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case into the bedroom.
    â€˜To stay with friends,’ she said cheerfully. She dumped Melissa’s case on the bed.
    â€˜What friends? You don’t have friends here,’ Melissa snorted.
    â€˜Yes I do. Look out the window.’ Sophie felt a flicker of annoyance. Did Melissa think she was the only one to make friends with people on holidays? Some friend smarmy Paulo had turned out to be. The Santanders would be far more genuine. She was sure of it.
    â€˜What do you want me to look at?’ Melissa demanded crossly.
    â€˜See that silver car over at reception?’
    Melissa’s jaw dropped. ‘Who are they?’
    â€˜My friends,’ Sophie drawled. ‘Sorry I can’t stay and explain, Melissa. Have to go.’
    â€˜But you can’t go!’ Melissa was stunned. ‘You can’t leave me! My leg is broken. I’m on crutches. How will I manage?’
    â€˜You’ll be fine, Melissa. We’re on theground floor. You can eat by the pool. You can sunbathe. What more could you want? I’ve had a few lovely, lazy days. You should try it. It will do you all the good in the world to take things easy for a while.’ Sophie was enjoying herself. The look on Melissa’s face was enough to stop a clock. She couldn’t believe her ears.
    â€˜But how will I get to the airport? You can’t leave me like this, Sophie. I won’t allow it.’ Melissa was red with fury.
    â€˜The rep will bring you to the airport. No worries.’ Sophie chose to ignore her outburst. This only angered Melissa even more.
    â€˜But you’re a nurse. You have a
duty
to sick people,’ she raged. This wasn’t the Sophie she knew. ‘You can’t leave me here on my own!’
    â€˜Watch me,’ Sophie retorted as shelifted her case from the bed. ‘I just want to say before I go, you are the biggest cow going. You don’t know how to be a friend. You use people. You drop them like hot potatoes when it suits. Well I’ve had enough of you, Melissa Harris. To be honest, I don’t care if you have to walk back to London on your crutches. I couldn’t give a hoot.’
    She strode to the door. She was delighted to have told the other girl
exactly
what she thought of her. She turned and took one last look at her so-called friend.
    â€˜Goodbye Melissa. Enjoy the rest of your holiday. I know I’m going to enjoy mine. To tell you the truth, it’s the
best
holiday I’ve ever had.’

Chapter Eight
    Melissa stood at the window watching Sophie laughing with a man and a little girl. The man put her case into the boot of the BMW.
    â€˜What a bitch!’ Melissa swore. Tears of rage wet her cheeks. How dare Sophie Mason talk to her the way she just had? The little jumped-up madam. Who did she think she was? She was just a boring, frumpy little dumpling. If it hadn’t been for Melissa she’d have been stuck in London with no one to go on holidays with. And this was the thanks she got for her good deed!
    The minute Melissa got back to London she was going to make a complaint to Sophie’s bosses. She was going to say that Sophie wasn’t fit to be a nurse. Imagine leaving a sick woman in dire straits. It was shocking.
    Sophie would probably get the sack when the Matron heard about her cruelty. It would be good enough for her. And she was going to tell everyone at home what a selfish cow Sophie Mason was. Everyone thought she was such a nice goody-goody. Ha! Soon they’d know the truth. Melissa watched with slitted eyes as her former friend sat into the front of the BMW as if she owned it.
    â€˜What a nerve! What a hard-hearted slag,’ she muttered as the big silver car sped out of the complex.
    Melissa looked around the bedroom. Her heart sank. It was agrotty little kip and she was stuck here for almost another week. What a horrific thought. Feeling very, very sorry for herself, Melissa sank onto the bed and cried