Page 28 of Winter With You

‘I am a paying customer,’ Luca reminded him. ‘I have a budget.’ He lowered his voice. ‘For something more than what’s up here.’

‘Why are you whispering like I don’t run a business of legitimacy?’ Errol stared directly at Gabriella and it was only then Luca realised he hadn’t introduced them.

‘Hi,’ Gabriella said, waving a hand. ‘I literally have no idea what I’m doing here so, right now, legitimacy is about as important to me as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor’s comfort at night.’

‘Whoa, girl, I hear you,’ Errol said, grinning.

‘Errol, this is Gabriella Felix. Ms Felix, this is my good friend, Errol Dalton.’

‘Gabriella Felix. Girl, I thought I recognised you. Zero Fucks Given. Hold up, what’s the tagline again… No wasting, waiting or hesitating.’

Luca watched Gabriella nod, a little embarrassed, maybe? Of her work?

‘I am a fan of your mantra,’ Errol said, holding out his hand. ‘It’s the very reason my hair is orange.’

‘Oh, wow,’ Gabriella said. ‘That’s quite the accolade you’ve just given me.’

Errol laughed – that high-pitched squeak that made everyone around him feel good. ‘I like you already!’ He turned his attention back to Luca. ‘So, what are we doing here, Luca?’

‘You know what we’re doing here,’ he answered.

‘I don’t actually,’ Gabriella remarked. ‘But some of those shiny shirts over there are starting to terrify me and they might actually blind Phoebe if she gets too close.’

‘I also sell sunglasses,’ Errol told her. He turned back to Luca. ‘So, you. How do you know I have what you want?’ He stuck his hands on his hips.

Luca took a deep breath. ‘Actually, I don’t know.’

‘Oh shit,’ Errol answered. ‘You’re in trouble.’

‘Not trouble. Just on a timeline.’

‘How long do we have?’

‘The event’s tonight.’

‘Luca!’ His name was said like the yelp of an injured puppy.

Quickly, Luca put his hands on his friend’s shoulders and pressed firm. ‘Errol, you’ve got this.’

‘I don’t got this and I don’t need to got this. I can say no.’

‘But that would make you a very bad friend.’

Errol sucked air through his teeth. ‘You know I’m a sucker for a story of desperation.’

‘Then let’s go,’ Luca said.

19

This space below ground level that Gabriella was now standing in was a mix of brothel, boudoir and bougie art gallery, almost as large as the store space above them. Yet, unlike the vintage shoppers’ paradise vibe she’d been hit with up there, down here it felt more contemporary, to-the-minute, risky even…

She shivered. Perhaps from that thought, or maybe from the fact she was wearing a tight-fitting neutral coloured bodysuit, her arms held out like she was a scarecrow while Luca and Errol orbited her with measuring tape, twine and sometimes even a glue gun.

‘You’re cold?’ Luca asked, a few pins pursed between his lips.

She shook her head. ‘No.’

‘Errol, is the heating turned up in here?’ Luca called.