drop down into orchards full of apricot, apple and cherry
blossoms.”
Kate didn’t want to think about
the spring yet. She still had no idea what she wanted to do next. Part of her
knew that she should be planning her next step already, but another part
enjoyed being able simply to live in the moment, to enjoy her headlong plunge
into the immediacy of a ski season.
Mimi had also taken her to her
first party in Verbier with other chalet girls, ski repairmen and ski
instructors. They were a mix of people from the UK, Australia and Canada, with
a few French and Swedes as well. It was reassuring somehow to meet other people
who weren’t rushing along in their careers, but taking the time to figure out
what they really wanted.
After Mickey, she had found
herself feeling like a failure, as if it was too late to start a new life. The
exuberance and confidence of these seasonal people she met here gave her hope,
a sense of potential. Emily had been right. Verbier was exactly what she
needed.
And maybe she had been right about
other things as well, like the idea of a fling to recover from Mickey. Not that
she was about to have a holiday romance, and certainly not with her boss. But
just having a crush on Sebastien reassured her that she could be attracted to
somebody again. At least her hormones were still working.
She thought again of his phone
call on Wednesday. She loved the fact that he seemed to be drawing her into a
sort of team with him again and she was more excited than she should be about
seeing him this evening. She looked forward to exchanging secretive glances
across the room, to impressing him with her ability to handle even difficult
people.
His comment about “working her
charm” left her uncertain as to whether it was a compliment of sorts or whether
he thought she put on an act to handle people. Either way, he felt she was
doing a good job, although she would prefer that he didn’t think she was simply
playing a role to manipulate people.
Which she was, at some level, she
realised with distaste. Maybe it was best that he saw her in that light
already. That way it would come as less of a shock when she told him the truth.
Which she would have to do soon, she reminded herself severely. Putting it off
was not making things any easier. Especially as her desire to impress him was growing,
and not for professional reasons.
She sighed and picked up a coffee
table book with photos of the Swiss Alps. She flicked through the beautiful
images distractedly, checking her watch and waiting impatiently for the
headlights in the driveway. Every few minutes she jumped up to change the music
or rush to the bathroom mirror to try to pin back her unruly curls. Waiting
passively always made her nervous.
When the lights of an approaching
car finally swung across the living room wall she nearly jumped out of her
skin. She relit a candle that had burned out, plumped up the sofa cushion where
she had been sitting and had a final glance in the mirror before heading to the
door, trying to calm her strangely frazzled nerves.
Sebastien had informed her that
the Coopers were quite particular in their tastes, demanding and hard to please.
They would be stopping to freshen up and have a drink before heading out to
dinner.
Kate had boiled the kettle,
chilled some wine and prepared a plate of hors d’oevres in advance.
Entertaining even the most ornery couple for an hour couldn’t be that hard, she
reassured herself, taking a deep breath and opening the door with a wide smile
and inexplicable butterflies in her stomach.
Sebastien stood on the doorstep
with a stunning blonde. Her willowy figure was draped in a form-fitting red
jacket and knee-high boots. Her hair was smooth and lustrous and absolutely
perfect. Kate’s hand instinctively flew to her wayward curls to tuck them
behind her ears while crossing her arms across her chest to hide the sensible
cream sweater.
Stupidly she gazed into the
darkness behind Sebastien as if
blossoms.”
Kate didn’t want to think about
the spring yet. She still had no idea what she wanted to do next. Part of her
knew that she should be planning her next step already, but another part
enjoyed being able simply to live in the moment, to enjoy her headlong plunge
into the immediacy of a ski season.
Mimi had also taken her to her
first party in Verbier with other chalet girls, ski repairmen and ski
instructors. They were a mix of people from the UK, Australia and Canada, with
a few French and Swedes as well. It was reassuring somehow to meet other people
who weren’t rushing along in their careers, but taking the time to figure out
what they really wanted.
After Mickey, she had found
herself feeling like a failure, as if it was too late to start a new life. The
exuberance and confidence of these seasonal people she met here gave her hope,
a sense of potential. Emily had been right. Verbier was exactly what she
needed.
And maybe she had been right about
other things as well, like the idea of a fling to recover from Mickey. Not that
she was about to have a holiday romance, and certainly not with her boss. But
just having a crush on Sebastien reassured her that she could be attracted to
somebody again. At least her hormones were still working.
She thought again of his phone
call on Wednesday. She loved the fact that he seemed to be drawing her into a
sort of team with him again and she was more excited than she should be about
seeing him this evening. She looked forward to exchanging secretive glances
across the room, to impressing him with her ability to handle even difficult
people.
His comment about “working her
charm” left her uncertain as to whether it was a compliment of sorts or whether
he thought she put on an act to handle people. Either way, he felt she was
doing a good job, although she would prefer that he didn’t think she was simply
playing a role to manipulate people.
Which she was, at some level, she
realised with distaste. Maybe it was best that he saw her in that light
already. That way it would come as less of a shock when she told him the truth.
Which she would have to do soon, she reminded herself severely. Putting it off
was not making things any easier. Especially as her desire to impress him was growing,
and not for professional reasons.
She sighed and picked up a coffee
table book with photos of the Swiss Alps. She flicked through the beautiful
images distractedly, checking her watch and waiting impatiently for the
headlights in the driveway. Every few minutes she jumped up to change the music
or rush to the bathroom mirror to try to pin back her unruly curls. Waiting
passively always made her nervous.
When the lights of an approaching
car finally swung across the living room wall she nearly jumped out of her
skin. She relit a candle that had burned out, plumped up the sofa cushion where
she had been sitting and had a final glance in the mirror before heading to the
door, trying to calm her strangely frazzled nerves.
Sebastien had informed her that
the Coopers were quite particular in their tastes, demanding and hard to please.
They would be stopping to freshen up and have a drink before heading out to
dinner.
Kate had boiled the kettle,
chilled some wine and prepared a plate of hors d’oevres in advance.
Entertaining even the most ornery couple for an hour couldn’t be that hard, she
reassured herself, taking a deep breath and opening the door with a wide smile
and inexplicable butterflies in her stomach.
Sebastien stood on the doorstep
with a stunning blonde. Her willowy figure was draped in a form-fitting red
jacket and knee-high boots. Her hair was smooth and lustrous and absolutely
perfect. Kate’s hand instinctively flew to her wayward curls to tuck them
behind her ears while crossing her arms across her chest to hide the sensible
cream sweater.
Stupidly she gazed into the
darkness behind Sebastien as if
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