She blinked back tears that couldn’t be blamed entirely on the cold. It sure had felt good to feel like a desirable woman again and to have someone to talk to about the things that weighed heavily on her heart, not to mention the laughter, the tenderness, the passion…

Emma took a deep breath of cold air, determined to keep her emotions in check, especially in front of Simone, who would tune right in to her distress. There was no hiding from a perceptive nine-year-old.

“There’s Will and Cam’s place,” Grayson said, gesturing to the log cabin, where a plume of smoke rose from the chimney.

“Can we stop to see them?” Simone asked.

“Ahh, they might be ‘busy,’” Grayson said, making Emma snort with laughter.

“Doing what?” Simone asked.

“Yes, Grayson, do tell us what they might be busy doing,” Emma said, smiling at him.

“Um, ah, well, they said something about doing the laundry today.”

Emma choked back a laugh.

“Oh, that’s boring,” Simone said. “I hate when Mommy makes me fold the laundry.”

“Folding is definitely the worst part,” Grayson said, giving Emma a playful glare that nearly had her laughing out loud.

A few minutes later, he drove the sleigh into the gates of the Stillman/Abbott Family Christmas Tree Farm, and after they’d traveled down a long road, he brought it to a stop in front of a big red barn.

“This is a Christmas tree farm?” Simone asked. “Like with chickens and stuff?”

“No chickens or cows. Just trees. You know the ones you see for sale in the city?”

She nodded.

“They come from places like this.” He gestured to the acres of trees planted in neat rows.

“That’s so cool. I never thought about where they came from.”

“You want to help me put the horses away?”

“If I can,” she said, scowling at the sling.

“There’s a lot you can do with one hand. Wait for me to help you down.”

He helped Emma down and then went around for Simone, lifting her off the sled effortlessly. Under normal circumstances, her fiercely independent daughter would’ve scurried down on her own and told him she didn’t need the help.

“Thanks,” she said.

“No problem.” He talked Simone through the steps of putting up the horses and stashing the sleigh. They’d removed the bridle on the first horse when Lucas appeared on a snowmobile.

He cut the engine. “Did you guys have fun?” he asked.

“It was so fun,” Simone said.

“Let me give you a hand with the horses,” Lucas said as he got off the snowmobile. “Maybe you can help us brush them.”

“Can I, Grayson?” she asked, looking up at him with big eyes full of excitement and wonder.

“Of course. You can be in charge of the brushing.”