Revenge of a Chalet Girl: (5 page)

“I promise, no more teasing. Not for ooh, at least ten minutes.” Tash linked her arm through Amy’s.

“That long, eh?” Amy stuck her tongue out at her as they headed for their coats. “Let’s just get this over and done with.”

They trudged through the snow, their breath visible in the freezing night air that stung their cheeks and made their noses run – the only parts left exposed to the elements. Christmas trees outside shops were decorated with twinkling white lights or classic red bows. Perhaps they stopped you at the border and confiscated any tacky tinsel or flashing Santas?

Bare branches of trees were also decorated with tiny white lights that reflected on the sparkling surface of the snow. But somehow Amy wasn’t feeling very Christmassy.

“So, what’s the plan then?” Tash asked.

“We leave these boxes at reception and make a run for it,” Amy replied.

“Really?” Tash turned to look at her. “You don’t want to see what she looks like?”

“I’m not sure.” Amy sighed, kicking at the fresh snowfall not yet cleared from the pavements. “Part of me wants to. Maybe I should get it over with? Perhaps it would help me…you know, accept it?”

I need to find a way to goodbye forever. I have to let go.

“Closure?” Tash asked.

“Hmm,” Amy mumbled.

Funny how the impending wedding felt more like a funeral. In a way it was a funeral for her - a death of all the hopes she’d secretly been hanging on to. But she had to accept she’d been wrong with her conviction that she and Josh were meant to be together, that somehow he’d come back to her. Did her believing that mean she really did forgive him, deep down?”

She aimed another kick at a fresh snowdrift and almost lost her footing.

“Hey, careful there? Was that Josh’s head you were imagining by any chance?” Tash asked.

“No, I was just thinking about all those films where they go on about ‘the one’ and how ‘it’s meant to be.’ I blame them. It’s all a load of crap basically, isn’t it?” Amy smiled grimly.

“You’re still really into him aren’t you?” Tash asked quietly.

“Yes.” The truth escaped her lips before Amy could shoot back the bolt to keep it in.

“Can you forgive him for whatever he did to hurt you so much?” Tash stopped walking and had turned to face Amy. “I know you didn’t tell us everything. You didn’t need to. We’ve all been there in one way or the other.”

Who had hurt Tash? It didn’t seem the right time to ask.

“I’ve been asking the same question and the thing is, I don’t know,” Amy answered honestly. “He wasn’t there for me when I really needed him. I can’t help thinking if he’d been there then things might’ve been different.”

Amy felt tears pressing at her eyelids and blinked them back fiercely.

I am not going to be depressed again. I’m simply not. Don’t I know better by now than to waste time on the ‘if onlys?’

“Unless he hit you, cheated on you, stole from you or turned out to be married to someone else I’d say it’s worth trying to forgive him.” Tash rested her boxes on an icy railing, her face sombre. “It’s up to you of course but I bet you’d feel better if you did.”

Amy looked hard at Tash. “God, what type of men have you been out with Tash? No, don’t answer that. What about revenge? I thought you believed in it.”

“Of course.” Tash grinned, her serious expression vanishing as she carried on walking towards the centre of Verbier. “You punish him first and
then
you forgive him, obviously.”

“Oh, right.” Amy trudged on through the fresh snow, her feet dragging as the Hotel Paradis came closer into view. Her heart rate increased to a persistent thrumming against her ribcage. If only she could have Tash’s no-nonsense approach to life. She always seemed to have an answer for everything.

“Ready?” Tash raised an eyebrow as they approached the revolving doors.

Amy nodded and they made their way to reception. She kept a look out for anyone who could possibly be Juliet.

“Hi there, Niall,” Tash flashed a smile at the night duty receptionist. Amy recognised the Irish guy by the fair complexion and freckles that gave away that he wasn’t a native. She’d seen him out and about in town. There were so many different nationalities in this town it was often easier to try English first, before her rusty school French. “We’ve got these boxes for a Miss…what’s her name Amy?”

“Juliet Davidson.” Amy put her boxes onto the reception counter. “Can we just leave them here and go?”

Niall pulled a face. “No, I’m afraid not. She gave specific instructions they were to be brought straight up to her room. It’s room number three one two. I’d help you with the boxes only I can’t leave the desk.”

“Oh.” Amy hesitated. If she’d thought her heart was beating rapidly when she entered the hotel now her pulse raced so fast she felt faint.

“We’ll go straight up. Thanks Niall. Maybe we’ll catch you later for a drink?” Tash made her way to the lifts and Amy reluctantly followed her.

“Not tonight, I’m on duty until six a.m.” Niall winked at Amy and lowered his voice. “Maybe another night. Good luck with the bride-to-be, I’ll be here if you need to sound off afterwards.”

Great, yet more confirmation that Juliet was difficult. What on earth was Josh doing marrying someone like that? Maybe it was the wedding stress making her ‘difficult.’ Weddings did turn some quite ordinary woman into bridezillas.

After all, her own sister had turned into a complete nightmare. No one had so much as exhaled in the family home until Emily had set off on her honeymoon.

She trudged towards the lift.

“Hurry up Amy.” Tash awkwardly balanced the boxes while pressing the door hold button.

Amy reluctantly hurried towards the lift and stepped in. Once the doors had closed she checked her reflection in the mirror and hastily took off her faux fur hat, then ran her fingers through her hair in a futile attempt to neaten it up.

She turned to Tash. “The last thing I need right now is hat-hair.”

“Here.” Tash put the boxes on the floor and reached into her bag, handing her a lipstick. “Put this on while you’re at it.”

Amy took it, not wanting to say she never usually wore lipstick, only lip gloss or a slick of Vaseline. She put it on anyway and had to admit the bright red shade looked good, defining her lips. Somehow it gave her more confidence. Lipstick girl wouldn’t take any crap from bridezillas.

“I don’t think there’s any way she’ll know who I am, do you?” Amy said, suddenly nervous.

“Maybe not but you need to be prepared for her finding out.” Tash shrugged. “We’ve got the advantage on her – the element of surprise is very important in psychological warfare.”

“Warfare?” Amy laughed. “Surely it’s not as bad as all that?”

The doors opened onto the third floor and she stepped out, her heart beating hard in her chest.

“Of course it is,” Tash said. “What would you do without me? Even if you don’t want Josh back this is still a competition.”

“Hmm, I suppose.” Amy took a deep breath in to relax her body. “You’re right about one thing – I am lucky to have you.”

“No problem.” Tash walked briskly towards room three one two. “I’ve been there myself. I know how much it can help to have the right friends around.”

Before Amy could ask her about it Tash had knocked on the door.

“Come in,” A posh voice ordered imperiously from inside the room.

Tash raised her eyebrows and knocked again. After all they didn’t have a key card to let themselves in, and their arms were full of boxes.

“Oh for God’s sake.” A woman Amy presumed to be Juliet swung the door open.

Whatever Amy had been expecting it hadn’t been this. She might as well be looking in a mirror – Juliet was petite like her, with fair skin and hair and green, cat-like eyes.

She looks like me.

Albeit a better groomed, more polished and older version of herself. How Amy might look if she had the time and money to lavish on her appearance. Amy’s head buzzed.

Josh picked someone who looked like me!

The thoughts consumed her so much she actually forgot to speak.

“Well?” Juliet snapped. “Can’t you talk or something?”

It was tempting to pretend she was in fact mute, just to wrong-foot Juliet. But it would be a hard pretence to keep up long-term.

“Hi there,” Tash said, not remotely bothered by Juliet’s irritable glare. “We’ve come from Chalet Repos. Holly sent us with some things you wanted.”

“Well obviously.” Juliet scowled. “I’d have thought you’d have the brains to ask reception for a key card. Well I suppose you’re here now. Bring them in then.”

Amy walked into the room and smiled awkwardly at the group of women sitting on the sofa and chairs. She put her boxes on the dressing table and floor and shot a desperate look at Tash.

“Let’s go.” Amy mouthed.

They headed back to the door but Juliet barred their way. “And where the hell do you think you’re going?”

“Sorry?” Amy met Juliet’s eye, startled and irritated she’d automatically apologised. She wished she hadn’t, now. All she could think about was Josh making love to Juliet and she couldn’t erase those images from her mind.

Juliet tutted. “Well obviously I need you to serve the food and take notes so you can report back to Holly whatever her name is. Where is your notebook?”

Amy felt almost compelled to look in her pockets, even though she knew for a fact she didn’t have a notebook anywhere.

“I’ll take notes on my phone.” Tash pulled a smartphone out of her pocket. “We’ll take the boxes out on the balcony to get them organised and bring things in then. We weren’t expecting to do more than deliver them so we’ll need a minute to prepare.”

“Honestly,” Juliet huffed. “Josh convinced me to give this ski-themed wedding a try and I thought ‘why not’? It sounded different but I’m not convinced that girl knows what she’s doing.”

“The wedding last year went without a hitch.” Tash replied, a hint of steel in her voice.

Amy felt too angry to trust herself to speak. They moved out onto the freezing balcony but they hadn’t even closed the doors before they heard one of Juliet’s friends comment. “She obviously can’t get the staff.”

Amy realised she was grinding her teeth and had to resist the urge to slam the doors shut behind them.

“What a bitch.” Tash rolled her eyes dramatically.

“Shh, she’ll hear us,” Amy hissed.

“And your point is?” Tash grinned.

“And I can’t believe you didn’t tell her to piss off.”

“I told you, this is warfare, we’re gathering information, getting to know our enemy.” Tash said. “And she’s a bitch. Don’t tell me you missed that?”

“She could be stressed out by the wedding. Lots of brides become a bit…stressy.” Amy knelt down and began to open up the boxes to work out what was in them. She tried to locate the food samples first.

Tash leant against the balcony railing, seemingly unbothered. “Don’t make excuses for her, a bitch is a bitch. Trust me, my bitch radar never fails.”

“But Josh wouldn’t marry a bitch, he’s lov…too nice.” Amy’s cheeks burned with heat despite the cold night air.

I nearly said he was lovely. Get over it Amy. He’s marrying her and that’s that.

“She’s not a woman’s woman. I bet she behaves quite differently around men. I’d put money on Josh knowing a different Juliet.” Tash moved unhurriedly to the boxes and took the film-covered platters of mini-rostis and raclette while Amy picked up the plate with the very tempting Swiss chocolates.

How can Josh be marrying that woman? How?

“I don’t know why we’re serving these to her. It’s a bit late to change her mind.” Amy felt her heart sink down to her boots as they headed back into the room. “Holly will go ballistic if any drastic changes are made at this stage.”

When they entered the room Juliet kept her back to them and continued her conversation with her friends even though she must’ve felt the draught of icy air from the open doors. Then she waved a hand at them impatiently, signalling they should bring the platters over, but still didn’t turn to look at them.

Amy knew Juliet had no idea who she was. She was like the snooty guests they get at Chalet Repos occasionally, the ones to whom all staff were invisible.

“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.