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“Speaking of staying busy,” Imogen said, settling onto a stool behind the counter while Katie returned to whatever project had been occupying her attention, “what had you out walking in this weather? It’s got to be twenty degrees out there.”

Henry sighed. “Finally admitting defeat and hiring some help for the holiday rush. I was putting some fliers up around town with a job posting.”

“Oh?” Imogen had a thoughtful look on her face. “You know, if you bring me one, I’d be happy to put it in my front window. I get a lot of foot traffic this time of year—might help you find someone good.”

“That’s very kind of you,” Henry said, touched by the offer. “I’ll drop one by tomorrow.”

As he sipped his hot chocolate, Henry found himself studying Imogen’s face. There was something different about her today, he thought, something brighter than usual. She seemed to have a glow about her that was more than just her usual cheery disposition.

“You know,” he said carefully, “you seem particularly… radiant today. Is there something special going on?”

Imogen’s cheeks flushed pink, and she busied herself with wiping down the already spotless counter. “Oh, it’s probably just the joy of the Christmas season,” she said with a smile. “I feel especially lucky this year, I think, with Lincoln in my and Katie’s life now. This is our first year celebrating the whole season together.”

Henry gave her a knowing smile. He’d heard all about Lincoln and Imogen’s romance last Christmas, something that a lot of the town had thought was a long time coming. Like everyone else in Fir Tree Grove, he knew her history with Lincoln Blackwell, who owned and operated the town’s ice-skating rink. They’d been high school sweethearts once, sixteen or so years ago, before they’d graduated and life had taken them in different directions.

Lincoln had left Fir Tree Grove in a bid to become a professional hockey player, and Imogen had gone to college. Lincoln had come home to Fir Tree Grove a few years back, and by then Imogen had Katie, whose father had taken off when she was just a baby.

Neither of them had seen a rekindling of their relationship in the future, but they’d been good friends despite their past. A lot of the town thought there was still something there though, including Imogen’s best friend Vanessa Hayes, and Vanessa’s grandmother Mabel Stewart. Vanessa and Mabel had conspired to push the two together last Christmas, and while there had been some definite flaws and missteps in their plan, in the end, it had worked.

Lincoln and Imogen had ended up rekindling their romance, and they’d been together for nearly an entire year. Everyone thought they were adorable, and privately Henry was glad they’d given each other a second chance. He, like a lot of others, thought they were great for each other.

Looking at her now, glowing with barely suppressed joy, Henry suspected that their relationship might have taken a more serious turn. The thought filled him with a bittersweet mixture of happiness for his friend and a sharp pang of loneliness for his own situation.

He remembered what it felt like to be in love during the Christmas season, how every twinkling light and snow-covered tree seemed to take on special significance when you had someone to share it with. Daisy had loved the holidays with an enthusiasm that bordered on obsession, all the way from October to New Year’s Day. She’d made their house a haven for friends and neighbors, hosting cookie exchanges and carol parties, making their home a beacon of festivity for the entire season.

The first Christmas without her had been brutal, and every Christmas since had been lonely. He threw himself into making others’ Christmases the best they could be since he no longer had Daisy to do it for, and the familiar routine of wiring and repairing and hanging lights gave him a structure that kept him sane.

He’d found a kind of peace with his holiday routine, but his heart still ached every Christmas that he had to spend alone. Seeing the happiness in Imogen’s face warmed him, but it also reminded him of everything he no longer had.

“Well,” he said, draining the last of his hot chocolate and setting the mug carefully on the counter, “whatever the reason, it looks good on you. Thanks for the hot chocolate and the warm-up. This was exactly what I needed.”

“Anytime,” Imogen said, and Henry could tell she meant it. “And Henry? I hope you find someone wonderful to help you this season. The town wouldn’t be the same without your Christmas magic.”

He smiled at her as he headed out, grateful for the friends and neighbors that he had. They made sure that he still had love and joy in his life, even if it wasn’t what it once was.

Despite everything, he knew he was still a lucky man. And he hoped he’d find someone he could work with to help with the business, so he could continue to spread joy during the season.

CHAPTER THREE

Nicole stood in the center of her living room, surrounded by cardboard boxes and packing tape, hardly able to believe that she’d managed to dismantle a lifetime in her house within the space of a week.

She wasn’t taking everything with her—she’d rented a storage unit for some of the larger items and things that she wasn’t quite ready to part with but wasn’t sure she wanted to drag along with her, and she’d made a number of donation trips in the last few days. But still, the house that had not that long ago been an extension of her personality, years and years of memories and decorations, was now just… a house. It still had the well-worn feeling of the place that had been her home for so long, but seeing it reduced to boxes felt strange.

It seemed almost absurd how quickly a life could be reduced to what was most valuable to her, how easily decades could be sorted into categories: keep, donate, store.

She’d always prided herself on being decisive, on her ability to assess a situation and take action without getting bogged down in endless deliberation. It had served her well at work, made her an invaluable employee… until she wasn’t. Or at least, not invaluable enough to keep from being replaced on a new partner’s say-so.

She didn’t second-guess herself or go through an endless loop of decision-making. So, faced with the wreckage of her personal and professional life, she’d felt the need to take swift and decisive action.

The divorce papers were signed. No use in discussing or arguing about it now, Carl had clearly had his time to think and decided he didn’t want to be married any longer. She didn’t have a job—she could have stayed at Shipley another week, but she didn’t see the point when all she was doing was watching a ticking clock and doing work that she’d never see the fruit of. Leonard had given her the promised severance package, and it was a tidy sum sitting in her bank account now, enough to give her some time to move on with her life.

Those two things might not have been enough to convince her that she needed to pull up her roots and make a fresh start. But then her daughter, Amy, had called to put the final nail in the coffin of Nicole’s Christmas plans. She was studying in England currently, and had met someone. She wanted to meet his parents over Christmas break, and had pleaded with her mother to understand and not be upset.

“It’s fine,” Nicole had told her, surprised by how steady her voice sounded even as her heart sank. “I understand. Maybe we can FaceTime sometime? I’d like to meet him too, even if it’s just over a video call.”

Amy had loved that idea, thrilled that her mom hadn’t seemed too upset by her desire to stay in England over Christmas. And Nicole understood—she didn’t think it was just the boyfriend that made Amy want to stay. She’d had plenty of Christmases in her hometown, getting to spend the holidays overseas would be a completely new experience. She didn’t begrudge her daughter that, but it had been the final piece that had clicked into place and told her that she needed a change.

With Amy not coming home, there was no reason to stay. She’d chatted with her daughter a little while longer, being the supportive mother Amy needed her to be. Only after they’d hung up did she allow herself to acknowledge the crushing weight of spending Christmas completely alone for the first time in her adult life.