Page 7 of The One That Got Away

‘What happened?’ I rushed over to her. ‘Are you okay?’

Mum started jumping up and down on the spot.

‘Yes! I’m more than okay! I’mamazing!’

‘What’s amazing? Did Ann Summers get back to you about stocking some of our thongs?’

‘Nope!’ She continued jumping.

‘Have you heard back from Lovehoney? Aretheyinterested?’

‘It’s much better news than that!’

Now she was doing the dance Carlton fromThe Fresh Prince of Bel Airused to do.Very badly.

‘Are you going to keep jumping up and down like a lunatic or are you actually going to tell me what this amazing news is sometime this century?’

‘Don’t get upset with me,’ she paused, ‘but I did something that you might not be happy with right now, but I’m sure it’ll all work out in the end. You just have to trust me.’

‘What are you going on about?’

‘Do you promise not to shout or get angry if I tell you?’

‘I’d need to know what you’ve done first before I do that!’

‘Okay…’ She sat down and patted the space beside her. ‘Sit.’ I did as she asked, my heart racing. ‘So you remember I was telling you about The Love Hotel…’

‘Mum!’ I blew out an exasperated breath. ‘I’ve told you a million times, I’m not interested!’

‘Well, I kind of, maybe,mighthave applied already on your behalf a few weeks ago. Just on a whim. To see what would happen…’

‘But the deposit’s a thousand pounds! We need a new sewing machine and computer. You can’t throw away that kind of money!’

‘My one and only child’s happiness is priceless! And I’m a grown woman. I can do what I want with my savings. So anyway, I applied andlook!’ She turned the laptop to face me. ‘They’ve accepted you! They’ve found your perfect match! Isn’t thatbrilliant!’ She danced around in her seat.

‘What?’ I blinked rapidly, trying to register what was on the screen.

‘You’ve got a place at The Love Hotel! They’ve found you a hot sexy man who’s your Mr Right. Isn’t it amazing?’

I froze and swallowed the concrete lump in my throat.

As the reality of what Mum said started to dawn on me, my heart thundered in my chest and my pulse raced so fast that if I wasn’t already sitting down I would’ve passed out.

Despite me telling her repeatedly that I wasn’t interested, Mum had gone behind my back and applied. Wasting valuable money she didn’t have on the deposit.

And nowapparentlythey’d found my perfect match.

Yeah, right.

‘It’s not amazing! It’s a disaster!’

‘Don’t be so dramatic!’ She turned the laptop back to face her. ‘It’s anopportunity. You haven’t had a holiday in ages and you need a good man in your life. This is perfect!’

‘It really isn’t! Anyway, I can’t go. The trip’s for two weeks, right?’

‘Correct.’

‘So who’ll help you whilst I’m gone?’

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