“I’m glad we’re in touch, too.” Christy stood up and cleared up the cups. “The funny thing is, I’ve always dreamed about Lapland. Alix and I used to plan our perfect Christmas, and it always involved snow and trees.”

“We must make sure you make the most of it.” Robyn wiped a cloth over the counter. She noticed that the snow had stopped. “Elizabeth was lucky to have a daughter like you. You’re a good listener. And you’re kind. Kindness is so underrated these days. Fortunately for me, you’re also brave.”

Christy shook her head. “I am anything but brave. I ignore things I don’t like. I hate confrontation. I used to live my life according to a list, although I recently abandoned that habit.”

“But you reached out to me,” Robyn said. “Despite knowing Elizabeth wouldn’t have wanted it, you reached out. That’s brave.”

“Is it? I hadn’t thought... Maybe it is.” Christy smiled. “And I’m pleased I did it, and not only because you make great coffee. You’ve made me think about a lot of things. Made me realize there are things I need to do and say.”

Robyn wondered what those things were, but decided it wasn’t her place to ask. Not now. Not yet. One day, maybe, she would have a close enough relationship with Christy for her to feel she could talk to her about anything. For now, she simply smiled and told the truth.

“I’m pleased, too.”

Christy. Her niece. Her sister’s daughter.

Life could be hard, she knew that, which was all the more reason to savor the moments of joy when they came. She wasn’t going to taint this shiny moment by looking back and imagining the view from the roads she’d never traveled.

She looked up and saw Seb trudging toward the lodge, Suka padding along next to him and Holly in his arms. “Looks like we have company.”

She’d done all the looking back she intended to do.

Now she was going to enjoy her newfound family.

16

Christy

“Brave,” Christy muttered to herself as she stomped through the snow to the Snow Spa where she’d arranged to meet Alix for an hour of luxurious pampering. After a lively, fun lunch, most of it spent trying to stop Holly climbing the cabinets in Robyn’s kitchen, she was looking forward to having a few moments to herself. “I’m brave. Robyn said so, and she can’t be wrong.”

“True, but how brave do you need to be to endure a spa treatment? Do we subject ourselves to the terror of the lavender scrub or the agony of the massage?” Alix appeared next to her, and Christy stopped walking.

“I didn’t see you there.” Her stomach gave a little flip. Talking to Robyn had convinced her that she had to have an honest conversation with Alix, but she wasn’t ready for it. She needed time to decide exactly what to say and how to say it.

“I would have attracted your attention earlier, but you were deep in conversation with yourself, and it seemed rude to interrupt.” Alix walked alongside her, the hood of her jacket half covering her face. “This place is perfect, isn’t it?”