Page 60 of Snowed In with You

Lucy flopped back on the bed, feeling like she might cry with relief. She’d order room service, have a bath, get up to date on everything that was going on in the world – including what was happening with Nate; there was no point pretending she wasn’t interested – then sleep for at least ten hours in this incredible cloud of a bed.

She could already feel herself drifting, so she pulled her phone out and tapped out a message to Kristoff. Am at Les Armures, it’s beautiful – thank you so much. Am going to crash this evening, but really appreciate all you’ve done.

He replied immediately with It’s my pleasure, safe travels tomorrow.

Right, down to business, thought Lucy, picking up the room service menu. She called reception and ordered a goat’s cheese salad and a glass of wine for an hour’s time, then ran the bath with hot, foamy water. It felt blissful to finally ditch the clothes she’d been wearing since Friday; even though they’d been handwashed twice in that time, they didn’t feel clean enough. Just before she sank into the bath up to her chin, she called Jonno and put her phone on speaker on the side of the bath.

‘Lucy?’ he asked.

‘Hey, you,’ she replied with a smile, relieved as ever to hear his voice.

‘Ah, there you are. You still alive?’

‘I am. My mountain adventure is over.’

‘Where are you now?’

‘I’m in a fancy hotel in Geneva, in the bath, with Kristoff picking up the tab.’

Jonno laughed. ‘Wait, are you naked?’

Lucy rolled her eyes. ‘Very.’

‘Is Kristoff also in the bath?’

‘You’re so incredibly funny.’

‘Is he on his way over for pre-seduction martinis?’

‘No. He offered to meet me for a drink, but made it clear it wasn’t mandatory if I needed time out.’

‘Good man,’ said Jonno. ‘Where’s French Exit?’

‘Heading back to London,’ said Lucy. ‘Accompanied by a minor Dutch royal who’s going to make him a superstar.’ She didn’t mention Sasha; that would only prompt further questions that she really didn’t want to answer.

‘Shitting hell,’ said Jonno. ‘I haven’t even started to get my head around what happened with all the singing stuff.’

‘I think it’s what the kids call “going viral”.’

‘Yeah, so I’m told. They were discussing him on Radio 2 earlier. He’s fucking everywhere. My kids haven’t stopped talking about him, and I’ve seen that clip of him singing George Michael about fifty times.’

‘I need to catch up on all that,’ said Lucy, shivering despite the hot water. ‘But I’m one of only eight people who heard it live.’

‘Was it as good as it comes across on the video?’

‘Yeah,’ mused Lucy. ‘He’s pretty amazing. Like, proper talent.’

‘Shame he’s such a personality vacuum.’

‘He actually grew on me,’ said Lucy vaguely. She tried to keep her voice light, knowing that Jonno would pounce on any suggestion that Lucy and Nate had inched closer to each other.

‘Oh really? Tell me more.’ Like that, thought Lucy.

‘No, not like that,’ she said quickly. ‘He’s just a lot more personable once you get to know him a bit.’

‘Christ. Being “personable” is really going to get the groupies flocking his way.’

‘Not everyone has your charisma,’ said Lucy with a smile. ‘He’s definitely not a natural megastar. I just hope he’s being looked after.’