Chapter 9
9
STELLA
‘That’s crazy!’ Sammie gasped as I relayed the story of what had just happened with Max.
As soon as I saw him at the table, I knew I wouldn’t be able to stay. The second his hypnotic eyes met mine, my brain turned to mush. How was it possible that he looked even more attractive than when we were together?
My gaze had dropped from his mouth to his muscular chest before I’d caught myself and came to my senses. I could not be attracted to him. He hurt me.
Max was an arsehole.
When he started to try and explain himself, part of me wanted to hear what he had to say, especially after waiting so long. But the other part wanted to keep the past buried away, because I knew dredging everything up again would be painful.
So I left.
Then the minute I’d shut my room door and crashed on the bed, I’d called Sammie.
‘Tell me about it.’ I shook my head in disbelief.
‘So have you decided what you’re gonna do? ’
‘I want to leave. If I could, I’d go to the airport right now and get on the first plane out of here. But I can’t. They won’t give Mum a refund and I can’t waste her money. So I’ve got no choice. I have to stay.’
I’d texted Mum to say I’d call to update her tomorrow. I had too many emotions swimming around me to speak to her tonight.
I knew that I didn’t want to let Mum down. I was her only child and ever since my so-called ‘dad’ walked out on us when I was just ten months old, Mum had raised me single-handedly. She’d made a lot of sacrifices for me so although this was going to be a nightmare, the least I could do was try to see this through and make Mum happy.
‘You’re doing the right thing. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not condoning the way he treated you back then, I was there. You were heartbroken.’
‘That’s an understatement.’
Sammie and I had been friends since we met at secondary school when we were eleven and she was one of the people who helped me get through the break-up.
‘But people can change. Try sticking it out for a bit and if by the end of the week you feel like you’re in danger of committing murder then you can re-evaluate. What’s on the agenda for tomorrow?’
‘Not sure. There’s an induction after breakfast so they’re going to let us know then.’
‘Cool. Hopefully it’ll be something less intense than a candlelit dinner so you don’t have to sit there and stare into each other’s eyes. By the way, you didn’t tell me, how did Max look? Does he have a beer gut and moobs? Has he lost all his hair? Not that he couldn’t still look hot if he was bald, I mean, hello , Jason Statham. Ooh and Dwayne Johnson… Yes, please ! What I wouldn’t do to shine his head between my thighs!’
‘Stop!’ I laughed.
‘Come on then, how has Max aged? Like a fine wine or a shrivelled prune?’
‘I wish I could say he looked shit, but annoyingly he didn’t. So much for karma,’ I sighed.
‘On a scale of one to ten, how did Max compare to the Hot Pool Guy you saw when you arrived?’
Then I remembered. I’d been so focused on venting about him turning up at the date that I hadn’t told Sammie about that part.
‘You’re not going to believe this, but turns out that Max was the guy I saw at the pool.’
‘ No way !’ she gasped.
‘ Yes , way .’
‘How did you not recognise him?’
‘I didn’t see his face, remember? And even though Max always had a great body because of all the training he did, it wasn’t like it is now. Now he has muscles. Everywhere .’ As I replayed the images of him getting out of the pool, seeing him at the bar and at the table, my pulse raced. ‘Anyway. It doesn’t matter.’
‘Holy crap!’ Sammie gasped. ‘You fancy him!’
‘No, I don’t!’
‘You were gushing about how fit Hot Pool Guy was earlier and Max is him so, doh , of course you do!’
Dammit.
‘There’s more to attraction than just looks,’ I said quickly. ‘Yes, Max is physically attractive, but that’s it. I’m not staying for him. I’m doing it for Mum. Nothing’s going to happen between us. ’
‘If you say so…’
‘I’m tired,’ I said, fighting the temptation to roll my eyes at Sammie’s ridiculous statement.
I was single, but I wasn’t desperate. I wasn’t some sad pathetic woman who just ran back to her ex because he said sorry a few times.
I’d take part in the activities with him, try to be civil and that was it. There’d be no romantic reunion.
‘Okay, hon. I’ll let you get your beauty sleep. Let me know how it goes tomorrow.’
‘Will do. Night.’
‘Night, night.’