He is making me feel so uncomfortable with my own friends and I have done nothing wrong. He shakes his head and looks down angrily. This silent treatment is killing me and I start to perspire as fury heats my blood
Cameron and Adrian discuss the hotel they are staying at and Bridget starts telling them about some new place they should have stayed at. Joshua’s eyes stay fixed firmly on me. The thing is I should be jumping for joy that he is even looking in my direction and all I really want to do is climb over the table and strangle him. He comes back here, tells off Max, ignores me and then gives me dirty looks over the coffee table. Asshole.
“Here you go,” fishface coos as she puts the coffees down in front of everybody.
Bridget looks at the coffees and narrows her eyes at me. “Excuse me,” she calls after the waitress.
“Yes,” fishface answers.
“Can you take back these two coffees?” She points to hers and mine.
The waitress frowns.
“We would like love hearts in our froth as well. And where are our marshmallows? Do you have to be good-looking and have a penis to qualify for the optional extras?” Bridget asks way too sweetly as she fakes a smile.
The boys all choke on their coffees and I cringe in embarrassment.
She glares at Bridget and I hold my hand over my coffee. “I’m good,” I smile as I wave her away. She nods and takes Bridget’s coffee out the back.
“You idiot,” I snap. “She’s going out there to spit in your coffee.”
Everyone laughs. “She so is,” Cameron stammers.
I got one less problem without you. I got one less problem without you. My phone rings on the table. Joshua stops with his coffee midair and glares at me.
“New ringtone. What happened to ‘Diamonds’?” he snaps.
Bridget laughs out loud. Oh crap, he remembered. “I thought this song was more suitable,” I stammer embarrassed.
“That should be my ringtone. Not yours,” he scowls.
“This is going well. Don’t you think?” Cameron smiles into his coffee as he raises his eyebrows.
Shut up Cameron. Dick. You’re pissing me off too.
I drink my coffee while I watch him … them. It’s no wonder every woman here is ogling these three men, they are utterly gorgeous. If Joshua was any more alpha male and virile he would impregnate women just by being in the same room as them. So not fair, why can’t he be ugly and weedy? He gets a message and he picks his phone up and smiles as he reads it. Who was it from? Is it her? That sick insecure feeling seeps into my stomach. Why do I do this to myself? I can’t sit here, I need to get away. Why does he make me feel like this? What’s wrong with me?
I stand in a rush. “I’m going back to the room.”
“But you haven’t touched your coffee,” Adrian murmurs.
“You have it Bridge, I wouldn’t be touching yours after your tanty. I will see you back there,” she nods and smiles.
Half an hour later I exit Gran’s room and go over to my bag that I left sitting on the lounge. I turn to the boys and Bridget who are sitting together in a large group. “I’m going to head off.” I point with my thumb at the door. “I will see you all tomorrow,” I sigh, defeated. Adrian must have left as he is not here.
Joshua’s eyes flick up at mine and he drops his head immediately. My stomach drops, still not a word, not even goodbye. I turn and start making my way up the corridor.
“Tash, I will walk you out,” Cameron calls as he runs after me. Huh, what now? Just leave me alone.
“I am talking to you anyway,” he snaps. I find I speed up as my anger starts to return. “That’s great, how big of you,” I mutter.
I keep walking at a quick pace and he follows. “I just don’t understand you, that’s all. So it pisses me off.”
I stop as I frown at him. “So you are pissed off with me?” I point at my chest.
He nods angrily.
“Why in the hell are you pissed off with me?” I snap.
“I don’t like the way you treat Joshua.”
Oh, the gall. “My past relationship with your brother has nothing to do with your and my relationship. I thought we were close.”
He puts his lips together. “Yes, we were. Are,” he corrects.
I screw up my face as tears threaten. “You know what. Forget it. I don’t need your fake friendship, Cameron. When I texted you on New Year’s and you sent me that nice reply I thought we were ok. I guess I didn’t realise you are so shoved up Joshua’s ass that you can’t even think for yourself.”
“Don’t start your crap with me. You didn’t even text me on New Year’s, so how would you know I wasn’t angry with you?” he spits.
I screw up my face again and shake my head. “You must have been drunk. You called me baby and told me you loved me. I was sober Cameron, I remember.”
He steps back and narrows his eyes. “I never wrote you a text, Natasha. I have had no contact with you since we left that coffee shop that night.”
I put my hand on my hip. “Then who wrote it?” I snap.
He narrows his eyes and shakes his head. “A fucking idiot that I know too damn well.”
He storms off in anger. I stand and watch him walk back up the corridor and around the corner. My mind is in overdrive. If he didn’t write the text, who bloody did? Please tell me it was Joshua.
Today was my first day back at work since we found out about Gran. I worked from eight until four and have just arrived at the hospital to see her. I have purposely worn my black high-waist skirt and my cream silk blouse, sheer stockings, patent pumps. Hair up, glasses on. Going for the secretary thing I know he likes so much. If he’s going to hate me anyway, I may as well look good and rub his damn face in it.