Page 44 of Mountain Struggle

Tess

Tess heard the front lock engage. She wasn’t worried—Chamonix was one of the safest towns in the world, plus something told her it would be particularly idiotic to try to rob a policeman’s home.

She was surprised Damien was coming home so early. He’d called her on his way out of the office just a short while ago, said he was going to meet his team members for a drink at Stella’s.

Tess liked that bar. She liked everything about Chamonix, particularly the things she got to experience as a local, rather than a tourist. There was so much tourists missed about the little town. They spent more of their time in the main street, with its flashy designer stores and overpriced restaurants, but Chamonix was so much more than that.

The door opened and Damien came in, followed by someone else. Tess’s first instinct was to run—she was wearing jogging shorts and a ragged, old sweatshirt she never wore outside the house—she didn’t want to meet any of his friends dressed like this. Then she recognized the figure behind him and stopped in her tracks.

“Sarah?” she stammered.

Her sister couldn’t be here.

“Tess!”

Sarah stepped out from behind Damien and ran to her, enveloping her in a hug.

“Sarah!” Tess squealed. “You’re really here.”

It’d been close to six months since she’d seen anybody from her family, and to see Sarah here now, so suddenly, was overwhelming. Tess hugged her back, blinking back some tears.

“What are you doing here?”

“I came to visit my little sister, of course.”

“But your job, you—”

“I was on my way to Paris for a radio show. I should have been there tonight, but told them there was something important I needed to do. I’m leaving tomorrow evening. You look great, Tess,” Sarah said.

“Not as great as you do,” Tess laughed. There’d never been a competition between them where looks were concerned—or if there had, she and Sarah wouldn’t have even entered the same race.

Where Tess had often been told she was cute, maybe even pretty, Sarah was out of this world beautiful. Perhaps that’s why she had decided to make the radio her profession—so people would stop talking about her looks, and would finally realize that she was much more than her appearance.

“We have so much to catch up on,” Tess said, taking her sister’s hand. Then she realized Damien was still standing there.

“Damien. Thank you. How did you—”

He shook his head quickly. “I can’t take any credit for this. I met her at the bar,” Damien said lightly, “and brought her home.”

A look passed between them that Tess couldn’t interpret—she’d have to ask Sarah about it later.

“You two probably have a lot of catching up to do. I have to get up early, so I’ll say goodnight now.”

As he walked by her, Tess reached over and took his hand in his.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

Damien surprised her by raising her hand to his lips and kissing it gently. Though it was a light kiss, she felt it all the way up her spine. For a moment, she forgot all about Sarah, until Damien’s words brought her back.

“Spend time with your sister,” he said. “I’ll take care of breakfast in the morning and call my dad to take Jamie for the day.”

“No, don’t be silly. Sarah and I will drop him off at summer camp in the morning and pick him up for lunch. We’ll have fun together.”

Damien cocked his eyebrow at her. “Okay. If you’re sure,” he said, giving her hand a last squeeze.

I love you.

Where did that thought come from?