Page 32 of Mountain Void

Charlie raised her champagne glass to her lips and forced a casual glance behind them.

And there he was.

Lorenz.

It wasn’t a surprise. She’d known he would be, from the moment Sean had mentioned the event. Lorenz had only just started working at the PGHM when their marriage crumbled, but that had been years ago. This was his world now. His colleagues. His friends. Not hers.

She’d told herself it was fine, had almost believed it, but seeing him now across the crowded room sent a sharp twist through her chest. Because he was here, like he’d been in her bed days earlier, but he no longer belonged to her.

She took him in. He looked striking, in a dark suit that highlighted the breadth of his shoulders, his slim hips. She knew what those shoulders looked like under the jacket. She’d felt his strength just days earlier, when they’d—

No. Not going to think about that.

She tried to take a step back. What was it about this man that made him different from all other men? It wasn’t just his looks. It was something about him, something about the way he carried himself.

Tonight, he looked solid. Not comfortable—suits had never been his thing, and she couldn’t imagine that had changed—but solid.

Unaware of Charlie’s inner turmoil, Carmen laughed at something the two men in front of them said. Charlie was having trouble following the conversation. They were both lawyers working at the courthouse; she’d understood that much. And single. They’d made that clear enough. But Charlie couldn’t bring herself to be interested.

Eventually, the two men left to get themselves fresh drinks.

Carmen leaned in, dropping her voice to something conspiratorial. “This party is incredible. I’m so glad we came.” She squeezed Charlie’s arm. “I know you would have been happy sitting at home with one of those puzzles you love so much, but this is … so much better.”

Charlie smiled. She did have a new puzzle waiting for her at home, but it was good to see Carmen so happy.

“Charlie?” Carmen shifted, strangely fascinated. “Remember the man who kept staring at us? Are you sure you don’t know him? He’s walking in this direction.”

Charlie turned to see him moving through the crowd, broad-shouldered and purposeful, heading straight for her.

She exhaled softly. She should have told Carmen about him by now.

Better late than never.

“I do know him. That’s Lorenz van der Berg. My ex-husband.”

Carmen stammered, but recovered quickly. “That hottie’s your ex-husband?”

Charlie nodded. “I really don’t want to talk about it, Carmen.”

“He’s the one who—“

“Yes.”

As she watched, a tall man intercepted Lorenz, clapping him on the shoulder and launching into an animated conversation. Lorenz stood polite, attentive. But his gaze flicked to hers over the other man’s shoulder, just for a moment.

“I need some air,” she said.

“I’ll come with you,” Carmen said quickly.

“No. Stay, please. Those guys will be back with the drinks soon. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Charlie slipped away before her friend could stop her—and before Lorenz could extricate himself from his interlocutor.

Cold air wrapped around her the moment she set foot outside. The balcony stretched the length of the building, empty save for a few potted evergreens set against the railing.

Beneath her, the lights of Chamonix scattered across the valley. Beyond the rooftops, the valley opened up between towering walls of snow-covered peaks. The jagged silhouette of the Aiguilles cut into the starlit sky.

She loved—loved—this valley. It was one of the reasons she’d never left, after the divorce. Not the only reason, but one of the reasons.