14

“What’s this?” Chris asks, pointing to an envelope hidden by several magnetic photographs on the front of the refrigerator.

“Ah,” I frown, retrieving the envelope and sighing as I read its contents.

“A week on the ski slopes in Aspen,” I shrug. “It was a present from the kids. Katie and Roger bought it together for James and I as our Christmas present this year. I think they felt guilty that this was the first year they weren’t coming home for the holidays. But they needn’t have worried, they both have small children and travelling with them at this age is a nightmare. Still, I guess with everything that’s happened over the past few weeks, I’d completely forgotten about it.”

‘Luckily too, if James had known about it he would have taken it for Wednesday and himself. He’d pretty much taken everything else that wasn’t nailed down.’

“It would be a shame for it to go to waste,” Chris says, giving me a ‘let’s go,’ look. “I mean, all work and no play…”

“It’s two days away,” I sigh. “And your wing…”

“Will be fine,” he murmurs, taking the envelope from my fingers and skim-reading the tickets. “Retractable, at least, so less liable to be damaged if I should crash on the slopes. A week in a luxury chalet, all food and drinks included. It sure would be a hardship…and you know, it would take your mind off all the lawyer correspondence and the imminent divorce paper signing.”

I know he’s right. Getting away would help take my mind off things. And I’d finished setting up my own bank account, so I don’t feel obligated not to spend money on myself, especially since I’d just been paid for the Russian consignment of baubles.

“You ski?”

“No, but you could teach me.”

“Good lord,” I roll my eyes. “There’s a chance we’re both going to die.”

“So, we’re going?”

I nod and he laughs as he picks me up to twirl me around the kitchen.

“Put me down, you maniac.”

Once I’m back on my own two feet, I turn, flustered, to stack the dishwasher.

I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel a little excited at the idea of getting away, or that I didn’t enjoy it when he picked me up and held me close. Both are feelings I hadn’t experienced in a long while, and his enthusiasm is infectious.

“I guess we better go shopping for some snow clothes,” I add over my shoulder.