Page 45 of The Only Way Is Up

‘You could have emailed, like a normal person. How did you find me?’

Christian relaxed a little, clearly relieved that Daisy wasn’t going to scream at him. ‘You asked me if I wanted to come ages ago. Sent me a link.’

‘How very foolish of me,’ she said coolly. One of the many things.

‘I was hoping to find you last night. The guy who owns my B&B told me to go to the Berge restaurant, because that’s the most popular place in town. Apart from a pizza place that’s apparently a hike up the mountain.’

‘We hiked up the mountain.’

‘Of course you did. Anyway, I hung out at the Berge for ages, but you didn’t show. So I came up in the cable car this morning this morning to find you, and saw you on the terrace.

She waited for him to continue but he stayed silent, sipping his beer. Unable to help herself, she blurted out, ‘I thought we were doing OK, Christian. So why all the cheating the minute my back was turned?’ She eyed him carefully. ‘Or was it before that?’

Christian’s head snapped upright. He looked offended. ‘No. Not before,’ he insisted, although he didn’t quite meet her eye. ‘I was completely faithful the whole time up until you left London. I promise.’

Daisy was inclined to believe him, unable to imagine how Christian could have crammed in more sex on top of their daily encounters. ‘So what happened?’

He shrugged helplessly. ‘I was stressed, I guess. About the contract, the whole NTAs thing, the engagement, all the press stuff, you know. You called and said you were going away, and then my personal trainer came over and . . . I don’t know. It just happened.’

Daisy’s eyes widened. ‘Wait, hang on. You had sex with your personal trainer the day I told you I was going away?’

‘Yeah,’ said Christian, dropping his gaze to the table.

‘But that was the same day you announced our engagement on Twitter.’

Christian’s gaze dropped to his shoes. ‘Yeah.’

‘Jesus, Christian,’ snapped Daisy. ‘Why would you tell the world we’re getting married, then screw your personal trainer a few hours later? What’s wrong with you?’

‘I didn’t want to,’ mumbled Christian. ‘Benny told me I should.’

Daisy shook her head like she was fighting off a cloud of wasps. ‘Benny told you to fuck your personal trainer?!’

‘NO!’ shouted Christian, then lowered his head as people turned to look at them. ‘No. Benny told me to announce the engagement. He said it would make me look like a hero.’ He turned his palms to face upwards in a gesture of apparent openness. ‘I didn’t want to. I knew you’d be upset. The whole thing just messed with my head.’ Messed with his head? But Daisy believed him, and for the first time she saw him for what he was: a handsome, spoiled, weak man.

‘You really need to deal with the whole “using sex to deal with stress” thing. Maybe try yoga instead. Or mindfulness. Download an app.’

Christian nodded. ‘I know, but it’s the only thing that keeps me together since I retired from the tour.’

‘What?’ Daisy frowned.

‘Sex. I need it all the time. And if I’m not doing it, I’m thinking about it. It’s been like that ever since I stopped playing.’

‘Wait, what?’ Although that did explain his insane libido. And Daisy had just thought she was entirely irresistible. ‘Jesus, Christian. You need to see someone.’

‘I was seeing you, but then you dumped me.’

‘No, not like that. A medical professional.’

‘What, like a therapist?’ Christian said scornfully.

‘Well, that might be better for your career than having sex with strange women in doorways.’

Christian choked on his beer. ‘Shit. Are you having me followed?’

Daisy looked deadpan. ‘No.’ Not any more. ‘Ruby and I happened to be passing last night and saw the show. We probably weren’t the only ones.’

Christian rubbed his hand across his jaw. ‘Oh, fuck. I’m so sorry.’