Chapter 7

Ava

I'm exhausted. The travelling and the day has finally caught me up. It's only six in the evening and I still need to call my bestie, Zoe. I'm riling at the man on the lounger. I am still angry at him for being so damned good looking, sexy and so enticing. I don't know what came over me down there by the pool. Every nerve in my body felt like it was on fire and the tingling in my lower regions and warmth creeping up my stomach were alien to me.

I am laying on my bed with the balcony doors open, the cool evening breeze is breathing its way into the room. The sheer white curtains billow slightly as the breeze travels and graces my skin. I press the vid button against Zoe's name and wait for her to pick up. I calculate it to be around eleven in the morning for her. I'm hoping its not a bad time. Zoe has her own business, she is a hairdresser and owns her own salon. Her parents died when she was young, it was a horrific car crash, it was instant. They had left her a trust fund which she was allowed at the age of twenty-one. Zoe's aunt and uncle brought her up and a lot of the time she spent with me at our house. My parents love Zoe as if she was their own daughter. We cried a million tears for her and her loss. I couldn't imagine what it feels like to lose your parents. Just the thought of losing either of mine pulls at my heart and I can feel tears beginning to well in my eyes.

"Hey, it's my girl. How you doing?" Her cheerful voice comes booming out. Then I see her face, smiling as always. I never get bored of seeing her bright face. Zoe always has a smile, it's so uplifting.

"Hey yourself. It's going okay. Just tired you know, a long day." I plump the bed cushions up behind me to sit up straighter and rest my tablet against my knees that are pointing toward the ceiling.

"How is the hotel? Have you met anyone yet?" She giggles. Zoe's mission is for me to meet my happy-ever-after and she has it in her head that I am going to find him here in Santa Fe. She is adorable and I love that she has her own mission for me. But.... to be totally honest, I am not looking for a new man in my life. I'm still getting over Mark even though I've cried all the tears I'm going to cry. I still think my heart needs a bit of tlc and mending. I thought we had it all to be perfectly honest. Him changing track on me and telling me I wasn't his ideal partner anymore because I travelled for a living, well that was a game changer and not one that I was expecting. It had been like a bolt of lighting from the sky.

"No, I've only just arrived. Besides I don't want to meet anyone new. Although, there is a rather irritating and conceited man who is staying at the hotel." I sigh. Zoe is now beaming. Any mention of a red blooded male and she thinks I'll drop my panties and begin a raucous new love affair. She's got a lot of wishing to do for sure.

"Ooo, tell me more. Is he hot?" I can almost see her salivating for the details she makes me laugh briefly.

"I suppose so. He's hot I guess. But bloody hell he really irritates me. It's like he knows it and he has been in my face twice today." I tell her about him being so close to me at reception and about the pool. Her baby-blue eyes are twinkling. I knew I shouldn't have mentioned Him to her so soon. Now all she is going to want to do is talk about Him.

"He might be just what you need, Ava."

"I don't think so. I really don't need any flings at the moment."

"Listen Ava, you need to go out and have a good time. He may not be as arrogant as you think. He might have a heart of gold and from the sound of it, he has got the hots for you. Otherwise, why would he be so in your face? Listen to me girl, he is interested and you should act on it. Mark was a waste of space. Honestly that man deserves to be miserable with his new corporate girlfriend-wife." I inhale deeply at her words. Does that mean Mark already has someone new? I mean that didn't take long. We've only been separated for around six weeks. My heart skips a beat.

"Has he met someone new then?" I ask and hating myself for it but I have to know. I don't why I need to know we're history but I do and part of me still loves him. I'm not the sort of girl that falls in and out of love at the drop of a hat. Obviously. Otherwise I wouldn't have been with Mark for over five years. I see the hesitation on Zoe's face. Her smile is faltering and I know she's hunting for the right words.

"Sorry." She bows her head down and I can see that she feels like crap for even mentioning it. "He has, Ava. You know her." Right I'm not really prepared for this.

"Tell me then." I say my voice is curt and I feel bad for being like this with Zoe. After all she is only the messenger.

"It's Charlotte." She looks anxiously at me waiting for me to put two and two together. My mind whirs through a whole host of girls that I know with the name Charlotte. Only for the life of me I don't recall any friends with that name. I am searching rapidly in my mind but nothing is coming to the fore. Zoe can she I am struggling then I say.

"Oh no. Wait a minute. As in Charlotte his assistant? That Charlotte?" The penny has finally dropped and by the head nodding going on at Zoe's end, I know that I'm right. Oh. My. God. That two timing piece of crap. Of course I am guessing he has been two-timing me otherwise how quickly would he have split up from me and be hooking up with this bloody Charlotte.

"Were they seeing each other before we split up?" I ask her. Zoe doesn't respond straight away. Now I'm wondering if she she knew about Mark and Charlotte before and didn't say anything. If she did, I'm going to be so angry at her because you tell your best friend. It's the done thing.

"I'm not sure. I really don't know. All I know is that she has now moved in to your old place." Wow. He is a fast mover. The slimey cockroach. If I was still in Chicago and back home, I'd go round there and kick him where it hurts the most. I am so livid right now. He doesn't deserve the part of my heart that still yearns for him and hurts. The part that causes me to cry at night when I feel lonely in bed without his arms around me. The part that misses our movie nights, the walks at mid-night when we look up at the stars and the moon. I can feel a lump forming in my throat.

"He's a loser, Ava. You need to try to get over him. I know it hurts. Especially after five years together. Trust me, someone who can move someone else in that quickly has had them on the back burner." Zoe isn't smiling anymore, I can see the concern in her eyes. After all she was the one who sat and cuddled me when Mark told me it was over. She was the one that wrapped her arms around me and offered me comfort, wads of tissues for my tears and made sure I ate, showered and took better care of myself. Not to mention somewhere to sleep because I really couldn't face going back to my parents to be molly cuddled.

"I know." I mumble, but it doesn't make it any better. In a way I'm glad I am thousands of miles away. It would be so hard being back home, it would be awkward. I'd bump in to Mark regularly and see him with Charlotte. Now I think about her, I can see how she fits his perfect corporate life. She's tall, slender, a power-dresser in her dark suits and serious heels. So different from me in my down played jeans, t-shirts and plaid shirts. She is the type of woman who won't be his assistant for long. She will either be the best corporate wife there is and the perfect mother, or climb that career ladder. Charlotte has that pinched look about her face, long nose, beady eyes and someone who is power crazed. Unlike myself.

I can see the empathy on Zoe's face and I don't want our chat to go sour. I push my emotions aside. "Tell me what's been going on there. I know it's only been a day. Have I missed anything?"

Zoe now laughs lightly, I can see she is happier that I have pulled myself out of my emotional turmoil over my ex-idiot boyfriend. "Well, Nate and I are going on a date." She looks ecstatic. I mean Nate short for Nathaniel is only the man she's been lusting after for about a year. He came bursting into our town about two years ago. The new doctor in town and all the women have been drooling after him ever since. He has shaggy blonde hair and has that whole young Brad Pitt look about him. Gorgeous blue eyes, mussed up hair, and a smile that can make you go weak at the knees. Of course I was still so wrapped up in Mark that Nat was never on my radar. But Zoe, well Zoe couldn't stop talking about him. The amount of fake illnesses she had in the first year was beyond believable. Ranging from headaches, heart palpitations, a sprained ankle, allergies. You name it, Zoe faked it all to get an appointment with the new doctor in town. It was hysterical.

"Zoe that is brilliant. I can't believe it. Finally! Where is he taking you?"

"He's taking me to Next." She sighs blissfully.

"Oh wow. It's amazing there. You're going to love it. So sophisticated. What are you going to wear?" I refrain from adding this is where Mark proposed to me. It doesn't need to be said, Zoe has probably forgotten in her excitement to finally being going out on a date with Nat.

"Well I've not decided yet. I am thinking either smart black jeans, a halter top. You know my ruby one and some heels. Or maybe my navy body-con dress. What do you think?" I can tell that she is nervous as well as excited.

"Definitely the jeans and halter top. It's smart, casual and you look sexy in it. The bodycon dress is a bit too come-on. You want to look like you've tried but not tried too hard." I say and smile. I am so happy for my best friend. I know that she and Nat will make a great couple and I keep my fingers crossed that it's going to be the perfect evening for her.

"Other than that nothing new going on. I've got a full day ahead of me. Lina has called in sick today so I don't have my shampoo girl. Hopefully she'll be in tomorrow because I am fully booked with all the older crew coming in for shampoos and sets." She groans. It's her worst day of the week when her elderly regulars come in. She loves them and they love her. Her salon becomes a hub of gossip and advice from the older ladies but it is always so buy that by the time seven in the evening rolls around, Zoe is wiped out.

"Well listen, I am beat and want an early night. I'm going sight seeing tomorrow and starting on my new vlog for the week and you have from the sound of it a busy day ahead. Let's catch up tomorrow then you can tell me all about your romantic date." I giggle. "And don't go all the way tonight. Try and keep a padlock on it." I laugh even more. Zoe isn't known for being patient in the sex department. She's more the kind of girl who doesn't believe in waiting. In fact she is prone to going all the way then kicking them out before breakfast. I have a feeling she won't be doing any of that with Nat. I have an inkling she wants him as a keeper.

We say our goodbyes. I shut my tablet down and lean my head on the pillows and close my eyes. I can feel myself drifting off to sleep and before I know it, I'm out for the count.