‘I was frustrated,’ he amended. ‘Not furious. After the party, I told Maya what you’d said and she told me I had to confess all tomorrow. I’d already made up my mind to do that and I’d got it all straight in my head. I was going to apologise and declare my feelings, but then,’ he added, with a nod to the car, ‘you pulled this stunt and I knew I couldn’t wait until tomorrow because you’d be gone.’

He shivered again. So focused on listening to him, I’d forgotten we were outside and that he was still soaked from the shower.

‘So, the kisses we’ve shared have really meant something to you?’ I asked, wanting to be absolutely sure before I gave my heart free rein to fall completely in love.

‘Of course, they have,’ he said. ‘You’re beautiful, Liza, all the more stunning because you don’t know it. Why do you think I haven’t been able to resist kissing you?’

‘Because you were drunk.’ I teasingly reminded him.

‘That was only the first time,’ he blushed. ‘The beer made me brave. I’d wanted to press my lips to yours from the very moment you turned up here and set the alarm off. You set an alarm off in my head and my heart that night too, and I’ve been trying to keep a lid on it ever since, because I knew letting it ring out wouldn’t end well.’

‘Well,’ I said, still feeling cautious, ‘you were right about that, weren’t you? Things haven’t turned out well. You’ve just told me you love me, but I’m still about to leave and you’re up to your ears in debt.’

‘You’re not going anywhere,’ he huskily said, holding out his hand. ‘And I have every intention of cancelling that loan first thing Monday morning.’

I looked at his outstretched hand, swallowed away the lump in my throat and, a few seconds later, reached out. Our fingers, beautifully entwined, felt like the perfect fit.

‘If it is still what you want,’ he said, gently drawing me out of the car, ‘you can stay here forever and we can run Wynter’s Trees between us, both as partners in business and in life.’

My eyes searched his face.

‘No one else, besides Dad, knows you were planning to leave,’ he reminded me. ‘I know you haven’t told anyone, and I haven’t, so there’s no muddle to unravel or explain.’

I felt relieved about that because it would make properly settling in so much easier. I was going run my business at Wynter’s Trees and I was still going to see the northern lights, but with Ned by my side. We could go together. From then on, we could do everything together. It would be an adventure.