After her sister finally accepted that Emma was never going to think of Troy in a romantic way, Lucy had urged her to try online dating. But there was something so inherently frightening about the anonymity of the Internet, especially living as she did in New York City. She had a child to think about, so even if the idea of meeting a guy interested her, online dating did not.

Grayson Coleman interested her.

George and Ringo jumped up from their dog beds by the fire and bolted for the kitchen. Emma heard Molly talking to the dogs, who barked happily at the return of their loved one. Molly came to find Emma a few minutes later.

“Hi there.”

“Hey. How’s Hannah?”

“Feeling ungainly, but that’s pregnancy for you.”

“I remember that stage. I could’ve been one of the hot-air balloons in the Thanksgiving parade.”

Molly laughed and threw some wood on the fire before taking a seat in an easy chair. She put her feet up on the ottoman. The woman was a dynamo. She’d given birth to ten children, but you’d never know it to look at her slender frame and unlined face. The only sign of her age was the mane of gorgeous gray hair that she wore mostly in a braid, but even that did nothing to detract from her otherwise youthful appearance.

“I love the day after Christmas. Back when the kids were little, I used to take to my bed for the entire day, and one of Linc’s gifts to me was handling child care while I lolled about, being lazy.”

“That’s a brilliant idea.”

“I thought so, too, and the best part? Linc bowed down to me, every year, after one day alone with the hellions.”

Emma laughed at the picture she painted of ten unruly kids running roughshod over their dear old dad.

“Christmas is one heck of a production for the moms,” Molly said. “Still is, and my kids are all grown. But I do love having the whole family here—the noise, the presents, the bickering, the chaos. And I love today when they all go home and leave me to my wallowing.”

“Sorry to intrude on your peace and quiet.”

“Oh please! You’re no trouble at all, and Linc and I are in love with Simone. We want you to come back every year.”

“That’d be lovely. Christmas in Vermont is my new favorite thing.”

“I’m so happy to hear that. Look at this big empty barn we’re rattling around in. We’ve got plenty of room, and we’d love to have you.”

“Simone would never speak to me again if I didn’t say we’d love to.”