The Mills & Boon Ultimate Christmas Collection. Kate Hardy

taking Micah and Joe to hospital for observation.”

      “Sure,” he said. “I’ll tell everyone to pack up and head home. Thanks for all of your help.” The fireman nodded and went back to his team. Kai pulled me close, and I rested my head against his chest. The steady thrum of his heart was a comfort as I tried to think rationally.

      Kai lifted a finger to my chin. “Are you going to be OK if I go chat with everyone? I’ll only be a second.”

      I wiped at my face. “I should speak to them. I can…”

      “Hey,” he said. “You’re upset. And rightly so. It’s a big shock and no one is going to hold it against you if you sit for a while. I’ll be right back.”

      Isla darted a glance to the firefighters before jogging to me. “I’m going to go with Micah. Just so he’s got someone with him. OK? I’ll report back as soon as we know anything. Will you be all right?”

      “I’m totally fine. He’d love that. And please, call me as soon as they check him over.” Micah was in good hands; he didn’t need me hovering over him, wringing my hands and pacing. Still, it was hard to switch the worry off.

      Isla gave me a quick hug and ran back to the ambulance, hoisting herself inside before they shut the double doors.

      The tradespeople gathered their tools and gave me somber waves as they headed for their vehicles. I sucked in a breath of air, trying to steady my heartbeat. We’d been lucky, so very lucky. Thankfully Micah had installed fire extinguishers into every single room before anyone so much as picked up a hammer. And he was OK, wasn’t he? He’d be OK. Sobs started anew as I imagined a very different scenario, a world without my friend. And I vowed we’d do another safety check before any work recommenced at Cedarwood.

      Kai was staying in a motel the next town over, in a basic room with a tiny kitchenette and small bathroom. There was a double bed, a sofa, and an old box TV on a buffet. I was tucked up on his sofa, phone resting on the arm, waiting for any news about Micah.

      “Thanks for the coffee,” I said. “I should probably go. I don’t want to intrude any more than I have.”

      Just then my phone buzzed, and I answered without looking at the display. “Isla?”

      “Clio! Oh, thank God, are you OK?” My mom’s desperate voice screeched down the line.

      “I’m good, Mom. You heard about the fire I take it?” My voice came out limp. I couldn’t fake it with her today.

      “Yes, why didn’t you call? Are you sure you’re OK?”

      Kai motioned to the door, as if he understood the need to speak privately. I nodded thanks. “I was going to head over to you. I’m with Kai… I’m fine, Mom. I wasn’t close when it broke out. But Micah was. He’s in hospital under observation and so is one of the carpenters. We’re worried about the amount of smoke inhalation at this stage.”

      “Poor Micah. I bet he was the hero, wasn’t he?” Her voice was soft with pride. Mom had always liked him. The Micah effect – everyone did.

      “If it wasn’t for him there’d be no more Cedarwood. I owe him everything. But still, I wish he hadn’t put himself in harm’s way. I’d choose him over property any day of the week.”

      “That place, Clio…”

      “What?”

      “I think you should sell it. Get out, get away before something truly terrible happens.”

      I sighed. “It was an accident, Mom. There’s bound to be accidents, no matter how much we try and prevent them. This was a one-off, an electrical issue that will be investigated to make sure it doesn’t happen again. To advise me to sell seems a bit dramatic. Why do you hate the lodge so much, anyway?” Again, I had that overwhelming feeling it was about more than the bricks and mortar of the place, and right then I was tired of pussyfooting around her.

      “I just don’t like the idea of you in that big, old lodge alone.”

      “I won’t be alone. Eventually I’ll have guests staying in the rooms. You could always sell your cottage and live with me. There’s plenty of room, you know.”

      She gasped as if that idea was preposterous. “That place is hexed, I’m telling you right now.”

      “What, Mom? What do you mean it’s hexed?”

      “Nothing. I didn’t mean to say… that.”

      She was speaking Mom riddles again. “Can we stop sidestepping the real reason for once? Do you have some connection with the lodge I don’t know about?” My mind reeled through possible reasons. The previous owners? “Did you know the woman who lived there? The one whose husband abandoned her and the business?”

      There was a pause. My pulse sped up. Was Mom connected to the former owners? If so, why hadn’t anyone breathed a word of it to me? Evergreen was a small town. Surely something would have got back to me after all these years, unless… it was something they all wanted to forget.

      “No,” she said, her voice tight. “If you’re coming to stay here for the night, I’ll leave the key out. I have to go to bed…”

      “Actually, I think I’d better stay where I am and wait for news. I don’t want to disturb you.” In actual fact, I couldn’t be bothered with Mom and her delicate moods. And I knew she was hiding something and I’d probably push her to breaking point trying to find out what it was.

      “Pass on my love to Micah.”

      Did I imagine it, or was she rushing me off the phone, grateful for the reprieve?

      “Bye, Mom.”

      I turned to Kai, who’d reappeared, frowning.

      “Problem?” he asked.

      I shrugged. “Nothing serious.” It was too soon to confide my suspicions to anyone. Besides, I couldn’t exactly explain it when I had no real information. “I think we should go visit Micah at the hospital. Isla hasn’t called and I’m worried.”

      “Let’s go.” Nothing ruffled Kai. Maybe it was the Australian side of his nature – he was a laid-back, roll-with-the-punches kind of guy. I liked that he was still in control, but moved through life in a fluid, easy-going way.

      At the hospital we found the nursing station and asked about Micah and Joe. With a smile, the young nurse pointed us to a room further along the corridor with assurances that Joe had been discharged and was totally fine, and that Micah was being observed overnight and would likely be discharged first thing in the morning. Relief flooded me, and I pulled Kai forward, counting room numbers.

      We came to a single room, with the sound of a TV blaring some cops and robbers show. I was about to knock when I saw them and wrenched my hand back. Isla was on the small bed next to Micah, running the pad of her finger along his jawline, before kissing him softly on the lips and then murmuring quietly to him as he closed his eyes.

      I nudged Kai, who stood behind me, and moved out of sight. Kai grinned, lacing his hand through mine to pull me away. Once we were out of earshot Kai said, “I think Micah is totally fine. And in good hands.” He waggled his eyebrows just like Micah would do. My heart just about exploded with so many feelings – relief, awe, happiness… and hope that my two friends had opened their hearts to one another.

      “Let’s get out of here,” I whispered, wanting to dance down the hushed, antiseptic-scented corridor. Micah deserved to tumble into love with someone gorgeous, bubbly and free-spirited like Isla.

      “The night is young. Should we get a bottle of wine and head to the lake at Cedarwood?”

      I gasped. “The lake? Are you crazy? It’ll be freezing!”

      He shrugged. “We’ll take a couple of blankets. When’s the last time you switched off your phone, lay on your back and counted stars?”

      “Counted