Chapter 18
Chapter Eighteen
‘ S o, on balance, that went well,’ says Cat, once we’re settled at a table away from the window.
‘If that’s how you want to label it.’ Amber scoffs. ‘Don’t think you two will be winning a BAFTA anytime soon. Or Mastermind for that matter.’
My mortification resurfaces as Cat and Amber start howling with laughter once more.
‘In my defence… I was more focused on how beautiful the place looked rather than what it was called. And… well… I just malfunctioned.’
‘You can say that again.’ Amber raises an appraising eyebrow. ‘I reckon you’re into him.’
‘I am not .’ I purse my lips in irritation. ‘I can’t stand the guy, and he doesn’t like me either. He just likes making me look stupid.’
‘Aww… Amber, leave her alone.’ Cat’s clearly feeling guilty for laughing. ‘I’m sure you’ve embarrassed yourself in front of a guy at some point in your life.’
‘Nope. Never.’ She adopts a smug expression. ‘Rich knew he was onto a winner with me right from the start. ’
Cat and I roll our eyes.
‘Right, anyway…’ I take a few quick sips from my flat white, aware of the time. ‘What’s it to be? Antigua or the Bahamas?’
‘I’m fine with either.’ Cat shrugs. ‘They both sound wonderful.’
‘Me too. It’s your call, Emma,’ says Amber. ‘You’re the one who’s bankrolling this.’
‘OK…’ I silently chew over our options. ‘Shall we go with the Bahamas? That resort with the private island sounds unbelievable . And from what James was saying, it seems to be the better option. Not that I care what he thinks,’ I add quickly on clocking the sly smile that appears on Amber’s face. ‘But he is the one with the travel knowledge. That all right with you two?’
They nod.
‘Great. Sorted. Let’s go get it booked before we miss out.’
Abandoning our half-finished drinks, Cat and I start to get up, but Amber holds up a hand to stop us.
‘ Wait . As you’re both incapable of functioning normally around this bloke, I’m taking over. And I’m going to try something before we head back there.’
Intrigued, we settle back in our seats while she pulls out her phone, looks something up and then holds it to her ear.
‘Hi, James, I was just in your shop with my two friends… that’s right, the one that wanted to go to outer space…’
I attempt to cuff her across the back of the head, but she ducks away from me.
‘So, we’re down to two options – yours and one we saw online… yup, really good price it is. If you’re able to throw in a perk or two for the Bahamas, we’ll come back and book right now… sure, I can wait. ’
Cat and I are totally gripped, waiting to hear the response.
‘OK… I see… yup,’ Amber continues her conversation. ‘So, you can offer us a free luxury travel kit each… worth two hundred pounds.’
Cat and I high five.
‘Let me check with the girls…’ Amber hits the ‘mute’ button her phone. ‘Shall we ask him to chaperone us to the airport, Emma?’ She gives me a wicked look.
‘Eh… no . Don’t you dare, Amber . ’
‘Only kidding. I’ve got a better idea.’ She returns her attention to the call. ‘So, James, the travel kit we like, but there’s one more condition… you take Emma on a date when we get back…’
What the hell?
I’m momentarily paralysed with shock, but I quickly recover and dive for the phone, desperate to stop Amber from saying any more. She swiftly dodges out of my way.
‘I see…’ she says to James. ‘I suppose that’s fair enough. OK, we’ll see you shortly.’
I stare at her incredulously when she’s ended the call. ‘ What have you just done? I can’t go back in there now. That guy thinks I’m an airhead as it is, and now he gets the pleasure of rejecting me too. Amber… I could kill you.’
‘Chill, would you?’ Amber sits back in her seat.
‘ No , I will not chill. We only have a few days to get this holiday arranged.’
‘Yes, and it’s sorted. I repeat… chill .’
‘How can it be sorted if I now refuse to go back in there, and I’m the one putting it on my credit card?’
Amber sighs. ‘It’s sorted because he said yes. To both requests.’
‘ What? ’ Cat and I say in unison .
‘You heard me. He’s going on holiday himself while we’re away, but he said he’d happily take you out on a date when he gets back.’
‘ Really? ’ I’m momentarily distracted by the ego boost this provides. ‘You’re not messing with me?’
‘No, I’m not messing with you. I could tell he liked you the second he clapped eyes on you. You may have made an arse of yourself, but some guys love that type of thing. There was never a doubt in my mind he’d say yes.’
‘Gosh . ’ I lap up Amber’s backhanded compliment, then realise what I’m doing. ‘Actually… no. I don’t want to go out with him. I don’t even like him.’
‘Emma, what’s your actual issue with this guy?’ Amber asks, seeming to lose patience with me. ‘He’s nothing like Dave. Cat thinks so too.’
‘I think he seems really nice,’ she says. ‘He did tease you when we first arrived in the shop, but more in a flirty way.’
‘Well, maybe you’re not the best judge, Cat,’ I fire back, instantly aware that I’ve overstepped. ‘Sorry, I was feeling cornered. I don’t mean that.’
‘No problem.’ She looks slightly wounded.
‘Well, I am ,’ says Amber.
‘Huh?’ I’m confused.
‘I said, I am … the best judge. And I say he’s way better than that self-obsessed wanker you used to date. Perhaps you not liking him is the best possible sign.’
Now it’s my turn to feel hurt. ‘What… do you mean?’
She takes a mouthful from her cup. ‘You were hardly wise to Dave’s nonsense. You make out that Cat’s not got a good picker, but she saw Dave’s flaws way before you did.’
‘But I was the one—’
‘Yeah, I know, love is blind,’ she mocks me lightly. ‘Which brings me to my second point. You’re so busy trying to make out that you hate this guy, when it’s glaringly obvious you fancy the pants off him. You just won’t admit it. If you didn’t like him, you wouldn’t keep behaving like a dumbass in front of him – and you wouldn’t care what he thinks. Case and point.’ She mimics a mic drop and folds her arms while I sit there, speechless.
‘I… don’t… fancy him, Amber,’ I manage eventually. ‘As I said, I don’t even like him.’
‘So, prove it.’
‘ What? How can I prove it?’
‘Go on a date with him, and if you still don’t like him, then I’ll accept that.’
‘Amber, that’s ridiculous.’ I take in her I’ve-so-won-this-already face. ‘OK, fine… I will. And you’ll find out that you’re wrong.’
‘Great,’ says Amber. ‘I look forward to that. Now, shall we go get this booked?’
‘Yes, please,’ Cat pleads.
‘I guess so,’ I reluctantly agree, still dreading the idea of facing James, given my friend just asked him out for me – and I’m not twelve.
We head back over to the travel agency, where James greets us as we walk through the door.
‘Hello, again.’ He gives me a little wink, which only increases my resentment and further fuels my sense of him having too big an ego.
Forty minutes later, our luxury all-inclusive break in paradise is successfully booked with the cover story of it all being put on my credit card for insurance purposes. I’ve also managed to get through the experience without making an idiot of myself again, which I guess is something.
As we’re getting up to leave, a smiling James hands me his business card. ‘I expect you’ll be needing this. ’
‘Ah… erm… yes. In case we need to check on any last-minute details…’ I turn the card over and see that he’s scrawled his personal mobile number on the back, complete with smiley face. ‘Or… anything else that might come to mind.’
‘I recommend the latter.’ His eyes lock on mine, and I flush with embarrassment. ‘I’ll email you when your travel kits arrive. I should be able to post them out to you in time for your departure. Have a great holiday.’
We step out into the fresh air, where we chat excitedly for another couple of minutes before Amber has to head off to meet her husband.
‘Cat, I’m really sorry about that comment before in Starbucks.’ I say, as we wander along Rose Street together in the direction of the hotel. ‘That you’re not a good judge when it comes to men. I don’t know where that came from.’
‘That’s OK, honey.’ She puts her arm around me. ‘Amber had you backed into a corner, as you said. I know you didn’t mean it.’
‘She did, didn’t she, the little minx. All this talk about me supposedly liking James. It’s complete nonsense. I’m so going to prove her wrong.’
‘Of course, you are.’
As she says this, I catch what looks like a knowing glint in her eye. But it’s gone in an instant, leaving me wondering if I even really saw it.