Page 47 of Snowed In with You

‘ “I Can’t Make You Love Me”. It’s beautiful, but probably not appropriate for an engagement party.’

‘Maybe start with Elton. “Your Song”?’

‘Yeah, I could do that. Better with a piano, though.’

‘Can you play piano?’

‘No.’ He took a deep breath and stood up, as Andrea sang the final few bars. Alex and Willem whooped and cheered and shouted ‘Nate Nate Nate,’ as Monica and Chantal drifted back from the kitchen, both of them drying their hands. ‘If this is awful, I’m blaming you.’

‘Fine,’ said Lucy happily, topping up her wine and pulling her knees up to her chest as Andrea handed him the guitar with a nod of encouragement. ‘I’ll shoulder that burden.’

Lucy watched him make a meal out of putting his head through the guitar strap; he almost keeled sideways as he tried to mount the stool by the bar, and for a moment Lucy wondered if he was actually too drunk and nervous to do this. He’d been fielding requests all evening with good grace, and Lucy had watched his internal battle play out. He so badly wanted to do it, but was also afraid of it. She’d said little, stayed close and let him work it through for himself.

She watched him look around the group, seeming awkward and terrified to start. He locked eyes with Lucy and she smiled, giving him the tiniest nod, which seemed to give him the impetus to play the first notes. Lucy breathed more easily, marvelling at his transformation from shy, anxious Nate to someone who looked like they’d been doing this all their life. After a soaring and beautiful rendition of Elton he sang George Michael’s ‘Amazing’, which got Alex and Willem back on their makeshift dance floor again.

‘This one is for Lucy,’ said Nate softly, after the applause had died down. ‘And Leo.’ Lucy gasped as he played the unmistakeable opening bars of Craig David’s ‘Rendezvous’, which nobody else in the room seemed to know, but Lucy sang along with every line. Chantal was watching from behind the bar, looking like she might swoon, and Alex was filming again. Lucy hoped Nate would realise what massive potential he had. Either way, thought Lucy, as Nate segued into another Craig David ballad, he’s wasted in advertising.

‘This has been the best day ever,’ slurred Alex, giving Lucy a hug once the party had wound down. ‘But now I need to take this man to bed.’

‘I’m really happy for you both,’ said Lucy.

Alex put his hands on Nate’s shoulders and gave him an intense look. ‘You’re an incredible talent,’ he said. ‘You should . . . do something about it. I know people and can help you, if you like.’

‘Thanks,’ said Nate, colour rushing to his cheeks. ‘It’s nice of you to say, but that isn’t going to happen.’

‘Never say never,’ slurred Alex.

‘Well, maybe I’ll get off this mountain first.’

‘Hopefully tomorrow,’ said Willem, grabbing Alex’s hand and dragging him towards the door. ‘We’re going to have a shower. It’s been thirty-six hours.’

‘I need a shower too,’ said Lucy, looking at Monica for a status update on the gas for hot water.

‘We have enough,’ confirmed Monica. ‘If everyone sticks to less than three minutes. Gunther and Chantal and I will wash at the sink, we are used to it.’ Chantal looked mutinous, like she’d actually prefer to languish in a giant foamy bathtub but never had any say in the matter.

‘OK, we’ll go and use it now,’ said Willem. ‘Lucy, it’s all yours next.’

‘I can wait until tomorrow,’ said Felix, earning a wrinkle-nosed grimace from Andrea, who clearly disagreed. They all said their goodnights and drifted off towards their beds, leaving Lucy and Nate alone in the bar. There would be plenty of clearing up to do in the morning, but nobody had the energy for it right now.

‘Nightcap?’ said Nate, picking up a bottle from one of the tables and peering at the label. ‘It’s bourbon.’

‘Better without ice than whisky,’ said Lucy, who had almost certainly had enough to drink for one day. But she was in no hurry for this day to end, and she definitely didn’t object to sharing a moment that was just her and Nate. He poured a generous measure into two glasses and brought them over to their booth, sliding in next to her.

‘Cheers,’ said Nate. ‘Here’s to us.’

Lucy clinked his glass, wondering if ‘us’ meant the two of them, or the whole Guntherhütte crew. She sipped her drink and tried not to pull a face as it burned all the way down, leaving a pool of warmth in her stomach that was intensified by how close Nate was. His thigh was barely millimetres from hers, and it took all of Lucy’s self-control not to reach out and stroke his leg.

‘It’s been a crazy day,’ she said, not knowing what else to talk about.

‘Hopefully we’ll get out of here tomorrow.’

‘Mmm.’

‘Lucy—’ said Nate, giving her a searching look. ‘I just . . . there’s something I want to say.’

They stared at each other for a long moment, Lucy’s heart thumping as she wondered if Nate was going to kiss her. Obviously that was a terrible idea – they worked together and he was sleeping with Sasha. It could only end badly. And yet in that moment there was absolutely nothing she wanted more.

‘What is it?’ she asked, wondering if please kiss me was written all over her drunk, grubby face.