Epilogue

Robyn

“Oh that’s great news. The best. Congratulations!” Laughing into the phone, Robyn intercepted Erik’s quizzical look and waved him away. “Are you feeling well?… Mm… Good… Oh no, that won’t be a problem… Yes, I’m sure, but Erik and I can take Holly to give you a rest… Definitely not. Erik will meet you at the airport… A favor? Of course! Ask me anything.” She listened to Christy’s request and felt her heart swell. “I’d love that. I’ll try and make it happen, although I’ll need to talk to Erik, obviously…”

When she eventually got off the call, Erik put a cup of coffee in front of her and waited.

He was, she decided, the most patient man in the universe.

“That was Christy.”

“I gathered.” He made his own coffee and put it on the table. “Are you going to tell me, or am I going to have to ask?”

“She’s pregnant.”

Erik bent down to rub Suka behind the ears. “Do they have time for another one? Not that I’m an expert, but keeping Holly out of trouble seemed like a full-time job for at least two people.”

“They’ll manage. People do. And Holly will make a great big sister.” Robyn thought of Elizabeth and felt a pang. “Hopefully she’ll have a friend for life.”

“And what did you need to talk to me about?”

“She wants us to go over and stay in August when the baby is born. I can help her out and take care of Holly.” She gazed out the window at the snow-covered landscape and imagined an English village at the height of summer. Roses blooming around doorways, lawns neatly mowed and flower borders exploding with color. Christy and Seb’s cottage, with its thatched roof and quirky charm.

“And do you want to go?”

She hadn’t been back in a long time. Not since the exhibition. “There was never a reason, and now there’s a reason. But there’s also this place, and all the work, and—”

“And there’s family.” Erik settled himself at the table. “Which is the most important thing. And talking of family, my nieces can help out here. My sister, too, if it comes to that. They’ll love it. And depending on how busy we are, maybe I can join you for a week. They’re not planning on moving?”

“No. Christy seems to have settled down in the cottage, and since Seb got his new job and can work from home some of the time, they’re enjoying village life more than they thought.”

“Well, that’s good for me, because you’ll tempt me to the country faster than the city.” Erik stirred his coffee slowly. “But they’re still coming for Christmas?”

“Yes. And Alix and Zac have confirmed that they are coming, too. Oh Erik—” it almost felt like too much “—I’m excited to see them again. I can’t wait.”

“Alix and Zac.” Erik put the spoon down. “Are they together?”

“What do you mean, together?”

“Well, last time they weren’t together, were they? It seems I misunderstood that conversation with Christy. They weren’t a couple at the beginning.”

“But they were a couple by the time they left.” Robyn picked up her coffee and joined him at the table. “All of which means you’re a smart matchmaker.”

Erik gave a grunt. “I think it means I don’t understand women. Apparently there is more than one meaning for together, and I never knew that.”

“Christy says they’ve been seeing each other all year. Alix has moved her things into Zac’s apartment,” Robyn said and frowned, “although I’m not sure I’m supposed to officially know that. Don’t say anything, will you? She’s not one to settle down, from what I can gather.”

“The chances of me remembering a detail like who is living in whose apartment are zero.” He drank his coffee. “And you weren’t one to settle down, either. But people change, don’t they?”

And thank goodness for that, she thought. What would her life be like now if she hadn’t traveled north and met Erik? She couldn’t imagine living anywhere other than this beautiful frozen wonderland that offered the gift of nature on a daily basis. She couldn’t imagine living without the forest, the snow, the dogs and the northern lights.

“We’ll give them the same cabins they had last time, because that seemed to work out. We need to think what we can buy Holly for Christmas. I’ll talk to Christy.”

“No need for that.” Erik finished his coffee and stood up. “I’ve been working on something that I think she’ll like. Started it the moment they left.”

“Does this mean you’re finally going to show me what you’ve been doing in there for the past six weeks?”

Intrigued, she followed him to the workshop that he also used to store wood and all the tools he needed to maintain the cabins. In the center of the room was a traditional toboggan, the wood sleek and polished, the seat padded.

“Oh Erik.” She took a closer look, stunned by the craftsmanship. “This is for Holly?”

“I heard her say she was going to ask Santa for it.” He rubbed his hand over his jaw. “I thought I’d better give Santa a hand.”

“She’s going to love it. How did you make the wood curl at the front?”

“Steam. It’s got some flex in it.” He showed her, gliding his palm over the wood, and she felt a rush of admiration and pride.

“You could make these.”

“I did make this.”

“I mean, you could make more of them. You love working with wood. Why not do more of it?”

“Looks as if I’ll already have to start making another if there’s going to be a little sister or brother.” He reached down to rub Suka behind the ears. “I thought it was something Holly could keep here. We can store it for her. It’s something you can do with her. Something she doesn’t do with anyone else. A family-bonding activity that’s for Holly and Aunt Robyn.”

He’d thought about her. He’d done everything he could to bring her closer to the family she’d lost. He knew how much she’d missed that and how much it meant to her.

Her throat thickened. The future seemed rich and full. Exciting. “It’s perfect.”

She imagined how their lives might look in years to come. Christy, Seb and Holly would come every Christmas. Hopefully Alix and Zac, too. And next time there would be a new addition to the family. A baby would be too young to take out into the bitter cold of the Lapland winter, so Robyn would babysit. Christy had made it clear she was part of their lives now. She’d support, and she’d be there no matter what.

She hadn’t managed to do that with her sister, but she could do that with her sister’s daughter.

And she knew Elizabeth would have approved.