“I threw away her notebook. No more planning.”

“She’ll need therapy.”

“Do you think I should buy her a new one?”

“Why are you asking me?” Alix reached up and kissed him on the cheek. “You know her as well as I do, if not better. You don’t need my help.”

She felt truly comfortable with him, possibly for the first time. There was a new warmth between them.

“We’ll always need you, Alix.” He glanced over her shoulder and smiled. “Not least because you provide much-needed reinforcements. It’s takes four of us to keep Holly out of trouble.”

They harnessed the dogs to the sleds and rode back through the forest.

They ate lunch together in Christy and Seb’s cabin, and Alix played games with Holly, while Zac entertained her with stories of polar bears and Arctic exploration.

Alix was keen to limit time alone with Zac, so she offered to read to Holly while Seb and Christy went snowshoeing.

She arrived back at the cabin with barely any time to spare, which was a relief because it reduced the need for small talk.

Zac was already pulling on layers. “I was beginning to think you’d changed your mind.”

She looked away as he pulled a sweater over his head. “Why would I do that? I’ve been looking forward to this. The northern lights,” she added, in case there might be any doubt as to exactly what she was looking forward to. “Dreamed about it for a long time.” And it was going to be fine, she told herself. In fact, she couldn’t wait.

Her biggest challenge was right now, being trapped in this cozy, intimate place.

Was he feeling it, too?

He pulled on his jacket and then his boots. “Well, hopefully your dreams will come true tonight.”

“Yes.” Her heart ached. She’d never been one to dream about a man. Until now.

She dressed swiftly, accustomed now to the routine. Merino wool, layers, no cotton. And then the bulky suit that Robyn and Erik provided. The addition of a balaclava and helmet meant that no one could read her expression anyway, which reduced some of the pressure.

It would be fine. It was a trip. An exciting trip. There would be no taut atmosphere or awkwardness out there in the frozen forest.

This time there was a single sled and a larger team of dogs. They were already howling and yelping in anticipation of the trip.

Alix crouched down and greeted the two closest to her. “What I wouldn’t give for blue eyes like yours.” She stroked one of the dogs and was immediately nudged by the other. “Jealous?”

“They love the attention. This is Odin, and this is Thor. Thor is an Alaskan cross.” Erik squatted down next to her. “Alaskan huskies are lighter and faster than Siberians, although they tend not to have the strength and endurance. These two are the lead dogs. They steer the rest of the team and set the pace.”

Alix decided it would be nice to enjoy the ride without having to worry about doing something wrong and confusing the dogs or tipping the sled over.