Page 60 of Counting Down To You

“Put me?”

“His words, not mine.”

“But…why?”

“No idea,” Lucie says breezily. “You’ll have to ask him.” She’s wearing lipstick, I notice—a deeper, more obvious shade of red than her usual.

“Doing him favors now are you?”

“Well a) he’s my boss, b) he is being slightly more tolerable this year—I assume that has something to do with your good influence—and c) I spoke to Mia—my friend—and it sort of became clear that Leo wasn’t the only reason she didn’t come back. Oh, and also d)—”

“There’s a d?”

“Well, there’s a g. As in Gabriel. As in he decided to fly in a few days early and asked if I’d like to meet up. For old time’s sake.”

I snort, trying to disguise the fluttering that is going on in my stomach right now. What is this? Why has Leo sent a car? And also—this means he wants to spend time with me, doesn’t it? “Ditching a friend for a guy,” I say with a shake of my head. “Bad form.”

Lucie waves a hand. “Not if it’s mutual ditching it isn’t.” She winks. “Have fun. I know I will.” With that, she ushers me toward the waiting car.

Ed drives me out of the center of town, back in the direction of the airport. For one wild moment, I think that maybe I’m being packed off home, before common sense kicks in. I manage to keep up the small talk, though I keep looking out of the window, searching for clues about where we’re going. Maybe Leo isn’t even joining me, maybe he’s sending me somewhere without him? Bloody Lucie, she should have asked more questions.

After what feels like forever but can only be about twenty minutes, Ed pulls over near the bubble lift up to the main ski slopes. We’re too far away from it for it to be our destination, though. I look around. It’s relatively deserted, apart from Leo, who is smiling as I open the passenger door, wearing his signature black ski jacket.

And there, behind him, is a helicopter—an actual helicopter—sitting on what looks like the only flat piece of land around.

“Hey,” Leo says to me, while also returning Ed’s greeting nod.

“Hey,” I say, not quite managing to keep the note of suspicion out of my voice. “I hear you ambushed my plans.”

Leo grins. It looks almost boyish. “I suppose you could say that.”

Is this a guest thing? Have Betty and Louisa demanded another helicopter ride and I’ve been brought out here as GRM to see them off?

It’s then that I notice another man, stepping down from the helicopter, wearing sturdy boots, a reflective jacket, and a headset. “We’re good to go when you are, Brooks!” he shouts, perhaps a bit louder than is strictly necessary.

“Thanks, Matt,” Leo says. “I owe you for this.”

Matt, who has a weathered face with deep wrinkles, waves a hand. “Don’t worry—I’ll collect. And this must be Ali,” he says, smiling at me. I give him an awkward little wave back. “So, you guys ready?”

I look from Matt, to Leo, to the helicopter. “Ready for…?” I catch Ed’s eye, but he only winks, then gives me a goodbye salute as he gets back in his car.

Then Leo is by my side, and somehow I’m being ushered on board. Like actually onto the helicopter, where I’m given headphones with a mouthpiece all of my own, and told where to sit on the bench at the back.

I turn to Leo, who is sitting down next to me on the bench, while Matt secures himself in the pilot seat in front. “We’re going on a helicopter ride?” I ask, in full squeak mode. A bit of a redundant question, but—a helicopter? Nerves rumble in my stomach as the blades on top start to whir. I haven’t even had time to get used to the idea, and already we appear to be taking off.

“We okay back there?” It’s Matt voice, speaking through the headphones. And I get why now—I wouldn’t be able to hear him without them, over the noise of the blades. He glances back at us from the pilot seat to check. Leo gives a thumbs-up.

“Here we go, then!”

And we’re off. Before I have the chance to register that this is happening, we are flying up, away from the snow and up higher than the surrounding pine trees. I grip the sides of the bench tightly, my heart pounding. Higher and higher we climb, then Matt maneuvers so we’re flying out over the forest, above the nearest peak, looking down at the bubble lift. I think I might hyperventilate.

Leo’s fingers curl around mine on the bench. I look up at him and he smiles, points to the window. “Look at the view.” I hear his voice through my headphones. Closer, and more intimate than usual.

I look out of the window, force myself to breathe. And to actually see. The mountains stretch below us, white peaked with pockets of gray and green. From up here, the skiers look tiny, insignificant. The Alps stretch on for what seems like eternity, unbothered by borders. The sky is orange and pink on the horizon, the last of the sunlight glinting over white snow.

“It’s incredible,” I murmur.

“Right? Bet you haven’t seen the mountains from this perspective before.”