Page 101 of The Chalet Girl

‘Yeah, I’m OK, have you spoken to Cat?’ She was concerned for her friend after what had happened.

Tiago shook his head.

‘I texted her but she’s not answered.’ He looked a little helpless.

‘I called her but no answer either,’ Emme frowned. ‘Oh dear. Do you think she’s OK?’

Tiago stopped stacking and leaned on his pile of crates.

‘It was pretty brutal, the way Anastasia was in the kitchen.’

‘I know. What a cow,’ Emme concurred.

‘Apparently she’s skipped town,’ Tiago said with a shrug.

‘How do you know that?’

‘Everyone knows everyone’s business in Kristalldorf,’ he winked.

Emme certainly hoped not.

‘I was going to call in on her after here,’ Emme said.

‘She’ll be OK,’ Tiago said. ‘She’s a bad bitch, our Catalina.’

There was always something comforting in Tiago’s tone, Emme thought as she squeezed his arm and headed to the checkout.

‘I’ll let you know when I speak to her,’ Emme called back.

As Emme waited in line at the checkout, she picked up two Lindt chocolate reindeer for Harry and Bella from a display at the till.

‘You shouldn’t have,’ said a voice in her ear. She looked round and smiled cautiously at Tristan.

‘How’s the face?’ she asked. ‘Looks like it’s gone down a bit.’ Despite her reservations Emme couldn’t help but feel an urge to reach out to touch him but she managed to hold back. She shouldn’t trust him, she shouldn’t let him in.

‘Look, I, erm…’ Tristan looked around guardedly. ‘Look, I’m sorry about this morning.’

He put his own supplies on the conveyor belt behind Emme’s. Focaccia, cheese, salami and olives. ‘I shouldn’t have sent you packing like that…’

Emme narrowed her eyes. She shook her head gently. It wasn’t OK, so she didn’t want to say it was.

‘Really, last night threw me– literally,’ he quipped. ‘And then this morning, about my dad…’

‘It’s sensitive, I get that,’ Emme conceded.

Tristan cleared his throat.

‘Are you working?’ he asked.

‘They’ve all gone to Zurich to see the Christmas lights.’

‘Nice,’ he said.

Her heart raced. She had never fancied anyone so fiercely.

‘Want to go for a hike…?’ he asked, with flirtatious intrigue.

Emme looked herself up and down. She was wearing jeans and a leopard-print sweatshirt, her new lilac ski coat and trainers.