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“I’m sure they’ll be able to work things out. Maybe not right away. But if her mother is that invested in her daughter’s wedding, there’s bound to be love there and hopefully understanding.”

“I hope you’re right.” There was some doubt in Leah’s voice.

He had a feeling there was something more to her doubt—maybe some personal experience. He wanted to ask—he wanted to know more about her—he wanted to know everything about her. But he tamped down that desire.

“With Martha and Henry having headed up to their room,” he said, “That leaves just you and me.”

“And Mochi.” Leah smiled.

“Oh, yes. How could I forget her?”

Leah wrapped a blue cardigan around herself as though she was chilled. “I told them if it got too cold to come back down here, and we’d set up some makeshift beds. They insisted on going up so I gave them a couple extra blankets.”

He gestured to the arm chair next to his. “Why don’t you come sit down and warm up?”

“I would offer you some hot chocolate, if I could make some.”

His gaze moved from her to the fireplace and back again. “How about you get the cocoa and I’ll make it hot?”

Her eyes widened. “You’re going to warm it over the fire?” When he nodded, she shook her head. “I don’t think so. It’s not safe.”

“It’ll be fine.” When she opened her mouth to argue with him, he said, “Trust me.”

She looked hesitant, but then she got to her feet. “I’ll be right back.”

Mochi raised her head, as though wondering what was going on. When she noticed Leah walking away, she got to her feet. Her gaze swung from Leah to him. There was a question that shone in her eyes.

“It’s okay, Mochi. You can go with her.”

As though the pup understood exactly what he’d said, Mochi trotted after Leah. He smiled and shook his head. All of those families that had passed by her didn’t know what an awesome dog they were missing out on. Sure she had a disability that would worsen as she aged, but there was so much more to her than a disfigured hip joint.

A couple of minutes later, Leah returned with Mochi trotting right behind her. Leah was holding two mugs that had snowmen pictured on them. “Here you go. And...” After she put the mugs on the end table, she reached under her arm and pulled out an oven mitten. She shoved it toward him. “Here. Use this.”

His gaze moved to the oven mitt, and then he shook his head. “I can’t.”

She sat down and Mochi climbed on the couch next to her. “But I insist. I can’t let you get burned.”

“First, I can’t hold the mug with that on my hand. And second, I have no intention of sticking my hand or the mug into the fire.”

“Then how are you going to warm the cocoa?”

“I planned to hold a small saucepan over the fire and then pour it into the mugs.”

Her eyes widened. “Oh. I didn’t realize.” She jumped to her feet so quickly that Mochi got to her feet and barked. The dog glanced around as though checking to see what was wrong. “It’s okay, Mochi.” Leah's gaze returned to Shaun. “I’ll be right back.” She grabbed the mugs and rushed back to the kitchen. He smiled as he watched her go.

In no time, she returned with a little saucepan. “Here you go. And make sure you use the oven mitt.”

When she arched a brow at him, he couldn’t help but smile. “Yes, Mom.”

“Hey...”

He grinned as he made a production of putting on the oven mitt. He then waved it in front of her face.

“Okay. Okay,” she said. “Any time now you can warm the cocoa?”

He picked up the pan and moved to the fireplace. It didn’t take that long. He had to admit that she had a good idea. Even though there was the warmth from the fireplace, there was still a coldness about the inn. The hot cocoa would warm them from the inside out.

After he poured the now-warmed creamy chocolate into the mugs, he handed her one. “I bet that’s the first time you’ve had cocoa warmed over a fire.”