Page 18 of Winter With You

‘So, you can think about it,’ Steffi said. ‘Between now and tomorrow. Mom’s birthday dinner.’

‘Yeah, about that. I have a client.’ He picked up his coffee and made his way back over towards the dress. He may have told Steffi he would be there, but he did have work and after Ronnie’s early morning visit, he figured it was best to stay as far away as possible from any Marcellos.

‘You said,’ Steffi replied, following him.

‘It’s a different client. A new one.’

‘But you also kinda said you would come.’

‘I just don’t think it’s gonna work.’

‘Luca!’

‘Steffi, my client is gonna be on Zeeta Friedmann tomorrow night.’

‘Wow,’ Steffi said with no acknowledgement of the status of one of the country’s top talk-show hosts. ‘Well, your sister, your aunts, uncles and cousins, the blood family and the business family are all going to be on a table together at Valentino’s tomorrow night celebrating our mother’s birthday. So, you know, excuse me if I don’t faint at the name Zeeta Friedmann.’ She sniffed. ‘This dress is fide I’m guessing.’

Before Luca could make any response, she pushed her coffee cup at him and he managed to catch it before it could fall or spurt anything on the designer dress.

‘Arrivederci!’ She pounded away.

‘Steffi, come on, wait up!’

But his words were only hitting her retreating form as she quickly marched out of there. Luca knew then, no matter what happened tomorrow evening with dressing Gabriella Felix, at some point that night, he was going to have to show his face at Valentino’s. If only to make it crystal clear to Ronnie and whoever else needed to know, he had no plans to visit his father any time ever.

13

THE ROYCE HOTEL, MANHATTAN

‘…And I know it’s being thrown right into the deep end with Zeeta Friedmann but you won’t believe the competition we were fighting with.’ Cheyenne inhaled like she’d been taking part in a free-diving competition and this was her first breath after winning a place in the record books. ‘Zendaya is in town and Teddy Swims and that new boy band Simon Cowell created. December something.’

‘Ten,’ Phoebe said, from her position on the sofa.

‘Wow,’ Gabriella said, pointing the remote at the sizeable flatscreen TV on one of the walls of this impressive suite. ‘If Gordon Ramsay had been Stateside with a cookbook I’d have been toast.’

‘Or an idiot sandwich,’ Phoebe said.

Gabriella laughed. ‘That was funny, Phoebe.’

But it was obvious that Cheyenne wasn’t finding any of this funny. She had been in full-on work mode for the past hour, reeling off itineraries like it was a Harry Styles world tour. But that was what they were here for. To make sure the book reached as many people as possible. To give people strategy and coping mechanisms based on self-improvement and for them to read Lulu’s poems and see her beautiful drawings.

‘Gabriella,’ Cheyenne said, taking the remote from her and pointing it at the TV to switch it off. ‘All Chapters really wants the second book to capture even more hearts than the first.’

And by ‘hearts’ Cheyenne meant Kindle downloads or limited-edition hardbacks with the sprayed edges that Sainsbury’s got exclusively in the UK.

‘I know,’ Gabriella said.

‘So, this tour here is important for the worldwide market. You know that many countries still take their lead from the US.’

‘I know that too,’ Gabriella agreed, nodding.

‘And there are many self-help books out there. More than ever before actually.’

‘I also know that,’ Gabriella stated, feeling tension at the back of her neck. She put her hand there, held it. ‘Mel Robbins is practically living on everybody’s kitchen tables.’

‘And smartphones and e-readers and laptops but…’ Cheyenne breathed like talking was giving her a seizure. But then, ‘Most importantly is the living we need to do in people’s minds.’ She tapped the side of her head with a forefinger. She had moved on from ‘hearts’ obviously.

Gabriella’s gaze went to her niece who was now not face deep in Anna Karenina but all eyes were on Cheyenne and whatever theatrics were happening right now.