horizon.

She focused on the view, on the dramatic plunge down into the valley, the alpine range soaring into the sky and the miles upon miles of pristine, powder snow. If she didn’t anchor herself in the here and now she feared the past would catch up with her and sweep her away.

I should be over this…

The sunshine was warm on her face, despite the chilly wind. She inhaled the fresh mountain air, slowly deepening her breathing and trying to employ the special yoga techniques she’d learnt in class.

So many gym classes. So many attempts to keep busy, to keep moving so she wouldn’t have to think. Now she’d been casually shoved off the precipice she’d painstakingly clawed her way up. Just by seeing his name on a list.

Great progress Amy. You thought you were doing so well but look at you!

She persevered with the breathing and located her backbone.

Get it together.

She wouldn’t let it get to her.

“It isn’t Josh,” she whispered fiercely to the mountains as though speaking it aloud could make it true. If only she were free to go skiing this afternoon, that would’ve made her feel better. She needed a nice endorphin rush to flush the negative feelings out of her system.

And if it is Josh I’m going to give him hell. He won’t get the satisfaction of seeing me looking defeated. He needs to see I’m over him.

Even if it isn’t true.

The sun, now low in the sky, disappeared behind a lone dark-grey cloud and she shivered, wrapping her arms around her body.

I can do this.

Back in the chalet, she found Sophie and Amelia had gone into overdrive. The tree was decorated and it sparkled silver and red, reflecting the light of the candles they’d lit and placed around the room. All the decorations were tasteful. No gaudy tinsel here.

Yet a bit of her felt nostalgic for her tacky childhood Christmases. Mum would be bustling around at home now wearing her special Christmas apron, listening to carols on the radio and making mince pies. The house would be adorned with decorations they’d had for twenty or more years, including the angel Amy had made when she was six.

Amy grabbed her unfinished hot chocolate and gulped it down, trying hard to focus on all the skiing she’d be able to do this winter. Not to mention the parties. She’d be able to keep busy, so busy she wouldn’t have to think.

“Could you go and check the cakes?” Tash asked, standing in her socks on the back of a dark leather chair and fastening what looked suspiciously like mistletoe to one of the beams. The pink streaks in her hair looked pretty cool in the candlelight. She’d been experimenting again.

“Okay.” Amy turned back round again to go to the kitchen. “You know, I’m pretty sure Holly didn’t ask for mistletoe.”

“You’ve got to make your own opportunities girl. You have so much to learn.” Tash called out after her.

Hmm, maybe I should. It might be nice to meet someone.

Amy mentally pulled down the shutters on the past. It was time to move on; maybe a guy could help her do that?

As she pulled the trays from the oven she heard the crunch of tyres on the gravel outside, followed by voices. She quickly turned the first cake out onto a wire tray to cool and had picked up the second when the group spilled chaotically from the hallway into the kitchen.

“That smells amazing! I’m bloody starving, the food on the plane was crap.” A large man with a thatch of blonde hair, the build of a rugby player and the face of an eager puppy advanced towards her, hand outstretched as though to grab the cake, tray and all.

The kitchen was so chaotic she couldn’t properly scan the group for Josh.

She caught Holly’s eye and Holly shrugged apologetically, surreptitiously raising her eyes to the ceiling.

“If you could all come this way there’s a welcome drink for you by the fire,” Holly announced to the group, attempting to shepherd them away from the kitchen. At the word ‘drink’ they instantly obeyed. “Amy will bring the cakes through once they’ve cooled.”

Amy anxiously trailed her gaze over every member of the group as the kitchen emptied. Even though, deep down, she was expecting Josh, it was still a shock when he turned to face her. She met his eyes – dark eyes the colour of bitter coffee, fixed on her, mirroring her shock. His mouth opened as though he were going to speak but he abruptly closed it again.

He was just the same, but not, somehow. A little broader in the chest perhaps, his complexion tanned and sun-kissed, his dark hair cropped closer to his head than she was used to. Stubble on his face too.

But still him. Oh God, it was still Josh.

The second cake tin slipped out of her hand and crashed to the slate floor taking the oven mitt with it. It landed cake-side down. She scrambled down onto the floor to grab it, glad of an excuse not to have to speak to Josh, not to have to look. Stupidly, not thinking, she grabbed the tin with her now bare hand and cursed when it burnt her hand in the process.

“Ow, shit…shhhugar,” she squeaked, catching Holly’s eye and putting her hand to her mouth, her own eyes widening in horror. “Sorry, I’m so sorry.”

She kept her eyes on the broken cake on the tiles, not daring to lock eyes with Josh again. She felt…she wasn’t sure.

Overwhelmed might just about cover it.

“It doesn’t matter. We’ve all done it.” Holly replied briskly, ushering the last of the group, including Josh, firmly out of the kitchen. She then grabbed the mitt and retrieved the cake from the floor. “Run your hand under a cold tap. It’s a shame they saw it happen, otherwise we could’ve brushed it off or cut the top off and iced it. The floor is clean after all.”

“Really?” Amy went to the sink and turned on the cold tap, her cheeks hot. The pain helped somehow, it gave her something physical to focus on. Even the numbing cold water felt good. The numbness seemed to spread, creeping through her body and clinging to her mind, freezing her thoughts.

“Yes, you’re not the first person to drop a cake and you won’t be the last. That’s why I’ve got a secret weapon stashed away where no one will find it.” Holly went to a cupboard and pulled out Tupperware containers of dried lentils, retrieving a tin of luxury chocolate biscuits from behind them. “I have to hide the biscuits from Scott or he’d snaffle them. They’ll do to go with the apple cake. Everyone likes a chocolate biscuit.”

Holly then walked over to examine Amy’s burn. “Are you okay?”

“I’m not, um, feeling that great. A bit sick ,” Amy replied, gazing down at the sink. It wasn’t a lie. She felt like she might throw up.

“Go and have a lie down then, that’s an order,” Holly said kindly. “We can manage the welcome bit and it’s not your turn to do dinner tonight is it?”

“Er, thanks. If you’re sure.” Heat crept up Amy’s neck. “I think I could do with a lie down.”

A lie down. A stiff drink. And a fast car to get me out of here to Geneva Airport.

What the hell was she going to do now?

“I’ve missed you,” Josh murmured in her ear, so close she could smell his aftershave and taste his skin. The recognition jolted her body as violently as an electric shock.

She moaned, pressing herself closer, willing him to touch her.

Thankfully she didn’t have long to wait. Without any preamble, Josh kissed her as though they’d never been apart, his hands sliding up beneath her nightdress and squeezing her bottom.

His tongue probed into her mouth and she welcomed it enthusiastically, wanting him deeper and deeper.

She parted her legs, wet for him as she pressed hard up against him, wanting his hands and lips on her breasts, and his tongue between her legs. Wanting him with a ferocity that took her breath away.

Wanting him more than she’d ever wanted anything.

It felt so delicious, and utterly exquisite being with him again. It felt completely right. Like coming home.

Her body remembered his, remembered how well they fitted together, like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. Hungrily, fervently she explored his firm flesh, her hands running up under the fabric of his t-shirt and snaking down to feel the hard bulge in his jeans.

“Josh,” she gasped, wanting his clothes off, needing him to take her. “Josh, I need you.”

“Amy,” he whispered into her hair. “Amy, I…”

Then, with a sickening lurch she heard someone calling her name and she woke up, disoriented. She was not in Josh’s arms after all but in the dorm room, in her bunk bed. Alone.

“Keep it down will you? Some of us are trying to sleep!” Amelia called out from the bunk below.

Blinking in confusion, Amy tried to adjust to cold reality as her dream faded. But her body throbbed as though he’d really been touching her and for a few moments she wanted to hold onto the sensation, wanted to stay in the dream where everything had magically been okay again.

“Not so fast,” Tash said. In the dim light provided by the moonlight she was just visible in the bunk opposite. She’d turned on her side and was facing Amy. “So, who were you dreaming about?”

“Why? Oh no, was I talking in my sleep?” Amy groaned and shifted on her bunk. “Really?”

“Not exactly talking, I’d call it moaning.” Sophie called out.

“And writhing, you were making the bed frame creak,” Amelia added, clearly disgruntled. Amy wished she could melt away.

“Um, sorry.” She wanted to shrink back under her bedclothes.

“Who’s Josh?” Tash asked.

“Oh God, this is hideously embarrassing.” Amy pulled the duvet up over her head.

“It’s only sex,” said Tash.

“Hmm.” Amy winced beneath the covers. “I’m not really sure…”

Only sex? There was nothing ‘only’ about sex with Josh. It had been fantastic.

It had meant something.

“There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Go on, dish the dirt – Have you met someone? If so it’s about time.” Tash’s voice was matter of fact, as though it were a perfectly normal conversation. Her attitude reassured Amy a little.

She poked her head out of the duvet. “I suppose I may as well tell you, I’ve got as much chance keeping a secret from you as from the Spanish Inquisition.”

“Less chance,” Sophie called out. “Go on, you can tell us. If you don’t, you know Tash will only find out anyway.”

“The Josh who arrived with the group today is, well, my ex…”

“Really?” Tash sounded very alert all of a sudden.

“Things didn’t end well. He was the love of my life. I thought we’d get married and…” Amy’s voice caught and she swallowed down the lump in her throat before continuing. “He dumped me, without any warning. We were getting on really well, there were no warning signs, nothing. It was a horrible shock and I um, didn’t take it very well.”

Big understatement.

She opened her mouth but no words came out. How could she describe how depressed she’d felt when Josh had left for his job in Saudi? Then she’d got the news about Grandad’s heart attack from mum. She’d been so close to him growing up and she’d not even got the chance to say goodbye.

No warnings, just gone.

She’d slid into a horrific black hole the GP had diagnosed as clinical depression, once her mum had frogmarched her to the surgery. It was very common, the matter of fact doctor had briskly told her as she handed over a prescription for anti-depressants.

As though tablets could’ve brought either Josh or Grandad back.

As it was, the tablets seemed to increase the fog in her brain. She cried less but she no longer felt like herself.

She didn’t feel up to talking about the long months of depression, the aborted teacher-training course and the worried parents. Would they even understand, or were they from the ‘pull yourself together’ school of thought?

Anyway, she’d moved on from all that.

Josh didn’t check on me once. He moved abroad and never looked back.

Stirrings of the old anger at his unrelenting silence simmered inside her, threatening to come to the boil. It hadn’t helped that he hadn’t been there to talk about Grandad. Josh had been her best friend as well as her boyfriend. They talked about everything. How did you just turn that off? Did it mean those years had never really meant anything?

Her eyes hurt from holding back the tears. Anger and pain mingling to create a deadly mixture that ate away at her insides.

For a moment, there was silence in the room but Amy didn’t trust herself to fill it.

“The bastard,” Tash proclaimed. “So, it’s time for revenge.”

“Revenge? I don’t know…” Amy wriggled uncomfortably in her bed. “I was thinking more along the lines of running away.”

An indignant chorus filled the room.

“You can’t run away. What are you, woman or wimp?” Tash asked.

Um, I’m a wimp probably. If I’m being honest.

“Woman,” Amy replied reluctantly when it became obvious Tash expected an answer.

“This guy broke your heart, right?” Tash’s sharp features looked fierce in the moonlight, like an alley cat about to pounce. “He trampled all over your emotions. Led you on and then dumped you.”

“Well yes, I suppose so,” Amy admitted, fighting the surging waves of emotion pressing against her eyelids.

I won’t cry.

If she did, Tash would probably disown her for crimes against feminism. But could she ever forgive Josh for leaving her to deal with her first bereavement alone? For just switching their relationship off as though it meant nothing?

He had pulled the plug and watched the light and power fade out of her life and then he’s walked away.

That had felt like a bereavement too. That too had been a shock, the strike of lightning from a clear blue sky.

Amy curled up on the bunk, drawing her knees up against her chest.

“So, you get revenge and you get the upper hand.” Tash cut into her thoughts, warming to her theme. “We can put chilli in his food and itching powder on his sheets.”

“You’ll get her fired,” Amelia broke in, scornfully. “The best way to get revenge is to show him what he’s missing and can never have again. Look gorgeous, flirt with his friends but be offhand and distant with him. Show him you are so over him. It will drive him insane. Trust me. And if he tries to get your attention, which trust me, he will, you blank him. That’s the best revenge of all.”

“That sounds kind of tempting. What do you think Sophie?” Amy asked.

“Do whatever you need to do to feel okay, sweetheart. You certainly can’t hide in your room all Christmas and it’s not fair on Scott and Holly to run away at their busiest time of the year.” Sophie’s voice was softer, kinder than the others. Amy trusted her advice.

“I suppose you’re right,” Amy sighed. Holly had been really good to her and why should Josh get to ruin her plans yet again? She could just imagine her parents’ anxious expressions if they heard she’d thrown her job in, and even worse if they found out it’d been because of Josh.

She couldn’t do that to them. She couldn’t do it to herself.

“Getting revenge will make you feel much better, trust me,” Tash said, yawning. And then maybe you won’t dream about him and wake us all up.”

“I’d certainly hate to be your enemy Tash,” Sophie laughed and turned over, making her bunk creak. “Now before we have the guy hung, drawn and quartered shall we all try and get some sleep?”

Amy listened to the rustling of bed clothes and tried to process everything – Josh turning up, the dream, the girls’ advice… her head hurt with the effort of repressing the newly awoken emotions. Not to mention the carnal stirrings provoked by the dream and welcomed by her traitorous body.

She’d done such a good job of burying her desires, of picking herself up off the floor and getting on with life. It was gutting that by simply turning up, in one swift move Josh had brought all the balls she worked so hard to keep in the air crashing down to the ground, along with Tash’s lemon drizzle cake.

She couldn’t be a victim. Taking control of the situation was the way to go. He hadn’t sought her out to speak to her since he’d arrived, had he? Was he worried she might make a scene? Perhaps he was horrified and wondering how he would avoid her all holiday.

She’d give him a scene all right – but not the kind he might expect.

This time she’d be totally in control and she’d show him an Amy who was over him and doing damn well, thank you. Maybe she would flirt with his friends, and show him what he’d missed out on. She could wear that bikini Tash had talked her into buying to wear in the Jacuzzi.

Time to woman up and go on the offensive.

CHAPTER TWO

“Amy, can I have a word?” Josh hovered behind Amy in the kitchen. He still couldn’t believe it was really her - Amy. In his chalet. After all the effort he’d made to try to get in touch and now she simply turned up.

And the timing couldn’t be worse.

“Oh, hello Josh,” Amy replied casually, almost off-hand. She even glanced at her watch.

This was awkward as hell, but he had to talk to her.

“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 it?” he asked her, ignoring a curious gaze from Matt.

“I’m not very hungry.” She grabbed her water glass and glugged down the contacts, her face crimson as she refused to look at him.

Curious.

“Excuse me while I check on the main course.” She pushed her chair back and sprang up, walking briskly to the kitchen.

He ignored the impulse to get up and follow her, feeling not only Matt’s eyes on him but Paul’s and Mark’s too.

He sighed.

Of all the chalets in all the world why did you have to turn up in mine?

Amy opened the freezer door and plunged her face in, welcoming the chilled air.

Tash came into the kitchen behind her. ‘Why on earth did you switch the plates? Are you mad?”

“He’s allergic to chilli.” Amy leant back against the freezer. “I only remembered at the last minute.”

Lying to Tash was much easier than admitting she’d decided it was too childish and she didn’t want to go through with it.

“Hmm, I spose that might’ve been going too far.” Tash shrugged. “But remember, this is the guy who hurt you so much you were thinking of running away from Switzerland. You don’t have to tell me all the details but I can tell he really hurt you. You can’t let that go.”

“I know, you were only trying to help.” Amy smiled weakly and walked to the sink to fill another glass of water. “Just how much chilli did you put in that tartlet? I only had a tiny bit of it and now it feels like my mouth’s on fire.”

“I put a fair bit in.” Tash admitted.

Amelia and Sophie came into the kitchen, carrying the empty starter plates.

Sophie took one look at Amy’s face. “The chilli? I thought I talked you out of that? At least you changed your mind at the last minute I suppose.”

Amy nodded miserably.

“Are you glad you didn’t go through with it?” Sophie stacked the plates in the dishwasher.

“Mmm.” Amy shrugged and leant back against the counter with a sigh.

“My method of revenge is much better.” Amelia said, lips pursed. “Make him see what he’s missing.”

“The guys are staying in this evening. Matt asked if we could show them how to work the Jacuzzi,” Tash said, winking.

“You just press the button, it’s not exactly difficult,” Amy folded her arms across her chest, not liking where this was going one bit.

Amelia stared at her like she was nuts. “You can use this to get the upper hand. Put on that bikini you bought the other day. Flirt with Matt. I think he fancies you. That will wind Josh up and you won’t get into trouble.”

“Maybe.” Amy sipped at her water, the heat in her mouth thankfully subsiding to something resembling a normal temperature. It was tempting; there’d been something close to pity in his eyes when he’d asked her if she was okay with him being here.

Patronising git.

Of course she wasn’t okay but she’d die rather than tell him that.

“Or you could cut out the middle man and flirt with Josh instead?” Tash suggested, raising her eyebrow as she ladled servings of casserole into the dinner plates. “Shag him and dump him, I say.”

Amy snorted.

“I saw something in my magazine about sex with exes you know,” Amelia said. “Scientists have carried out some kind of study about it, proving it helps you come to terms with the end of the relationship.”

Amy wished Tash hadn’t said anything; as if it hadn’t been hard enough to keep the memories of sex with Josh at bay. The spark of desire inside her had flared into flame at the suggestion, as though given permission to do the unthinkable.

“Erm, I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” Amy replied, trying to claw back control over the raging emotions now pressing their case loudly and vociferously, bombarding her with images of Josh on top of her, his hands running all over her body, making love to her in a way that made her bones melt. No one had made love to her like that since.

Her body craved the experience again.

Remember what he did. He cut you off cold and abandoned you when you needed him most. He didn’t care. Maybe if he’d stayed, or asked you to go with him, maybe it could’ve been different…

Amy crushed the hateful ‘what-ifs’. It was pointless to think like that. It didn’t help anything. It certainly wasn’t helping her.

“As long as the ‘L’ word isn’t mentioned and no one drops the GBT bomb it’s supposed to be fine. Positively good for you in fact,” Amelia said.

“The GBT bomb?” Amy briefly wondered if it was some kind of new sexual fad that’d passed her by.

“Getting Back Together.” Amelia took a couple of plates and together they carried the main course in.

Amy glanced at Tash suspiciously. Had she done something to Josh’s main course as well? But the plates were all mixed up, so she couldn’t have done. She couldn’t meet his eye as she dished out the food and took her seat. But she felt his gaze on her, as palpable as if he were stroking her body. Her skin prickled and she grew hot again but this time for an entirely different reason.

She pushed her food around the plate, not remotely hungry. Every muscle felt tense and on high alert. Her thoughts were stuck on a permanent Josh loop, torturing her over and over with memories of making love to him and then the sheer misery of losing him. He’d left her to go through that alone.

I need to remember how much he hurt me. I must remember…

She turned to Matt, forcing a smile to her face. “So, are you guys going out this evening?”

“We thought we’d stay in tonight.” Matt leant closer, his eyes gleaming with sudden interest. “Would you like to show us how to use the Jacuzzi?”

Amy willed herself not to move away. It felt weirdly disloyal to Josh to be flirting with Matt but that was crazy. Anyway, Josh had done the ultimate in disloyalty…

“Sure, why not? We’ll come and join you once we’ve cleared up,” She aimed for breezy but thought her voice sounded squeaky, like a panicked mouse.

Only when it was time to clear the table did she catch Josh’s eye and when she did, she flinched. He glared at her, eyes dark and when she attempted a smile to break the tension he didn’t return the gesture.

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