Suddenly she missed the simplicity of their old friendship. Of speaking without having to watch your words. Of giving without holding back, trusting without suspicion. Did life inevitably become more complex, or was it their friendship in particular?

“Have fun, and we’ll meet up tomorrow.” Alix pulled on gloves.

“Tomorrow?” Christy looked at her and then at Zac. “What are you two going to do?”

“Settle into our new place, and then we’re going on the night snowshoe walk through the forest.”

“That sounds...fun.” It sounded romantic, that was how it sounded. But Alix and Zac didn’t have any romantic feelings toward each other. Did they? Or had something changed?

What had Robyn said? As they’re a couple I’m sure it won’t bother them.

She had so many questions, but no opportunity to ask them. “We’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

They left, and she focused her attention on her daughter while Seb made hot drinks.

“This place is incredible.” He opened and closed a kitchen cabinet, investigating their surroundings. “It’s fully stocked with food. Fortunately, it’s not all salmon. I’m making coffee. Do you want some?”

“Yes, please.” She explored the cabin with Holly, charmed by the little sleeping shelf covered in soft bedding and fluffy toys. Two books lay open on the covers. “Were you reading?”

“Aunty Alix and Uncle Zac were reading to me.”

“Together?”

“Mm. Uncle Zac did the wolf voice, and Aunty Alix was the rabbit.”

Christy couldn’t picture Alix as a rabbit. “Show me the bedroom.”

Holly tugged her into the next room, and Christy’s first thought was that it was the most romantic place she’d ever seen. A large bed was positioned so that it overlooked the forest through the floor-to-ceiling window. A fire flickered on one wall, and two lamps sent a soft glow across the room.

“Alix slept here?”

“Yes. And Uncle Zac slept on the sofa, even though he was too tall for it. He said in the morning that his back ached and Aunty Alix said she’d swap with him, but he said no.”

“So...” How could she phrase this? “Alix and Zac were friends?”

“Yes. They love each other. And I’m going to be their bridesmaid.” Holly skipped out of the room, scooped up her toy reindeer as she passed her room and bounded across the cabin to Seb.

Bridesmaid? Holly had obviously misinterpreted something she’d overheard. Quite apart from the fact that Alix and Zac could barely tolerate being in the same room together, neither of them were the marrying type.

She opened her mouth to ask another question, but Holly was dragging out a puzzle to play with Seb, and they were down on the floor by the Christmas tree, heads together.

Christy joined them, thinking of how perfect this was. “The tree is beautiful.”

“I chose it.”

Christy removed a pine needle from her daughter’s hair. “You went with Aunt Robyn?”

“And Erik, and also Aunty Alix and Uncle Zac.”

“That sounds like fun.”

“It was. And we threw snowballs.”