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Back The Chalet Save as PDF
Chapters (75)
  1. Cover
  2. Praise for The Chalet
  3. Dedication
  4. PART ONE
  5. 1
  6. 2
  7. 3
  8. 4
  9. 5
  10. 6
  11. 7
  12. 8
  13. 9
  14. 10
  15. 11
  16. 12
  17. 13
  18. 14
  19. 15
  20. 16
  21. 17
  22. 18
  23. 19
  24. 20
  25. 21
  26. PART TWO
  27. 22
  28. 23
  29. 24
  30. 25
  31. 26
  32. 27
  33. 28
  34. 29
  35. PART THREE
  36. 30
  37. 31
  38. 32
  39. 33
  40. 34
  41. 35
  42. 36
  43. 37
  44. 38
  45. 39
  46. 40
  47. 41
  48. 42
  49. 43
  50. 44
  51. 45
  52. 46
  53. 47
  54. 48
  55. 49
  56. 50
  57. 51
  58. 52
  59. 53
  60. 54
  61. 55
  62. 56
  63. 57
  64. 58
  65. 59
  66. 60
  67. 61
  68. 62
  69. 63
  70. Epilogue
  71. Acknowledgements
  72. Keep Reading …
  73. Prologue
  74. About the Author
  75. About the Publisher

I am mildly shocked – Olivia never speaks to me like that. Or rather, she does but I’ve never heard her say anything like ‘tits’ before. She sighs, stops marching me towards the stage and turns to face me.

‘Sorry. Who you do or don’t ask out is none of my business – it’s up to you, of course. I just don’t want to see you … taken advantage of.’

I don’t entirely understand what she means. I get that some women are going to find my money attractive but that doesn’t mean I can’t take anyone out for a drink, does it? Sometimes I think that’s why I’m still on my own. It’s easy for me to assume women who want to spend time with me are only after my money. Sometimes they are. But I like to think I can spot those women a mile off. Besides, even if I include the so-called gold-diggers, I’m hardly beating off women with a stick.

‘Thank you for your concern, but I’m a big boy, Olivia, I can make my own decisions,’ I say primly. ‘Now, shall we get this presentation out of the way?’

The presentation is mortifying as usual but I read the words on the autocue and everyone claps politely, no doubt counting the minutes until they can get back to drinking their champagne. I can’t concentrate properly, wondering if Ria will be waiting for me like she said or if she’s already gone off to giggle with her friends about how dorky I was when we spoke. Perhaps she was only talking to me as part of a bet or dare. It’s not like that’s never happened before, though admittedly not for a good few years (or not that I know of, at least). Do grown-ups do that kind of thing? I don’t really know.

I step down off the stage and Ria is there at the front, right where I suggested she wait. I grin. Maybe I didn’t mess things up too badly this time. ‘Ready?’ I ask.

She smiles back. ‘Ready.’

I ignore Olivia, who is frantically trying to tell me that I need to stay at the party and network some more. Business can wait this time.

We go to my club, though I’m not sure it’s quite the right place to take someone like Ria. While it’s quiet and exclusive, it’s not exactly what you might call hip. But as I almost never go out socially, I can’t think of anywhere else to go.