Revenge of a Chalet Girl: (7 page)

“That’s a shame,” Matt replied. “What do you think Josh? It’s your call.”

“I don’t think we should risk it.” Josh frowned and then looked over at Paul and Mark. “Are you two okay with that?”

They both grunted, shrugging as they continued to pile croissants and pain au chocolat onto their plates.

“You could go down to the Christmas markets at Montreux,” Holly suggested, sipping at her coffee.

“Ooh, I’ve been wanting to go down to the Montreux market again,” Amelia said. “It was such fun last year. I definitely recommend it. I think I got all my Christmas presents in one trip and the food was amazing. They do these lovely hot waffles and chocolate pancakes.”

“Why don’t you come with us?” Matt said, smiling warmly at Amelia. Then, as though an afterthought, hastily turned to look round at the rest of the group. “All of you I mean.”

“Could do,” Scott said thoughtfully, scratching his stubble. “I need to see a man about a reindeer.”

“Seriously?” Sophie giggled.

“Yes, to pull the sleigh from the chapel to the reception.” Holly glanced warily at Josh and plastered a professional smile on her face. “Last minute change, we’re having reindeer pulling the sleigh instead of horses. No problem though, we’ve got it sorted I think.”

“Reindeer?” Josh’s frown deepened even further. “I thought we were skiing to…”

“Direct request from the bride, she said you’d both agreed…” Holly chewed at her bottom lip, anxiety shining in her eyes.

“It’s fine, I probably just forgot to read an email or something.” Josh shrugged and did his best to put a polite smile on his face.

Amy had to fold her arms tightly across her chest to prevent herself from reaching out to him. Just like Josh to smile politely instead of saying ‘What the fuck?’ like a normal person.

“Luckily I’ve got a contact at Chateau Chillon,” Scott said, reaching across the table for a croissant. “Well, they always have reindeer and I can borrow them for a few hours, for a price of course.”

The storm clouds outside had nothing on the flash of irritation in Josh’s eyes, although he clearly did his best to hide it. How could Amy spend the day in his company and not mouth off about the horrendous mistake he was making? Mouth off
again
that was, Josh already knew her views. In the words of Elvis what was needed now was a little less conversation and a little more action.

“I’m not sure I’ve got time to come.” Holly rubbed a hand over her eyes.

“And I’m on evening meal duty with Tash so one us should stay behind really, I don’t mind volunteering,” Amy gabbled quickly, keen to get her point across. She hovered at the back of the group, waiting for her chance to escape.

I so do not have time for this, I’ve got a wedding to cancel.

She glanced guiltily at Holly who was probably thinking the same only substituting the word ‘cancel’ for the word ‘arrange’. Amy liked Holly and yet she was working to undermine all her hard work. There would be consequences.

“We’re all going,” Scott announced firmly. “We can get something to eat down at the markets, they do all kinds of food, not just snacks.”

Amy sighed, knowing she was beaten. Scott might be easy going in some respects but he wasn’t someone you disobeyed.

“Well, if we are going I just need to send a few emails first.” Holly stared levelly at her husband. “Thirty minutes to get ready and we’ll meet at the minibus. Don’t forget, you’ll need your warmest clothes. We might be going down to the valley floor but it gets really cold, trust me.”

“But what about the storm?” Amy hissed at Tash as they left the dorm room.

“The markets are down in Montreux; the storm might not even reach it down to the lake, you know what mountain weather is like.” Tash shrugged. “Who cares? We’ve got the day off and don’t have to cook tonight, that’s all that matters.”

Amy stared down at her feet, cheeks burning. She couldn’t share her plan to stop the wedding with Tash, or anyone for that matter; they’d only try to talk her out of it. Not that she had much of a plan yet. She just had to use the time to think.

“Is it Josh?” Tash asked.

“Ssh.” Amy grabbed Tash’s arm, glancing anxiously behind them, hoping no one had heard. “Not now please Tash. This really is hard enough already without the whole world knowing about it.”

Tash raised an impressive eyebrow at her, scarlet eye shadow accentuating her cat like eyes and making them seem even bluer than usual.

Amy knew what that eyebrow meant.

‘Later’.

Tash wasn’t about to let her off the hook for too long. Amy’s mouth tightened. She was going to stop the wedding with or without her blessing.

Amy reached into her bag for her purse. Retail therapy was not her first choice of distraction for dealing with stress but if the ski lifts were going to be closed…

“Amy, can I have a word?” Amelia touched Amy’s arm, making her jump.

“Sure.” Amy eyed Amelia warily.

Not another intervention? But that was more Tash’s style than Amelia’s.

“Is there anything between you and Matt?” Amelia asked, her cheeks flushed unnaturally pink. “Only I saw you two kissing the other night and um…we’ve been getting on really well.”

Amy breathed out in relief. So that was it. It was a little galling that Matt could transfer his affections so rapidly. But she was pleased. Matt was a nice guy and who knew? He might smooth off some of Amelia’s sharper corners.

“No, not at all.” Amy smiled. “He’s all yours Amelia. Go for it.”

“Er, thanks.” Amelia’s features softened into a smile as she sat down on the lower bunk and took out her make-up bag.

How easy it would be if I could fall for someone unattached and let Josh go.

For a moment Amy wavered. But this wasn’t about her, it was about protecting Josh.

Or was it? Really? Amy stared at her reflection in her own compact mirror. A pale face stared back at her, a sleepless night evident in her bloodshot eyes. Was she lying to herself?

Just a little bit, maybe. She wanted to protect Josh but she also wanted…more. Amy pushed down a surge of emotion.

Not now, I can’t deal with thinking about the future now.

The lakeshore at Montreux was crowded, the path lined with lit wooden chalet stalls. The Alps on the other side of the lake were swathed in thick angry cloud but above Montreux the sky was clear, the air biting and crisp.

Amy pulled her scarf around her neck, tucking it into her coat to keep out the cold air, her eyes drawn to the exquisitely made Christmas decorations, the nutcracker soldiers and gingerbread houses. She’d already bought some quirky felt purses from a stall in the Mongolian Yurt. They’d do as presents for the girls and Holly. The handmade soaps and scrumptious looking Swiss chocolates looked great too; her mum would love them, not that she’d get them home in time for Christmas.

She’d enjoyed seeing the re-enacted medieval market at Chateau Chillon while Scott had gone off in search of his reindeer contact but her French hadn’t been up to understanding the commentaries and story telling.

Reindeers? For frick’s sake!

Poor Scott and Holly being bombarded with all these last minute demands. What next? Would Juliet insist Father Christmas drove the sleigh?

This market at Montreux was more her thing – shiny, sparkly, pretty things. Delicate strings of flower-lights caught her attention. She wanted to buy a couple of sets but where would she put them? Maybe it was time to look for a job where she could rent her own place, however tiny.

They all wandered into the large covered food court next to the Ferris wheel, passing trees decorated with tiny white lights, sparkling against bare branches. Carols filled the air, piped through the sound system, some in French, some in English. The air was full of delicious smells, savoury and sweet, of roasting meat and frying pancakes. As she stared at the variety of food on offer from waffles to tartiflette and fondue, Amy’s stomach gave an involuntary rumble, bemoaning the absence of breakfast.

“Hungry?” Josh stood close behind her, leaning in so he could be heard over the music. She felt a shiver of desire tickling her spine at his close proximity.

“Is my stomach rumbling so loudly you can hear it over the sound of the carols?” Amy smiled awkwardly, turning her head to face him, close enough to feel the warmth of his body.

Step away Amy. Expose Juliet first and stop Josh making a hideous mistake. Maybe, then we’ll see…

“Hey, I know you, remember? You were always hungry. And I noticed you didn’t eat much at breakfast,” Josh replied, inching closer, his face so near that she could lose herself in his eyes, feel herself melting as the noise and crowds around her dissolved into nothingness. Her mind airbrushed everything out, leaving just her and Josh.

Her chest ached with supressed emotion.

Kiss me.

“Hey you two, we’re all going to the Lumberjack Village.” Sophie tugged on the sleeve of Amy’s coat, shooting her a meaningful look. “Let’s go.”

“The Lumberjack Village?” Josh asked

“They have log cabins with open fires in the middle so we can warm up.” Sophie linked her arm through Amy’s, giving her little choice but to go with her. “Most importantly they have wood-fired pizzas and hot wine!”

“Sounds great.” Josh smiled stiffly and walked with them. This time he kept his distance, his eyes dark and expression troubled.

He wants me as much as I want him.

Amy felt dizzy, her vision blurry with sparkling lights. Her senses were overwhelmed by the smells and music and crowds. And most of all by Josh…

I need something to eat, that’s all.

She was getting good at this lying to herself lark.

Inside the log cabin Paul and Mark had already grabbed some beers and flanked Tash on either side, warming themselves at the railing around the central fire.

Amy instinctively moved forward towards the heat; despite her warm clothing the tip of her nose had gone cold. The flames flickered and licked around the logs. She watched, mesmerised.

This was how she felt, consumed, alive with the certainty she couldn’t just carry on drifting. She couldn’t sit back and let Josh walk away. Again. She’d lost Josh once to a job, she wasn’t going to lose him to Juliet. The job had been something positive, something good for him but Juliet, well the word toxic didn’t feel too extreme.

Josh had moved to stand next to Holly. She’d engaged him in conversation. Probably about the wedding arrangements.

Amy suddenly felt sick, unable to face the pizza. She looked for the nearest exit and slipped out of the cabin, moving instinctively towards the lakeshore, feeling the peaceful draw of the inky-black water lapping against the rocks.

The sun had now dipped down below the line of cloud shrouding the French Alps on the opposite side of the lake from Montreux, turning the sky an awesome amber colour, tingeing the clouds with pink.

It was breathtaking.

Amy forced herself to take some deep breaths as she stumbled towards an elegant wrought iron bench. She slumped gratefully down onto it. Then her gaze fell on a couple kissing, silhouetted against the setting sun.

It took a minute for Amy to realise it was Amelia and Matt.

She smiled, the first genuine smile to grace her lips in a long while. But then the inevitable sadness swept in. It was so uncomplicated for Matt and Amelia – a snog, a fling and then a possible hook-up back in the UK… Amelia didn’t have a wedding to sabotage.

A shiver of fear and cold ran through her, how was she going to stop the wedding? She still didn’t have a plan. What she needed was to give Josh an honourable ‘out.’ And if she had to obtain that in a dishonourable way, well, so be it.

But if he really wants to marry Juliet, he’ll marry her.

A warm salty tear trickled down her cold cheek. Despite her scarf and gloves her fingers felt numb and she could barely feel her toes in her Ugg boots. Yet she couldn’t bring herself to care enough to move back to the fire or move about. The black cloud of depression seemed closer now, no longer on her distant horizon but hovering, waiting to blot out all the light in her world.

“Amy?” Tash slipped onto the bench beside her. “Come here, sweetheart.”

Amy leant towards her and Tash put her arms around her, the warmth and kindness broke through the barrier of restraint and Amy sobbed as she rested her head on Tash’s shoulder.

After a few minutes Amy lifted her head and fumbled in her coat pockets for a tissue, eventually locating one.

“Sorry.” She blew her nose.

“You have to let him go.” Tash said.

“Maybe, maybe not. I’ve got a plan,” Amy replied.

And then, as the sun slid down behind the mountains, she sat with Tash beneath the darkening sky and told her what she was intending to do.

Amy knew she had to do everything she could to stop Juliet getting her hands on Josh and Josh’s money. If his parents weren’t around to look out for him she would have to do the job.

His explanation had swept away the remaining lingering anger she’d directed towards Josh. But wasn’t she really just furious at life? She’d turned it all on Josh because that was easier, less scary than admitting life could be capricious and unfair. That people you loved could be suddenly whisked away from you by death or by simply choosing to walk away…

But if anyone could understand that it would be Josh. Having lost his parents like that…well, if she explained about her depression she had a feeling he, of all people, would understand.

Life was difficult enough without toxic people and Amy was sure Juliet was toxic.

Josh was too damn decent, that was the problem.

It was just as well Amy wasn’t above a bit of scheming herself then.

And luckily for Amy, Juliet was arrogant. She’d treated Tash and Amy like invisible nobodies. Probably how she treated all staff, merely a part of the background.

She’d thought she might have to stake out the mountain cantine today to spy on Juliet. After all, everyone stopped at the cantine at some point during the day for lunch or a drink when they wanted a break from the pistes. But an inspired phone call to Niall had got her the information she needed.

“You’re not really going through with it, are you?” Sophie asked, her expression disapproving. “Why don’t you change your mind and come skiing with us today?”

“I have to do this,” Amy said crossly, sorting out a bag to put her swimming stuff in. “I’m getting a day pass for the Hotel Paradis Spa. Apparently Juliet prefers to pamper herself rather than go skiing.”

And actively doing something about this is the only way I know how to avoid sliding into depression again.

“I think you should just leave it,” Tash said, sliding into her salopettes as she lay on the bunk bed. There wasn’t enough space in the small room for all four of them to change at the same time.

“Yeah, if they want to get married, that’s their call. There’s not much you can do about it.” Amelia touched up her make-up using a powder compact. “I think you need to give it up.”

“While I appreciate all your advice, I know this is something I need to do,” Amy said crossly, throwing her hairbrush, purse, phone and deodorant into the bag.

Look where your previous suggestions got me, girls, and then tell me I need to follow your advice.

She bit back the retort. They’d only been trying to help. If she hadn’t been so poleaxed by seeing Josh again maybe she would’ve been strong enough to reject their advice and suggestions that simply weren’t ‘her.’

She’d been drifting along in a daydream for too long, allowing herself to be buffeted and blown wherever the wind took her – from job to job, relationship to relationship, not caring for or committing to anything.

Now, however, she was wide awake; the world around her felt sharper and clearer, as though Josh had adjusted her view finder, bringing her life back into focus.

“Well if you have to do it…” Tash eyed her doubtfully. “Just watch your back, okay. And give me a ring if you need me.”

“Thanks Tash.” Amy gave a slightly wobbly smile as she picked up her bag. Then she remembered the waterproof case for her iPhone and threw it into the bag. If she was going to get evidence she couldn’t risk her phone getting wet. “I’ll see you all later, have fun.”

In the corridor Amy bumped into Holly and Scott.

“Not skiing today?” Scott glanced down at her jeans and tunic dress.

“No, I fancied a swim. Thought I’d get a day pass at the Hotel Paradis spa.” Amy felt the heat creeping up her neck, her body always gave her away when she was stressed.

“Sounds nice. “ Holly smiled wistfully. “Wish I could come too but there’s too much wedding prep to do. God forbid I get any tiny detail wrong. She strikes me as the type who might sue.”

Scott pulled a face. “Would you believe we’ve got to make sure the sleigh is fitted with effing sleigh bells? That’s the latest directive from on high.”

“Ssh.” Holly poked Scott in the side. “Don’t listen to Mr Scrooge here. If the customer wants us to bling up the Christmas element, who are we to argue?”

“Oh really?” Scott narrowed his eyes but they glinted with amusement. “Only last night you were saying if she made you paint one of the reindeers’ noses red like Rudolf you’d stick the paint brush where the…oof.”

Holly poked Scott even harder in the stomach this time and rolled her eyes at Amy.

“Oh,” Amy shifted the bag on her shoulder, fiddling with the straps and feeling awkward. “Did you need me? I could help you later on before dinner?”

She felt traitorous, on her way to wreck the very event Holly was stressing over.

“It’s kind of you to offer Amy,” Scott smiled at her as he wound his arms around Holly. “But there’s no need, this is your free time after all and she’s already got me roped in making table decorations.”

The way Scott looked at Holly, eyes brimming with affection and an intimacy reflected in Holly’s eyes too.

I had that once…

Holly waved her away. “Go and have fun, it’ll all work out okay.”

I do hope so, I really do hope so.

It wasn’t hard to find Juliet’s group. Amy heard them first, talking loudly and disturbing the peace of the spa. She spotted them sitting in a circle around the Jacuzzi, their legs dangling into the bubbling water. There was a gap, if she sat with her headphones in hopefully they’d think she was listening to music and if they saw her fiddling with her phone think she was scrolling through her playlist. If she kept her iPhone in the waterproof case it should be okay.

She slipped into the gap; glad the other women barely glanced at her. Just as she’d thought, they didn’t appear to recognise her.

Invisible.

She surreptitiously set her phone to voice record, knowing it could easily record for several hours. As the women chatted about people she’d never heard of Amy found her attention drifting off, Josh’s words reverberating inside her.

She’d never believed that stuff about him ending their relationship for her sake at the time. Back at twenty-one she would’ve bitten someone’s head off if they’d told her she was too young to marry. But now…well she could see it was true, they had been too young to marry. And she had been psyched about teaching. Could she really have coped with being marooned in an expat compound with nothing better to do with her time than top up her tan?

Had he been right to leave her to follow her own dreams? Maybe…

She squeezed her eyes shut briefly. It all made sense in her head but her heart refused to agree. Josh had set her free but she hadn’t wanted her freedom, she’d wanted him. The more she thought about it, her anger with Josh seeped away to be replaced by a terrible sadness.

It felt like such a terrible waste and she couldn’t let Josh make another mistake in the name of ‘doing the right thing.’ This wasn’t about whatever she imagined might happen between her and Josh. This was about protecting Josh from Juliet because he was far too nice to see what a cow she really was.

Amy had tuned out the conversation but her Josh-antennae twitched when the conversation turned round to the wedding. She tried not to look interested, fixing her gaze on the darkened glass window with its view of the mountaintops.

“So he rang you last night?” The brunette with a Cleopatra bob asked her. “I thought you’d agreed no contact between stags and hens?”

“Do you think he’s got cold feet?” A woman with expensive looking highlights raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow.

“If he has I’ve got a little trick up my sleeve.” Juliet stared at her friend, her face impassive. “I haven’t spent months getting myself in shape for this wedding for nothing. Not to mention the stress of dealing with that inept wedding planner. And I’ve got more relatives and friends flying into Geneva tomorrow. Do you think I’d let myself be jilted and humiliated in front of them?”

Amy’s stomach clenched but she kept her eyes fixed on a mountaintop and tried to look bored. It was difficult when she wanted to leap up and slap Juliet.

“Can you imagine the humiliation of being jilted?” Ms Blonde Highlights replied, a cruel twist at the edge of her mouth when she smiled.

“But I can’t imagine Josh jilting you, he’s too decent.” Ms Cleopatra Bob butted in. “And this ski wedding was his idea wasn’t it?”

“Yes,” Juliet replied. “He said he didn’t want to do the traditional thing or his parents not being there would be too awful. I don’t mind, after all you’ve got to admit it’s different.”

Please someone ask her what trick she has up her sleeve
Amy pleaded silently, her muscles tense as she waited. She had a nagging feeling about this ‘trick’, she needed to know.

“Do you remember Tara?” Cleopatra bob girl asked in the hushed tones of someone about to enjoy some juicy gossip. “When she was jilted, she lost it big time. I think they had to cart her off to the Priory.”

“There’s no way I’d let anyone humiliate me like that,” Juliet’s voice had a hard edge to it.

“So, what’s your trick then? If it turns out he’s got cold feet?” Bob girl asked. “Not that he will though, how could he not be really into you?”

Halleluiah. At last someone has asked the question.

But Amy’s exhilaration was tinged with trepidation. She had a very bad feeling about this.

“I’ll tell him I’m pregnant of course.” Juliet replied, sounding smug. “As you said, Josh is a decent guy, quite old fashioned when it comes to that sort of thing.”

The involuntary gasp had escaped Amy’s mouth before she could stop it. Rage erupted inside her as she swung her legs out of the Jacuzzi, getting ready to stand up, unable to bear being so close to Juliet for one minute longer.

“Hey, isn’t that the weird girl from the wedding planners?” Ms Blonde Highlights announced loudly and the rest of the group stared at Amy. Juliet’s eyes narrowed.

“Why aren’t you working on my wedding?” Juliet demanded icily, glaring at Amy as though she had no right to use the same facilities as her.

“It’s not really my job, and I er…had today off.” Amy pulled her headphones out of her ears and got to her feet, in her haste she knocked the screen lock button and the iPhone fell down onto the blue tiled floor.

Oh crap.

The voice-recording app was visible on the screen.

“You’re recording me?” Juliet’s voice rose, fury blazing in her eyes as she made a lunge for the phone and picked it up.

Amy wasn’t quick enough to get there first and Juliet’s friends stood up to block her from reaching Juliet.

“I could click erase, but maybe I should make sure.” Juliet pulled the phone out of the waterproof case and threw it into the air above the Jacuzzi. Unable to move forward Amy could only watch as it fell into the middle of the bubbling Jacuzzi. The rage inside her was bubbling too, threatening to boil over.

“Oops, sorry, looks like your phone is fucked.” Juliet sneered. “I guess that’s one of the hazards of recording people without their permission. Now why don’t you tell me why you were spying on me because I’d say it’s not just your phone that’s in trouble.”

Josh sat in the sun outside the Chalet Repos. A morning’s skiing hadn’t helped him sort his mind out. The conversation with Juliet last night had made him less and less sure he could go through with this. How could he ever have thought she was the right one to settle down with? What had he been thinking? That you should just marry whoever you were with when the music stopped?

Grief had made him settle for the wrong person – right place, right time, wrong girl.

Juliet was the poor man’s Amy. No, scratch that, she didn’t compare at all. There’d been a tone in her voice last night he didn’t like and didn’t recognise. How well did he really know Juliet?

He’d rushed into this. Losing his parents left him longing to create his own family. Juliet had been there at the right place, right time. She was good company and energetic in bed. Also she’d said she loved to travel and was happy to up and relocate if he took another job abroad.

He’d thought it was worth settling to start a family. You didn’t get two people like Amyin one lifetime. If only he’d known that… But he’d stuffed up and had to live with the consequences. Or did he?

He’d come back to the chalet early in the hope he might be able to find Amy again and talk to her; the other girls had said she wasn’t skiing today. But there’d been no sign of her at Chalet Repos.

He could hear the iPod dock playing Christmas songs on a loop from inside the Chalet, now on was
All I want for Christmas
…

And he knew all he wanted for Christmas was Amy. There was no point fighting the truth. The question was what should he do about it? He kicked hard at the fresh powdery snow on the ground. Had Amy been telling him the truth about Juliet?

Yes.

His gut had no doubt. Juliet had been weird with him on the phone, her answers about Ibiza snappy. There was nothing he could put his finger on. Just a feeling, a difference in the tone of her voice, a barrier between them.

No evidence in other words. Nothing of substance to give him cause to call off a wedding, to disrupt the travel plans of their friends and family. It should be a no-brainer. So why couldn’t he accept that?

He stared at the road leading up to the chalet. He must be hallucinating because he could’ve sworn that was Juliet and Amy walking together towards Chalet Repos.

What the…

Josh sat up straighter, peering forwards. No, he wasn’t hallucinating.

He got to his feet. As they got closer he saw the furious look on Juliet’s face, her skin mottled crimson with fury. He turned his gaze on Amy, her eyes were puffy and red, he could see that even from this distance.

What on earth had happened? How….

Juliet marched up to the chalet, Amy doggedly trailing a few steps behind her. A spark in Amy’s eyes, of pride and determination, moved him.