Holly wriggled out of Zac’s arms and went to take another look at her bedroom while Zac walked Robyn to the front door.

Alix stayed close to the window.

She stared at the snowy forest through the generous expanse of glass. It reminded her of the fairy tales she used to read as a child, like “The Snow Queen.” “I think I’m in love.”

“Understandable.” Zac’s voice came from behind her. “Don’t beat yourself up. You’re not the first.”

She turned slowly, her attention drawn by his satisfied, slightly smug tone. “You can’t possibly think I was talking about you.”

“No need to feel awkward about it.”

“I was talking about the cabin. This place. I’m in love with this place.” She emphasized the words carefully, but he simply smiled and walked back across the living room to check on Holly.

“Of course you are.”

She glared after him. “You’re infuriating.”

“It’s the reason you love me. Isn’t it time for bed?”

Heat spread through her body. “If you’re seriously suggesting—” She broke off, realizing he’d been talking about Holly. Grateful to have avoided another embarrassing mistake, she turned back to look at the forest. She leaned her burning forehead against the cool glass and wondered how she was going to survive being closeted with Zac.

9

Christy

Would her plan work or was she being foolish?

She pulled on her favorite black wool dress, scooped up her hair and added her favorite earrings. It was far too dressy for an evening at home in the cottage, but that was the point. They needed to shake up the life they had. They needed to somehow extract some lightness from the dark. She needed to remind him that their relationship wasn’t all about Holly. Hadn’t always been about Holly, even though the time they’d spent on their own had been limited.

Seb was downstairs in his study, job-hunting and preparing for the interview. The door had been closed all day, and she’d only opened it once to take him a cup of tea and a slice of her homemade ginger cake, which was his favorite.

She was desperate to talk more, but she knew his mind was on work and the interview, so instead she was left to ruminate on their conversation the day before.

Although he hadn’t actually said he regretted marrying her, there had been a heaviness to the conversation. A seriousness that was sapping the life from their relationship. They were drowning, pulled under the surface by the sheer weight of everything. The pressure he was feeling, the sense of responsibility—she was the reason.

What had he said? I’m constantly reminded of the stakes.

Apparently, she was the stakes. She was the reason it mattered, and nothing she said seemed to reassure him on that score.

So now she was taking a different approach. She was going to try her hardest to make him forget the stakes and the responsibility. Together they somehow needed to rediscover the feelings they’d shared at the beginning of their relationship, before Holly and marriage. Not only for his sake, but for hers. But how? How did you throw off all the stress and anxiety and just enjoy being together?