Maya was sure she’d done the right thing, inviting Alastair, when he used the motley selection of ingredients they’d brought to whip up a feast of the best pasta she’d ever eaten. If they had to survive on all that spaghetti in the pantry, they’d be just fine.
They all sat around the great room with plates on their laps. Maggie didn’t want to leave Kelsey alone, and Cara didn’t want to leave Maggie alone, and so they just all stayed together, eating quietly in the warmth of the magnificent cast-iron woodstove. Night had fallen early, as it did this time of year, so close to the winter solstice.
It already smelled like Christmas in the lodge. Spruce boughs tied with red velvet bows were draped over doorways, and a pot of spiced apple cider simmered on the woodstove. Kelsey had done a wond
