What Happens in the Alps... Read Online Free PDF

remain impassive.
    â€˜You must come and see us more often, Matt.’ Janet caught his eye. ‘Annie’s told us you’re coming to live up here. It’ll be just like old times.’
    Again, Matt glanced at Annie. ‘Not quite like old times.’ His voice was low. Annie took a deep breath and managed to make an effort to reply.
    â€˜Not like old times, but time goes on. It’s the future that’s important now.’ The more she said it, the more she found she was starting to believe it.
    After coffee and biscuits with Guido and Janet, Annie drove Matt back to where he had parked his car. This turned out to be a rugged-looking pickup truck. She looked across at him with a grin. ‘So what happened to your old Land Rover?’
    He shrugged. ‘When it finally packed up on me, I sold it to a chap in Lucca for spares. But I managed to get this thing cheap. One of my jobs this year was down in Cinecittà in Rome. They’d acquired two or three of these for some movie and they were selling them off at the end of production for a fraction of list price. It’s got a few dents and scratches.’ He caught her eye. ‘There’s a mark on the dashboard that they told me is Johnny Depp’s blood.’ Annie wasn’t sure if he was joking or not. ‘Anyway, if the predicted heavy snow really does arrive tonight, I’ll need the four-wheel drive.’ He leant over and kissed her on the cheek. ‘Thanks for lunch and thanks for renting me the room for my office.’ He opened the door of her little Panda and hauled himself out into the cold. ‘I guess we’ll be seeing a lot more of each other from now on. You know, Annie, I’m glad; really glad.’
    â€˜Me, too, Matt.’ And she meant it. It was a wonderful coincidence that they had both chosen this time to relocate to the mountains. The past two years had been so terribly lonely for Annie. It was going to be so very good to have an old friend at her side. And a very handsome old friend at that. Which reminded her. ‘Just remember you promised you’d keep your hands off Paolina.’
    That evening, Annie had promised to take Janet out for dinner. She offered Janet her choice of restaurants and was surprised to hear that she wanted a pizza. As they drove down to Santorso, Janet explained that she so rarely had pizza these days, she was only too happy. Secretly, Annie wondered whether it was just because she knew that Annie’s finances were stretched and she wanted to keep the cost of the meal down.
    Annie took her to her local pizzeria where Signora Toniolo and her husband greeted her as an old friend. As they ate their pizzas, they chatted and Annie got a surprise.
    â€˜I wasn’t sure if I should tell you, but Matt phoned us a long time ago, asking about you.’
    Annie looked up from her
Margherita
. ‘Asking about me?’
    Janet nodded. ‘It wasn’t that long after Steve’s death and he wanted to know how you were coping. He was asking if you were still living in Turin, still working and all right for money.’
    â€˜Matt was asking you about me?’ Annie put her fork down and took a sip of red wine. ‘I wonder why he didn’t contact me direct.’
    â€˜I suppose he was afraid he might disturb you or something. Of course, we couldn’t tell him very much as we hadn’t seen you either.’ Annie nodded. After Steve’s death she had more or less gone into voluntary purdah for months, unwilling to meet people, not wanting to face the inevitable expressions of concern and condolence. Janet went on. ‘All I could say to him was that you’re a tough cookie and I was sure you’d be okay.’ Janet caught Annie’s eye. ‘And I was right.’
    Annie sat and thought for a while before answering. ‘I suppose you are right. I am okay, now. But I’m not sure how tough I am. The last two years have been the