LITMIR.BIZ

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Never. And she was alone. Luc had gone. Of course he had. He had work to do.

       Didn’t she, also?

      Everyone remembered the start of an event, and the event itself, if the planner had got things right, but what stayed with them was the end, when they must feel valued enough to hope they might be invited to another similar event.

      Leaping out of bed, she snatched up her clothes and ran to the bathroom. A quick shower later and a scramble to put those same clothes on again, she headed out with a beanie tugged low over her still-damp hair. Glancing out of the window, she saw with relief that the gondolas were running as smoothly as if they’d never stopped.

      She was alone in the chalet, no sign of Luc or Maria. She’d grab some breakfast in the village, then head straight for the hotel to make sure the departing guests had everything they needed.

      The sky was blue and the skiing was good. As the small cabin swung high above the slopes she searched for him amongst the skiers. There was no sign of him. She longed to see him. They had to talk about the baby before she left for home. Surely he’d open up about that? He must. Whatever was holding him back, he had to put it behind him for the sake of their child. He couldn’t be like her father.

      She chose the same café where they had eaten before. There were booths where she could be private. She would eat first, settle her mind, and then set out to complete the business side of things. Breezy wait staff brought milky coffee and French toast. She suddenly realised she was ravenous and ordered more. Glancing at her watch, she confirmed that she could afford another few minutes, and her stomach insisted on it.

      Her heart jolted when she noticed Luc at the counter, speaking on his phone. He was frowning, but not too preoccupied to thank the staff behind the counter as they loaded his tray. She put her head down as he approached the line of booths where she was sitting. Phone tucked into his shoulder as he walked along, he was holding an intense conversation. She was no eavesdropper, but this was Luc. Whatever he had on his mind, she wanted to help. He looked so serious. What was it? What could it be?

      He sat down in the adjoining booth. The seat backs were so high he hadn’t seen her.

      This wasn’t right. She should make herself known.

      Why? She wasn’t doing any harm.

      He was talking to Niahl!

      They’d always been a tight unit, she reasoned, and she should have known it was only a matter of time before the bond between them closed her out, relegating her yet again to the tag-along benches; the kid sister to be endured and humoured. She might be older, but she was obviously no wiser, given that the hurt she felt now was so ridiculously intense. Luc was telling her brother they were close and Niahl was ranting. She could hear him…almost as clearly as she could hear Luc’s placating reply. ‘You’re right. I overstepped. It was a huge error of judgement.’

      She didn’t need to hear more. Throwing some money down on the table, she rushed out. Luc was still talking on the phone as she ran past the window. He hadn’t even noticed a woman in distress fleeing the café. That had to be a first for him. The knight in shining armour had clay feet after all.

      ‘You’re right, Niahl, and maybe I should have told you sooner, but I wasn’t even sure of it myself.’

      ‘Then why were you sleeping with my sister?’

      ‘Stacey isn’t like the others. This isn’t a fling, Niahl. I love the woman she’s become, and I think she loves me.’

      ‘Has she told you this?’ Niahl barked suspiciously.

      ‘She doesn’t need to.’

      ‘Have you told Stacey that you love her?’

      ‘I’ll make it my mission to love and protect her for ever—’

      ‘Have. You. Told. Her?’ Niahl roared. ‘For God’s sake, and yours, don’t you think you should?’ A colourful curse followed this observation. ‘The two of you are hopeless!’

      ‘I love your sister and I’m going to marry her.’

      ‘Maybe you should tell her that too?’ Niahl suggested. ‘Arrangements take time.’

      ‘You can put your shotgun away. We’re going to get married.’

      ‘You hope!’ Niahl exploded. ‘If you’re not too late!’

      ‘I have to tell her something else first.’

      There was a long silence, and then Niahl said quietly, ‘Yes, you do.’

      By sheer force of will, she ground her gears into work mode as she entered the hotel, where she now discovered that everyone was either sleeping, or just not picking up their phone. It had been one hell of a party. Requesting a discreet wake-up call to be delivered to those guests she knew should be leaving for the airport in time for early flights, she now needed something else to do…something to take her mind off what she’d overheard.

       Luc had overstepped…

      She was a huge error of judgement.

      At least she knew where she stood.

      Actually, why should he get away with that? Now she was angry. She tried his phone. No answer. With no intention of leaving a message, she headed for the hotel café. She got as far as the entrance when a group of guests saw her, and called her over to their table.

      ‘You’ll join us? It’s the least we can do. We’ve had an amazing time, thanks to you.’

      ‘It was a team effort,’ she said, embarrassed by the praise.

      ‘Sometimes it’s enough to say thank you,’ an older woman cautioned with a smile. ‘Enjoy it when you’re appreciated. You deserve it. You worked hard.’

      Was the past responsible for the way she brushed off praise now? Maybe that was because she couldn’t quite believe her life had turned around to the extent it had. Did that make her as guilty of hiding her feelings as Luc? Were they both to blame for this situation? She would have to speak to him at some point about their child, but not here, not now, while she was still stinging from what she’d overheard. Niahl used to warn her that she would never hear anything good about herself if she listened in—which she’d used to do when he and Luc were in a huddle discussing their latest adventure. Boy, was he right!

      ‘I agree with my wife.’

      Stacey refocused on the kindly face of a man who had spent more money at the charity auction than most people saw in their lifetime. ‘I watched you last night and you never stopped. You deserve all the praise you can get. I’m going to tell that man of yours he’s found a diamond and should hold onto you.’

      ‘What—? I don’t—’

      ‘Understand when a man’s madly in love with you?’ his wife chipped in. ‘Perhaps everyone sees it but you,’ she suggested. ‘It’s obvious to anyone with half an oil field that Lucas Da Silva adores you.’

      Stacey gave a fragile laugh. She didn’t want to disillusion the couple. Her first and only task was to make sure they got safely on their way. And then the couple made a suggestion that at first she refused and then accepted. ‘Thank you. I’d love to,’ she said.

      Somehow he’d missed her at the hotel, so he gunned the Lamborghini down the highway to the airport. He’d thought a lot about Stacey since speaking to Niahl. When didn’t he think a lot about her? The thought of losing her was inconceivable, yet Niahl had made it seem a real possibility. It was time to face his demons and explain why

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