The air was ripe with Christmas magic and the hills were slick with white.

We parked up in the picnic area as usual and clambered out of Flynn’s car. Harley, secured on the back seat, let out an excited ruff and then bounded ahead through the thick layer of snow carpeting the woods and fields as soon as we let her out of the car.

I held on to the wrapped Christmas gifts we had brought them – a new painting palette and brushes for Flynn senior, and a wreath bread-making set for Lily.

As we approached the entrance to Merry Wood, the door opened and Flynn senior and Lily greeted us, sporting wide smiles and beckoning us in.

Harley shot past our legs and into the hallway. There was the delicious, rich scent of warm mulled wine and the cosy aroma of baking wafting out of the kitchen.

I kissed Lily and cocked my head. “What delights are you making now?”

“Cranberry muffins. They shouldn’t be much longer.”

As Flynn senior guided us into the sitting room, the crackle and spit from the log fire lit up the entire place, like a giant amber smile. Merry Wood was now a welcoming beating heart of a house again. Flynn senior had employed a crack team of cleaners who, prior to him and Lily moving in, had steam-cleaned, polished, and dusted so that their own furniture, as well as some new furnishings and the carpets they had chosen could be installed in time for Christmas.

Gone were the heavy, old, creaky pieces of wooden furniture and in their place was an eclectic mix of Flynn senior’s possessions and Lily’s too.

The whole house was now a blend of squashy navy sofas and cream cushions, heavy standard lamps, a cream and grey fitted kitchen and bathrooms boasting pine shelves with fluffy towels and non-slip floors. Upstairs, the master bedroom was made up with lemon and jade-green bedding, its views of the garden something to behold.

Flynn and his grandfather were standing at the rear sitting room window as the snow continued to pirouette to the ground.

I watched them laughing together at some joke. Flynn sensed me watching him and gave me a wink.

A hand settled itself on my shoulder and I turned.

It was Lily. Her hair was shiny and falling to her shoulders in a silvery curtain and her lilac eyes brimmed with happiness.

“I just wanted to say thank you, Leonie. For coming into my life.”

Emotion rose up inside me. “Oh Lily, there really is no need.”

“Oh yes there is. You gave me a second chance of happiness.”

She gestured around herself and then towards the two Flynn’s. “I thought I was too old to have my happily-ever-after. But you changed all that.”