“I’ve seen your photos.” The woman glanced at her. “You have an extraordinary talent. How did you get started? Did you go to art school?”

Robyn almost laughed. Could therapy be classed as art school?

“Like most things in life, it was a mixture of luck and timing. I had a friend who became a tutor, and then a mentor.” She didn’t elaborate. She’d left her past behind and didn’t allow it to intrude into her current life or the person she was now. She’d long since forgiven herself and learned to accept that part of her.

It was one of the reasons she had mixed feelings about Christy’s imminent arrival. There would be no avoiding the past. She was excited about the prospect of seeing her niece, but inevitably there would be questions. And Robyn would need to consider what answers to give. She’d have to talk about something she didn’t like talking about.

You ruin everything. I don’t want you in my life.

Had she really moved on, or had she simply been hiding from the past?

She’d lived two lives, and now they were about to merge.

She set up a tripod for one of her other guests. “Use your remote shutter release. That way you won’t shake the camera taking the photo. Also, it will mean you don’t have to remove your gloves and risk frostbite.” She flashed him a smile and tromped through the snow back toward Erik.

“There was a phone call.” He handed her a mug of chocolate to warm herself. “From Christy. There’s been a complication.”

“She’s not coming? She’s changed her mind?”

And now, when it seemed like it might not happen, she realized how badly she wanted it to. How much she was willing to take that risk to make contact with family again.

“She’s coming, but a few days later. Seb has work commitments, but her friends are coming as planned with little Holly.”

Robyn relaxed. They’d hardly be sending their child if they weren’t planning on joining her, would they?

“I thought it was one friend. Alix?”

“Now it’s two friends. Zac. He was best man at their wedding. Presumably they thought it would be easier with two of them.” Erik, as always, was relaxed about the change in plan. He took life as it came, dealing with issues as they arose, rather than anticipating them as she did.

“Are they a couple?”

“Sounded like it.”

Robyn slid her hands round the warm mug, absorbing the heat. “I suppose it will give me a chance to get to know Holly a little before Christy arrives. Or maybe that will make it worse. Get it wrong with the child and you won’t please the mother.”

“Why would you get it wrong?”

Because she’d done it before.

“I don’t know much about children.”

“Children are people. All different. We often have children here, and they always love you.”

She sipped her chocolate, savoring the warmth and comfort. “They love the place.”