The Mills & Boon Ultimate Christmas Collection. Kate Hardy

It was the first I’d heard of it. She’d been working at the bank for ever, and I thought she loved it there.” He shook his head. “I offered to join her there after work on Friday and stay for the weekend but she wanted to go alone. Suffice to say she never came back. Wound up working in some cocktail bar. Was it always that bad here?” he asked, confusion lining his face.

      “It wasn’t you, Micah. It was something in her.” In my heart of hearts, I wasn’t surprised Ronnie might’ve got itchy feet at some point; she was one of those people always looking for more. Still, I hadn’t thought she’d leave Micah. They’d been joined at the hip and I’d always hoped to find a love like theirs. How could she have been so callous to Micah, the person who loved her more than life itself?

      “There was no malice in it. In her mind we’d come to the end of the road. And what could I do? I couldn’t force her to love me. So I let her go, and wished her well. Told her I was here if she needed me.”

      A pah of surprise escaped me. “I don’t think many people would have been so understanding, Micah.”

      With a half-smile he waved me away. “It hurt, no two ways about it. Without her I didn’t know who I was any more.”

      Admittedly, I felt a wave of anger toward Ronnie, despite Micah’s assurances it wasn’t her fault. “I’m annoyed that you gave up your own dreams of studying medicine to stay here like she wanted and then in the end she left anyway. You could have lived near me in New York, like we’d always planned.”

      “Doesn’t matter now. Truly, it doesn’t,” he said, seeing the concern on my face. “I made my choices; it’s not her fault. I enjoy what I do. So what, I fix things, instead of people?” Micah tried for that impish smile of his.

      “There’s still time, you know.” I could picture Micah wearing a white coat and making rounds of the local hospital. He’d be the type that patients felt comfortable around, with an impeccable bedside manner.

      He lifted a shoulder. “I’m OK, I’ve got Cedarwood now, right? But can you see my point, about trusting someone again? I don’t want to be swept away, because I know, when I fall in love, I fall hard, and where does that leave me? On a precipice, alone. Nope, I’ll never put myself in that position again.”

      Surely if he felt that frisson he should follow his heart? “So you haven’t had a relationship since Ronnie left?”

      “Nope. None. A casual date here and there, which was more for companionship. Then, when I’d resigned myself to being single for ever, someone walks into my world, and I get this zap. I honestly thought I’d never feel that ever again after Ronnie.”

      “Micah, you can’t live like a hermit your whole life.”

      “I’m just happy to know my heart isn’t frozen solid. And I’m not a hermit – I go out, I see friends. I’m happy, really.”

      I frowned. “Ronnie isn’t coming back, Micah. You don’t have to follow anyone to the ends of the earth; you can set some boundaries…” I felt like an agony aunt doling out clichéd advice, but I didn’t know how else to make him see that love was always worth it.

      “I know she isn’t…” The buzz of the chainsaw mercifully ceased and Micah adjusted his voice accordingly. “And even if she did, I’d never contemplate reconciling. She’s shacked up with some guy in LA, and they’ve had a baby.” He paused at the mention of the baby. For as long as I could remember Micah had talked of the family he’d have. “Anyway, I don’t want to make Isla uncomfortable. What if she doesn’t like me the same way? How awkward would that be? God, I sound like I’m back in high school.”

      I laughed. “You do. Anyway, all you have to do is ask her to go for coffee! It’s not like you’re asking her to marry you.” Even though I was already mentally assessing color combinations for the wedding centerpieces…

      He grinned and color flooded his cheeks. “You said yourself not to mix business with pleasure.”

      I guffawed as the potbelly coughed and spluttered behind me. “Since when did you ever listen to me? What the hell would I know?”

      Outside, the symphony of work started in earnest: chainsaw, hammers, and a lawn mower. Isla must have roped in some extra hands to help.

      “Since always. You’ve steered me straight since we were kids.”

      With one last attempt, I gave Micah a hard stare. “I’ve steered you straight, you say?” I didn’t wait for a response. “Then you have to listen to me – give the idea of love a chance. Just entertain the idea and ask Isla for coffee.”

      “No, Clio. I’d hate to make her feel uncomfortable.”

      “Jeez, Micah, so much for steering you straight.” I lifted a palm in surrender.

      “Don’t you dare play matchmaker.”

      I pretended to be outraged. “Me? As if I have time to meddle with your nonexistent love life,” I lied.

      If Cupid needed a helping hand, who better to do that than me?

       Chapter Seven

      With things somewhat under control at the lodge, I dressed warmly for town, and slipped into high-heeled boots. I needed to collect some supplies and wanted to drop in on Imelda and Edgar for an impromptu meeting to firm up numbers, and show them some pictures of the ballroom renovation. It dawned on me that, after their party, it wouldn’t be long until I could start preparing for Christmas, and the thought of decorating the lodge for the festivities had me in paroxysms of delight. A winter wonderland wedding would be perfect, but I needed to show off the venue to attract brides. A wedding expo would be ideal, and I made notes about what I’d need to do in order to achieve it, feeling a pang for Amory, wishing she was here to share the joy of winter and all it entailed.

      Tying my scarf as I went, I found Kai in the ballroom, grinning up at the ceiling. “The electricians have just left. They’ve replaced the old insulation and fitted downlights so it’s not as gloomy with only the two chandeliers at each end of the room. What do you think?”

      I surveyed the new lighting. “It makes the space appear even bigger. The downlights were a good choice, Kai.” They sent out little stars of radiance which helped brighten the room. I’d been wary when it came to adding such modern features in the traditional ballroom, but they fit seamlessly.

      “Won’t be long until it’s finished and ready for the party. Mind if I hitch a ride to town with you? I need to meet with Walter at the hardware shop.”

      “Sure,” I said. “Let’s tell Micah to keep an eye on things.”

      We found Micah halfway up a ladder in the abandoned library. The room was the stuff of every bibliophile’s dream. Deep, dark mahogany shelves recessed into all four walls. Ladders were still attached, which slid across like something from the 1800s. It was bereft of novels and I couldn’t wait to go book shopping and fill the room with old tomes whose perfume would scent the air. With a fire crackling, and the teapot steaming, I was sure we could host book clubs here. Author events. Writing retreats.

      “We’re going into town, Micah. Keep an ear out in case anyone needs a hand?”

      A fine layer of wood dust coated him, as he sanded back one of the rippled and cracked water-damaged shelves. “Sure. But only if you bring me back a donut from Puft.”

      “Deal,” I said, grinning.

      When we parked in front of Puft, Kai jumped out, ear pressed against his phone. From what I could gather it was his boss, and there was a new job on the horizon once Cedarwood Lodge was finished. Soon he’d leave, and I wasn’t sure how I felt. Would I be lost without his easy-going guidance, his calming influence on me? Only time would tell, but I wasn’t looking forward to losing him.

      It was