Page 42 of The Chalet Girl

Emme wriggled her toes, still a shade of peach sorbet from the wedding.

‘It’s great, thanks.’

When she thought about it, perhaps it was. She had only been in Kristalldorf one weekend and she was in a luxe and empty hotel spa, courtesy of a friend. ‘Really, you don’t need to worry about me. I’ve actually had the best weekend, the family are really lovely…’ OK maybe that was pushing it– the mother had a carrot up her arse, the dad was weirdly vacant and the boy might take time to warm up to her, but it could be worse. ‘I’ve made some friends already…’ She thought about Tiago upstairs and his kindness. Of Catand her exuberance. Of Cassie and her wit. ‘And I’ve even been dancing.’

‘Dancing? Already?’ Tom tried to sound excited. ‘Europop?’

‘Yes!’ Emme softened. ‘Well Europop and American covers. They love a covers band out here.’

‘Cool! Maybe The Right Stripes can do a gig out there?’

‘Yeah maybe,’ Emme said idly.

‘You didn’t cheat on me with “99 Luftballons” did you?’ Tom’s chuckle fell short. It was Tom and Emme’s party piece: at any twenty-first, thirtieth, engagement party or wedding they had ever been to, Tom and Emme would do theJust Danceroutine to ‘99 Luftballons’ by Nena in perfect harmony. Full of laughter, usually to rapturous applause and everyone saying they made the cutest twosome. Except they didn’t do it at Tom and Chrissy’s wedding.

The tone of her voice landed somewhere between warmth and carelessness. She tried so hard not to care.

‘No, no balloons …’

Tiago walked through the spa door, in his coat, looking for Emme.

‘Look, I have to go, I’m meeting a friend,’ she said, quickly.

‘Wow. Yes. Of course.’

‘And you have sundowners. Go have one for me yeah?’

‘Yes, sur—’

‘And give Chrissy my love.’

‘Will do.’

‘Buh-bye.’

Tom was halfway through saying goodbye back when Emme hung up, flipped her phone over, and tried to stifle back her tears.

Tiago was already walking towards her, his gaze firmly on her face. Was it her imagination or was he making a concerted effort not to look at her body? She liked him all the more for it.

‘Hey, I’m finishing my shift, just wanted to check everything was all OK with you?’

He looked odd standing next to a pool in a suit and ski coat.

Emme nodded, her eyes glassy and sad.

‘Great, there’s pastries and juices through the chillout room there. Help yourself.’

‘Thank you, Tiago. This isjustwhat I needed. I owe you a drink.’

‘Hey, no problem,’ he said, walking away with a wave.

Emme clutched the back of her phone on the lounger, and realised her hand was trembling. From talking to Tom. From her moment in the sauna. From envisaging Tristan Du Kok fucking the woman upstairs– and Emme’s burgeoning desire to know everything about him.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

In the fifth-floor penthouse of the Steinherrhof hotel, Lumi and Walter lay entwined on the bed, a tussle and bustle of sheets around them, a satisfied glow on the face of Mrs Kivvi.

‘Oh Walter! What have we done?’