Page 8 of Another Lucky Number (Lucky Number #2)

Chapter Seven

‘ W hat is it, honey?’ Cat asks. ‘You haven’t been hit with unexpected charges, have you? This place is supposed to be fully all-inclusive.’

‘It’s not that.’ I look up at her, perplexed. ‘It’s from Sébastien. Asking me to have dinner with him this evening.’

‘ Awesome! ’ Amber whoops. ‘Told you he wants in your knickers. I bet he’s amazing in bed. Must be staying in the best suite in the resort too.’

In contrast to Amber’s overinflated enthusiasm – which makes me wonder if she’d like to take my place – I have an unsettling feeling.

‘You’re conflicted, aren’t you?’ Cat has picked up on this.

‘ Yeah … I am.’ I grimace. ‘I mean, Sébastien is unbelievable. He’s like the epitome of everything you’d want in a man…

But it could never go anywhere, could it?

It would be a holiday fling. And James, well…

he’s so lovely. He’s all those amazing things too, just maybe in a slightly more real way.

With him, there’s also potential for something long-term. ’

‘So, have both.’ Amber shrugs. ‘What’s the problem? Have your holiday fling and then go home to your forever man. Sounds like the perfect scenario to me.’

‘It’s not that simple. James and I… we’ve only been on one date, but it feels like more than that, if you know what I mean?’

‘I get that,’ says Cat. ‘I felt like that with Mike too.’

‘There, so you know what I mean.’ I flash her a grateful look. ‘How can I have a passionate fling with another guy – no matter how hot – and be talking with James online? All the time getting closer to him, while I’m essentially sneaking around behind his back.’

‘I bet that’s why he got in touch,’ says Amber. ‘Clever bastard. Probably anticipated the potential for you having a holiday romance and decided to show his cards early. Respect to him because it worked.’

‘Stop it, Amber.’ I frown at her. ‘You make him sound devious and calculating—’

‘Oh, shut up. I just mean he likes you and he wants you to himself. What’s wrong with that?’

I’m cheered by this thought. ‘Nothing, I guess. But I’m also thinking, what if it doesn’t work out with James, and then I’ve missed out on having a hot and steamy holiday romance? That would also suck.’

‘That’s where my head was at,’ says Amber. ‘No, actually, I was already licking Sébastien’s abs and—’

‘ All right .’ I shut her down. ‘We don’t need a graphic account of the dirt that goes through your mind.

And I wasn’t finished. Remember, James is about to go on his own holiday and he could hook up with some hot blonde or whatever himself.

What if I’m reading this wrong and he’s happy to get to know me while bedding another – or even multiple women while he’s away? ’

‘Here’s a suggestion,’ says Cat. ‘Why don’t you go along tonight and see how it is?

If you feel too guilty, you can cut it short.

Then there’s no harm done. And if it feels right with Sébastien, you can cool off the contact with James until you get home and it’s all over anyway.

Remember, you’re still officially free and single. You have nothing to feel bad about.’

‘I guess that makes sense.’ I feel better hearing Cat’s logic. ‘OK, I’ll go. On that basis only.’

‘Emma, you’re a legend.’ Amber high fives me. ‘I can’t wait to hear how big his—’

‘ Stop! ’ Cat and I cry in unison.

‘What? I was going to say his suite – how big his suite is. I’m dying to know what the best ones in the resort are like. Ours are plush enough and we’re just in the standard ones.’

I give her a pointed look. ‘Right now, I have no intention of finding that out, so you can keep wondering.’

Cat and I spend the afternoon on the resort’s pristine white beach: snoozing on our loungers and sipping deliciously refreshing mocktails served by the attentive hotel staff, while reading our books.

Palm trees tower above us, swaying gently in the merciful sea breeze.

Only when we get too hot or we feel like we want a slight change of scenery, do we wade into the cool crystal-clear water or take a short stroll along the sand. It’s pure unadulterated bliss.

In contrast to our lazy day, Amber signs herself up for a raft of water sports: jet skiing, paragliding, windsurfing, and spends her time zipping back and forth across the seascape, hurling (affectionate) abuse at us for being ‘such a bunch of wasters’.

‘Does that even remotely bother you?’ I ask Cat later in the day.

She props herself up on her elbows. ‘What? Amber’s circus of torment?’

‘Good name for it.’

‘Not at all. I find it quite funny. Makes me even more content that I’m doing this and not that. The number of times she’s come head first off that windsurfing board, I don’t envy her for a second.’

‘Same here.’ I watch as, right on cue, Amber loses control of her sail and takes yet another nose dive into the sparkling water. ‘How’s Mike? Bet he’s missing you.’

Cat suddenly looks bashful. ‘He is. He video-called me this morning before I went to breakfast. Said he was missing my beautiful face and needed to see it.’

‘That’s so sweet.’ I put a hand to my heart. ‘Cat, you have no idea how happy I am for you. After all the bad dates and the wondering if you’d ever find the right man. Here he is. And he’s totally obsessed with you. All the pain must feel worth it now.’

‘It does. I just hope it lasts.’

‘It will. I have a feeling about this one.’

‘Speaking of feelings, what are yours about tonight now you’ve had time to digest things?’

‘Um… not sure.’ I take off my sunglasses and clean the lenses with my beach towel. ‘Bit of nerves, bit of guilt. Bit of excitement.’

‘That’s all understandable,’ says Cat. ‘I’d be the same.

I really like what I’ve seen of James so far, but as I said in the karaoke bar, you don’t owe him anything – yet.

Certainly not monogamy. Obviously, it would be great if things do work out with him, but no matter what, you’re not being unfaithful or disrespectful.

And this way, you’ll have no regrets if it doesn’t go anywhere with him. ’

‘Thanks, Cat. Your opinion means a lot to me as you know. I’ve also been thinking about how I put everything into my relationship with Dave and where that got me. I don’t want to have similar regrets.’

‘Makes perfect sense.’ Cat smiles while tucking a flyaway section of hair behind her ear. ‘On that note, shall we pack up so you can go get and glammed up for your date? ’

‘Sure, why not.’ A nervous knot instantly forms in my stomach.

We gather our things, signal to Amber where we’re going and wander up the beach towards our suites.

By the time I’ve showered and pulled on some comfy shorts and a T-shirt, the nervous knot has turned into a ginormous net of slippery, slithering fish.

Wiping away the stress-induced sweat beads from my forehead, I grab a mineral water from the minibar and glug at it thirstily, hoping it will calm my nausea. Unfortunately, it has minimal effect.

‘OK, breathe, Emma,’ I say out loud to myself.

‘There’s nothing to get worked up about.

It’s just dinner with a very, very hot man.

That’s a good thing. Something to look forward to.

And it’s not at all cheating, because – remember – you and James have had one date. One . It’s all hypothetical right now.’

I pace the room, taking big deep breaths and finally feel myself calming.

There we go. It’s all fine. There’s nothing to worry about.

Nothing at all. Oh hell, who am I kidding ?

This is not fine. Sébastien is the hottest man on earth.

I’m totally punching and even though getting it on with him would undoubtedly be as decadent as the finest champagne, it would mean that I’d have to be honest with James if he asked.

My eyes roam the room, seeking a non-existent solution. Then a thought pops into my mind: Lottie. She’ll be home from hospital. Her wisdom is exactly what I need. I grab my phone and dial her on FaceTime, and she answers almost immediately.

‘That was quick,’ I say in place of a greeting.

‘Hello, my love.’ Lottie smiles at me in her kindly way. ‘I was looking at some things on the internet as your call came through. ’

‘The internet? You don’t use the internet.’

‘It would appear I do now. James has been showing me how to go “on safari”.

‘You don’t go “on safari”.’ I chuckle. ‘The internet app is called Safari.’

‘I see.’ Lottie’s statement suggests understanding but her elderly face is one of bewilderment.

‘I’ve been trying to persuade you to use the internet on your iPad for ages. How did James get you using it so quickly?’

‘I’m not sure it was quick.’ Lottie’s eyes crinkle with amusement behind her spectacles. ‘He spent nearly three hours talking me through it, showing me what to do, repeating it over and over. Such a patient young man. I kept getting into the most awful pickles.’

On hearing this, I feel ever so slightly envious that Lottie has spent this time with James. I want to spend hours alone with him – and I can think of better things we could do than a tech lesson.

‘That’s great, Lottie,’ I say. ‘That was really nice of him. Is that you out of hospital then?’

‘Yes.’ Her spectacle chain wobbles as she nods. ‘My discharge papers were ready earlier than expected. James wheeled me along those corridors at some rate, I tell you. Wouldn’t hear of letting a porter do it. He’s just wonderful.’

‘Sounds like it.’

I feel myself getting all gooey-eyed. James the good Samaritan. James the caring and the carer. My James. Wait. No. He’s not ‘my James’. He’s just James. All we have right now is powerful chemistry and some witty banter on Messenger. And I have a date with another man. I must not get beyond myself.

‘Emma, are you all right?’ Lottie’s voice cuts through my thoughts. ‘You look like you have something on your mind.’

The slithering fish in my belly give an almighty nauseating flip.

But instead of taking this opportunity to pour out my dilemma and lap up Lottie’s wisdom, I hesitate.

It may be my chance to get some solid advice, but I realise I can’t go there.

With Lottie spending so much time with James, I can’t possibly put her in the position of knowing I’m dating (or thinking of dating) someone else – regardless of the situation.

And what if he were to suddenly appear at hers and overhear me talking to her about it?

Plus – what the hell am I thinking? My James?

I can’t allow ridiculous notions like that to form in my mind.

Good Samaritan he might be, but boyfriend he is not – not yet anyway.

It’s clear to me that, not only should I not implicate Lottie in my dilemma, it’s already solved.

I need to go on this date for a reality check, if nothing else.

‘I’m fine, honestly,’ I say. ‘Probably still a bit jet-lagged.’

‘OK.’ She doesn’t seem convinced. ‘You know where I am if you need to chat.’

‘I do. I’m so glad you’re out of hospital and being looked after. I’ll visit you loads when I get home to stop you getting bored.’

‘That will be lovely.’ Lottie gives me an appreciative smile. ‘But, for now, may I request – once again – that you forget about me and enjoy your time away. It will be over too soon. Make the most of it.’

‘I think I can do that.’ I blow her a kiss. ‘The enjoying myself bit. Not forgetting about you. Speak soon.’

‘Goodbye, my love. Take good care of yourself.’

I end the call, toss my phone onto the bed and let out a faltering sigh. With my decision made, there’s no point in putting things off. It’s time to get ready for my date.