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I draw an imaginary circle around the area. “Vix thought The Nook would go there.” I pause. “I’ve an idea. Why don’t I get Emma and Carter to come in to talk about the arches?”

“Good idea,” Bear says, so I pop into the café, then the museum, and call them both in for a few minutes.

“Morning.” Vix gives a little nervous smile as they join us in the centre of the shop. “We won’t keep you long. Bear’s here to talk about renovations, and we thought we’d have a quick chat about our idea of reinstating the archways between us.”

“I was saying,” Bear continues, “You’d probably need council approval, but after that I think it would be relatively easy.”

“I love the idea,” Emma says. “The only thing I worry about is the smell of cooking filtering through into the bookshop and museum.”

“I’d pay for the smell of your cinnamon scrolls,” Carter jokes. “You should bottle it. It would make a fortune. Anyway, doesn’t bother me at all. I think it’s a selling point, if anything.”

“Me too,” Vix says. “I just so love the idea of a book café.”

“What about the problem of getting food and drink on the books?” Emma asks.

“Have some notices asking customers only to read books they’ve already bought,” I suggest.

“Of course,” Vix says. “Makes sense.”

“What about you?” Bear asks Carter. “Do you like the idea of putting the archway back through to the museum?”

“I do.” He walks over and looks at the wall, then turns to Vix. “You could have an historical section here leading into the museum.”

Her eyes widen. “With ships and wakas painted on the floor to show the journeys that people have made over the centuries.”

“Oh yes, and they could continue through the doorway, carrying visitors into the museum, and vice versa.”

We all look at each other, smiling at the thought of what it might look like.

“Right,” Bear says. “I’ll draw up a cost for the renovations and split the cost of reinstating each archway between the three businesses, okay?”

Carter and Emma agree, and they return to their shops. Vix goes back to book sorting, and I take Bear upstairs to ask him about replacing the bathroom suite. He takes some measurements and promises to give me a quote.

“What about the timing of all this?” I ask Bear.

December is one of the busiest months in New Zealand, as everyone tries to get tasks finished before Christmas and the long summer holiday, and it’s always hard to book tradesmen at this time of year.

“You’re in luck,” he says. “We’ve had a cancellation, so I can spare Leo and Ewan to do the kitchen and bathroom before Christmas, and then I’ll book the shop renovations for the second or third week in January, after we get the approval from the council.”

“Oh, terrific!” I’m thrilled to think it means Vix should be able to move in after Christmas.

He gives me an appraising look. “Have you decided what you’re going to do yet?”

Last night, under the influence of alcohol, I admitted to all the guys that Rudolph offered me a job. I explained that it was just maternity cover, and that I couldn’t give up a secure job for a girl, then promptly spent two hours talking about her.

I shove my hands in my pockets. “No. I mean… I’m crazy about her. But I’d have nowhere to live. And a temporary job. It feels like such a huge risk.”

“She likes you though, right?”

“Oh yeah, and I adore her. But it’s tough, you know? Jayden was my best friend. I was best man at his wedding. And this is such a small community. I don’t know what people will think if I make a move on his wife. She insists the marriage is over, but he is Millie’s father, when it comes down to it.”

Bear shrugs. “Well, first, if you did move up here, you can come and stay with me for a bit, if you like, until you find yourself a place. I’ve got a spare room.”

“Wow.” I’m genuinely touched. “Thank you.”

“And secondly, mate, everyone’s seen the way you look at Vix since the day you met her.”

I blink. “What?”