Work had been so busy for everyone now that the season was getting started that Emme hadn’t had a chance to socialise with either Cat or Tiago since that first weekend. Buton the Wednesday of Emme’s second week in Kristalldorf, when Lumi and Mika Kivvi had decided to eat out at the local pizzeria, Cat messaged Emme to ask if she fancied impromptu drinks.
‘Mind if I pop out for an hour or two?’ Emme asked Lexy, as she sat looking at her laptop. Lexy stopped to think, and concluded that as she didn’t want to go out and the children were already asleep, that would be fine.
‘Of course!’ she said, as if it had come naturally to her.
‘Thanks,’ Emme replied, feeling weird having to ask permission to go out at twenty-eight when she had lived mostly by herself, in a flat she owned, since she was twenty-two, but such was the job she had sought out.
Emme grabbed her coat and put on a slick of make-up, just in case. Then headed to Down Mexico Way to meet Cat.
‘Are they here every night?’ she asked, as they walked past The Cheeky Blinders and slunk into a booth on the edge of the dancefloor, opposite the band.
‘They rotate with a few other bands, Deja Groove and the Clone Tones– a few solo guitar players/singers. Will sometimes does solo nights. But they all play the same four or five venues. There’s music every night of the season.’
The season. Emme wondered what Kristalldorf might be like in summer.
‘What are you having? It’s my round… I think.’
The last time they were out, in the basement club with Tiago and the band, Cat had got a round in just before she took a call and took off.
Emme was relieved to remove her hideous coat: underneath it she was wearing a royal blue jersey top with pouffedruched sleeves, light denim jeans, and patent black platform brogues. It was the smartest outfit she’d packed.
‘G&T please,amorcita,’ Cat replied, checking her phone.
Emme grabbed her purse just as Tristan Du Kok walked in with a group of associates. He was wearing a pale shirt with the sleeves rolled up and a cashmere jumper slung over his shoulders, charcoal chinos and the same cream Zegna trainers he’d put on at the end of their skiing session last week. He looked sharp yet casual. Emme’s heart raced and she slumped straight back down. Although she wanted to meet Tristan’s trajectory, she needed to get her head together first.
‘What’s up?’ asked Cat, looking between Emme and Tristan. They watched the group settle, standing at a high table near the bar, as Tristan beckoned Johann from behind the bar for table service. That’s how high rollers rolled.
‘Oh, nothing…’ Emme said, unconvincingly.
Tristan ordered for the group and glanced up, seeing Emme and Cat at their table.
‘Urgh,’ Emme protested.
‘What?!’ Cat said, hitting her on the arm.
Tristan swaggered over, his hands in his trouser pockets, a knowing smile at the corner of his lips.
‘Have you recovered?’ he asked Emme with a smouldering grin.
Cat looked between the two of them.
‘Recovered from what?!’ she said, an eyebrow raised. There was not much that went on in Kristalldorf without Catalina Sosa knowing about it. Her inky eyes widened. ‘You two have met then?’
Emme blushed. Tristan cleared his throat into a balled fist.
‘Oh, erm, I had a little mishap on the mountain last week.’ Emme blustered. ‘Tristan went down on– with– he went down with me. Had to get me and the kids back to town.’ Emme was so flustered, she was only making things worse for herself.
‘Oh, did you?’ Cat said, looking at Tristan with a sparkle in her eye.
‘I did,’ he said with a self-satisfied smile. He turned to Emme. ‘Have you had any lessons yet?’
‘Actually, I have,’ Emme said proudly. She’d eventually located Jenny’s skis and boots and by happy happenstance they fitted. Only yesterday, while the kids were at school, Emme had a lesson, and it was a good first attempt.
‘Cedric?’ Tristan asked, with a raised eyebrow.
‘God, not Cedric!’ laughed Cat. ‘What a disaster! Did you see him that night? He was fucking Sandrine round the back of the Silber Stube, I was surprised he could get it up.’
Emme and Tristan looked at each other and winced, Cat detecting their shared familiarity.
