“Oh!” Her cheeks turned red—even redder than they were from the cold. “Oh my gosh, that was totally presumptuous of me, to assume you’d come to give me a ride.”

“Any other time, I’d love to offer you a lift.” He cast about, trying to figure out when he could get together with her. With the arrival of Maya’s kids, it was going to be hard to carve out time to do anything. “It’s just that today, someone special is coming.”

“Oh.” The smile left her eyes, yet stayed frozen on her lips.

Those delicious ripe lips. He knew how soft they were, he knew they tasted like berry lip gloss; the memory had haunted him since he’d kissed her. He was an idiot. “I mean, not that you aren’t special, but, I mean—”

“Logan,” called Maya, waving from down the platform. She came walking toward him, towing her kids along behind her. Her face taut with nervousness, she put her arms around him and gave him a hug. He knew why she clung; he could feel her shuddering intake of breath and sensed she was about to shatter.

“Hey,” he said, stepping back. In the realm of awkward moments, this one definitely ranked.

“So,” said Maya with forced cheerfulness, “are we going straight to your place or—”

“My place,” he said, then stepped farther away from her. It was too late, though. His foot was already planted deep in his mouth. “Er... Maya, this is Darcy.”

“Hi,” said Darcy; then she shifted her glance at Logan. “Sorry, I’d better be on my way. I’ve got...you know, that work stuff going on.”

“Sure. Of course.”

“Good to meet you,” she murmured, and hurried away, practically running as she followed signs to the taxi stand.

Logan suppressed a groan of frustration. He couldn’t let himself worry about her for the moment. Shifting gears, he focused on the kids, trying to figure out how in God’s name to make this easier for them. He couldn’t. No one could. “Okay, gang. To the mountaintop. You’re going to love it there.”

“I’ve been to your house,” said André. “Last summer. Remember? I got to have a sleepover with Charlie before camp started.”

“You’re right. But that was a different house. The one in town. I sold that house and moved.”

“Where do you live now?” asked Angelica.

“On the mountaintop, like I said. There’s a big old house up there that will hold everybody who’s coming for the holidays. You get to sleep in a bunk room with Charlie and his cousins.”

“Cool,” said André. “I get the top bunk.”

Logan opened the back door of the Jeep and loaded in their luggage. “Buckle up. It takes about half an hour to get to the new place. Even Charlie hasn’t seen it yet. He doesn’t arrive for two more days.”