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‘Happy Birthday, beautiful,’ Rachael said, giving me a hug and pointing to her backpack. ‘I’ve got a little something in here for you, and David sends a birthday kiss.’
‘Thank you both.’
‘Where are your skis?’ Rachael asked, waggling my rucksack, as we joined the queue, following Liv’s lead.
‘I thought I’d take the pressure off and mark the occasion with food instead.’
‘That’s the spirit,’ she said, laughing. I longed for Luca’s queue-jumping nod as we huddled together, waiting for the crowd to shuffle forward. Life was so much easier when you had money. We stayed on the gondola for three stops up to the viewing platform next to Le Mouton Noir. It was one of many places in Verbier that felt like heaven. We walked across the rickety metal walkway as clouds swirled around our feet and took a thousand selfies. An innocent passer-by got roped into doing a full-length photoshoot and I posted the pictures on my Stories.
Turning 28 feels pretty great #OnTopOfTheWorld #HeadInTheClouds #HighOnLife
We made our way to the bar, where people were sitting, eating and drinking in the sunshine. Rachael commandeered one of the picnic tables and Liv laid out a red and white chequered tablecloth, giving us each a linen napkin.
‘This is fancy,’ I said, fluttering it over my lap.
‘You ain’t seen nothing yet,’ she said, pulling out the spread that Xavier had prepared.
It was an absolute feast. Fresh-made quiche, still warm, mini pots of pâté with melba toast, five different types of cheese and different-flavoured crackers to go with each. Cold meats with cornichons, the largest stuffed olives I’d ever seen – the delicacies just kept coming.
‘This is unbelievable!’ I said, as Liv brought out dish after dish.
‘I have a little something as well,’ Rachael said, carefully placing a strawberry and red velvet cheesecake on the table. ‘It took me forever to spell out “Happy Birthday Holly” as the strawberries were so small.’
‘That looks amazing, thank you so much,’ I said, giving her a hug.
‘So, what’s the story with you and Luca?’ Liv asked, biting into a wafer-thin cracker laden with goat’s cheese. ‘One minute you guys are going to a spa together and the next, you aren’t even speaking.’
‘I’m not sure there is a story,’ I said. ‘He goes hot and cold. From Champagne bars to ignoring me completely. I thought that was it the other week when he blanked me at dinner, but then I think of all the special moments we’ve had, and I want to give him the benefit of the doubt.’
‘What did he get you for your birthday?’ Rachael asked, eyes gleaming. ‘A horse?’
I laughed. ‘Hardly. I haven’t even had a text.’
‘Details, details,’ Liv said, rolling her eyes. ‘He’s bound to get you something hugely extravagant to show off.’
‘An ice sculpture of your face?’ Rachael laughed.
‘As long as Genevieve doesn’t see it,’ I said. ‘Can’t let his twin sister know he’s fraternising with the scullery maid.’
‘Maybe it’ll be a vodka luge and he’ll drink shots off your nose.’
‘Weird thought, Rach,’ Liv said. ‘If he could choose to slurp vodka off any part of her body, I doubt it would be her nose.’
‘He’s just so different to any man I’ve ever met before,’ I said. ‘When I’m with him, life feels glamorous and easy, but then he’ll go back to Paris and I won’t hear from him at all. That dinner last month with Henri Thienpont was ridiculous, wasn’t it Liv?’
She nodded.
‘What happened?’ Rachael asked.
‘Genevieve came home while the two of us were still eating and Luca jumped up like we were having a sordid affair. He wouldn’t even look at me in front of her.’
‘Hmm, sounds like it could get messy,’ Rachael said, popping a grape in her mouth.
‘Then just as I’m thinking we should keep it 100 per cent professional, he’ll do something completely unexpected like taking me to that beautiful spa, or opening an amazing bottle of wine and I’ll feel special and looked after, you know? He’s so thoughtful.’
‘But no text?’ Liv said.
I checked my phone again.
