“Okay, what’s he done?” asked Anna gently.
“Oh let’s not talk about me and Connor. I’m not spoiling your good mood.”
“Jaxxon, please?”
Humungous sigh. “It’s not so much something he’s done. It’s just that…sometimes I just feel like he wants too much from me. First he wanted me to agree not to see anyone else then he’s complaining that I don’t ‘let him in’ and share all my past with him. And you know what really gets to me? When he does want to see me he doesn’t phone, he just shows up and expects me to accommodate him. Even worse, I do. I can’t help it, it’s like I’ve got no willpower when it comes to him. I’m just his beck-and-call girl and I hate it but I can’t seem to fight it.”
Anna nodded. “I was in a situation like that once. It proper scared me when I realised I always put my life on hold just in case the bloke phoned. I’d be ready to drop anything if he wanted us to meet up – I literally didn’t feel like I had a choice in the matter, it was like I was obsessed. But he never used to give me any indication of when he’d phone next and we never did anything together other than meet and shag. I was like a doormat, I felt so weak…I almost hated myself. And him for taking me for granted. So you know what I did?”
“What?”
“Went abroad.” When Jaxxon’s eyebrows raised, Anna nodded. “I didn’t tell him I was going. I didn’t have to because we weren’t serious as far as he was concerned. So when he next phoned and realised that I was out the country and, yes, I was going to have a life outside of him and that I wouldn’t always be dropping everything when he phoned, it made him do a double-take and then, suddenly, he stopped taking me for granted and shaped up.” She let Jaxxon consider that for a minute before adding, “I think you should do the same. That way, the next time Connor phones you’ll likely be abroad – it’ll shock the life out of him that will – so you won’t have to worry about trying to resist his offer because it just won’t be possible to see him, and with all that distance between you it might make you feel stronger. And it’ll teach him a couple of things.”
“Like what?” Jaxxon was starting to like Anna’s idea.
“Well, he’ll learn that he won’t always know where you are even with your work schedule. He’ll also learn that if he really wants to see you he’s going to have to do better than just materialising out of thin air or you might not be available. And it will serve to remind him that you have a life that exists outside of him that he can’t always invade as he pleases.”
Oh Jaxxon was really, really, really starting to like this idea. This was what she needed: some distance between her and Connor, a way of stopping herself from running into his arms when he next turned up out of the blue, and it would also be a change of scenery. As it was, Jaxxon had never been abroad in her life.
“And I’ll be coming,” Anna quickly added. “A girl’s holiday, just the two of us having a laugh and mellowing out.”
“Aw, Anna, you don’t have to do that, I know you’re enjoying spending loads of time with Warren at the minute -”
“All the more reason to go. It’ll teach him exactly what it will teach Connor.”
Jaxxon couldn’t stop a wide smile from creeping onto her face. “Where were you thinking?”
Leaning forward in her seat, Anna returned Jaxxon’s smile. “Ever been skiing?”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Is this who the Eastenders’ character Ian Beale is based on? Jaxxon wondered as the cockney bloke in front of her heading for the Bunny Hill shot her what he seemed to think was a come-get-me smile that actually came across as I-am-so-creepy-so-stay-away-for-your-own-safety grin. He was obviously one of those blokes who had a wealth of experience in the art of freaking women out. Oddball.
She knew he didn’t recognise her or Anna as celebrities. How could he when they were each snug in several layers: long thermal top and bottoms, an additional long-sleeved t-shirt, a fleece sweater, ski jacket, ski pants, ski socks, neck warmer, helmet, goggles, a pair of waterproof winter gloves, and ski boots. It all gave them an anonymity that they needed right now. The fact that Jaxxon was a female was apparently all that was needed to inspire him to flirt so sleazily and poorly.
Only an hour after Anna having suggested the skiing trip they had booked their one-week holiday over the internet, booking a flight for the following morning, completely disregarding both their work schedules. Although Ollie hadn’t been thrilled, when Jaxxon mentioned that it was just them, no Connor, he had all of a sudden become very accommodating and supportive. Even to the extent that he offered to take Bronty in while they were gone.
Due to Anna’s love of alcohol and vibrant night life, they had settled on staying in Meribel, France – the centre of the Three Valleys with Courchevel and Val Thorens on either side – where the revelry could start as early as late afternoon within some bars and could carry on until ridiculous hours of the morning. In addition to that, Méribel has 150km of pistes and even had a few decent snowparks as well as lots of non-ski activities.
Earlier – literally two minutes after arriving at their challet – Jaxxon and Anna had had a little something to eat and then wrapped up warm in the clothes they had bought on their emergency shopping trip the night before. If they hadn’t been so excited about hitting the slopes, it would have been a struggle to leave their challet behind. It was amazing. Contemporary. Spacious. Lavish. Jaxxon’s favourite room was the living area which featured two leather sofas, a coffee table that was actually a varnished sledge, an open fire, and a 42' flat, wall-mounted widescreen T.V-DVD with UK Freeview and cinema surround sound. Happy days.
There was a very large, modern kitchen – all marble and chrome and immaculately clean – a dining area with a long slim oak table and chairs to match the solid oak flooring that ran throughout most of the challet. There were six bedrooms, all en-suite – yes they were being greedy booking something huge for just the two of them but they were determined to get something spacious…and that was exactly what they got. Naturally she and Anna picked the most luxurious bedrooms; both with a gigantic sumptuous bed, modern furnishings, a wall-mounted flat screen T.V, a separate area for dressing, a balcony, and a stylish, pristine-white en-suite bathroom that had heated flooring. There was even a garage for their rented car. And then there was the icing on the cake…a Jacuzzi hot tub and sauna inside and outside. The views from the south and west facing terraces and balconies were absolutely breath-taking.