“Nah, it’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.” He lifted his head, his eyes panning across the town square, but Lucy didn’t want to let whatever it was lie.

“Will …” She tugged gently at his hand and he finally looked at her. She could see the machinations of thoughts processing behind his eyes.

“I do like that movie, although don’t tell Brad. We’re already outnumbered, and he’ll think I’m leaving him in Camp Die Hard all by himself.” He smiled conspiratorially and Lucy felt the breath she’d been holding escape. She returned the smile.

“It’s just that …” Uh-oh. There was a caveat. “I don’t know how to say this …” Will lifted his gloved hand and rubbed at the back of his neck, then bit his lip.

“Seriously, Will, just say it.”

“It’s just … I feel like a bit of a Miles, is all.”

Lucy’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Sorry, what? I’m not sure …” What in the world did he mean?

“You know, Miles? The Jack Black character?”

“Yes, I know who Miles is, but I don’t understand your meaning.”

“Look, you’re like, so beautiful, and you’re British and super interesting. You’re like Iris, and then there’s me, the dorky but—hopefully—loveable American guy—the Miles. And I know that you’re way out of my league, that you’re older and more sophisticated, but …”

He dropped his head and closed his eyes, and Lucy could see his embarrassment. She knew she should say something, but with so many thoughts whirling through her mind, where to start?

“Will, I … I …”

He was shaking his head now, clearly in self-derision. “I shouldn’t have said anything. It’s just that you’ve seemed really distant all day, and I’ve been trying to figure out what I did wrong.”

“Will,” she said firmly. “Look at me.” He did, even though she could tell it was making him uncomfortable. “Do you think we could find somewhere to get a hot chocolate or something? To talk?”

He hesitated for a moment, then replied. “Sure.” He called out to the cousins, who made their way back to them. “We’re going to go grab a hot chocolate. Why don’t we meet you back here in, say, an hour?” He looked at Lucy, as if to confirm the timing, and she nodded.

Lucy caught Briony’s eye and Briony didn’t miss a beat. “Come on you two, let’s go watch the snowboarders.” She pointed to a giant half-pipe where snowboarders were doing tricks for a large audience of “oohing” and “ahhing” spectators.

“But I want a hot chocolate …” Lucy heard Bradley say as Briony herded him and Bridget away.

“Come on,” said Will, taking her gloved hand in his. He led the way through the crowd to a bustling coffee shop on the edge of the square. The bell above the door tinkled as they entered, and the scent of coffee and cinnamon filled the air.

It was toasty warm inside the coffee shop and Lucy could already feel the prickle of sweat under the many layers it took to withstand the outside temperature. She pulled her pompom beanie off her head and slid her hands out of her gloves, and by the time Will had led her to a table in the corner, she had already unzipped her coat and was slipping it off her shoulders.