A Magical Christmas. Elizabeth Rolls

Suddenly, it felt difficult to speak. “He’s in my heart so wherever I go, he comes with me.”

      “Oh, Bren, don’t say things like that.” Kayla’s eyes filled, and she lifted her hand to her mouth. “You’re making me cry, and I never cry. You are not moving away. You can’t! Don’t even think of it. You’re an essential part of the team.”

      “Yes, without you, Kayla would turn into a lazy sloth.” Élise’s eyes were a little brighter than usual. “She needs you to help her keep that tight butt of hers. Without you, she’d sit at a desk all day.”

      “Crap.” Kayla brushed her cheeks with the palm of her hand and sniffed. “Promise me you won’t do anything rash. Somehow we’ll fix this.”

      Knowing Kayla’s formidable abilities to make things happen, Brenna came close to a smile. “Thanks, but even you can’t fix this.”

      “Tyler hasn’t started seeing anyone yet. It might not happen.”

      “It’s going to happen. He’s been putting his own needs second because of Jess, but if she’s encouraging him, then it’s going to happen. He’s gorgeous. Women are all over him.” She’d had to watch it her whole life. The way they looked at him. The lengths they went to get his attention. “I’m being stupid and pathetic. Ignore me. I’m tired. In fact, I think I’m going to skip the rest of our workout this morning.” She stooped and picked up her bag as Kayla exchanged looks with Élise.

      “But you never skip our workouts. Never. You always say there isn’t a single thing in life that exercise can’t help with.”

      “It can’t help with this. I need to get going and organize today’s lessons. I’ll see you later.”

      There was no solution; she knew that.

      She could move away, she could take another job on the other side of the world, but how did she get Tyler out of her heart?

      KAYLA WAITED UNTIL the door closed behind Brenna and then breathed out heavily. “Look at me! I’m a mess.”

      Élise looked. “C’est vrai. You are a mess. I thought you were a cool Brit who never cried. Your eyes are the color of tomato salsa. Or maybe purée.”

      “Why does everything in your life have to have a culinary reference?” Kayla selected the camera app on her phone and checked her reflection. “Crap, you’re right. I’m never wearing makeup to have a conversation with Brenna again.”

      “I have never seen her this emotional. She is a very calm, controlled person. It is the first time she has ever admitted her feelings.”

      Kayla slid her phone in her bag. “It must be hell being in love with a man who isn’t interested. And when she said that bit about him being in her heart—” Her eyes filled again, and Élise glared at her in frustration.

      “Merde, j’en ai assez, enough! What use is all this howling and sobbing? We need a plan.” She muttered something in French and spread out a yoga mat. “And he’s interested.”

      Kayla sniffed. “I must admit I thought so, too. Did you see the way he took over in that meeting when Jackson suggested she go and teach in the school? I almost melted on the spot. The man would slay a dragon for her, and she can’t see it.”

      “Mmm.” Élise looked thoughtful. “Fillet of dragon, dragon burger—”

      “Stop thinking about food for five minutes! What I’m saying is that he is so protective, and he isn’t like that with anyone else. When I fell over on the ice the other day, he laughed and stepped over me, so why doesn’t he do something? Why hasn’t he made a move? He isn’t shy with women.”

      “I don’t know why.” Élise twisted her body into a shape that could have been yoga or Pilates. “I don’t claim to understand the way a man’s brain works. Other parts, yes. But not the brain.”

      “Maybe he doesn’t see her like that. He grew up with her. She’s like a guy to him.”

      “No one could see Brenna as a guy.” Élise changed her position and stretched her limbs. “Perhaps it is lack of opportunity.”

      “They see each other all the time. They have plenty of opportunity.” Kayla tilted her head to one side as she watched her friend. “Am I going to have to call the fire service to get you out of that position? How can you even do that?”

      “I did ballet for a while. And they see each other at work, not at any other time.”

      “That isn’t true. They had a drink together the other night.”

      “How do you know?”

      “Because I saw them walking toward Forest Lodge. He had his arm around her shoulder and they were laughing.” She raised her eyebrows as Élise sank elegantly into the splits. “I am not winching you out of that position.”

      “He had his arm around her?”

      “Yes. But it was more friendly than loverlike.”

      “It must be very hard for Brenna.” Élise leaned forward, elegant and supple. “You’re right. That would have been the perfect opportunity to make a move.”

      “Which suggests you’re wrong and she’s right. He isn’t interested.”

      “Or that he is holding back.”

      Kayla pondered. “If that’s the case, then he needs to be pushed outside his comfort zone. They need time together. At least then we’d find out one way or another.”

      “D’accord. I’m so over this will-they-won’t-they crap. It’s blowing my brain.”

      “But how do we engineer that at the beginning of the busiest season we’ve had for years? They’ll be lucky to meet in passing on the ski slope.”

      “I am a chef, not Cupid. And I am not good with the indirect approach you all seem to use. If I were Brenna, I would simply say, ‘Tyler, all my life I find you very hot and now I’d like to have sex with you. Yes or no?’”

      Kayla grinned. “Is that what you did with Sean?”

      “No, with Sean I didn’t ask. I took what I wanted.” She stretched her arms above her head. “I ripped his clothes off, and he ripped mine right back.”

      “There is no way Brenna would ever do that. Nor would she tell Tyler she finds him hot and wants to have sex. She’s pretty shy about that sort of thing. And traditional. If anything is ever going to happen between them, he needs to make the first move.” She watched in fascination as Élise raised her legs up slowly and lowered them again. “We need a plan.”

      “Brenna will not thank you if you interfere.”

      “I don’t want thanks, and I will interfere gently. She won’t know.”

      Élise stood up in a graceful movement. “Me, I still prefer the direct approach, but we’ll try it your way first. Now stop watching me and do some exercise yourself.”

      BRENNA SAT IN BED high on the shelf of Forest Lodge, her hands curved around a mug of herbal tea. Her alarm wasn’t due to go off for another hour, but she’d lain awake for half the night, thinking about Tyler.

      Forest Lodge had a luxurious bedroom on the floor below, complete with bathroom and a private hot tub outside the door, but she chose to sleep up on the mezzanine floor because she loved the view. She lay snug in the bed, looking through acres of glass to the forest beyond. It was like living in a tree house, the view more breathtaking than anything an artist could produce with oils and canvas.

      It was still dark outside, but the snow was luminous in the moonlight and she could see the forest smothered in another deep coating of winter-white. It draped itself over the trees in extravagant folds, blunting sharp lines, the weight of it causing branches to droop.

      Who