“Thanks, Alice. I’m hoping to get a good crowd.”

“And so you should. It sounds like loads of fun.”

Olivia hoped so. Sometimes she wondered if the special events she offered were overlapping with similar offerings from the school, church, or village hall, but she had to keep trying, and she liked planning them. Harriet had already designed a poster to put up throughout the village.

Olivia spent the rest of the weekend, all the way up to Sunday afternoon, trying to keep herself busy and not obsess about Simon. She made a sign announcing the mulled wine and mince pies evening and propped it in the shop window, and even got a few enquiries about it.

She made three batches of shortbread and planned her next few flavours of cupcake, and during a slow moment in the shop she did some Internet shopping for her Christmas presents. She debated whether to get Simon a present and then decided it was too much, too soon. She wouldn’t even know what to get him, anyway.

Late Sunday morning she drove to Witney to visit her mum; she’d called every day to check in, but she still felt a bit anxious, and wondered if she should talk to one of the managers of her mother’s building. The retirement community was built so its residents could hold on to as much independence as possible, and at the moment Tina was living completely free of any interference.

Olivia was reluctant to change that, but what if it was necessary? Her mother had already burned herself at least twice. The last thing Olivia wanted to do was compromise her well-being—what if she needed the next level of care, someone to check in on her, a carer of some sort? Olivia instinctively dismissed the idea; her mum was her mum, matter-of-fact and completely capable...except somehow she wasn’t, anymore.

When she arrived at her mother’s flat, however, Tina was looking remarkably well put together and seemed happier and more alert than she had been in a while. She’d even put up some Christmas decorations—the old nativity set was in pride of place on the hall table.

“You decorated,” Olivia said with a delighted smile. She felt inordinately happy that her mum had made the effort.

“I thought I ought to do something,” Tina answered. “Even if it’s something small. Now how are you?”

“Good. I went on a date last night, actually.” She hadn’t told her mum about Simon yet, and she hoped it wasn’t too early to now.

“A date!” Tina smiled and clapped her hands together lightly. “Olivia, I’m so pleased. Who is this special man?”

“Simon Blacklock. He was the one who drove us to the hospital?”

“Oh yes.” Her mother’s brow crinkled, and Olivia couldn’t tell if she really remembered him or not. “How lovely. Was it nice? Where did you go?”

“Yes, it was. Very nice. We went out for a drink at the pub, and we’re going ice-skating later today.”

“So it sounds like it could be serious?” Tina’s eyes twinkled, making her look years younger.