“I thought it would be nice.” Christy closed the front door, keeping her back to it. “And guarantee you don’t walk out.”

“Why would I walk out?”

“We have a huge surprise for you, Aunty Alix!” Holly sprinted away to the kitchen, and Alix took advantage of her absence to question her friend.

“What’s the surprise? And why are you looking so stressed?”

“Promise me you won’t be mad. I probably should have called, but I was scared that if I did, you wouldn’t come, and I need you right now, and—”

“Why would I be mad? What is going on, Christy? I know there’s stuff you’re not telling me.” Alix hung up her coat, relieved to at least be needed. “Since when have we had secrets from each other? What is this surprise?”

Christy swallowed. “I know you won’t be thrilled, but honestly I think it might work out for the best in the end.”

“What—” Alix broke off as Holly reappeared. This time she wasn’t alone.

He filled the doorway, his height bringing the top of his head dangerously close to the frame constructed in a previous century to accommodate occupants with a less impressive build.

“I’ve unblocked the downpipe, Christy. The leak should be fixed.” He saw Alix and, after possibly the most awkward and intense few seconds of her life, gave a brief nod of acknowledgment. “Alix.”

Alix felt dizzy. She had to stop herself walking out of the door.

No! Seriously?

Why hadn’t Christy told her that Zac would be here? She would have arrived later. Or the following morning. Or not at all. And her friend knew that. Which was, presumably, why she’d been behaving so strangely.

Her hands felt clammy. Her whole body felt jittery.

Fight or flight. Adrenaline. She tried to logic away her reaction and force herself to stand her ground. She was thinking of the last time they’d seen each other, and she knew he was, too. It wasn’t something either of them was likely to forget.

Five years. They hadn’t seen each other for five years.

Seeing him invoked strong feelings, and Alix did everything she could to avoid strong feelings.

“Hey there. It’s been a while.” But nowhere near long enough. Thanks to some careful, strategic maneuvering on Alix’s part, and the fact that Zac spent much of the year traveling for his job, she hadn’t seen him since the wedding. What was she supposed to say? Good to see you? No way. “Playing handyman, I see.”

“He is, and he’s a lifesaver. Or at least you’re a cottage saver. We had another leak. Can you believe that?” The atmosphere was peppered with Christy’s nervous chatter. “Zac arrived earlier and has kindly fixed it. Total hero.” She kissed him on the cheek. His gaze, which until that point hadn’t shifted from Alix, softened.

“No problem. Are there any other leaks I should know about? Any other problems I can help with?”

The contrast in his response was marked. He was gentle with Christy, but men were always like that around her friend. Maybe it was her air of fragility, or maybe it was because Christy was the most nonconfrontational person Alix had ever met, at least on the outside. As a child it had frustrated her that her friend had found it so hard to stand up for herself. She was the only one who knew that Christy did feel things but wouldn’t express what she was feeling. She stored her emotions inside her, out of sight. Why couldn’t she just tell someone that no, it was not okay to treat her that way? Instead, she sat there, meek, and let Alix do it. And she’d been more than happy to play that role, even though part of her had worried about what would happen when she wasn’t around. Say what you’re thinking, she’d told Christy, but her friend had always followed the peaceful road. What was the point in confrontation? In falling out?