Page 45 of Winter With You

‘Errol, did anyone else help finish off the outfit? One of your staff? Anyone you don’t pay enough who wanted to make a statement? Hold you to ransom?’

‘Hey, I pay well! I don’t like that insinuation,’ Errol growled. ‘What sort of sweatshop do you think I run, huh?’

‘Sorry, I’m just… you know… trying to work this all out.’ He took a breath. ‘Errol, is there anyone who might have some kind of grudge against you?’

‘You mean an ex?’

‘Anyone.’

‘No! I’m a nice person. I know I like to shoot my mouth off now and again, but not enough to make anyone take me down in the street or sabotage my designs! I don’t hang out with mobsters.’

And all the connotations of that hit Luca hard. He hung out with mobsters – not willingly, they were family. He couldn’t deny that it had been his first thought. How could it not have been? But he didn’t want it to be the case. The metal in the dress was kind of subtle and subtle had never been his father’s strong suit. Attacking Errol was on brand but, again, Errol was fully conscious, home, not eating food through a straw or worse. Some of it just wasn’t matching previous MO.

‘Shit,’ Errol said. ‘I shouldn’t have said that.’

‘It’s OK,’ Luca said, his hands hugging the coffee cup. ‘Obviously, I had thought of that before I questioned anyone holding you to ransom.’

‘I mean I’m not saying just because your dad is a mobster he’s responsible for all potential mobster-related incidents. Because that would make me prejudiced and I am not.’

‘Errol, honestly, don’t sweat it.’

‘So what are you thinking?’ Errol asked. ‘I can hear that mind spinning like a DJ’s vinyl.’

‘Right now, I’m thinking that you need to go back to bed and get some rest. I’ve called Cassandra. She’s going to come and manage the store.’

‘Luca! Why did you do that? She will be in charge for one day and I will never be able to find anything ever again. Like my cigarettes!’

Luca took the packet of cigarettes out of his pocket and threw them towards his friend who deftly caught them then visibly winced with the effort.

‘I need to go now,’ Luca said. ‘I have to check in with Sybille and I have Gabriella coming to La Façon this afternoon. But, do not, under any circumstances, go down into that store today.’

Errol pulled a face as he got a cigarette out of the packet. ‘I make no promises.’

‘Errol, please, take care of yourself. If not for you, then do it for me.’

‘Ugh, please don’t hit me with greeting card schmaltz.’ He waved a hand in the air. ‘The only Hallmark I need is on my TV with leading men in plaid.’

‘Great,’ Luca answered. ‘So set yourself up for the day. And, call me if you remember anything else about last night. OK?’

‘OK,’ he replied, albeit sounding reluctant.

‘Say it like you mean it.’

‘I will call you… Daddy.’ He licked his lips salaciously.

‘Good. Your sense of humour is intact. See you later.’

28

WASHINGTON SQUARE FOUNTAIN

‘So, this is going to be great for socials!’ Cheyenne exclaimed, scarf whipping out around her as she led a charge towards this New York monument.

Gabriella took a sip of her black Americano. ‘If I had a dollar for every time she’s said that since we landed I’d be Kanye.’

‘Ye,’ Phoebe corrected.

‘Did you mean to say “yeah”?’