Fifteen minutes later, I found Henry’s house without a problem and pulled into his driveway. For a moment I sat in the car and looked at his house—a brick ranch with an attached garage, black shutters, and a bay window in the front. I wondered about the first time he and his ex had pulled up in front of it. Was it their dream house? Had they imagined the rest of their lives here? Did Henry plan to stay here by himself? If so, would he eventually remarry and try again to have a family? Or would he change his mind and maybe attempt to adopt?

It’s none of your business, Sylvia. You’ve got your own life to put back together—Henry isn’t your next good cause. He’s a grown man, and when he’s ready to move on, he will. Just go in there and make sure he knows you’re still his friend.

Turning off the engine, I got out of the car and hurried onto the front porch. After a deep breath, I knocked a few times on the thick wooden front door, which was painted black to match the shutters.

Henry pulled it open, looking rugged, rumpled, and sexy in jeans and a black T-shirt with a hole in the sleeve. His feet were bare and his hair was damp, like he’d just gotten dressed after a shower. His expression told me he was surprised to see me. “Sylvia. Hi.”

“Hi. Can I come in?”

“Of course.” He swung the door open wide, and I stepped into the front hall. Right away I could smell coffee brewing and the scent of burning wood.

I glanced around. To my left was an office, and to my right was the dining room. Straight ahead appeared to be a family room, where a fire was lit in the fireplace. From what I could see, the house had oak floors throughout, so I took off my snowy boots and left them on a rug that said WELCOME.

Henry shut the door behind me and messed with his hair a little. “I’ll take your coat—glad to see you’re actually wearing one.”

I laughed and shrugged it off. “Thanks.”

After hanging up my jacket in the front hall closet, he turned to me. “Can I get you something? Coffee or tea?”

“Coffee sounds good.” I followed him back into the family room, which opened onto a kitchen and breakfast nook on one side, and possibly the master bedroom on the other. “I like your house. It’s got a nice open feel.”

“Thanks.” He went into the kitchen and took a white mug with the green Cloverleigh Farms logo on it from the cupboard. “We did some pretty extensive renovations when we bought it.”

I glanced around. “No Christmas tree, huh?”