T Williams - What Happens in the Alps...

Matt stopped and turned towards Annie. ‘So where are you living at the moment?’

‘I’ve been squatting in the school, but now that I’ve got builders and decorators in there, I moved out last week. Do you remember Janet? Her husband Guido used to be one of your climbing pals. I’ve been staying with them at their B&B, but with the winter sports season about to start, I’m going to need somewhere of my own as soon as possible. They’re getting busy and they need my room, so it’s find a new flat as soon as possible for me or I’ll be out on the street.’

Matt nodded. ‘Of course I know them, although I haven’t climbed with Guido for a while. I’ve got my spies out, looking for a flat to live in just like you. Finding accommodation up here is bloody difficult. Everywhere seems to be rented out on a weekly basis to skiers in winter and walkers and climbers in summer. If I hear of anywhere, I’ll let you know.’

Annie nodded. ‘And I’ll do the same. I’m looking hard.’ She stood up and shook hands with Luisa, then gave Matt a kiss on the cheek. It had been very good to see him again. ‘Drive safely and be a good boy.’

He smiled down at her. ‘You know me, Annie.’

‘I do; that’s what worries me.’

‘So what about our Matt, then, Annie? You two going into business together at the drop of a hat sounds a bit cosy.’

Annie caught the waiter’s eye and raised a finger. As he made his way over to them through the maze of tables and chairs, she glanced across at her sister. ‘A drop of fizz wouldn’t hurt us, would it?’ After asking the waiter for two glasses of Prosecco she formulated her reply. ‘Hardly going into business together. I’m just talking about renting him a room. And it’s not as if we don’t know each other well. Matt’s great. I’ve known him for the best part of ten years although we’ve rather lost contact since the funeral. He and Steve were best buddies.’ Annie paused for a moment, her eyes fixed on her empty coffee cup, determined to keep her feelings firmly under control. Now, after over two years, it was still tough, but she was managing better as time went by.

She remembered the old days, when she and Steve had first started dating. Matt and one of his many girlfriends had so often been around. Annie could remember so many times when they had been up here in the mountains together; Steve and Matt doing some terrifying climb, while she and Matt’s latest sat down below and did their best not to worry too much. Dismissing the image, she returned her attention to Karen.

‘Although he’s got this translation business, he trained as a lawyer. He might be just the person I need to help me through a sea of red tape.’ She glanced up. ‘The Romans invented bureaucracy over here and Italy’s been getting worse every year since then. It’s a total bloody nightmare.’

‘Handy sort of chap to have around.’ Karen gave her a little grin. ‘But I was wondering if there might be anything developing between you two on a more personal level. You can’t tell me you haven’t noticed how utterly gorgeous he is. And he likes you a lot; that much is clear. Might it be time for you to start thinking about finding yourself another man?’

‘Me and another man? No way, Karen. As of now I’m concentrating on the school and that’s that. Even if I wanted, which I don’t, I haven’t got time for men at the moment.’

‘Not even him?’ Karen was grinning. ‘For a moment back there I was seriously considering divorcing Chris and throwing myself into Matt’s muscular arms. He’s irresistible.’

Annie was smiling by this time. ‘Oh, he’s a handsome devil, all right, but he’s got the morals of a tom cat. At least he always used to be like that and I don’t see him ever changing. Every time I saw him he’d have some other poor girl eating out of his hand, but they would never last. Use and discard would appear to be his motto and I fear our friend Luisa will soon discover that to her cost.’ She caught her sister’s eye. ‘Matt doesn’t understand the concept of monogamy, I’m afraid. He’s certainly not the man for me, even if I was in the market, which, like I say, I’m not.’ Her voice dropped. ‘I had Steve. I lost Steve. That’s it for me.’

‘Life goes on, Annie.’

‘Of course it does.’ Annie tried to sound as positive as she could. ‘And it is. That’s why I took the plunge and decided to open my own school.’

Chapter 2

After taking Karen to the bus station next morning, Annie drove back up to Janet’s lovely old bed and breakfast. Janet was in the kitchen, preparing breakfast, so Annie dumped her coat in her room and came back down in search of a coffee. Apart from Janet, the dining room was empty

‘Coffee?’ Janet didn’t wait for a reply. She knew Annie well by now. ‘So, what’s on the cards today?’

‘I’ve got a visit to the accountant first thing and then it’s into the school to see how all the work’s going.’ A series of builders, decorators and other tradesmen had been transforming the first-floor apartment into a school and seriously depleting Annie’s bank balance for the last few weeks. She was just hoping that she would have enough money to pay for all the work. Yet again, she felt a shiver of apprehension. ‘Oh, yes, and I’m probably getting a visit from Matt.’

Janet glanced back over her shoulder, her hands occupied with the coffee machine. ‘Matt? You mean Matt Brown? We haven’t seen him for a while. Is he still living down south?’

‘Yes, he’s been in Florence, but he says he’s planning on moving up here.’

‘To Santorso?’ Annie nodded and Janet grinned at her. ‘It would be good to see Matt again. He was in Turin for years and then he moved away, but he still came up here to climb. At least up until a year or two ago. Is he still as gorgeous as ever?’

Annie smiled back. ‘Karen certainly thought so.’ She went on to relate their chance meeting with Matt and his girlfriend. Janet was impressed when she heard about the girl from the TV.

‘So he’s still the same old Matt. I suppose the leopard doesn’t change his spots that easily. So why’s he moving up here?’

Annie told her what he had said and explained about his maybe renting a room at the school from her. Thought of room rental reminded her of the ever-more pressing matter of finding somewhere to live. ‘I’m going to spend this week seriously looking and, if I haven’t found anywhere by the weekend, I’ll move out of here and back into the school.’

‘You could always share a flat with Matt.’ Janet’s grin was positively mischievous.

‘Yes, and be kept awake every night by the bedsprings in the room next door. I don’t think so, thank you.’

‘Well, if he’s got time, bring him up here for a coffee this afternoon. It’ll be so good to see him again.’

When Annie got to the school around mid-morning, she found that there was now a fine new sign on the wall by the front door advertising the fact that the Santorso English Academy was on the first floor of the building. Even better, upstairs on the first-floor landing, the new illuminated sign was now hanging over the door. Even if there still wasn’t any furniture in the classrooms, at least it was looking like a school from the outside. She pressed the bell and Paolina buzzed her in.

A light dusting of snow had fallen while she had been with the accountant. After shaking her jacket off, she hung it on a hook by the door and headed for the room marked Reception , the only properly decorated, furnished and finished room in the school at the moment. The heating in the reception area was full on and the place was boiling hot. This was no doubt because Paolina, oblivious to the weather outside, appeared to be wearing little more than a lacy top and a short summery skirt that day. Annie walked in and set her bag down on the front desk.