Mina bit her lip as she followed Amelie down to the end of the corridor. ‘Are you sure? I thought I’d be staying with you in the staff quarters or something.’
Amelie’s eyes lit up with the naughty twinkle that Mina knew so well and was one of the many reasons why she adored her. ‘You might have been, but this way I was able to truthfully tell Frau Müller that we were fully booked. And why shouldn’t I give my goddaughter one of the best rooms in the house? If you were staying longer, then I might have given you the apartment next door to mine.’
‘Apartment?’
‘Yes, behind this building is another building, where there are two apartments. I spend most of my time here in the kitchen, but in the summer it is lovely. I have a big balcony and a large living room with the most wonderful views. I keep meaning to offer the apartment for Airbnb, but it’s just another thing to think about and administer, and to be honest, there is enough with the chalet.’
Amelie pushed open the door and Mina stepped inside. Outside the brilliant white of the snow highlighted the lines and shadows of the darkening valley. Lights twinkled in the distance and the mountains towered over the small village. The room, nestled into the apex of the roof, was warm and cosy. Soft light spilled from two bedside lamps on either side of the double bed cocooned in a pale blue, woollen blanket with a midnight-blue velvet throw across the end of the bed. Heavy curtains hung at either side of French windows that led out onto the balcony, and outside snow had drifted on one side of the balcony.
Mina, excited to see where she’d be staying for the next few weeks, strode across the room and straight over to the window looking out at the twilit sky and then back at the room. ‘This is so cosy. I can imagine being tucked up in here while there’s a snowstorm raging outside.’
Amelie laughed. ‘Well, you won’t have to imagine too hard. We get plenty of snow, although the forecast for this week is very good. Lots of sunshine. Now why don’t you get settled and then come down? We serve wine from 6 p.m. in the lounge and then dinner is served in the dining room at seven.’
‘But can’t I do anything to help? I came to stay with you. Can’t I help with dinner? Stay with you in the kitchen?’ Mina wasn’t keen to see Luke until she was good and ready.
‘There’ll be plenty of time for that later,’ said Amelie. ‘You’re my guest and this is my treat. And I’m also being a little bit selfish. I won’t be able to give you my undivided attention before dinner and this stops me from feeling guilty that I’m not looking after your properly.’
‘Don’t be silly. I don’t need to be looked after. I’m a big girl.’
‘Yes, but I’m a stubborn, not-old-yet woman who is set in her ways. Come down at six, everyone is very friendly.’ She gave Mina another of her mischievous grins. ‘Unfriendly people aren’t allowed to come back.’
Mina laughed, not quite sure whether Amelie was being serious. She wouldn’t have put it past her godmother to have a list of names with black marks beside them.
Once Amelie had left her to unpack, she sank down in the downy embrace of the thick duvet on the bed and rubbed her eyes, still not quite able to believe that Luke was here in the same place. What were the chances – and more importantly, what on earth did you say to a man that you thought you were never going to see again, whose kiss had not so much blown your socks off as almost made them burst into flame? Her response still shocked her. She was impulsive – everyone knew that – but even she didn’t go around kissing perfect strangers. And it wouldn’t have been so bad if that kiss hadn’t been so utterly, impossibly, damn perfect.
Now, an hour later, feeling a fizz of nerves at what she might meet downstairs, she stepped out of her room and into the corridor at the exact same moment as the guest in the room next door. As she lifted her head to say a friendly hello, all her senses tingled in sudden awareness. Her eyes met Luke’s and it felt as if her heart had stopped. It was a huge consolation that he looked as shocked as she felt.
For a long electric moment, they simply stared at each other. She could almost feel the air around them crackle with static.
‘Mina,’ his voice came out as a croak.
‘Hello,’ she said but it came out as a whisper.
Then his face creased into a broad, delighted smile. ‘How lovely to see you again. Serendipity?’
‘It would certainly seem so.’
They both studied each other for a moment far longer than was polite, as if each of them knew that there was so much to say, but the enormity of it all had stolen their ability to speak.
Finally, and she saw the careful swallow before he spoke, Luke said, ‘Would you care to accompany me downstairs for a glass of wine?’ He bent his elbow in easy invitation and following his cue that they should pick up from where they’d left off, Mina slipped a hand into the crook of his arm. It seemed easier than unpicking the reality of them both ending up at the same place, and she didn’t want to spoil the magic.
‘That would be lovely.’
As her fingers closed around the textured cotton of his casual shirt, she could feel the warmth of his skin through the fabric. Her highly sensitive fingertips were aware of muscle, sinew, and bone beneath her light grasp, and with that awareness came a lightning strike of lust flashing through at the thought of his body. Hormones had a lot to answer for, she told herself sternly. They had no reason to get so carried away, even though she couldn’t deny that he’d scooped the lottery when they were handing out the good-looking genes.
He escorted her down the corridor towards the stairs, and even their steps seemed to fall in line with each other’s in perfect sync.
‘Beautiful place, isn’t it?’ His free hand stroked the smooth polished wood of the bannister as they took the stairs side-by-side.
‘Yes, it’s lovely.’ Amelie had clearly expended a lot of love on the place, it glowed with homeliness and welcome.
‘Have you stayed before?’
‘No, it’s my first time. My—’ she was about to explain that Amelie was her godmother, but he interrupted with a quick grin.
‘It won’t be your last. We’re all like homing pigeons here. Keep coming back. It’s like a home from home. How long are you here for? The weekend?’
‘No, two weeks.’
