Page 63 of Winter With You

Luca swallowed. Pierre Bastion was one of the fashion designers he admired most. He’d been to one of his runways before, gawped in admiration at the styling, wished he had the skill for design like he had for articulating them in to looks.

‘OK, I will leave you,’ Cheyenne said, heading for the door. ‘Twenty minutes and the car will be here.’

He began to unfasten the hook and eyes at the back of Gabriella’s dress.

‘I love a fashion show!’ Phoebe exclaimed. ‘Do you think we will be at the very front?’ She whirled around like she might already be taking part.

‘It sounded like you are going to walk the runway in one of the designs,’ Luca said.

‘Or perhaps Cheyenne will dress me in the book cover like a walking advertising board,’ Gabriella suggested.

‘What was the name of the designer again?’ Phoebe asked.

‘Pierre Bastion,’ Luca said.

‘You’ve heard of him?’ Gabriella asked as the fabric slid off her shoulders.

‘Yes,’ Luca said, nodding. ‘He’s someone I very much admire.’

‘So, what does he do?’ Gabriella asked. ‘That makes him stand out as a designer.’

‘In my opinion?’

‘Yes.’

‘OK,’ Luca said, pausing in his unfastening. ‘His designs, they’re a twist on classics. So, to me, it’s like seeing the best of old-school tailoring mixing with a new generational vibe. Ripped suits and slashed up maxi-skirts somehow delivering elegance and enigma. Each collection, he has a theme. The last one was “Escape the Ordinary”.’

‘Wow,’ Phoebe breathed, eyes on stalks.

‘You’re really a fan boy of this guy,’ Gabriella said to him.

‘I preferred saying he’s someone I admire.’

‘Well,’ Gabriella said. ‘Maybe you’ll meet him when you dress me for the fashion show.’

He smiled. ‘You aren’t going to need me to dress you for the fashion show. They are going to put you in one of Pierre’s designs.’ He unfastened more hooks. ‘Or make you a walking billboard for the book remember?’

‘For the runway,’ Gabriella said. ‘I can’t believe I actually said that… but, when I’m sitting in the audience? I’ll need something for that bit. And I will need my stylist to put me in it.’

He shook his head. ‘You don’t have to worry about this fan boy.’

She stiffened beneath his hands and turned her body to look at him. ‘You’re coming. No arguments.’

As she delivered her sincere-sounding words, his fingers grazed the back of her neck as he unfastened the necklace. And all the flashbacks of the moment they had shared last night flooded him. Neither of them had mentioned it. It was like they had laid a rug over a stain on the floor, hiding it from sight, but both of them knew it was still there. Or, at least he did. Maybe Gabriella didn’t feel the same…

‘So, have you been to any of the Christmas markets yet?’ Luca blurted out, finally undoing the catch on the necklace.

‘No,’ Gabriella said. ‘We are finding it hard to do anything other than listen to behavioural lessons from Cheyenne.’

‘Well, there are a couple of really great ones here and⁠—’

‘Will you come with us?’ Phoebe blurted out. ‘We could take Mr Darcy. He would love it.’

‘Phoebe, I’m sure that Luca has many things he has to do other than going with us to a Christmas market,’ Gabriella said, putting her sweater over her head. ‘With a dog.’

‘Do you?’ Phoebe asked him, straight up.

‘Yes,’ Luca answered. ‘But nothing I want to do more.’