A Slippery Slope Read Online Free PDF

it’s you he’s interested in, not me.’
    ‘Bullshit
– to quote the delectable Etienne. He was asking lots of questions about you on
the way here whilst you slept soundly.’
    ‘Oh
God! In front of all the others! You didn’t tell him about your father and
Daniella did you? He’d probably think I’m some lonely, desperate old woman and
I’m gagging for it!’
    ‘I
didn’t say a thing, don’t worry.’ Lucy lifted her head from the pillow. ‘Well,
that’s not quite true I suppose. I did say that you and Dad were going through
a bad patch and that, as Jo couldn’t make it here, you stepped in to take her
place because a bit of time and space would enable you to think about your
future.’
    Verity
grinned at her daughter in spite of herself. ‘Thanks! Yep. Basically a lonely,
desperate old woman, gagging for it.’
    Lucy
giggled. ‘I didn’t say you were old! I could have told him you hit the big
four-0 last Saturday ... but I didn’t. Besides, forty is not old!’
    ‘It
feels old, especially when it creeps up on you as it has me. And Etienne knows
you’re my daughter so he doesn’t have to be a genius to work out that I’m a few
years older than he is – unless he thinks I was a child bride.’
    ‘You
were. Eighteen is pretty young.’
    ‘I
was nineteen by the time I actually married your father. I was already pregnant
when he asked me, don’t forget.’ Verity sat bolt upright. ‘Anyway, I’d rather
not talk about your dad, and it doesn’t matter what Etienne or anyone else
thinks. I’m not planning on getting involved with anyone. I’m here to think
about my future, that much is true, and to work of course.’
    Lucy
jumped to her feet and pulled Verity to hers.
    ‘But
there’s nothing to stop us from having a bit of fun too,’ she said. ‘It’s part
of the job description. Just because Dad has behaved like a total scumbag, it
doesn’t mean we have to shut ourselves away and sob our hearts out. We’ll show
him that our lives don’t revolve around him. Let’s go and find our nearest bar
and have ourselves a little welcome drink. Everything else can wait.’

CHAPTER
FIVE
     
     
    Verity felt as
if the Hounds of Hell had taken up residence inside her. Her stomach
growled, her brain barked, her chest was on fire and her tongue definitely had
a fur coating. Her breath, she was sure, would smell of dog.
    ‘Good
morning!’ Lucy enthused from somewhere in the bedroom.
    Verity
gingerly lifted a hand in response. She didn’t dare try to lift her head, or
open her mouth for fear of what might come out of it. As for opening her eyes –
forget it.
    ‘That
bad?’ Lucy asked. ‘Here. I’ve made you some coffee. It’s a beautiful day out
there.’
    ‘Please,’
Verity mumbled. ‘Stop!’
    Lucy
dropped onto the edge of the bed and gently brushed several matted strands of
hair from her mother’s face. ‘Is there anything I can do?’
    ‘Leave,’
Verity said but she managed to squeeze Lucy’s fingers in a gesture of
affection.
    ‘Okay,
I’ll go for a walk. I’ve got a bit of a fuzzy head this morning too. Perhaps we
could nip to the ski shop later and sort out our ...’ she stopped mid sentence
and stood up. ‘Sorry, I’ll leave you in peace. I’ll be back in an hour or so.
Call me if you need me. Um ... Etienne said he’d pop by this morning, don’t
forget.’
    ‘Uh
huh.’
    Verity
wasn’t concerned by that prospect. She thought she’d probably be dead by the
time he arrived.
    ***
    ‘I
see you’ve settled in comfortably. I do hope I’m not disturbing you.’
    Verity
opened her eyes, wondering if she had indeed died and gone to heaven. The room
was flooded with a blinding light and she knew that Lucy was considerate enough
to leave the curtains closed when she left.
    But
was that Etienne’s voice she could hear? She turned her head towards its
direction but before she could focus on anything, beams of sunlight hit her
eyes like white-hot lasers, and she had to close them.