What Happens in the Alps... by T A Williams Page A

accompanied her to one of the lifts. The door opened immediately. ‘Sixth floor. You can’t miss his office.’ Annie thanked him and stepped inside. The doors hissed closed and the lift swept smoothly upwards, stopping with just the slightest jolt only a few seconds later. The man downstairs was right; a large sign on the wall directly opposite the lift was marked
Direzione
. Annie went across and pushed open a frosted glass door. Inside, a dark-haired girl looked up from her computer and gave her an interrogative look.
    â€˜Signora Brewer?’ Annie nodded. ‘Good afternoon. I’m Daniela, Signor Lagrange’s personal assistant.’ The girl stood up from her desk and came over to shake Annie by the hand before leading her to a large door in the end wall. This one was halfway open, a wedge holding it in position as a man in remarkably clean white overalls painted Massimo’s name on the glass. The girl poked her head round the door. ‘Signor Lagrange. Signora Brewer is here.’
    Seconds later, Massimo emerged, squeezing past the sign writer to shake Annie by the hand and lead her back into his office. It was a most impressive room, set on the corner of the building, with two huge panoramic windows affording spectacular views out over the ski slopes and onto the rugged peaks in the distance. Annie was blown away by the scene outside.
    â€˜If I had a view like this in my office, I’d never get any work done.’
    Massimo smiled and indicated she should take a seat on a smart leather sofa. ‘I felt the same way at first. Now, slowly, I’m getting used to it, but you’re right – it really is quite something. Now, can I offer you a coffee or maybe you prefer tea, seeing as you’re English? You’ve had lunch, I imagine.’
    Annie’s lunch had been a couple of biscuits, but after the meal with Alex the previous evening, that was quite enough. ‘An espresso would be lovely, thank you.’ Massimo passed on the order to Daniela and came to sit down opposite Annie. He handed a file across the low coffee table to her and pointed at it with his finger.
    â€˜So far we have eight people from management, twelve from reception and hospitality and another dozen or so from the ski school. So just over thirty potential students for you. Will you be able to cope?’
    Annie nodded. ‘It all depends on levels. We’ll probably need four classes for that number. I’ll know better once I’ve had a chance to interview them all.’
    They talked over the practical arrangements while they drank their coffee. At the end of conversation, Massimo gave her a smile. ‘I understand you went out for dinner last night.’
    Annie felt the colour rush to her cheeks. ‘Erm, yes. Alex, Alessandro took me to the
Piazza
.’
    Massimo’s smile broadened. ‘I rather get the impression he likes you.’
    â€˜Well, I rather like him as well, so that’s good.’ Annie lowered her voice. ‘Apparently I’m to meet his father this evening.’
    Massimo nodded. ‘A rare honour.’ He also dropped his voice. ‘He’s a bit of a hermit these days. He rarely sees people, so you must be especially lucky.’
    â€˜Well, hopefully Alex will be there to look after me.’
    â€˜Of course. By the way, he told me to tell you that he hopes to be back later to go swimming with you. Did you bring your bikini?’
    Annie smiled. ‘Not a bikini, just my scruffy old costume, but you did say nobody was going to be in there with me, didn’t you?’
    â€˜Well, when you’ve finished all your interviews, give Daniela a call on the house phone and we’ll get somebody to let you into the pool.’
    It took Annie three hours to process all the students in one of the conference rooms, and among them she found Paul the ski instructor and Massimo’s PA, Daniela. There were also a few other familiar faces