The Little Swiss Ski Chalet

by Julie Caplin

  ‘Stay with me,’ she said. ‘Just hold me.’

  He lifted a hand and stroked along her cheekbones and kissed her gently on the mouth, one hand resting with a featherlight touch on her thigh. Although she wanted his comfort, that touch sent a tiny electric current of awareness.

  ‘I’ll hold you,’ he whispered. ‘Always.’ Her heart turned a slow, weighted somersault in her chest. How had she fallen in love with him? At the same time, how could she not?

  She slipped off her jeans and padded in her thick socks to the bathroom to clean her teeth. When she came back, Luke was lying on the far side of the bed on top of the bedclothes, the cover on her side turned back in waiting. She ignored it and climbed onto the bed, where he held out an arm. She lay next to him on her side as he pulled her into his chest.

  ‘You’ll get cold,’ he whispered.

  She didn’t care, she wanted to be close to him. Hooking one leg over his, she nestled in closer. ‘You’ll keep me warm.’

  They lay in the golden glow of the bedside lamp, their breathing quiet, Luke rubbing soothing strokes up and down her neck, as if trying to massage her to sleep, but now she was in bed, her brain didn’t want to shut down.

  ‘I hope she’s going to be OK,’ she murmured as much to reassure herself as to seek reassurance.

  ‘The human body is an amazing thing, but the human spirit, human resilience, is far greater. Amelie won’t give up. Sometimes it’s about temperament.’

  ‘You sound as if you know a lot about it,’ said Mina, surprised. Luke hadn’t struck her as particularly spiritual before, always so positive and practical.

  ‘I do.’ The pause, weighted with significance, seemed to hang heavy in the night air. ‘I spent a lot of time in hospital. When I was nineteen I was very… ill.’ Mina heard the import in the word. ‘You see a lot from a hospital bed when you’re there for that long.’

  Mina swallowed. She had the sense that he was steeling himself to say more and she didn’t want to be that person shaking things loose when they might be better left unsaid.

  ‘You learn who’s going to die and who isn’t.’

  Awareness prickled and ran across her skin at the soft words. She spread her hand out across his chest, her fingers splaying across his ribs under his T-shirt as if to anchor him to her. It seemed impossible to imagine Luke as anything other than vibrant, strong, and energetic.

  ‘That sounds tough.’

  She felt his shoulders shrug. ‘Other people lost, I survived. I’m still here.’ He let out a mirthless laugh. ‘Sorry, I bottled it at the hospital. I had leukaemia. Two years of treatment. Too many memories. I hate the bloody places. It’s the first time I’ve been in one for… a while. It’s triggered a lot of emotions that I thought I’d got over.’

  ‘I’m sorry.’

  ‘Don’t be. It made me who I am now – although I hate anyone else saying that to me, as if they’re trying to find a positive or make a virtue of having had a blood cancer. There are no positives. It’s shit. Or rather, it was shit and now I’m through the other side. But those two years were the worst of my life – not so much for me, but for my parents, my sister, my cousins, grandparents, friends. Watching them suffer. Bloody shit. I never want to put anyone through that again. You can bear it for yourself. You know if you stick with the treatment, there might be some let-up for your body at some stage. You stand to gain, but it’s a sod watching other people going through it. My mum always trying not to cry. My dad trying not to let her see him cry. My sister crying and feeling guilty that she was crying. That grief, fear – it screws everyone up. I’d have done anything for them not to have suffered like that.’

  She laid a hand on his chest, wanting to comfort him. The raw pain in his voice moving her to silent tears. ‘It must have been tough for all of you. I had no idea. Are you OK now?’

  ‘If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t be here with you. I don’t normally talk about it. It’s only because of today…’

  ‘Then thank you for coming with me. It made a difference.’ She kissed him on the neck, appreciating that he really didn’t want to talk about it anymore, her lips pressing into the pulse flickering there.

  He nodded and pulled her closer, and she shivered a little as goose bumps rose on her legs.

  ‘You’re cold, you should get under the cover.’

  ‘Only if you do.’

  He turned onto his side and his eyes swept her face before locking onto hers. She stared back at him. Without saying anything he slipped off the bed, removed his trousers, and slid back under the covers. She joined him under the heavy feather duvet, feeling it settle, cocooning the pair of them as one. Her bare legs touched the soft silkiness of the hair on his legs and every nerve-ending pinged to attention. She slipped a hand around his waist, her fingers brushing the warm skin under his T-shirt.

  He turned and kissed her forehead. ‘Go to sleep.’

  ‘I’m not sure I can. My brain keeps darting off in different directions. What will I cook for dinner? When will Amelie be home? What happens if it keeps snowing?’

  He huffed out a laugh. ‘Count sheep.’

  ‘They’ll get lost in the snow.’

  ‘Amelie will be fine. Cooking is the least of your worries. If it keeps snowing, people will stay inside and entertain themselves.’

  ‘I love a man who has all the answers.’

  ‘And I love a woman who throws herself at my feet, shares her chocolate, and is always ready for the next adventure. It’s going to be fine.’

  ‘I almost believe you.’

  ‘What, that I love you?’ It wasn’t what she meant at all but now he’d asked…

  ‘Do you?’

  His eyes locked on hers and she could see it shining in them before he uttered the quiet, heartfelt, ‘I do.’

  Fizzy catherine wheels of happiness exploded in her heart. She slipped her leg over his and settled herself onto his chest, taking his face in her hands. ‘I’m not supposed to fall in love with you. You’re all wrong for me.’

  ‘I don’t think serendipity gives you any choice, does it? I didn’t plan on falling in love either. It just happened, and now I can’t imagine it not happening.’

  She drew in a shaky breath. ‘I know how you feel.’

  He held her close. ‘Sleep. It’s been a tough day.’

  They woke to a snow-blanketed world of silence. Everything outside was soft and curved, and blurred by the whirling flakes that continued to stream past the window. Mina lay looking out of the window, watching the dancing snow swirl and eddy in the downdrafts like tiny feathers riding the thermals as she thought about what she needed to do today. Then she allowed herself to turn over and look at Luke, who she found was awake and looking back at her.

  ‘Morning,’ he said, reaching forward and smoothing her hair from her face. She reached up to touch the fine blonde fuzz she knew she’d find there. She always woke with serious bed-head. ‘You think loudly.’

  ‘I do?’ she asked with a perplexed smile.

  ‘Mmm. I can hear the cogs whirring, and you fidget a lot with your hands when you’re thinking.’

  She laughed and tucked her hands under the covers. ‘That’s my tell, is it?’

  ‘One of them. You also get this really cute little furrow just here.’ He touched her eyebrow.

  ‘Smooth pillow talk, mister,’ she teased.

  ‘I was a late starter.’ A tiny frown darkened his face. ‘I missed out on a lot in my late teens.’

  ‘Well, I can tell you there are definitely a few departments you’ve caught up in quite nicely. Although I might need to check on the kissing again.’ She leaned forward and pressed her lips on his before she could let her sympathy show. Knowing Luke, he wouldn’t welcome it, but being that ill when you were nineteen and twenty must have been hellish, especially if he’d been in hospital for most of that time. At nineteen, she was at university in Leeds having some of the best times of her life. That was when she’d really discovered who she was and what li
fe was about. Much as she loved Miriam and Derek, they led a sheltered and quite restricted life. Living in a big city had opened so many doors for Mina. New friends, new ideas, new places. She’d become a lot more worldly.

  Luke’s hand slid around her waist, his fingers soothing over her skin as he pulled her towards him to deepen the kiss. She relaxed into his body, her senses humming, amazed that this felt so natural and easy.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ she said with a sultry twist to her lips, ‘much as I’d like to stay here all morning and see what pops up, I’m afraid—’

  ‘What pops up?’ Luke spluttered and lifted the covers, looking down. ‘This is as popped as it gets, in all its morning glory.’

  She grazed his earlobe with her teeth and shot him a wicked grin, but couldn’t resist squirming up against him. There was something life-affirming and – to be quite honest, very flattering – about that physical manifestation of his desire for her. ‘Good, perhaps you can remind me another time. Sadly, some of us have work to do.’ She threw back the covers but before she could get out of bed, he snagged an arm around her waist, pulled her back against his chest, and kissed the nape of her neck, while lazily caressing her breast with his other hand, his fingers unerringly homing in on her over-sensitive nipple. The moan of pleasure slipped out and he let go.

  ‘Payback’s a bitch.’ He grinned.

  She turned to face him, hooked a hand around his neck and they met in the middle with a frantic, hot kiss.

  ‘Now that’s how you start the day,’ said Luke with a cocky smile. ‘None of this, “much as I’d like to stay here all morning” malarkey. Kissing is a much under-rated pastime in my view.’

  Mina sighed, fizzing with pleasure and happiness. ‘No argument here. But I do need to get up.’

  ‘Into the shower with you. I’ll clean you up.’

  ‘If you do that, we’ll never get out of here. And breakfast is due to be served in twenty-two minutes.’

  She gave him one last kiss and got out of bed.

  ‘I’ll go shower next door.’ Luke swung his legs out of bed and stood up, his back to her, and for a distinctly male-objectification moment she took in his lean lines and muscles, powerful shoulders, narrow waist, and rather fine gluteus maximus. God, he really was rather gorgeous – and she needed to stop staring and get on with the day.

  Chapter Eighteen

  The falling snow changed the dynamic that morning, which was just as well, as Mina struggled to get breakfast out in time. Thankfully, most people decided to take advantage of the white-out to have a lie-in, and very few people emerged before seven-thirty. It took her a while to work out where everything was, which slowed her down a lot; cutlery, plates, tablecloths, and then remembering everything; pickles, boiling the eggs, putting the right knives out. Each omission she added to a list she was creating on a new page in her notebook.

  Lists were about to become her best friend. By the time everyone had had breakfast, she was hoping to have created a checklist for the next day, so that tomorrow she would do better. The list was growing rapidly, and as she was adding, heat croissants and check muesli supplies, Johannes stomped into the kitchen in heavy boots. ‘No news from the hospital. Too early to speak to anyone. I’ve filled up the log baskets and I’ve lit the fire.’ The strain around his eyes touched Mina; he didn’t look as if he’d had much sleep. It made her doubly grateful she hadn’t been on her own. The night with Luke had lit a small, warming glow inside her that she carried like her own personal beacon.

  ‘Thank you. Would you like a coffee?’ That was one thing she had managed to get right this morning. She’d kept the coffee pot full and regularly replenished as everyone seemed quite happy to dally over breakfast. Normally guests would all have been up and off – today Frank and Claudia lingered over three cups of coffee, and the couple who normally skied with Sarah had come back for second and third helpings of breakfast.

  ‘Yes, please.’ He looked with longing at the coffee pot, and she realised that he’d probably come straight over this morning without stopping for breakfast. She poured him a large mug and put the two sugars in.

  His mouth twisted in a wry smile. ‘Thank you. Not good for my waistline, but I can’t drink it without.’ He took a sip and sighed. ‘I think people will be staying inside this morning. Visibility is not good for skiing, although you always get some idiots who think they’re invincible. The steps need clearing.’

  ‘I can do that,’ said Luke, appearing like some sort of ghost in the doorway. ‘Sorry Mina, I got held up with a couple of phone calls.’ He shot her a bright smile, just that tiny bit too bright. Almost brittle. ‘I’ll get right onto it.’

  She turned, her eyes softening at the sight of him. Last night had changed everything. Now she could see a future for them. It didn’t matter that they were so similar. Johannes was right, the nap of their fabric was perfectly aligned, and for the life of her now she couldn’t understand why she’d been fighting it for so long. They were ideally suited. Just looking at him now, broad-shouldered, leaning lazily in the doorway, his blue eyes thoughtful for once, she couldn’t help but sigh, and her heart did another one those funny little bunny hops.

  ‘Have some coffee first,’ she insisted. ‘And breakfast. You too, Johannes. I bet you haven’t eaten.’ Both of them turned to her with the exact same expression, which she called hopeful dog-eyes.

  She grinned. ‘See, I’m stepping into Amelie’s shoes already.’ With that she pulled two plates from the cupboard and put a basket of bread on the table before nipping into the breakfast room, which was now empty, and bringing back the remains of the plates of salami and cheese and the basket of bread and bread rolls.

  Both men tucked in with hearty appetites and the sort of single-minded attention to food that didn’t require any kind of verbal communication, which meant she could start looking at the planned menus on the walls as she dried the cutlery from the dishwasher. Thank goodness for Amelie’s superb organisational skills, and that Mina had taken that trip to Brig with her. As a result, she had a good understanding of how Amelie managed her food resources. She knew that for the rest of this week, the food was all planned and had been shopped for. Next week was where it would get interesting. With a sudden start, Mina dropped the spoon she was polishing. Next week.

  ‘What?’ Luke’s head shot up, immediately studying her face.

  ‘I’ve just realised. I’m supposed to be back at work next week.’ Funny how things like that faded into insignificance in the face of something really important.

  Johannes’s forehead furrowed into one of his stern frowns and Luke stared at her in horror. Now they quivered with worry like dogs whose food bowls could be moved at any second.

  ‘Don’t worry. I’m not leaving. I’ll just have to tell them I’ve had a family emergency.’ Hopefully, Ian would be understanding. They had policies for that sort of thing, didn’t they?

  As soon as they finished eating, Johannes phoned the hospital again for an update on Amelie. This time he was able to speak to a nurse on the ward. Amelie had had a restful night and was stable. They were planning to do the procedure later in the day, at two, and she could have visitors in the late afternoon, although looking at the snow still bucketing down outside the window, Mina wondered if that was possible.

  ‘What about the weather?’ she asked.

  Johannes shrugged. ‘We’ll have to see. The forecast says there will be snow off and on for the next twenty four hours. They’re expecting thirty centimetres. But the snow plough will come through again soon and I can get to Brig later, or I can take the train.’ Mina couldn’t hide her scepticism when she looked out of the window again. At home the whole country ground to a halt if there was so much as an inch of snow. ‘Really?’

  A very slight smile lifted his face. ‘This is Switzerland. We are used to snow. Here we get maybe twenty centimetres of snow every couple of days in the winter months. The road will be open.’

  Mina looked around the kitchen. What was
more important? Seeing Amelie, or ensuring that she didn’t need to worry about the chalet? ‘Do you think we could speak to her?’ Mina frowned, trying to figure out what part of the day she could get away to visit. ‘There are probably things she needs, and she’ll want her mobile.’

  ‘I’ll call the hospital again and find out,’ said Johannes in his usual gruff manner.

  Luke rose, frowning at his phone, which he seemed to be checking every five minutes all of a sudden. ‘I’m going to clear the steps,’ he said, distractedly tugging on his ski jacket.

  ‘Great.’ Something wasn’t right. Luke had retreated. No one would ever accuse her of being high maintenance or clingy, but there was a slight distance between them that hadn’t been there before – but right now she had other things to worry about. Food. Timings. The comfort of guests. With the snow falling so heavily, it looked as if she was going to have the additional headache of supplying lunch.

  A thought struck her. ‘Do you need to do the steps when it’s still snowing?’

  ‘Yes,’ interjected Johannes. ‘In case any guests do go outside. You don’t want any accidents. There’s a sack of grit in the barn. I’ll show you.’

  The men headed for the door, Johannes leading the way.

  ‘You any good at peeling vegetables?’ she asked Luke, wondering if she was imagining things. As if he read her mind, his face brightened and he strode over and kissed her on the lips, completely ignoring Johannes’s superior smirk.

  ‘As soon as I’ve cleared the steps, I will be at your beck and call. Promise.’ He tucked the phone firmly in his pocket and drew up the zip of his ski jacket.

  ‘Good, because you’re on soup-making duty,’ she called out to his departing back, already planning what needed to be done next. If she started some bread dough now, fresh bread combined with a hearty vegetable soup would feed plenty of people without too much effort. That was lunch taken care of. One step at a time, she told herself, as the number of jobs and tasks started to unravel in her head.