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“I’ve decided to stay in Fir Tree Grove. I’m going to finish out my month at the B&B, and then rent a little place if the old house hasn’t sold yet. Once it sells, I’ll look for something to buy here.” Nicole paused. “I hope you’ll come visit me soon, when you have another break. I think you’ll see how charming it is here and understand completely.”

There was a long pause on the other end. “Staying? As in… moving there? For real?”

“For real,” Nicole confirmed, and saying the words out loud made them feel even more solid. “I love it here. I love the town, I love the people I’ve met here. And I’m even thinking about opening my own shop eventually—a place where I can sell my knitted goods and maybe teach classes. I’m selling at the holiday market today, and I’m really excited about it.”

“Wow.” Amy paused on the other end. “That’s… that’s a big decision, Mom. A really big decision. Are you sure this is a good move? I mean, it’s a lot of changes all at once. Are you sure you’re not just running away? Like… having a crisis or something?”

Nicole chuckled under her breath. She’d expected the question—after all, she’d asked herself the same thing more than once. “I’ve thought about that a lot,” she says slowly. “But I’m not running away. I’m finding a place I want to stay. Your father decided that he didn’t want our life any longer. You have your own now, you’re all grown up and don’t need me as much. It’s time I figured out what I want for the rest of mine, and try to do things that I always wanted to do but didn’t before.”

“Okay,” Amy said slowly. “And what about work? Are you still working for that handyman? Electrician, or whatever?”

“Henry,” Nicole said, and she couldn’t keep the smile out of her voice. “His name is Henry. And yes, I’m still working for him. But Amy, it’s more than that now.” She took a steadying breath. She had a feeling this was going to be the most difficult part of the conversation.

“More than that how?” Amy asked sharply. “Mom, you’re just getting divorced⁠—”

“I know.” Nicole paused, trying to find the right words. “We’re taking things slow. It’s new, but it’s real. He’s kind and patient and he makes me laugh. He believes in me. He sees potential in me that I didn’t even see in myself.”

“You’re dating your boss?” Amy’s voice rose slightly. “Mom, is that wise? What if it doesn’t work out? What if⁠—”

“Amy,” Nicole interrupted gently. “I know you’re worried about me. I know this all sounds sudden and maybe a little reckless. But I need you to trust that I know what I’m doing. For the first time in a very long time, I feel like I’m making decisions based on what I want, not on what’s safe or expected or practical.”

There was another pause, and then Amy sighed. “Is this really what you want? Honestly?”

The question could have made Nicole doubt herself, but it only solidified her answer even more. She looked out the window at Fir Tree Grove, at the town square where volunteers were already setting up for the holiday market, at Main Street where shop owners were hanging fresh wreaths on their doors. She thought about Henry’s smile, about the way he’d looked at her when she’d given him the hat, about the feeling of his arms around her and his lips on hers.

Nicole smiled, feeling certainty wash over her with a warm glow. “I’m sure,” she said. “I’m completely sure, Amy. This is what I want.”

Amy let out a breath on the other end. “Okay, Mom,” she said finally. “You’ll have to show me around when I can come visit, then. Maybe I’ll get it once I see this place.”

“I think you will,” Nicole said confidently. She hadn’t expected Amy to understand right away, but her daughter seemed to have come to a middle ground of resignation, at least, and she could work with that. “I have to go, I need to get set up for the market. But I’ll call you soon.”

As she hung up, she glanced at the clock. The holiday market would begin in just a few hours, and Henry would be arriving soon to escort her there. Nicole felt a flutter of excitement mixed with nervousness at the thought of finally letting others see her work… and offering it for sale, on top of that.

She was just finishing her makeup when she heard a knock on her door. Nicole opened it to find Henry standing in the hallway, wearing the forest green beanie she’d made him along with a warm jacket and a smile that made her heart skip.

“Ready for your big day?” Henry asked, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Nicole said, grabbing her coat and the large bag containing last-minute supplies for her booth. “I’m nervous and excited all at once.”

“That’s the perfect combination,” Henry said, taking the bag from her and offering his arm. “And I have to warn you—I may have taken a few liberties with your booth setup. I put a few special touches on it that I think you’ll like.”

“Special touches?” Nicole asked, intrigued, as they made their way down the stairs and out into the cold morning.

“You’ll see,” Henry said mysteriously, and the way his eyes sparkled made Nicole even more curious.

They headed out together, walking toward the town square where Nicole could hear the excited chatter of vendors and volunteers preparing for the afternoon’s festivities. As she walked beside Henry, her hand tucked into the crook of his arm, Nicole felt that peace settle over her again. This was right. This was where she belonged.

* * *

Henry couldn’t remember the last time he’d been this happy to simply walk beside someone. As he escorted Nicole toward the town square, he found himself stealing glances at her face, watching the way her eyes lit up as they drew closer to the market setup, the way she bit her lip with nervous excitement.

He was excited to be the one introducing her to this event that meant so much to Fir Tree Grove. The annual holiday market was something special, and sharing it with Nicole felt like giving her a piece of his heart.

The town square had been transformed overnight into a winter wonderland. Wooden booths had been erected all around the square, with varying decorations depending on who the booth belonged to. Strings of lights crisscrossed overhead, ready to illuminate it as soon as the sun set. In the center of the square stood the enormous Christmas tree that the town council had erected the week before, decorated with thousands of twinkling lights and topped with a wire, lighted golden star.

The air was filled with the most wonderful aromas—cinnamon and nutmeg from the bakery that was already setting up, the rich scent of hot chocolate from Imogen’s booth, the woodsy smell of fresh pine boughs that vendors were using to decorate their booths. Somewhere, someone was roasting chestnuts, and the sweet, smoky scent mingled with everything else to create an atmosphere that was purely, perfectly Christmas.

“Oh, Henry,” Nicole breathed, stopping in her tracks to take it all in. “It’s beautiful.”