Robyn could feel her anxiety and sympathized. She was nervous, too. Afraid of the outcome and of doing something that might threaten the chance of finally reconnecting with family. But also nervous for Christy. Whatever happened, Robyn knew she would survive. But what if she told Christy too much? What if she said something that upset her? Elizabeth was gone. Nothing was going to change that. She didn’t want to do or say a single thing that would hurt her niece.

Through the windows of her kitchen she could see the snow falling, a gentle drift of flakes that clouded the air and blurred the edges of the trees. The forest became a mysterious icy world stretching far beyond their field of vision.

“Does Holly keep you awake?” She waited for the last of the coffee to drip into the cups and then removed them and put them on the counter.

“She used to. Not so much now. Now it’s life that keeps me awake.”

Which parts of life? Was she supposed to ask?

Was Christy missing talking to her mother?

Conscious that they had yet to establish a relationship, Robyn decided to focus on the immediate priority. She added milk to the coffee, manipulating the thick foam to form a perfect heart on the surface.

“Did you sleep last night?”

“Oh yes. The bed! It was like sleeping in a cloud.”

Robyn smiled and added a sprinkle of cocoa to the surface of the milk. “I should add that review to our website. When we built those cabins, comfortable beds were my priority.”

“I want to hear all about it. The cabin is gorgeous. This whole place is special. You have a flair for interior design. And your photographs are stunning.” Christy was chattering, barely breathing between sentences.

It was hard to tell which of them was the most nervous.

“I’m glad you like it.” She put both cups on the table and opened the oven, releasing a puff of warm air scented with cinnamon. She removed the tray of pastries and put them to cool. “Sit down. Make yourself at home.”

“Your kitchen is cozy.” Christy reached for the coffee closest to her. She was wearing black ski pants and a heavy knit sweater the color of whipped cream. She’d tugged off her boots at the door, revealing the warm Nordic socks which Robyn had left as a gift in her cabin.

Having not seen family for so long it was hard to keep her emotions reined in. She wanted to study Christy in detail, to fill in all the gaps in her knowledge. Who are you? What do you love? What do you hate? What scares you? It was a struggle to behave normally. “What are Seb and Holly doing?”

“They’re in the cabin warming up. We built the biggest snowman this morning.”

The conversation was stilted and awkward. They were talking about one thing while both thinking about another.

Robyn decided it was up to her.