Page 117 of The Chalet Girl

‘Tomorrow morning. Cannot wait!’

Emme relieved Harry and Bella of their bags and end-of-term artwork, politely appraising each piece as if it were actually good.

‘When doyoufly?’ Cassie asked, thinking perhaps she had forgotten, but it hadn’t come up in their conversations.

‘Oh, I don’t. I’m here all Christmas…’

Cassie looked almost horrified for her.

‘It’s fine!’ Emme batted it away. With Tristan coming back, it really was.

Back at the apartment Emme was preparing an early dinner for Harry and Bella while they played in their bedrooms, shattered from the end-of-term parties. As she warmed a largeflammkuchenin the oven, she sent Tristan a quick text from her phone on the island.

Just cooking. Will call you in a bit. Cannot WAIT to be in your arms again. See you Monday! X

She put Spotify on. Al Green. ‘Tired of Being Alone’. Songs they had made love to the night of the Kivvi Christingle. Emme was buzzing. Now she knew Tristan would be back on Monday, she considered Christmas and how it might look. As per Lexy’s ‘rules’ she had Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off, and she was free to hang out with Tristan, lounging around Vitreum, cooking, sleeping and coming together.She knew the Harringtons wanted her back for Boxing Day and the social whirl of their New Year. Lexy had mentioned Walter Steinherr’s famous Kristall Ball on New Year’s Eve and how wonderful it would be– especially so this year, after it didn’t take place last December. Emme opened the fridge and took out a cucumber to cut into batons. Lexy was on the other side of the fridge door as she closed it.

Emme gasped, jumping so badly she had to smother the urge to attack her employer.

‘Sorry, Lexy, I didn’t hear you come in!’

Lexy gave a smile that looked more forced than ever.

‘I wasn’t expecting you home so soon,’ Emme said, trying to smooth everything over.

Lexy motioned to the noise of the kitchen disco around them.

‘Evidently not …’

Emme chopped the cucumber into batons as Lexy put her Aspinal of London folio case and Mulberry handbag down.

‘The kids are just chilling in their rooms while I get dinner. They had great fun at their class parties… Both of them won a prize.’

Lexy didn’t say much, she looked pissed off and affronted as she opened her mail.

Emme turned the music right down, then realised she may as well turn it off.

‘That’s better,’ Lexy said icily. ‘No devices during meal or snack time…’

Rule five,Emme thought. Although technically, they weren’t eating yet, but Emme bit her tongue as she peered through the oven to check theflammkuchen.

‘Ooh, while we’re talking rules,’ Emme said casually. ‘I just wanted to ensure you’re not expecting me to stay overnight on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. As per rule three.’

Emme turned around to gauge Lexy’s reaction.

Lexy wrinkled her nose.

‘Hmmm, now that doesn’t sound like you’re asking permission to me…’ she said.

‘But I have those days off.’

Lexy put her post down on the island next to Emme’s phone just as her screen flashed up.

A message from Tristan Du Kok.

Me neither. Can’t wait to make you come again honey x

Emme clocked Lexy reading it and saw what looked very much like a searing rage rise up her face.