The Curves Ahead - Wattpad Award Winner

Chapter 13

With my thighs trembling from the vigorous swim in the ocean, I clambered up the beach and headed for our room. Heather, being considerate, had offered to go to the shops and source dinner for us, leaving me alone to suck up my pride and call Matt.

I showered and threw on my favourite pyjamas, then snuggled down in a vast leather chair. Holding a white pillow over my belly as an unconscious shield, I dialled his number.

"Hi, this is Matt from Jump Start. Thanks for calling, leave me a message." Beep!

Dammit. I was a horrendous voicemail messenger. "Uh, hey, it's me. I just- wait, it's Evi, just in case you didn't know. Which you would, of course. From my number, not because I think you'd know my voice. Which you probably do..."

Get on with it, woman! I heard a soft beep in my ear, signalling another incoming call, but I was committed to seeing the message through. "So, anyway, I just wanted to tell you some stuff. So, call me back? Or text me, and I can call you? Or email, and I can text you to find a good time. Or..."

My own voicemail tone dinged, and I pulled the phone away to check. "Oh! You're calling me on the other line! So, just ignore all this! In fact, don't listen to it at all!"

I hung up and redialled him, this time getting through. "Hey!" My voice was breathy with pent-up excitement.

"Hey."

Matt sounded neutral. Needing to explain, I rushed ahead. "I just called you! But you were calling me."

"We always were in sync," he said, his voice just a little sad.

"Matt, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you the way I did. I was a bit drunk, well, more than a bit, and I'm such a freaking mess at the moment, I just took it all out on you."

"Evi, I called you to apologise. My return email was out of line. I should have set the crew straight about the bet ages ago; from the information you had, of course you'd be upset."

"Still, I had no right to say the things I did. I called you garbage."

"I've been called worse," he said drily.

I wanted to ask if he'd meant what he said in the email; if he still thought a future was out of the question for us, but I chickened out. "So... Friends?"

"Friends."

With that one word, my heart started again. "I miss you- your emails," I said, again deflecting my true thoughts.

"Why don't you write me a few? I feel like you and I still have a lot we don't know about each other."

"Deal." I couldn't keep the smile from my tone; he could have asked me to express-post him toenail clippings and I would have said yes.

"So, how was your weekend?"

"Oh, just the normal," I said, grinning as I swung my legs around under me. "Stayed with my new bestie and her gay life-partner, propositioned a Salsa dancer, wrestled with uncooperative swimsuits."

"Sounds good," he replied, a laugh lilting his words.

Heather appeared through the front door, bearing rustling bags of take-out. "Oi! You in the PJ's! Get over here!"

"I gotta go," I said reluctantly.

"Call me any time. I'll be looking forward to your email."

"Do you have a question you want me to answer?"