“Oh, you are awful.” A brunette with a Cleopatra bob shrieked with laughter. “I still can’t believe you hooked up with Tom in Ibiza. Still I suppose it was worth having a final farewell shag.”
“Who says it was a farewell shag?” Juliet raised her eyebrows as she took a mini rosti from the tray Tash carried and eyed it dubiously.
Amy struggled not to drop the tray.
Did I really hear that right?
What kind of woman went around boasting in front of strangers? Oh, except she and Tash didn’t count because they were staff, practically sub-human.
“Are you sure you’re ready to get married?” A blonde looked disdainfully at the tray. “I know Josh is a honey and everything but if you like the thrill of the chase… look I don’t do carbs or dairy okay?”
Her last remark had been irritably addressed to Tash.
“You’ll go hungry in Switzerland then,” Tash muttered and Juliet turned to look at her, annoyed.
“Where is the fondue? There is supposed to be a savoury and a chocolate fondue for each table.” Juliet snapped.
“We could hardly bring a fondue, we’d need gas for a start.” Amy found her voice, her irritation rushing to the surface.
Juliet pursed her mouth, cross lines appearing on her forehead. “Bring the table decorations then, we don’t have all evening.”
Then she turned her back on them again.
Amy bit her lip as she strode over to the balcony windows with Tash, fury bubbling up in her. They left the doors open this time, not caring if the occupants of the room got cold.
Juliet’s voice carried out to the balcony.
“The thrill of an affair is just as good, trust me.” Juliet laughed. “Anyway, it’s always been my plan to marry before I’m thirty. Josh is a fantastic catch. He’ll treat me well and look after me financially. He’s inherited this huge period cottage in the Exmoor National Park. Once he sells that we’ll be rolling in it.”
Amy’s hands shook and she dropped the lid of one of the boxes. Her grief at the news of Josh’s parents’ accident was still so fresh that Juliet’s words made her feel like she’d been slapped in the face.
How can she, how can she be so callous, so grasping… so…
“And Josh wants to settle down too and start a family as soon as possible. I’m fine with that. Everyone cheats nowadays, just look at the statistics. It’s really no big deal.”
“But Josh is really fit, why would you even need anyone else?” One of the girls sitting on the sofa asked.
“Variety is the spice of life girls,” Juliet grinned. “But it doesn’t pay the bills.”
Amy’s hands closed into fists.
“It’s not worth it,” Tash whispered. “It’s not worth losing your job over.”
“I thought you always spoke your mind,” Amy hissed back fiercely, accusingly.
“I know where to draw the line and what I can get away with. I pick my battles.” Tash gestured behind them into the room. “That is one warzone you don’t want to go charging into, this is only a recce, remember?”
“I suppose,” Amy whispered. She stared at the contents of the box Tash had just opened; table decorations with red and white roses and Swiss style decorations for the reception at the mountain cantine.
These are for Josh’s wedding…to her!
Her temples pounded and spots swam in front of her eyes. She tried to breathe slowly.
“You go down to reception. I’ll say you’ve been taken ill,” Tash muttered, looking over to Juliet who was still deep in conversation with her friends. “Okay?”
“Thanks.” Amy nodded gratefully.
“Just go, she probably won’t notice, if she does just keep going. You could always pretend you need a bathroom. Go.” Tash took Amy’s elbow and gave her a little push.
Amy walked swiftly towards the door, trying to keep down the bile as she passed Juliet. There was no need to pretend, she really did need a bathroom.
She was going to be sick.
CHAPTER FIVE
Amy walked back to Chalet Repos, her heart pounding. It felt like she was sleep walking. Her ski season working holiday had turned into a nightmare.
I have to talk to Josh.
She found him in the living room, stoking the fire with a poker, prodding viciously at the logs and staring into the flames. Matt and the other guys weren’t there, thank God. Why was Josh alone on what was supposed to be his stag party and why did he look so grim?
Whatever the reason, here they were. Just the two of them. It had to be a sign, she was meant to do this.
Her hands shook a little as she approached, so she hastily clasped them together in front of her before Josh could notice. Should she sit? Stand? For a moment she said nothing, simply stood, staring at him, trying to summon the courage to do this.
I’ve got no choice. I have to tell him.
“Josh,” she spoke his name quietly, reluctant to break the silence of the room.
He jerked backwards, turning his head towards her, startled.
“Amy.” He got to his feet and the obvious pleasure in his dark-brown eyes was replaced by a flash of anxiety. He scanned the room and then heaved out a sigh upon finding it empty apart from them.
“I need to talk to you but it’s um, personal. I think we should go to your room. If we stay here anyone could walk in.” Amy glanced towards the corridor leading to the guest rooms.
“I’m not sure that’s a good idea.” Josh frowned.
“Why? I only want to talk. I’m not going to throw myself at you.” She folded her arms across her chest, her anger rising. Just what did he think she was going to do? She felt insulted.
“Right,” Josh said, staring at her, his eyes reflecting his concern and…something else she couldn’t quite fathom. “Okay then.”
He gestured for Amy to go first. She was sure she could feel his eyes assessing her, skimming over her body as she walked. Anticipation flickered deep inside her.
Concentrate Amy. You’re not here for that; you’re on a mission.
Once in his room she hesitated. Should she sit on the bed? That probably wasn’t a good idea.
She turned to face him, wishing she could close the gap between them and feel his arms around her, comforting her. Her fingers itched to reach out and touch him again so she clasped them together to prevent any involuntary movement. It had been such an odd evening already, she felt like anything might be possible. She certainly couldn’t trust her body.
Josh stared, wordlessly, a slight frown on his handsome face but their old connection was definitely there. She felt the full force of it now and she allowed herself to drink it in. Now she remembered why she’d been avoiding his gaze ever since he’d got here.
One look had been all it’d taken back then, when she met him for the first time. One look and she’d been smitten by his sexy grin and eyes that lit up every time he laughed.
“So?” Josh seemed to be having difficulty speaking. His stare left her feeling unnerved.
Was he angry with her? Well sod him, she was doing this for him after all.
This wasn’t about revenge and it wasn’t because she wanted him back. This was because she, well…cared about him. His happiness mattered to her.
“I’ve met Juliet,” she said bluntly, watching him closely, wanting to understand what he felt for Juliet and why on earth he felt it.
Perhaps she’s lovely really and it’s the wedding that’s turned her into a cow?
“Oh?” His eyes widened. So, she’d managed to startle him twice in one evening.
“You can’t marry her. Really, you just can’t.” The words streamed out of her mouth and she couldn’t stop them. She hadn’t meant to do it like this.
“Amy, I know this must be upsetting for you…” Josh laid a hand on her arm and a warmth spread slowly through her body.
Heat crept up her neck and across her face as she burned with mortification.
“No, you don’t understand.” She sh
ook her head crossly. “I’m not doing a ‘don’t marry her, marry me’ speech. You’re getting it all wrong.”
“So?” Josh withdrew his hand from her arm with what appeared to be reluctance. Or was that just wishful thinking on her part?
“I overheard her talking to her friends and there’s something you need to know.” She fidgeted awkwardly on the spot. It had seemed so urgent that she tell him she hadn’t spent enough time thinking about how she should do it.
“Go on then.” Josh’s mouth was set in a grim line as he folded his arms across his broad chest to listen to her.
“She’s having an affair and plans to carry on, you know, doing it after you get married.” She searched his eyes for some recognition he believed her, that she was getting through to him, but the shutters were well and truly down. She had no idea what he was thinking.
“Amy, I know you’re upset with me for some reason.” Josh sighed.
For some reason? For some reason?
Momentarily speechless she stared at him, suddenly feeling like she was staring at a stranger.
“And you clearly want to piss me off,” Josh’s frown deepened even further. “All that stuff with Matt the other night? That was meant to annoy me wasn’t it?”
Amy’s face flushed even hotter. “I’m telling you the truth Josh, don’t you know me well enough to know I wouldn’t lie about something like this?”
“I thought I knew you.” Josh leant back against the wall, breathing out with a deep sigh. “But kissing Matt to try and score points against me, well…I don’t know if I do know you any more.”
That stung. How could she explain it hadn’t only been about getting back at him but needing to feel attractive and desired in the face of his rejection? But if she didn’t tell the truth now she’d destroy any credibility she had left with him.
“Okay, I was a little angry,” she admitted. “Matt’s nice and he seemed okay with it.” She sank down onto the edge of the bed, her trembling legs refusing to hold her up any longer, adrenalin leaving her in a whoosh. “If you want the whole truth I’m not gluten intolerant either, I made that up.”
Great, why had that slipped out as well?
“Why on earth would you make that up?” Josh shook his head, bewildered.
“There was a bit of extra chilli in your tartlet, well, more than a bit really. Then I decided it was childish and I couldn’t go through with it.”
“So that’s why you switched plates and were acting so weirdly?” Josh heaved another sigh and came to sit next to her on the edge of the bed, just far enough away so they weren’t touching. He looked…gutted. “Do you really hate me that much?”
There was raw pain in his voice. It broke her heart and she had to squeeze her eyes tight shut to stop the tears from falling. Silently she shook her head.
I can’t tell him now. Not here and like this…
“And telling me all this is supposed to make me believe you’re telling the truth about Juliet?” he turned to examine her and the expression in his eyes made her want to climb onto his lap and tell him everything, to make him like and respect her again.
“I am telling the truth Josh,” she replied sadly. “Coming to talk to you wasn’t about us or even about me. I’m telling you because I want you to be happy. She doesn’t deserve you and I’m having a hard job believing you love her. Why are you marrying her?”
Josh stared at Amy, trying to work her out. A thousand questions swirling around his mind in a blizzard of words. Did she have an agenda? What was she hoping to accomplish? Is she telling me the truth?
But the biggest question of all was the one she had just asked him. Why was he marrying Juliet? Because she’d come along at the right time. Because he’d given up hope of getting back in contact with Amy, convinced she was happy and had moved on with someone else.
The day he’d got the call telling him about Mum and Dad had changed everything for him. He’d taken their support for granted, they’d provided a home, a network, somewhere he knew he could always go back to. Home. He was tired of travelling the world alone and living as an ex-pat bachelor. He needed roots, ties…a family of his own.
He’d wanted to get married and so had Juliet so…
Did he love her like he’d loved Amy back at Uni? No, but then that kind of first love was unique, you couldn’t expect to…
Oh God.
He looked at Amy, at the pain in her eyes. All this time he’d been trying to do the right thing and yet he’d hurt her. Hurt her so much she’d wanted revenge.
It would be the ultimate revenge for her to ruin your wedding…
But Amy was right; he just couldn’t believe she’d be capable of lying about something like this. And his body burned for her every bit as much as it had the first time round. Even more this time because he knew what it was like to make love to her. He knew what he was missing.
“What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking I’m getting married soon and this is a gigantic mess.”
“You’re still getting married?” Her eyes widened in shock.
I have to do the right thing, whatever that is…
“I can’t call off the wedding and jilt Juliet on the say-so of an ex-girlfriend. That would hardly be fair to her.” He gripped the edge of the mattress with his hands, needing to stop them from reaching out to Amy. She shouldn’t be here in his room, it was too close, too tempting and he was so not the guy who cheated on his fiancée, whatever might or might not have been going on.
Two wrongs didn’t make a right.
Amy’s telling the truth and you know it, deep down in your gut.
But he couldn’t make decisions with his gut. Hadn’t he been trained to use his brain, to apply logic to all problems and reason them out? Logic said he had no evidence and Amy had, of her own admission, wanted to get revenge.
As for his heart, his gut…that was weakness, his own desires. What would his father have said if he broke the heart of his fiancée and called off the wedding purely because his desires were leading him in another direction?
Pandering to desire was weak and he had to be strong. To act in a way they would’ve been proud of.
“So my word isn’t enough; you don’t believe me?” Amy got shakily to her feet, anger flashing in her eyes. “And if I told you Tash can confirm it?”
“The girl with pink streaks in her hair?” Josh asked.
“Yes,” Amy replied defiantly. “I suppose you’ll say I put her up to it.”
“I wouldn’t say anything,” Josh felt exasperated. “But she did help you with the chilli, didn’t she? You said ‘we’ earlier. You’ve got to see I can’t act without evidence.”
Amy walked to the door, her hand on the knob, then turned and stared. He felt it, their old connection. Of course he did. The connection he’d assumed was simply what you always felt with your girlfriend, that he’d presumed he’d find again once he got over having to let Amy go.
But he never had felt it again with anyone again.
Amy had half opened the door to leave when she hesitated and turned again, her head held high and eyes suspiciously bright. “Just one thing Josh. Why did you break up with me?”
He met her stare.
“I thought I was doing the right thing,” he said. “We were too young to settle down. If you’d come to Saudi with me we would’ve had to marry because of the laws there. And abandon your teacher training and been stuck on an expat compound. Could you really have been happy sitting around doing nothing? You were so passionate about your teaching course, I couldn’t force you to give up your dreams. It would’ve been selfish.”
Her face didn’t alter but her knuckles on the hand grasping the doorknob had turned white.
“I couldn’t turn the job down Amy,” Josh softened his voice, desperately wanting her to understand, really understand. “There weren’t tonnes of jobs to go round then, you know that. For every good position there were twenty or thirty of us engineering graduates pursuing
it. I had a student loan to pay off and I wanted to pay my parents back too, so they could go on the cruise they’d been talking about taking one day…”
He gripped the edge of the bed, fighting the surge of emotion.
“I see.” Amy’s eyes were downcast now, her head turned slightly away from him.
“It doesn’t mean I didn’t regret…” The words choked in his throat and he couldn’t say anymore. It wasn’t wise to say more. The tension in the air was palpable, emotional vibrations rocking them both. Even though there was a physical gap between them he felt closer to Amy than he had to anyone in years.
He knew she understood.
Finally Amy looked up, her face anguished. “Josh, I can’t let you marry her, I can’t. I’ll get you your proof.”
Amy stared out of the window at the dark, threatening sky. Chalet Repos was practically submerged in thick grey snow cloud; she could barely see down to the next chalet, never mind the valley below. Thick white flakes of snow fell steadily, silently to the ground, blanketing Verbier in yet more white gold.
She stood with her back to the table where Josh’s group and the girls finished their breakfast. Scott and Holly had appeared to join them for coffee. Her own appetite was conspicuous by its absence. She didn’t know how to be near Josh in other company; it felt like a constant battle not to meet his eye or give herself away. As far as she knew, only Matt and the girls knew she and Josh had history.
The knowledge she had to do something to stop the wedding felt like solidifying concrete in her stomach. She hugged her arms around her body, still staring at the steadily falling flakes of snow. It was all very well knowing she had to do it but at the moment she hadn’t the faintest idea how she could achieve it.
“Hi there, how’s the groom this morning?” Holly’s question made Amy turn round despite herself.
“Great thanks.” Josh replied politely enough but when Amy glanced at his face she saw the familiar twitch at the corner of his mouth that told her he was lying through his teeth.
She perched on the back of a leather armchair, trying to appear disinterested.
Scott looked up from his iPad. “Bad news I’m afraid guys, I just looked up the weather forecast and there’s a big storm forecast, I think they’ll be closing the lifts today. You might get a run in if you’re quick but I really wouldn’t recommend it.”
Revenge of a Chalet Girl Page 6
