Revenge of a Chalet Girl

by Lorraine Wilson

  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 offhand. 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 woul
dn’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.