Almost Home

Chapter Fourteen

'Home sweet home,' Tom calls out as he throws open the door to our chalet and we push past him to get inside, immediately stepping into a picturesque cosy seating area and kitchenette. A large sofa and two armchairs situated around a real open fireplace are both piled high with blankets and cushions and I resist the urge to throw myself onto them and continue exploring my new home for the next nine days.

Taking the first corridor which leads to the left, I open two doors to reveal two of the three bedrooms, one with two small twin beds and the other with a large double bed and I stare at the latter one, wanting to lie down and stretch my aching limbs, knowing we'll probably have a fight on our hands for the bigger room.

On the other side of the living room is another corridor leading to a third bedroom and the bathroom, inside of which has a deep appealing bath that I was already picturing myself diving into as soon as I'd unpacked and got my bearings. As like the rest of the chalet the room was clad in wood, fluffy bathrobes were hanging from the back of the door and the view from the window looks down upon the snowy valley, the ski slopes in the distance stirring up excitement in me.

The chalet was warm and intimate and looked like something you would find straight from the pages of a Christmas magazine and being here didn't make me feel homesick at all. In fact, all we needed now was the snow to fall behind the windows and we had the perfect greetings card. It couldn't be more perfect.

'Well, I think this will do us nicely!' Tom says once I'd rejoined them and he opens the doors to the balcony and peeks outside, shutting it quickly when a gust of ice-cold wind billows in.

'So which ones my room?' I question, desperate to unpack and get in that bath.

'Well, obviously you'll have the twin room.' Tom looks at me like I've just asked a stupid question and I frown at him.

'Why do I "obviously" have to take the twin room?' I make sarcastic quote marks with my fingers. 'Why don't you take it?'

'Because Chloe will be here in a few days and we're not sleeping in separate beds, that's why!'

He had a point there. So that's one of the double beds taken... I glance awkwardly at Jamie and he looks amused.

'Take the bigger room, it really doesn't matter to me,' he adds.

'Thank you,' I smile gratefully and start to head off to the furthest bedroom on the left.

'What...no. Emma, stop making a scene. What if Jay wants to bring a girl back?'

I stop in my tracks and spin round, trying to ignore the bile rising in my throat at the thought of it and storm back, stopping right in front of Tom.

'What if I want to bring someone back?' Even saying it felt ridiculous. I'd only been with one person but the fact that Tom was ruling me out irritated me to no end.

'You're going to bring someone back here?' He scoffs at me and rage creeps up my neck.

'I might do... I'm single now. I can do what I want!'

'Emma, when was the last time you brought a random guy back to your room?!'

'That's beside the point,' I say indignantly. 'But just because I haven't before doesn't mean I don't want to now. Maybe this is the start of a new me!'

'Oh, the new you is someone who sleeps around, is it? Sounds-'

'Guys, drop it!' Jamie barks as he picks his bag up off the floor. 'Emma, just take the room.' He looks annoyed as he pushes past me and disappears into the twin room, closing the door with a bang behind him.