Chapter 7

The men had spent a whole day outside and kept taking the lift up onto the slopes, only to race it down again and again with their snowboards. When they finally decided to call it a day, the sun was setting slightly. "We have to hurry!" Josh warned and looked at his companions. "The Masons are coming to dinner today and we don't want to keep them waiting."

"Since when have you been so reliable?" Liam wanted to know from his little brother.

"Since I've been a cop and have responsibility." He replied lightly and clapped his brother on the shoulder in a friendly manner. "But you would know that if you came to visit more often."

"It's not a stone's throw from London to your home."

“That shouldn't be a problem for you. Didn't you get a license the other day? ”Liam nodded. "Then buy a Cessna and you will be home within an hour or two."

"It's easy for you to talk smaller!" Liam laughed. "If…"

"Isn't that Josh's little one?" Luke interrupted the two of them and nodded at a small group of people who were standing in the distance and were talking.

"Oh yeah. That's it, you're right. ”Now Liam put his arm around his brother's shoulders. "Don't you want to introduce us?"

"Don't you dare!" Joshua hissed and looked straight ahead. "We have to go."

"Oh come on," Liam begged and looked at Luke invitingly, but Luke shrugged. "That's not my style. You're the guy who goes your head through the wall to get what you want, I'm more of the quiet type."

"And that's why I like you." Josh said and loosened his grip on Liam. "Let's go to the car!" He suggested, took his board on his shoulder and led the way. Liam and Luke followed without arguing. Arrived at the car, Liam unlocked the central locking with the remote control and then opened the trunk, they put their boards in and took off their snowsuits and their normal shoes. "And don't bring snow into my car!" Liam shouted as the other two started to get in. "It's not even your car, what are you so picky about?" Luke wanted to know, opened the passenger door and sat on the side of the seat to brush the snow off your shoes. Josh did the same. "I'll be glad when we're home soon." Josh sighed and leaned his head on the headrest. "I'm so KO." He admitted and closed his eyes. Liam and Luke laughed. "And he really asked if we were old, even though I was only a few months older than him!" Luke reminded Liam of Josh's words when they were still at home. “I knew you were a sports fanatic, but you are not only that, you are also crazy at the same time! Especially you Luke! ”Liam nodded and agreed with his brother. "You are ..." Joshua searched for the right word. "... a damn professional!"

Luke burst out laughing. “I've always been good when it comes to boards. Be it a surfboard, a skateboard or a snowboard. ”He then explained with a shrug. "You have to teach me how to ..." Suddenly Liam stepped on the brakes and interrupted Joshua. "Man Liam what is your problem?" He complained promptly and looked at his brother reproachfully. "Isn't that your little one?" He pointed his finger at two women who were standing in front of an old VW Golf. The hood was open and the two stared questioningly at the engine. “She is not my little one! And her name is Alissa! ”He corrected. "Go there, maybe we can help you, it is getting dark pretty quickly now and it is far too far to walk home."

"Suddenly he's so accommodating. As if they didn't have a cell phone! ”Liam mocked and Luke grinned at Josh, but refrained from commenting. A few seconds later, Liam stopped the SUV next to the women and got out. Luke and Josh did the same. "Can we maybe help you?" Liam wanted to know and both women stared at the boys in amazement. "What?" Luke wanted to know. "Is everything okay?"

"You are now the fifth car that has seen us parked here, and the only questions asked if everything is okay."

Luke shrugged. "Yes, these are those rich bastards who think that the whole world belongs to them." Josh saw a small grin on the corner of Alissa's mouth. "I'm Luke Parker, this is Liam Herzog and you already know Josh, am I right?" Only now did she see him and the smile suddenly disappeared from her face and she just glared at him. What had he been doing now? He asked himself and grinned at the two girls anyway. "I'm Hannah, and this is my friend Alissa." Hannah introduced them both. "The engine won't start," she explained, pointing to the car. "Liam Herzog?" Alissa wanted to know and he nodded. "Yep, Josh is my brother," he explained. Alissa looked at Luke. "Because of rich snobs." She grinned at him. Josh didn't want to worry about it, but he did. Why was she smiling at Luke and not him? But he was immediately torn from his thoughts. "As far as I know, the Herzog family is very rich."  

"Well, maybe not the family, but Liam has enough for all of us." Josh said with a wink and Alissa glanced at him.

"We don't even want to start with Luke!" Liam said with a grin and turned to Hannah. "Can you try to start the engine?" He asked and Hannah got into the car while he went to the hood himself.

"Does he know about cars?" Alissa wanted to know, but didn't look at either of them directly, but kept her eyes on Liam. “Well, he has a few cars in the garage and likes to tinker with them, just like me. I'll help him. ”Luke went over to Liam and together they tried to solve the problem, while Hannah kept trying to start the engine.

Alissa looked at him questioningly and Josh explained: "He's also a rich snitch." Alissa grinned and turned back to the two of them, then she whispered so that only he could hear: "So you're not a snitch?"

"At least not one with more than one car." He grinned. 

"You can stop." Liam called to Hannah. “Lock the car, you can come with us. The car, ”he closed the hood, and patted it lightly. "Nowhere going today." He explained and went back to his car.

"Do you have anything else in the car that you need to take with you?" Asked Luke.

"My handbag and my skis!" Hannah went to the trunk and opened it, Luke helped her with repacking, while Liam started the engine. It was extremely cold outside and the girls had been standing in the snow for some time. "Are there still things from you?" Josh also wanted to know about Alissa, but she shook her head. "No, nothing important." She rubbed her fingers, then lifted them to her mouth and breathed into them. "Come on you should get into the car." Josh opened the door and Hannah hopped past the two of them. "Thanks." She called and sat down behind Liam, Luke closed the trunk and went to the passenger door. Alissa sat in the middle and Josh got in last, as soon as the door was closed, Liam drove off.  

"What about the car now?" Asked Hannah and Liam began to tell her something about bad compressions and dirty fuel filters. Josh didn't listen, he put his head on the headrest as he did before and closed his eyes. He didn't want to think about how close Alissa was to him now and especially not how soft and vulnerable she had been at the kiss yesterday! But now that she was there, he couldn't help but analyze the kiss over and over again. He saw her in front of him, in this dim hallway, on the wall, her lips slightly red from the kiss and something was written in her eyes that he just couldn't identify.  

As they drove up the hill to the houses, the car jerked and Alissa's knee repeatedly bumped against his. He was happy when Liam parked and quickly opened the door. He absolutely needed a little distance from Alissa, he couldn't lose sight of his task, there was no time for a woman.

"We have to get ready now, the Masons are coming in twenty minutes." Joshua noted with a look at the clock and they said goodbye.