She’d lived her life ignoring problems, painting over the surface, focusing on other things. Confronting issues was something she preferred to avoid, like walking directly into the wind or plunging into icy water.

But not anymore.

She was going to confront difficult things, and that began with her aunt, of course. And it began right now, because after driving through miles and miles of snowy white forest and the most beautiful scenery she’d ever seen, they’d arrived, and she could see a figure hovering in the doorway of the lodge ready to greet her. Her aunt, presumably. She felt a sharp stab of disappointment that Holly wasn’t there, too. Alix must have known how much she was longing to see her. And then she realized how unreasonable that was because between negotiating the airport and the drive, there was no way of knowing what time she and Seb would arrive. Alix could hardly have kept a four-year-old standing out in the cold just in case. Still, the need to see Holly was almost a physical ache, but she knew she had to do this part first. Get it over with.

“I feel a bit sick all of a sudden.” And she realized she wasn’t only nervous about meeting Robyn, she was also nervous about seeing Alix. The resentment that had been nothing more than a slow simmer had started to burn brighter. She almost mentioned her feelings to Seb, but she didn’t want to threaten their newly improved relationship by bringing it up.

She felt a rush of frustration. The fact that she was afraid to say anything meant that Alix was still having an effect on her marriage.

“You’re nervous, I know.” Seb reached across and squeezed her hand. “But this is good. It’s the right thing to do.”

Was it? Or was this whole thing a big mistake?

Just a few moments earlier she’d been promising herself that she’d confront issues, but now that that moment had arrived, all she wanted to do was head straight to her cabin and enjoy what was left of the pre-Christmas festivities.

But there was no chance of that because the woman was already opening the car door next to Christy.

Here we go, she thought as she undid her seat belt and opened the door. She hoped her mother wasn’t looking down on her and witnessing this betrayal.

“Christy? I’m Robyn. I’m excited to meet you again.”

Again. Because apparently Robyn had already met her, even though Christy herself didn’t remember. Alix had passed on that information during one of their calls. She saw you when you were three. Her last visit. It was at Christmas.

In her mind her aunt had horns and a tail, and here she was, a normal-looking person. Christy studied her face, saw her mother’s eyes and jaw and felt a sharp pang. She looked again, and she saw the same tension and anxiety that she was feeling reflected back at her. It seemed she wasn’t the only one who was feeling nervous about this meeting.