A Heat of the Moment Thing by Maggie Le Page

Author:Maggie Le Page [Page, Maggie Le]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Romance, Contemporary, Romantic Comedy
Amazon: B00BUCJV70
Published: 2014-01-02T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Three

Apparently the theme for Day Two was Embarrassment.

Embarrassment when I woke and had to face Amanda and her pearls before the day even began.

Embarrassment when I went downstairs to breakfast and had to sit next to Matt, the air between us thick with undercurrents and Amanda watching my every move.

More embarrassment when Hank, sitting directly opposite, caught my eye and threw me a slimy smile.

Then Roland asked, innocently enough, where Matt and I had disappeared to during the party. I was so engulfed by embarrassment that words failed me and, for a moment, I thought I’d faint. No such luck. Matt, with a brief glance my way, said we’d both needed an early night. I almost fled the table in the loaded silence that followed.

Matt caught up with me as I left the dining room. “What’s your first workshop?”

I kept walking. “Can’t remember.”

“I’m going to Tourism’s Impact on Tribal Culture in Asia. You should come with me.”

“No.”

It felt rude even as I said it. I walked a little faster.

He kept pace with ease. “Becs, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing.”

“Really?” He stopped, placed a restraining hand on my arm. “Are you avoiding me?”

I stopped, lips compressed, arms folded. “Of course not.”

His eyebrow didn’t believe me.

I sighed. “Look, I’m feeling a bit . . . awkward.” I couldn’t meet his gaze. “It’s just me. I’m not sure how I should act around you after . . .” I hid my face in my hand. “And Amanda walking in on us like that . . .”

He grinned. “She’ll get over it.”

“Then having to sit and eat breakfast with her like nothing’s happened . . .” I looked him in the eye at last. “That’s more than awkward. That’s mortifying.”

His grin widened—clearly mortification wasn’t contagious.

“So, right now, yes, I’m avoiding you—and everyone else. ’Cause it’s the only way I’ll get through today.”

And, leaving him with his amusement, I took myself off to some mindless workshop on Conservation. Better that than Conversation.

I slunk my way through morning tea, lunch and two workshops. Then, rather than face Amanda up in our room, I left the hotel and hid out in a café for an hour. When I thought the coast was clear I returned and whipped upstairs to change for pre-dinner drinks. No Amanda, thankfully.

I went downstairs and, sure enough, the others were gathered in the bar and on their second round. Boring old soda water in hand, I waved at them all across the bar then made a show of talking into my mobile phone rather than joining them. I needed to find a bit of brazen in me first.

I found an empty booth and this time really did use my phone. “Hi, Liz. How are you?”

“Busy. Stressed.” She sighed. “Busy.”

Liz was always busy and always stressed. That’s what being HR Manager for a major accountancy firm meant. But something in her voice had me worried.

“Are you okay? What’s going on?”

“I’d give my back teeth for a week in Ibiza.”

I waited.

Another sigh. “I’m fine, Becs, don’t worry. It’s just .

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