“Hey,” I said, keeping my voice on the softer side. There was something about the snowy quiet of a late December night that made people want to whisper.

When he saw me, he smiled. “Hello.”

I crossed over to him and felt the heat from the fire warm my cheeks.

“I’ve been looking for you. What are you doing out here?”

“Roasting chestnuts, of course.” He grinned. “It’s one of the final things to do on my wish list.”

“I seem to recall something about that.”

He patted the seat beside him and with a shimmer of excitement, I moved to the spot. He draped the blanket over my legs for shared warmth.

“Have you had one?” He nodded to the plate of cooked chestnuts perched on the edge of the brick firepit.

“I haven’t.”

Setting the fireplace shovel to the side, he picked up the plate of roasted chestnuts with his good hand and held it out to me. “You have to peel them, like an egg.”

I chose one. “You like to give out instructions, have you noticed that?”

He blushed. “I do, don’t I?” I nodded. “Does that bother you?”

“Not lately.”

Our eyes met and held. Then I started to peel the chestnut but stopped and frowned.

“What is it?” he prompted.

“I think I’m anthropomorphizing the chestnut.”

His brows drew together. “Quite possibly the last thing I expected you to say.”

I chuckled. “That’s me, keeping you on your toes.”

“At which you are quite good,” he murmured. Then nodded to the chestnut. “Now, why are you giving Nutty here feelings?”

Fishing in my front pocket, I withdrew—

“The conker!” His dark brown eyes danced with delight as he plucked it from my hand.

“I found it last night. Stepped on it, actually.”

“Brilliant! Tomorrow we’ll have to break it in with a match.”

“No.” I shook my head.

“No?”

“This conker is my talisman. I don’t want it broken.” He stared at me, the corners of his beautiful mouth twitching. “Go ahead, laugh, but it’s true.”

Instead, he shook his head. “No. We shall employ other chestnuts for our match.” He handed it back to me. “Clearly this one is special.”

“It is.” I put it in my pocket. “It helped me realize that I want to come back to Barrington in January. I want to keep trying.”

Arthur’s eyes widened in hopeful surprise. “Really?”

“Even though I didn’t do as well as I thought I would the first semester, I have to keep trying, don’t I?”

“Yes.” He grinned.

“I think it’ll be better this time. I won’t be alone. Ayisha will hopefully be there.” My eyes met his and I swallowed. “And you’ll be there, too.” It came out more like a question.

“I will,” he assured me. “I’ll be there whenever you wish. And I’m delighted by your decision.”

“Are you?” I grew hopeful.