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‘What? No, not at all. Absolutelynota big deal,’ I said. Oh God. I wish I smoked.
I looked down at the plates I was clutching and headed for the kitchen, pausing in the dining room to clear my head. Breathe, Holly, breathe. It doesn’t mean anything. I mean, that’s just what the French do, isn’t it?French kiss?And everyone kisses at midnight on New Year’s Eve. But then suddenly, I felt Luca’s body behind me, his mouth hot on my neck. I breathed in his smoky cologne as he pulled me back into his arms and kissed me again, then stopped for a few seconds to catch my breath. This was definitely not a New Year kiss; this was a real kiss. Before I had time to organise my thoughts, I heard the sound of a closing door.
‘Helloooo? Holly, are you up there?’ Liv’s voice echoed through the chalet, as I stood up sharply and adjusted my clothes.
‘We’re in here,’ I called, as Liv walked into the lounge and took in the cosy scene.
‘Ah, sorry I didn’t realise…’ she said, ‘bonsoir,Luca.’
Luca nodded curtly. ‘Bonsoir,’ he replied. ‘Would you like a glass of Champagne?’
‘Happy New Year!’ I said, hugging her. ‘How come you’re back so soon?’
‘I was worried about you moping around here on your own so I thought we could see the New Year in together. But looks like you’re OK,’ she said, with a surprised look.
Twenty
1st January
‘Hey, Holly is that you?’ I heard the voice but couldn’t place it or see who was speaking. Skiers in the mist. I was running back from the market and the snow was falling thick and heavy. I looked around and couldn’t see anyone, then felt an arm around my waist and jumped. This would be the perfect time for a serial killer to strike.
‘Guess who,’ a voice said in my ear.
‘The Abominable Snowman?’ I guessed, trying to wriggle free.
‘Close,’ the voice said as Luca appeared in my eyeline. Ah, thank God. I lived to fight another day.
‘Oh hey,’ I said coquettishly.
‘Happy New Year,’ he said.
‘I thought we’d said all that last night?’ I blushed thinking of our ‘no big deal’ kissing. The first time I’d kissed someone fresh since Fresher’s Week.
‘Well, today is the first official day of the New Year,’ he said, ‘so we can say it again. I’ve been skiing all morning. Fancy a late breakfast?’
‘You’ve been skiing in this?’ I said, looking at the white-out on top of the mountain.
‘It’s not this bad everywhere. Charlie always knows where to take me,’ Luca said, sparking up a cigarette as we hurried down the street.
‘I can make you some Eggs Benedict back at the chalet?’ I said. ‘Or the banoffee pancakes Xavier has on the menu to serve when he gets back?’
‘I wasn’t asking you tomake mebreakfast, I was asking you tojoin mefor breakfast.’ Oh. He wants to take me for breakfast. OK, well that’s cool, stay calm. But what does that mean? I can’t be seen out in Verbier eating breakfast with Luca. Whatever next? Liv serving me eggs and bacon while I’m sat on his lap? I needed to get some control on this situation.
Luca stopped mid-step and took a sharp left, grabbing my hand and dragging me behind him. We ran past Rachael’spâtisserie, where she did a cartoon double-take as she recognised Luca’s ninja outfit and had a nosy out the window. We skidded up to the Verbier Grand Hotel, then gathered ourselves together and went in like a civilised breakfasting couple. The hotel was spacious and calm, with the gentle sounds of quiet chatter accompanied by the clinkety-clink of cutlery. The dining room had huge ceilings, big windows, and large mirrors on every available wall. Crystal chandeliers hung down in the centre of each section with a two-way roaring fire in the middle of the room.
‘Pour deux, s’il vous plaît.’ Luca took charge and got us a cosy table close enough to the fire to stay warm – but not so close as to risk my highly flammable outfit going up in flames. Was this a business meeting, a friends thing or a date?
‘I take it you didn’t like the sound of my Eggs Benedict?’ I said, lightly, to test the conversational waters. What do you talk about on a date with your boss?
‘J’adoreyour cooking, Holly, but I thought it might be nice to eat together. No stress, you know?’ Luca said with a twinkle in his eye.
‘Some cornflakes?’ I asked, smiling.
‘Or the crunchy nuts?’ he said.
I scanned the prices on the breakfast menu and had an internal panic. I hadn’t paid for anything up to now, so it felt like the right time to at least offer. I didn’t want to spend our entire breakfast-date worrying that Luca would gesture towards me when the bill arrived, like George used to. I could afford to pay for breakfast, surely. I’d just have to organise a quick payday loan to cover the fresh unicorn milk he would no doubt order and pour freely into his coffee.
‘I’ll have the fruit bowl please, and a latte,’ I said to the immaculate waiter stood to attention next to us, who scribbled and smiled.
