“Darling, it’s been ten years,” her mom said softly. “You’ve got to let it go. It’s okay to let it go.”

“I have,” Lily said. Lied. “Totally and completely. One hundred percent.”

“Do you mean one hundred percent minus one hundred percent?”

Lily let out a low laugh. “Let’s talk about you, okay? What are you up to?”

“Nice subject change. But because I’m in South Africa I’m going to allow it. Did you know they serve fried caterpillars and sheep heads here as a delicacy?”

“Yummy.” Lily still wasn’t used to the changes in her mom. Once upon a time, Donna Danville had been born and raised right here in Cedar Ridge, Colorado. She’d married and had two kids and worked just about 24/7 at Mt. Rose, never leaving the only town she knew and loved.

Until she’d lost half her family in the span of a single week from hell.

Lily and her mom had had many talks over the years about how Donna wanted Lily to let go of the past enough to move on. Lily always assured her she had, telling her she had a full and happy life in San Diego.

And most of the time Lily even believed her own lies.

Until she’d come back to Cedar Ridge.

Now she knew the truth. She hadn’t let go of the past at all. She’d buried it deep, let it take root, and had even secretly harbored it. “It’s good to talk to you, Mom.”

“Oh, darling, so good.” Over the air came the telltale sniff and Lily’s heart dropped.

“Mom, don’t cry.”

“It’s just so lovely to hear you.” She paused. “I’ve sent you something that I had pulled out of storage, I hope it won’t upset you. But it should arrive today and I wanted to give you a little heads-up about it so you aren’t surprised.”

“What is it?” Lily asked.

“A framed pic of you and Ashley on the mountain. And her favorite scarf. I thought you might want them there in Cedar Ridge. One to keep you warm on the outside, the other to keep you warm inside. In your heart.”

It took Lily a moment to answer because her throat clogged with emotion. She knew the scarf well, she’d been the one to give the baby-blue length of cashmere to Ashley on her seventeenth birthday—her last. “That’s sweet, Mom,” she finally managed, meaning it. “I’ll love them both, thank you.”

“Just do me one favor,” her mom said. “Promise me now that you’re back home, you won’t leave there until you forgive yourself.”

Lily closed her eyes. “Mom—”

“Promise me, Lily Ann, or I swear to you, I’m on the next plane. I’ll get all up in your grill and everything.”

Lily managed a laugh. “All up in my grill?”