Page 31 of The One That Got Away

‘Have fun. And tell him that if he doesn’t take good care of you, he’ll havemeto answer to!’ Max laughed and Dorothy blushed before waving goodbye and setting off towards reception.

‘So…’ I said, psyching myself up to apologise. ‘Dorothy was the reason you were late?’

‘Yep.’

‘Sorry, I didn’t realise.’

‘I tried to explain.’

‘I know, it’s just that when you said you were with a woman…’

‘You thought the worst.’

‘Can you blame me?’

‘Doesn’t matter.’

I did kind of feel bad for judging him, but I’d apologised, so I didn’t know what else he expected me to do.

‘Coach is here!’ Jasmine announced as it pulled in front of us.

Whoa. This was no ordinary coach. It wasn’t like what we went on for school trips. This had a sleek, glossy black exteriorlike the ones they used to transport Premier League footballers or celebrities.

We joined the back of the queue and when we got inside, it was just as glam as the outside.

I walked along the spotless wooden flooring, taking in the sight of the tinted windows, plush grey and white reclining leather seats which had so much legroom even a basketball player could stretch out comfortably.

In front of the seats were large, shiny chrome tables that were a million miles away from the cheap plastic ones you got on trains and planes.

At the back of the coach there was even a kitchen with a coffee machine, fridge and microwave, plus loads of elegantly displayed drinks and snacks.

Wow. The Love Hotel really knew how to push the boat out. Now I understood why it was so pricey.

The coach was already full, so I had no choice but to sit next to Max. Thankfully, I’d come prepared. My phone was loaded with eBooks on the Kindle app, so I planned to read for the whole journey.

Although we’d survived breakfast together, I didn’t want to chance it. Speaking of breakfast, yesterday I was surprised at how those photos from the volleyball tournament on Sunday came out.

In one of the pics it looked like Max was ogling me, but I knew that couldn’t be right. All of the pictures were misleading. I mean I was smiling and looked happy which of course was ridiculous.

So was that snap they took where I was wrapped in the towel and looking up at Max like he’d just invented water. Yeah, I was grateful but that was all. I wasn’t some stupid lovesick teenager any more. Now I knew better.

We didn’t get a chance to pick up the sandcastle-building pictures yet. Maybe we’d do that when we got back.

I slid into a window seat and whipped out my phone. Max sat beside me and his scent flooded my nostrils. I hated how great he smelt.

He repositioned himself in the seat, his arms skimming mine. Goosebumps erupted over my skin and I warned my body to calm the hell down.

There was a reason I’d taken out my phone. What was it again?

Reading. That was it.

Good idea. I needed the distraction.

‘Sorry.’ Max moved around in the seat again, his bare arms pressing against mine.

I squeezed myself against the window to try and create some distance between us then launched my book app and tried to focus.

‘What you reading?’ Max said.

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