Page 4 of An Italian Wedding Adventure

‘Your responsibility to Miro, I know, I know,’ Toni said with a sigh. Her hand rose to his arm and clutched him briefly. Neither needed to say that before Cillian’s party, they had to get through another anniversary that rendered the birthday bittersweet, year after year.

‘Andreas!’ In a flurry of bare, muscular arms and blue hair, his colleague, British mountain guide Kira Watling barrelled into him. His stench didn’t seem to bother her the way it had Toni, but then he’d shared a bivouac with Kira on more than one occasion – and a bed on a handful of others. ‘I missed you when you got back from Italy and then you left straight away for Wales!’ She gave him a punch in the arm that actually hurt. ‘You owe me a pint.’

‘I always seem to owe you a pint when I get back.’

‘When you learn to say goodbye, you won’t owe me any more pints.’

He crossed his arms and slanted her a look. ‘I don’t do goodbyes.’

‘I don’t do goodbyes,’ Kira imitated in a high-pitched voice, using her fingers as extra mouths. She slapped him on the arm again.

He rubbed his biceps with overdone offence. ‘Now I remember why I always look forward to you welcoming me back, Watling.’

He heard murmurs behind the door Toni had emerged through and peered at it in confusion. ‘Is Will here? I thought he had an appointment with the bank today?’

Toni gave a nod, but her expression turned grave.

‘What?’ He glanced at Kira to find her staring at her rubber climbing shoes.

‘Bookings didn’t pick up as he’d hoped,’ Toni said evenly. God knows, she was the one most affected if the business went under, but only a small swallow hinted at what she must be feeling.

‘But what does that mean? Problems with the bank?’

‘Not any more,’ Kira mumbled, now looking out the window.

‘What are you not telling me?’

‘Will wanted to explain it to you himself,’ Toni began, but Andreas was already stalking in the direction of the office. ‘Andreas, just wait a minute. Will’s found an investor.’

He paused at the door, hearing a female voice. An investor would be better than winding up the business, but if they weren’t turning a profit now, there would have to be changes – for Will, for Kira and the other guides, forToni.

‘Why would an investor be interested in a struggling business?’ he asked baldly.

Kira grimaced. ‘Will said it would be a kind of merger, to create a new income stream for both businesses.’

‘New… what?’ The word ‘stream’ was supposed to be something beautiful, clear water splashing down from a glacier somewhere in a hidden valley.

‘It’s a wedding planning agency that wants to buy us,’ Toni explained, a wary look on her face.

Andreas opened his mouth to express his disbelief, but his mentor’s voice travelled through the door to the office with the spine-chilling words, ‘No. Absolutely not! That’s out of the question!’

‘When we merge the businesses, it’s the most logical source of cost savings,’ the female voice countered. ‘Cost savings’ sent another shot of indignation through Andreas – even more than the prospect of weddings. The climbing gym made a profit – a small one. And the only costs involved with the travel arm were the staff. ‘We’ve been through the due diligence. I know exactly how much trouble you’re in, Mr Coombs. If I didn’t have a vision for how our agencies could work together, I wouldn’t be offering you anything. We don’t need to double the administration staff for one company.’

‘This is a fine way to start working together, by firing my staff?—’

Andreas had heard enough. He should have been invited to this meeting. Since Miro’s death, he’d looked out for Toni – him and Willard.

When he grasped the handle, Toni stopped him. ‘I’m not sure you should?—’

He shook off her hand. ‘I might not be a permanent employee, but I’ve been here since the beginning.’ And Will would always be his climbing partner – his mentor. Miro would always be his best friend, even though he was gone.

‘That’s not what I?—’

Whatever Toni had been about to say, Andreas ignored it and pushed open the door with a little too much force. ‘If Toni goes,Igo!’ he blurted out.

‘Andreas.’ Will’s even voice cut through the haze and a familiar weathered, knuckly hand landed on his shoulder and squeezed. ‘You’re back.’

‘You should have told me about this meeting.’

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