Page 67 of Benidorm Again

I find his attraction to me still so utterly overwhelming that my mind is a complete blank. ‘What did you want to tell me?’

I’m basically just copying whatever he says because I am so entranced by his gorgeous face that I have lost the power to articulate. Plus, I just can’t bear to disappoint him with the news that everyone I know will be invading Las Vegas alongside me.

‘It’s not great, which is why I didn’t want to just leave a message.’

‘Sorry?’ Maybe I misheard.

He shrugs sheepishly, and he’s just about to tell me when my phone dies.

‘SHIT!’ I yell at my dead phone. I pick up the holdall and empty everything out onto the floor. I spot the adapter immediately and race over to the plug socket with my phone and charger, ramming it into the wall. I see the circle tell me that I’m good to go with 1%. Now 2%. ‘COME ON!’ I yell, my pulse racing. At 4% I make the swift decision to ring matteo back. After a calming breath, I brace for impact.

Matteo’s phone instantly clicks to his out-of-office. ‘The person you have reached cannot take your call right now. Please hang up and try again later.’

I manage to unpack a few things, go for a run and get changed for the evening performance, all in a bit of a daze. Matteo’s words have really thrown me.

‘It could be anything. I wouldn’t worry, babes,’ Tash says, just before The Dollz are about to go on stage. We are all enjoying Jolly Murs prancing around on stage. He has the crowd totally warmed up and in the mood for some excellent entertainment.

‘This prosecco tastes off to me,’ says Cherry. ‘You know I’m better at dancing when I’ve had my two prosecco chasers.’

It takes nothing for them to stray off topic.

‘And you don’t think the something not great was Vegas or me related?’ I press, watching them all down their drinks and limber up.

‘He probably just wanted to tell you that he couldn’t get us all tix to see Kylie backstage,’ says Big Sue dropping into a lunge. ‘Me and Mandeep have first dibs if he could only get two.’

‘Imagine being that close to her?’ Big Mand says, lightingup.

Oh, Christ.They are going to be so disappointed when I break the news that thesefakememories of promises being made by me, aren’t going to be kept.

‘No!’ cries Liam. ‘You don’t think that’s it, do you?’

‘We’ll be gutted,’ says Ged. ‘So gutted. Any celebrity will do.’

Any celebrity will most certainlynotdo. I’ve seen their list of acceptable celebrity selfies. As I’ve said, Ged is a famous micromanager. I need to lower their expectations immediately. ‘We’ll still have a great time even if we don’t get invited to any VIP parties or front row seats. It’s Vegas. There are endless ways to have a great time. There’s kayaking on the… the what’s it called? And ziplining through the erm, shopping mall at the… you know the, erm…’

Frosty unimpressed silence.

‘Anyway, we’ll be working for most of it, so chances are we won’t get time to meet any celebrities…’ Cherry drops casually into the conversation. The expression of horror on my best friend’s face tells me to pivot.

‘She means we’ll be mostly doing other exciting pre-moon stuff.’

‘And birthday stuff,’ adds Tash, squinting up from squatting as she swishes her knees open and closed.

‘If he hasn’t bothered to get us VIP tix to any shows, maybe Matteo’s not that into you,’ says Liberty meanly. ‘He might be calling to lay the groundwork for a split.’

‘Surely, he’d just tell her not to fly over,’ says Tash.

‘Not if she’s already paid for the flight,’ Liberty is surmising. ‘Or he wants to do it face to face. He did say he didn’t want to leave a message.’

‘True,’ concedes Tash, straightening up.

Oh, my God. Why are they even going down that road?

‘It’s definitely not that,’ I say forcefully. ‘He’s very much still into me. I guess I’ll find out when I go over.’

‘Ahem. Whenwego over,’ says Ged. ‘Don’t forget the whole reason we’re going is for our pre-moon spree. Don’t get distracted.’

‘And for Sister Kevin’s BIG birthday,’ adds Tash, causing Liam and Ged to yet again exchange pinched looks.

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