Page 7 of More Than Just Friends

Even though I got the confirmation email a couple of weeks after I’d officially applied and I’d had a month for it to sink in since then, it still didn’t feel real.

I kept thinking I was going to receive another message to tell me it was a joke. I mean, paying a thousand pounds for an all-inclusive luxury holiday at one of the world’s most prestigious resorts still seemed too good to be true. Although Sammie assured me that everything was above board, I couldn’t help but think there had to be a catch.

I’d had visions of my match being a weirdo and the hotel management shrugging their shoulders and saying, ‘Surely you didn’t expect Regé-Jean Page for a grand, did you?’

Then again, that didn’t track. The hotel would want us to get on. It’d be great publicity for them. And Sammie had nothing but good things to say about the resorts. She’d gone to the one in Italy as a guest and as well as bagging a hot boyfriend, who was her Love Alchemist (scandalous, right?), she’d also got a job too.

She said everyone at the hotels was super nice and professional and that the matchmaking experts worked hard to find the guests their perfect partners. So even though I was paying what they’d consider bargain prices (but was still a small fortune to me), I was sure the man they’d pick wouldn’t be a dud.

Luckily the journey from the airport wasn’t too scary. I’d sat in the middle seat as usual, just in case. But because there were no steep drops, I was able to take in the views of the whitewashed houses and hotels without fretting.

I was so relaxed that I started thinking about the kind of guy I’d love to be matched with.

A vision of a muscular Greek god immediately leapt into my mind and I chastised myself. How he looked wasn’t important.

I lied. It was a bit. Okay, more than a bit.

Yeah, yeah, I knew that sounded shallow, but at least I was being honest.

Given the choice, I was sure everyone would prefer to date someone who was nice to look at.

And could you blame me? My sister went to Italy and ended up with an Italian stallion, so there was nothing wrong in wishing for my very own Greek god. You’ve gotta aim high in life, right?

Plus, if I asked for it, the universe would deliver. At least that’s what the motivational quotes on Instagram told me every day and everyone knew that if it was on social media it was true.

If only.

Anyway, aside from my ideal date’s looks, I supposed I just wanted someone kind, caring and fun to be around. That wasn’t too much to ask, was it? It definitely felt like that when I went on all those failed dates.

I wondered what time Noah would arrive.

Yep! He’d got a place too.

Sammie was very excited when I told her he was interested. Of course she’d spouted her nonsense about how cool it’d be if I turned up to the hotel and got matched with Noah, which gave me palpitations and not the romantic ones.

She reminded me that when Stella went to the Love Hotel in Spain she was set up with her ex (and soon to be husband), Max. Then she told me about another guest whose name I couldn’t remember right now, who went to the resort in Paris and got set up with her best friend’s twenty-seven-year-old son. Imagine!

That was why Sammie thought it was entirely possible that Noah could end up being my match. Yeah, we had a lot in common, but that was normal for friends. I had shared interests with lots of people, but as I kept reminding my sister, that didn’t mean that I fancied them.

Okay, full disclosure. There was a time when I was younger that I thought Noah was cute. But then something happened that made it clear he wasn’t interested in me like that, so eventually I grew out of that crush.

Plus, he’d become a bit of a recluse. If he wasn’t interested in me back then, he sure as shit wasn’t now. He never wanted to meet up or go out. And for some reason, he was dead against video-calling.

I’d asked him why so many times and he’d always clammed up.

And he’d stopped sharing photos of himself, whereas I loved taking pictures if I ever went somewhere interesting.

The only reason I could think of for Noah becoming camera-shy since he moved away was that maybe he wasn’t happy with his appearance. I couldn’t think why. He always had the most beautiful brown eyes and his smile could light up a whole city. But y’know, we’re often our harshest critics, so just because I thought he looked good, it didn’t mean that he felt that way about himself.

It wasn’t just women who had insecurities about their weight and appearance. I knew I did, so maybe Noah was no different.

I didn’t care if he’d grown a beard down to his belly button or if he’d put on a few extra pounds. He’d always be my best friend. And I’d always love him. Platonically of course.

Anyway, as I was saying, Noah was also arriving today, but now that he was in North London, it made sense for him to travel from Heathrow, whereas Gatwick was closer for me. His flight arrived an hour later than mine, but we’d agreed to catch up on the phone before our dates.

I couldn’t believe that in just a few hours I’d be meeting my dream man for the first time.

Squeal!