Until now.

She paused, not quite ready to announce her arrival. Christy was expecting her to step up and take Holly, although she still hadn’t said why.

Their marriage was in trouble. It had to be that.

She felt agony for her friend. This was exactly what she’d been afraid of, but she wouldn’t be saying another word on the subject. Her role was simply to give whatever support was requested without question.

Alix paused, unsettled by the silence around her.

However charming it was, country life wasn’t for her. She loved spending time with her friend, but after two days of fresh air, muddy walks and dawn birdsong, she was ready to head back to the city. The cottage was idyllic, but she knew that living in a small community of people who all knew each other would make her feel claustrophobic. She had no interest in joining a book group as Christy had or being on a local committee. She liked to choose what people knew about her. She didn’t want people knowing every detail of her private life. On her last visit, two people had stopped Christy in the village to check she was all right after her appointment with the doctor.

The thought of it made Alix shudder. She appreciated the level of anonymity that came with city living. She liked the buzz and busyness. In the city she never felt alone, even though she was. She’d bought a light, spacious, modern apartment in a converted warehouse overlooking the river. Large windows, exposed brick walls, state-of-the-art kitchen. It even had a balcony.

This place? She stepped up to the doorway and knocked. It encouraged a slow pace of life, and it would infuriate her.

She heard racing footsteps, squeals of excitement, and then the door opened, and Alix had a brief glimpse of tumbled blond curls and a mini white lab coat over a blue dress before Holly flung herself forward like a puppy that hadn’t seen its owner in months.

Swept away by the enthusiastic greeting, Alix put down everything she was carrying, scooped up Holly and covered her in kisses. “How’s my favorite girl? Ready for adventure?” Holly looked exactly like Christy (apart from her eyes, which were all Seb), but that was where the resemblance ended. Christy had always been an exceptionally neat and tidy child, and careful. Holly had never met a tree she didn’t want to climb or a muddy puddle she didn’t want to jump in. Her clothes were ripped and filthy within five minutes of putting them on. Her favorite game with Alix was play-fighting.

“Can we play sword fights, Aunty Alix?”

Alix laughed. “Can I take my coat off first?”

She glanced at Christy who had appeared behind her daughter and felt nerves flicker in her stomach.

Were they supposed to pretend nothing was wrong?

“Hi there!” Christy’s smile was a little too wide, but that wasn’t so surprising.

Christmas wasn’t going smoothly, and Alix knew that would stress her friend. Christy liked everything to happen according to plan. She made lists. Those lists both amused and infuriated Alix, but she understood that her friend needed them. She knew that about her. After two decades of friendship there wasn’t much she didn’t know.