Page 73 of Another Lucky Number

The memory of me dropping James’s hand the moment Sébastien’s gaze landed on us crashes into my consciousness.

‘Shit. You’re right. I messed up.’ I quickly explain what happened.

‘There you go,’ says Cat. ‘That’s the problem right there. You doing that must have caused James to feel insecure and think that you have feelings for Sébastien.’

‘That would hurt any guy’s ego.’ I screw up my face, annoyed at myself. ‘But I only did it because Sébastien could end up being my boss. It felt weird him seeing me having a “holiday romance”. It wasn’t because I have feelings for him.’

‘Then James needs to know that.’

‘Yeah, he does…Oh no… I’ve just realised something else. The night I went for dinner with Sébastien, I told him – somewhat misguidedly – that nothing could happen between us because I have someone special at home. Now he’s going to think I’ve hooked up with some random guy on the resort and question my previous excuse, because he doesn’t know James is that “someone special”.’

‘Why does that matter?’

‘It matters because… I don’t know. Why the helldoesit matter?’

‘Actually, I have an idea why.’ Cat fixes me with a knowing look. ‘Because as much as Sébastien said he wasn’t interested in you that way, how he behaves around you suggests the opposite.’

‘You’ve noticed it too?’

‘Yes. To me, it seems like Sébastien’s pretending not to be interested in you because it wouldn’t be appropriate to pursue you romantically while you’re a candidate for a job with him – and because you already fobbed him off. But he’ll sense if there’s chemistry between you. Perhaps he’s hoping something will develop between you if you get the job, or indeed if you don’t.’

‘Oh hell, that’s all I need.’

‘Because you like Sébastien as well as James?’

‘No. Well, yes. Whodoesn’tlike Sébastien? But I want to be with James.’

‘Then, once again, he needs to know that.’

‘He does.’ I nod resolutely. ‘Shall I go to the club and tell him that?’

‘You could… but you’ve both had some booze, and it’s easy for alcohol fuelled arguments to blow up, no matter how much you want to resolve the issue. Maybe you could leave it until the morning instead.’

‘That’s good advice. Thanks Cat.’

Getting up from the bench, we continue ourwalk back to our accommodation block, and on reaching Cat’s suite, which is less than a minute’s walk from mine, we say goodnight. I then wander along the corridor to my own room, caught in a cycle of indecision. What Cat said makes a lot of sense, but I’m concerned that not dealing with this quickly might do more harm than good. Although, with the mood James was in when we parted ways…Oh, I don’t know.

While continuing to switch back and forth on whether to go and find him, I round the corner to my suite and my breath catches in my throat: because James is leaning against the wall by my door.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

‘Hi there.’ I approach James with a hesitant smile. ‘I thought you decided to go to the club.’

‘I did go,’ he says. ‘But it turns out I forgot something,’

‘Oh.’ I’m disappointed to that this unexpected appearance is for practical reasons. ‘What did you forget? I don’t think I have anything of yours.’

He looks pained for a moment. ‘I forgot… how to behave.’

‘Um… OK…’

‘I acted like a sulky teenage boy back there at The Cave. Amber just gave me bollocking for that – which is unfortunate, because I was intending to drink my bodyweight in beer to forget about it.’

I use my key card to unlock my suite and beckon for him to follow me inside, which he does. But instead of making himself comfortable, he stands awkwardly in the middle of the room.

‘Why don’t you sit down?’ I suggest.

‘I don’t want to sit until I know whether I’m staying or leaving,’ he says.

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