Page 46 of The Only Way Is Up

‘Who was she? Do you even know her name? Or was she just another convenient vagina?’

Christian had the grace to look ashamed. ‘Sophie. Her name’s Sophie. She’s twenty-four, a ski instructor from Vienn—’

‘As I said, seek help.’ Daisy’s voice wavered a little. ‘If it’s some kind of sex addiction, I’m pretty sure it’s something that can be treated. But I’m hardly an expert, am I?’

Christian shrugged, then looked at her consideringly. ‘So, now that you know I’m an addict rather than a complete arsehole, is there any chance you might take me back?’

Daisy gave a hollow laugh, wondering what life must be like in Christian’s head. Such a simple place. What had she ever seen in him? An image of Tom flashed into her head – the way he’d looked after he’d kissed her, like she was the only woman on the planet. Christian had never looked at her like that.

‘No,’ she said firmly. ‘There is no chance. Aside from you probably having every STD going, we’re not right for each other. I think we both know that.’

Christian pouted. ‘Why?’

‘OK,’ said Daisy, moving her face closer to his. God, he was beautiful. ‘Look me in the eye and tell me you love me.’

Christian’s dark eyes tried to hold her gaze, then darted away.

‘You never have, you know,’ she said quietly. ‘You’ve never said it.’

‘I–I can’t,’ he admitted. ‘I’ve never said it to anyone. I don’t know – if . . . I’m even able to feel like that.’

Daisy swallowed. If there was ever evidence she had truly crap taste in men, this was it.

‘Benny says we need to get back together.’

Daisy rolled her eyes. ‘Benny is a dick. It isn’t going to happen, but if it helps, tell him I said I’d think about it, pending you getting professional help. That should get him off your case for a while.’ She stared at him intently. ‘Just don’t make a fool out of me, Christian. Or at least, any more than you have already.’

Christian nodded solemnly. ‘I won’t, I promise.’ He looked at her sadly. ‘I’m really sorry, Dais.’ And for a moment she believed that he really was.

She shrugged, fighting the temptation to cry. She took a deep breath and gestured to the waiter for the bill. ‘I think we should go. The piste can get icy and dangerous in the afternoons.’ It was a bit mean, but there was a grim satisfaction in seeing how much Christian looked like he wanted to throw up. Especially as he watched a couple of skiers take the corner at high speed.

‘Any chance you could piggy-back me down?’ he asked faintly.

Daisy snorted. ‘Nope. But the rest of the way is a blue run. Piece of cake.’

Christian looked unconvinced.

She didn’t notice the photographer until Christian was wrestling himself back into his skis; a man in a white jacket snapping furiously from behind a tree opposite the bar. He’d made very little effort to hide, and his camera had a huge telephoto lens. God knows how long he’d been there and what pictures he’d taken, or what spin the tabloids would put on them. She sighed as she gripped Christian’s elbow to hold him steady, and decided not to say anything about it right now. She couldn’t discount the possibility that Christian or his manager had arranged for the photographer to be there – it was all too convenient, but it was too late to worry about that now. Daisy’s phone buzzed in her pocket, and she quickly pulled it out in case it was Ruby. But instead it was from Tom.

Hey! How’s your day going? Found your ski legs yet?

Daisy sighed, feeling suddenly exhausted. Tom and Christian felt like two different worlds, and juggling them both in one day felt knotty and complicated. She put her phone back in her pocket, deciding she’d unravel it all later in the peace and tranquillity of the hot tub.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

‘So, who’s got the best bruises?’ asked Ruby, as they all relaxed on the chalet terrace. The air felt brittle and fat snowflakes fell from the inky sky, but Daisy had cranked up the water temperature to the equivalent of a hot bath and made mugs of hot chocolate. After a challenging afternoon dealing with Christian, it was just about as blissful as it got.

Will was a clear winner in the bruise department – his knees and elbows were a patchwork of purple blotches. Melanie had a corker on her hip where she’d got her skis crossed during a shambolic exit from a chair lift and landed heavily on one of her classmates, and Ruby had several on her backside which she refused to show to the assembled group. Daisy just had a sore arm from when Christian had lost his balance and grabbed her in a panic, but she didn’t mention that.

‘Snowboarding is HARD,’ Ruby announced. ‘I thought it would be easy to switch from skiing, but it’s completely different. Will is way better than me.’ She gave him a playful splash and he grinned.

‘We both spent a lot of time sitting down,’ he corrected. ‘Or with our heads buried in the snow.’ He smiled at Ruby. ‘Apparently that’s normal for the first day and we’ll be better tomorrow.’

‘You have four more days of lessons,’ said Daisy. ‘By the end of the week you’ll be brilliant.’

‘I’m being moved to a different class tomorrow,’ Melanie murmured. ‘The instructor said I got the basics really quickly, so he’s moving me up a level.’ She blushed and smiled as everyone applauded and whooped.

‘Did you enjoy it?’ asked Daisy.