A couple more weeks passed, and things did start to get easier for Lori. The pain hadn’t completely gone, but it was blunted. Thoughts of Rob no longer left her breathless. The divorce was underway and Lori had officially gone back to her maiden name. Rob was selling their house, so she’d soon be the recipient of a good amount of money. She’d started planning her dream cabin in her head, but she wasn’t in any rush to move, and Andrea was very glad to have her stay in her cabin.

Lori got introduced to Lauren, who had a six-month old daughter Willow. Lauren was a force of nature – so full of life, and always cracking sarcastic jokes. Her daughter was beautiful. She had honey-toned skin, a few shades lighter than her mother’s, long, black eyelashes, and huge curious eyes. Lori also met Dina at the baby shower for her new-born son. Dina was a lovely woman – strong, yet gentle – and her baby, Hayden, was the image of his father, Logan. Lori loved getting together with them and chatting about their babies. It was an experience she’d longed to have when Nancy was a newborn. Lauren and Dina asked her for advice, while Nancy crawled around the place, getting into mischief. She was just about on the point of walking, which meant she was on the point of pulling herself up, using furniture to hold on to, and then usually falling over backwards when her little legs gave way. She’d become more lively since they’d been in Hope Valley, and Lori could see that it was doing her good to be surrounded by lots of people. She wondered if she’d turn out to be very chatty and extroverted.

Meanwhile, Kristin’s belly was getting quite big now. She was six months pregnant, and very impatient to have the baby. Her partner, Roman, was devoted to her, taking care of her every need. It was lovely to see how Kristin had achieved her ambitions of being a journalist for the Hope Valley Echo. Lori remembered her being the editor of the high school paper, and thinking she was really grown-up and cool. Being pregnant didn’t seem to be hampering Kristin’s work either. She was always rushing around like a whirlwind, going from one interview to another.

Melissa was the only one who wasn’t either pregnant or a new mom. Lori vaguely remembered her from her teens too. She’d been Kristin’s best friend at college, and then she’d moved to Hope Valley when she finished school. She'd met and married a guy pretty quickly, and Lori had left shortly after that. Melissa explained how she’d been pregnant and given birth, but the baby was stillborn. And then her marriage had broken up. But, luckily, she'd met Dr Harley – whose first name was actually Harley – a few months ago, and they'd known instantly that they were meant for each other. They'd have kids some day, but for now, they just wanted to enjoy spending time together. It helped Lori a lot to speak to her. Melissa had lost her baby; Lori had just lost her good-for-nothing husband. Suddenly, it put everything into perspective. She hadn't lost anything; she’d just cast off the parts of her life that she didn't need in the first place. And so, she took several more steps in the healing process.

* * *

One night, Lori was having a girls’ night in with Andrea, Kristin, Melissa, Dina and Lauren. All the men were taking care of the babies, while the girls were hanging out, chatting, doing their nails, eating chocolate, and drinking Melissa’s legendary mocktails. Lori was very touched that Magnus had volunteered to take care of Nancy. He was hanging out with Lauren’s partner, Connor, so the more experienced guy could give him some help if necessary.

“Guess what’s happening next week!” Melissa said as she handed Lori a Shirley Temple.

“What?” Lori replied.

“Only the Hope Valley spring ball! It's one of the best events in the town’s annual calendar.”

“Oh yeah. I think I remember my mom and dad going, back in the day.”

“It's really fun. Everyone in the town attends. It's a good opportunity to dress up and meet new people. And there are always lots of eligible bachelors there!”

“If there's one thing that Hope Valley’s not short of, it's good looking men!” Lauren said with a cackle. Lori smiled, then pressed her lips together. The girls had been dropping hints about her meeting some men. But she didn't feel at all ready. She'd only been divorced for a month, and Nancy was only a year old.

“Hey, you don't have to meet guys there. It's just a good opportunity to see who’s out there, so you know that there are plenty of opportunities when you are ready,” Dina said, picking up on her expression.

“I just feel like it's a little early,” she admitted. “But like you say, there's nothing wrong with a little eye candy!”

“That’s the spirit,” Lauren said, raising her mocktail. Everyone clinked glasses with her.

“So is it quite dressy?” Lori asked.

“You'd better believe it, girlfriend!” Lauren said.

“Oh. I have nothing to wear. I don't think I've worn a nice dress – well, since my wedding, to be honest.”

“We're going to change that right away! What are you doing next Saturday?” Lauren said. Lori shrugged. She was too shy to ask anyone to look after Nancy for her. “Nothing? Good! We’ll ask Connor to look after Willow and Nancy, and we’re all going out dress shopping. How about it?”

“Umm,” Lori mumbled. The truth was that she hated shopping for clothes. Hated changing room lights, and the way nothing ever fit her right.

“We hate clothes shopping too, don’t worry,” Melissa broke in. “But there are a few boutiques in Hope Valley that cater to curvy girls, and we mix the shopping up with fun stuff, like lunch and going for coffee.”

“Ok, thanks. That sounds great,” Lori said.

* * *

The girls were right: shopping could be fun when you were with your best friends. By early evening on the following Saturday, Lori’s feet were killing her from all the walking they’d done that day, and she was the happy owner of a cobalt blue crepe dress. It had a floaty neckline and was loose over her bust, then it cinched in at the waist, before flowing into an unstructured skirt. It was beautiful. It made her look taller and way slimmer than she was.

“You look great, little sis,” Andrea said, looking at her admiringly. “It really enhances the color of your eyes.”

When they got home, Magnus was out, and when Andrea called him to find out where he was, they were surprised to discover that he was hanging out with Connor.

“I’m just getting some parenthood practice,” he said with a shrug, when he came back home with Nancy in his arms. He was trying to teach her to ride on his back, while he crawled around the floor on his hands and knees, but she wouldn’t cling on tight enough and she kept slipping off, and collapsing in giggles as he caught her and tickled her. He was just too adorable. Andrea’s eyes were full of light as she watched him, looking forward to the moment when he became a father himself.

“Don’t worry, you’ll find a guy one day. When the time is right for you,” she said to Lori, catching the look of sadness in her eyes. “I’m absolutely sure of it.” Lori smiled at her, but didn’t say anything. She didn’t think she’d ever find another guy, but that was ok with her. As long as she had Nancy, that was all that mattered.

* * *

The Saturday after, the day of the ball came. It was late spring, almost summer, and it was already warm enough to go out without a jacket. The sky was cloudless, and the sun was shining, and all the girls were getting ready excitedly. There was a nursery at the ball, and everyone had agreed to take turns watching the kids there.

Lori got dressed and applied her make up. Then she appraised herself in front of the mirror. She’d lost weight recently from all the stress she’d been under, but, much to her surprise, it didn’t look good on her. It made her look a little gaunt and unhealthy. She had always been chubby as a kid, but she hadn't had a real issue with her weight until Rob had started calling her names. She was never going to be happy with her body, but she wanted to get back to the point where she kind of accepted it. She placed her hands on her waist. It was her favorite part of her body, as it went in nicely, giving her an hourglass shape. She loved her dress. It maximized her curviness, while preventing her from looking dumpy. For the first time in she didn't know how long, she put on a pair of high-heeled pumps. Rob hadn't liked her dressing up in a feminine way. ‘Slutting herself around’, as he used to call it. So she was used to wearing shapeless, baggy pants and loose T-shirts, which couldn't have been less flattering. Her tummy was in knots at the thought of going to the ball. She was half excited, half nervous at the thought of seeing so many people. She'd lived such a quiet life in recent years, and she wasn't used to being around lots of people at the same time. She brought her face up close to the mirror, so that the image of herself became blurred, and she looked at the reflection of her eyes. All she could see were two violet-colored smudges. It was a game she used to play with Andrea when they were kids. Whenever anyone used to tease them about their weight, they would tell each other that they had magic eyes, which gave them special powers. Ok, I’m as ready as I’ll ever be, she told herself. She picked up Nancy, her baby bag and her purse and headed downstairs.

Magnus drove them into town and parked close to the town hall where the ball was being held. It was beautifully decorated in colorful banners and flags and flowers. Lori grinned at it in delight. She loved that there was such a strong sense of community in Hope Valley, and people really made an effort on festive occasions. The others had arrived at the same time and they greeted each other at the door.

“You look amazing, girl!” Lauren exclaimed as she kissed Lori.

“So do you!” Lori replied. She did. She was wearing a cerise-colored raw-silk dress that hugged her curves all the way, along with a large pink flower in her hair and matching elbow-length gloves.

“I’ve got a bit of a thing for pink,” she admitted. “I always say you can never wear too much, but I’m not sure that Connor agrees with me!”

Connor, Logan, Roman and Magnus all looked so handsome in their tuxes, their crisp white shirts startling against their tanned skin. And when Lori entered the town hall, she gasped. She’d never seen so many hot men in tuxes in her life before.

“What is this – a male model convention?” she muttered to Andrea. “I’m practically drooling!” Andrea laughed.

“Like I was saying, sis, there are a lot of eligible men in Hope Valley!”

The decorations inside the hall were totally charming. There were tables around the edges of the room, covered with checkered cloths and laden with sandwiches and canapés. Trestle tables at either end of the room served drinks, and the glass doors at the back were open to the garden, where a brass band was playing swing jazz. The nursery was in a separate room, but most of the kids were happily running around among the adults.

Connor and Logan had their babies in slings on their chests. They looked adorable. “Do you want to put Nancy in the nursery, so you can relax?” Andrea asked.

“I think I’ll keep hold of her for a while. At least until she gets sleepy,” Lori said, bouncing her on her hip.

Everyone helped themselves to drinks and wandered out into the garden. Lori had a wrap with her, but it was such a lovely day that she didn’t even need it. The winters were harsh in Turnersville, and it was good to feel the first sun of the summer on her skin. As they were drinking and chatting, a group of men came over to join them, exchanging rough bear hugs with Logan and Connor. Bruno, the firefighter, was among them. Lori suppressed a gasp. He looked so different in a tux. She recalled how huge and muscular his body had felt when she’d impulsively hugged him when he brought the suitcases over several days earlier, and was awed that he’d managed to make it fit in such stiff, formal clothing. It suited him though, and, to a woman, a man containing his rugged masculinity like that was a sexy sight. But she also sensed that he couldn’t wait to strip it off and get back to the jeans and faded t-shirt he’d been wearing the other day.

“This is Timo, Ryzard, Olsen, Leigh, Niall, Dalton and Frankie,” Logan said. “And I think you know Bruno? Guys, this is Lori, Andrea’s sister, and her baby, Nancy. She’s recently moved to Hope Valley.”

“Hi Lori and Nancy!” they said in unison, with friendly waves and smiles.

As the conversation resumed, Bruno walked over to her.

“You’re looking well,” he said.

“Thanks,” she replied, with a hint of shyness.

“So how have you been?”

“Good.” She nodded. “My leg is all better now, and I’m settling in well. I’m still staying at my sister’s place, but I’m going to get a cabin built as soon as my ex-husband has finished selling the house.”

“That’s great,” he said, his eyes crinkling with warmth, and Lori was aware once again how handsome he was. He had the rugged kind of features that she really liked in a guy. His narrow eyes were so striking, and he had a nice, strong jaw. “And how’s everything else?” She caught her breath, knowing that he was referring to her emotional state.

“Better,” she said, after a pause, while she figured out how much she should say to him. “I’m over the worst of it with my ex-husband. Having some distance from him has allowed me to see what an asshole he was. It hurt when he dumped us, but, honestly, I’m so glad it happened.” Nancy grizzled and squirmed in her arms, and she hoisted her up on her hip. She was growing fast, and would soon be too heavy to hold like this.

“Would you like me to hold her?” Bruno said, holding his arms out. Without stopping to think, Lori passed her over to him. Then she blinked; she should have assumed that he was just being polite, and refused. He laid Nancy against his shoulder, and she settled down immediately, becoming drowsy and placid.

“Thanks,” Lori said, unable to hide the surprise in her voice.

“I miss having a baby sleeping on me, ever since Tad got too big to be picked up,” he said with a grin.

“Where is Tad?”

“Oh, tearing around somewhere.” He pointed at a small boy sprinting across the garden, accompanied by another boy and two girls.

“He’s a lovely boy,” she said. “You’re obviously doing a great job of bringing him up.”

“He’s an easy kid to take care of. He’s always so happy and excited about the world. But it’s not always easy feeling like I need to be his dad and his mom.”

“I understand,” Lori said, wondering what’d happened to Tad’s mother. “I think I’ve always felt the same, even when I was with my ex. He didn’t take an active role in parenting, so I might as well have been by myself.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Bruno said. She shrugged.

“I guess it’s prepared me well for single parenthood.” Bruno nodded, quietly understanding.

“And are you recovering from the accident?”

“I think so,” she said slowly. “I’ve had a few weird moments, but nothing major.”

“As in flashbacks?” She nodded. “It’s like I’m dreaming, but I’m actually awake, watching TV or something. Suddenly, from nowhere, I’ll feel like I’m in the car again, knowing that the engine’s going to blow. My heart starts to pound and I get really overheated. And then I feel crazy emotional.” An intense look came into Bruno’s arctic-blue eyes. It was sympathy, but more than that. It was as if she was describing something that was very familiar to him. Empathy. That’s what it was. He knew exactly how it felt. She gazed at him, lips parted, as a wave of tenderness washed over her. She was desperate to ask what had happened to him. Then she mentally shook herself. He was a firefighter. He was probably used to seeing traumatic things. But how does he do it? How does he go home after almost being blown up while cutting two strangers out of a car, and be normal and hang out with his son? He’s so brave.

“It must be tough being a firefighter,” she said, cursing herself at the same time. No, Lori, being a firefighter is like a walk in the park! Duh. What a dumb comment!

“It can be,” he said. “But I couldn’t do anything else. I think of it as my vocation in life.”

“Did you always want to be a firefighter when you were a kid?” she asked.

“No, I wanted to be a tree surgeon. Which was my career for ten years, actually. I've only been a firefighter for the last four years.”

“Can I ask why?” At her words, his face shut down. His eyes narrowed and his lips hardened into a thin line.

“I guess you could say I developed a passion for it. One day I woke up and just realized that this was what I had to do.”

“I bet Tad loves that his dad is a firefighter?” she said. Bruno laughed.

“You betcha! He's always writing stories about firefighters, and painting pictures of fire engines. And I’m always being dragged into his school to give talks on fire safety and what it's like to be a firefighter. A couple of times a year, we have an open day at the fire station and the kids can come in and look around. They always want to slide down the emergency pole. I think that's why most of them want to follow in my footsteps, to be honest!” They both laughed. Lori noticed that he had a nice, easy-going way about him. When he wasn't speaking, he looked a little dark and brooding. But when he was obviously enjoying the conversation, he kind of came to life. His eyes crinkled at the corners, and he got these little dimples in his cheeks.

“I'm just going to grab a beer from the drinks table. Can I get you one, or –?” he said, trailing off to avoid asking awkward question.

“I’m still breastfeeding,” she said rescuing him. “But I would like a soft drink. I'll come with you for the walk, as I haven't had a good look at the place yet. Shall I take Nancy back?”

“No, she’s as light as a feather,” he said, and she did look very comfortable, fast asleep on his shoulder.

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely.” They walked across the room together.

* * *

“Do you see what I see?” Lauren sang out to the other girls, inclining her head towards Bruno and Lori.

“Who is that?” Kristin said. “I know he's part of the clan, but I never really see him around.”

“That's Bruno. He’s a full-time firefighter, and he has a nine-year-old son, so he doesn't have much time to hang with the other bears.”

“He's very good looking. From a purely objective point of view,” Kristin said.

“He is,” Dina agreed. “He seems like a really nice guy as well, from the little I’ve spoken to him. But there's always something kind of dark and tortured about him. Like, sometimes he drops out of the conversation, and you can see a flash of real pain in his eyes.”

“If the way he saved Lori is any indication of what he gets up to on a daily basis, then that kind of explains it,” Andrea said. Connor walked over with Willow still attached to his chest.

“What are you ladies gossiping about?” He said.

“Uh, what gives you the idea that we’re gossiping?” Lauren said, her voice full of mock outrage. Connor grinned.

“Let me see: number one, you're all staring at the same two people. Number two: you're speaking in that tone that women only have when they’re trying to prevent anybody from outside the group from hearing their conversation. And number three, now I've mentioned it, you all look really guilty. Case in point!” he finished triumphantly. Lauren made a hmph! sound.

“Honey, just be grateful that you’re as good looking as you are, and that you’re the father of my child or you’d be a very sorry bear right about now!” she said. He kissed her on the cheek.

“So are you going to enlighten me now?”

“Bruno is single, right?” she said.

“Single, as in he doesn't have a mate. But he’s not looking for one either. He doesn't date.”

“But why?”

“He's been that way ever since he lost his mate five years ago.”

“Wow, that's terrible. Poor guy,” Dina breathed. Connor nodded.

“Yeah, it's really sad. He's never really got over it. But he keeps himself busy with work and caring for Tad.”

“Maybe he needs some encouragement to get out there and meet some nice curvy ladies,” Lauren said. Connor nodded again.

“The guys and I have been saying the same thing, but he's just not interested. He says that he and Tad are a family unit and that's all he needs.”

“Perhaps you should suggest that he puts a profile on Shiftr. At least then he can see who’s out there and it might help him realize what he's missing,” Kristin said. Connor sighed.

“I have thought about it. But he just closes down when I mention the prospect of dating, so it's not easy. You're right though. He deserves to find his perfect match, and it's the duty of our clan to help him do that.”

“Speaking of Shiftr, maybe it's time we let somebody else into the secret, don't you think?” Lauren said once he’d left, directing her question at Andrea.

“That has crossed my mind, more than once,” Andrea replied. “I just didn't want to rush my sister into anything she wasn't ready for. But I feel like she's recovering well from her divorce, and it would do her good to start dating again. Her ex-husband treated her like crap, and made her feel like she was worthless. I'm sure she’ll get a huge confidence boost from the flood of emails she’s bound to get when she posts a profile.”

“And maybe if we and the bears get those two onto the app at the same time, they’ll be able to find out if they’re compatible?” Lauren said. Andrea frowned.

“I am so grateful to him for saving her and Nancy, and he’s obviously a great guy. But he seems kind of damaged. I feel like Lori has had enough darkness in her life. I'd rather see her with somebody chilled out and happy-go-lucky.”

“I see your point,” Dina said. “And in that case, there are plenty of other guys in the clan who'd be low-maintenance mates.”

“Maybe she and Timo would be good together. I can actually see them getting on pretty well,” Melissa said. Melissa and Timo had dated unsuccessfully for a little while, without her even knowing that he was a bear shifter, before he broke it off with her, saying that he knew they weren't fated to be together.

“Perhaps,” Andrea agreed. “It'll be fun to see what the app comes up with anyway.”

“When shall we tell her about it?” Melissa said, almost jumping up and down in excitement.

“Maybe tomorrow afternoon? I’ll just need a little time to have her approved by Tamika first. Are you ladies all free to come over for tea?” Andrea said.

“Yes!” They all said.

“I’ll need to think of a way of easing her into the shifter secret though. The poor thing has had enough shocks lately.”

The girls all went to get food, piling their plates high from the buffet. They helped themselves to cheeseburgers, fries, chilidogs, chicken wings, onion rings, nachos and quesadillas. They all had a rule that they'd eat exactly what they wanted on festival days. There was no point only half enjoying yourself at times like that.

The lovely afternoon turned into a golden evening, but the early summer air was still a little chilly. The band came in from the garden and set up in the corner of the hall. Little by little, shyly at first, people started dancing. The kids joined in too, and it was soon a riot of fun. Dina took her baby home, as he was still so tiny, but Lauren and Lori put their kids in the nursery, so they could relax and dance a little. The music was upbeat at first, with the band playing unexpected covers of pop songs in a swing jazz style. It was really fun and unusual, and everyone was having a great time. After a while, the tempo slowed, and the melodies turned back to swing jazz, as a singer took to the stage. She had a beautiful, velvety voice, which lent the evening an air of old-school romance. Dr Harley arrived late, as he'd been on call all day but when he walked into the room, he took one look at Melissa and pulled her into his arms on the dancefloor. Roman led Kristin onto the dancefloor too. They were both good dancers, and they looked great together, he so tall and lithe, and she such a statuesque, auburn-haired beauty. Lori saw Magnus gazing at Andrea with smoldering eyes from across the room.

“Go and dance with him,” she said.

“No way! I'm not leaving you here by yourself,” Andrea said. “I'll just go and tell him to hang out with us here.” Before Lori could object, she was off.

Lori lost track of them for a moment, abandoning herself to the beauty of the music and the elegance and happiness of the dancers. When she next looked up, Andrea was coming towards her with Magnus’s hand in her left hand, and another guy’s in her right.

“Niall was just saying that he’d love to dance. He used to have ballroom lessons when he was a kid. Can you believe that?” Andrea said. I can’t, Lori thought to herself, looking up at the solidly built guy. Niall grinned at her.

“Lori, might I have the pleasure of this dance?” he said.

He led her onto the dancefloor, and, as soon as he started to move, she saw how wrong she’d been about him. He was a very good dancer – amazingly light on his feet for such a big guy.

“You’re really good! I feel so clumsy compared to you!” she exclaimed. “How long did you have lessons for?”

“Oh, about five years,” he said with a bashful smile. “Logan and I used to go together. You should see him move; he’s way better than me.”

As the tempo changed to a waltz, he began to spin her around the floor.

“Wait! I don’t know what to do!” she said breathlessly.

“Just come with me,” he said. “You’re so light, I could probably lift you right off your feet!” She stared at him in disbelief. Rob used to say she was like a sack of potatoes. When she used to sit on his lap in the early days of their relationship, he used to make out that she was crushing him. Which he’d thought was really funny, but made her spirit shatter into little pieces. The way Niall was holding her did make her feel light, and at one point, both her feet lifted right off the ground.

“Are you sure you haven’t had classes?” Niall said.

“Yes,” she replied, flushed and pleased. Niall was a nice, polite, attractive guy. She found herself wondering what he’d be like as a boyfriend. Probably really nice and considerate. He didn’t have that fire in his eyes that always drew her to guys that were completely wrong for her, but he felt kind of homely. She imagined him chopping wood at the weekends, and hunting deer for food. What would it be like to be with someone normal, who didn’t stir up my emotions by treating me badly? she thought. As the song ended, Niall spun her around one final time. The couple behind her also performed some kind of finale, and she collided with a solid, unyielding body. She jolted away from it, feeling a weird kind of buzz.

“Ow!” she exclaimed, turning around at the same time. She found herself looking into the ice blue eyes of Bruno.

“I’m so sorry,” he said immediately. “I don’t know what I was doing there!”

“No, it was my fault, Lori,” Niall said. “Are you ok?”

“Yes, I’m fine. There just seems to be some static in here or something,” she replied, smoothing imaginary sparks of electricity out of her dress.

“I am sorry, Lori,” Bruno said. “I was trying to do something cool, and look what I did instead.” She laughed at the distraught expression on his face.

“It’s ok, really,” she said, raising her voice as the music started up again. “To show you I’m not upset, let’s dance this song together?” Wow, what am I doing? I never act this confident around guys, she thought to herself at the same time.

“Ok,” Bruno said with a relieved smile. As he took her hand, she flinched, ready for another sting of electricity, or whatever that had been. But this time, there was nothing, just the warmth of his large, callused hand. There was something nice about the calluses, about the fact that he used his hands to make his living. The hand on her waist was hesitant, but she felt the warmth coming through her dress very clearly.

Bruno wasn’t as technically skilled as Niall, and he stuck to simpler moves. The music was slow now, and after a while, they kind of swayed together, as they chatted. Lori was acting calm, talking about all the places she’d been visiting in Hope Valley since she’d been back, the places that were still there from her childhood, and the ones that were new. But inside, her veins were fizzing with adrenaline. I feel nervous, she acknowledged. Her fight-or-flight response was activated. As much as she was enjoying talking to this interesting man, she also had an overwhelming urge to run away from him and go outside to the garden and take some deep breaths. What’s wrong with me? She stared at his breast pocket, unable to meet his eyes. And then she imagined what lay beneath his tuxedo and his crisp white shirt. He must have a great body. She sensed it, strong and muscular beneath his clothes. It took all of her willpower not to lift her hand and touch his chest. Where’s his partner? He must have one. Guys this attractive and nice and heroic don’t stay single.

“Lori?” Damn. She’d been so lost in inappropriate thoughts that she’d missed something he said. She looked up at him, and the eyes that burned into hers took her breath away.

“I’m sorry, what was that?” she said. He smiled at her softly, and his teeth were gleaming white and perfectly straight. They made a nice contrast with his light stubble.

“I said, it’s been really nice dancing with you.”

“Oh.” She blushed. “It was really nice dancing with you too.”

“Am I forgiven for being a clumsy bear?” Bear? She’d misheard, clearly. She smiled too.

“There was nothing to forgive,” she replied. She looked around, noticing that people were heading into the garden. “What’s going on?”

“Oh, they’re setting up a firework show out there,” Bruno said, in an uninterested tone.

“Great! Let’s go see it.” He frowned.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes! I love fireworks,” she said.

“Ok.” The expression in his eyes was uncertain, but he didn't say any more than that. Together, they walked out to the garden.

Some of Bruno's friends were setting up the display. They’d changed out of their tuxes and were wearing jeans and T-shirts, and they were working quickly, nailing some small posts into the ground with rockets attached to them. Bruno stood at her side, but a little behind her. She was acutely aware of his presence, as if she could feel the heat coming off his body. At last, the guys crouched down to light the first fireworks, before running back to a safe distance. There was a whoosh! and two little jets of flame shot up to the sky, and blossomed into a multicolored shower of sparks.

“That’s so pretty!” Lori exclaimed.

“It is,” Bruno’s deep voice said from behind her, and she felt his breath on her hair. There was another whoosh! and some more lights filled the air, and it was followed by a little fountain that only rose a couple of meters from the ground. And then a rocket went off with a long tail, higher and higher, screaming up to the heavens. It seemed to disappear into the blackness, and they waited, watching. And then Lori jumped as a loud boom! and a big orange flash of fire seared the sky. She screamed and shut her eyes tight. A fireball seemed to burst behind her eyelids. The doors are stuck! Oh my god, I’m trapped in the car! She couldn’t catch her breath, and she gasped for air like a stranded fish. Two strong hands came down on her shoulders.

“Lori, it’s ok,” Bruno said. “You’re not trapped in the car. You’re both safe. We’re just in the garden. Nothing can hurt you. I’ve got you. Let’s go inside.” She was too petrified to move. His hands moved onto her hips and he drew her against his body.

“It’s ok, it’s ok,” he whispered over and over. At last, she jolted out of her trance. Her heart was pounding and she felt incredibly hot in her dress. And Bruno was holding her. Because he was trying to get her to go inside.

“I’m sorry,” she said weakly, rubbing her face with her hands. She turned around and walked back indoors on wobbly legs, as Bruno kept a hand around her waist, guiding her to a chair in a corner of the room. She collapsed onto it, and he pulled up another chair and sat next to her.

“That’s the worst flashback I’ve had,” she muttered. He nodded, eyes soft with understanding. “You knew this would happen, didn’t you?” He paused before answering, collecting his thoughts.

“I thought it was a possibility. But at the same time, I didn’t want to warn you not to see the show, in case it actually hadn’t been an issue. Avoiding all situations where you could be exposed to fire could lead you to develop a phobia, which is harder to treat than flashbacks following trauma.” She stared at him, face tense with worry.

“So how should I deal with these flashbacks?”

“I’m not a psychologist, but I think it’s helpful to talk about the accident, to understand what the root of the issue is. But it’s best to get some professional help to make sure you have the right support.” Lori wiped a tear from her eye.

“I feel guilty about it,” she said in a whisper. “When I think about Nancy in the backseat, so innocent, and trusting me to take care of her, and how I almost got her killed, I can’t stand it.” She clapped her hand over her mouth to stop herself from breaking out into sobs. Bruno took her other hand in his huge, callused one, and immediately she felt calmer.

“Lori, listen to me,” he said calmly. “There was nothing you could have done to avoid the accident. I could see exactly what had happened when I arrived, and the police investigation confirmed it: the car in front of you braked suddenly as a tree was struck by lightning and fell directly in front of it. You turned the corner, and there it was. It was a blind bend, so you couldn’t have seen what was coming. You’d obviously been very sensible and slowed right down on the bend, so the impact was actually pretty low. What made it so much worse was the other car shunting you from behind. The police found that the driver of that car wasn’t at fault, but for a while, it could’ve gone either way, as he was driving quite a bit faster than you.”

“Really?” Lori said. Bruno nodded.

“Absolutely.”

“But I keep thinking that I should have stopped at a motel somewhere when the rain started and not risked driving in that weather.”

“Come on, that wouldn’t have been a sensible solution. You’d been having a terrible time; you needed to get to your sister’s place. Driving conditions weren’t dangerous. The tree falling was just a freak accident. You have to stop blaming yourself. I can see that you’re a great mom, and you take really good care of Nancy.”

Bruno’s eyes were so kind, and he made her feel safe, in a way that no man had made her feel before. Men had always been something to be wary of – people who could make cruel comments to her at any time, and shatter her fragile confidence. She couldn’t imagine Bruno saying something mean and nasty to a woman.

“Hey, I was thinking of leaving in a moment. Would you like me to drive you home?” he said. She hesitated, not wanting to take up yet more of this kind man’s time. “It’ll add a whole ten minutes to my journey, if that’s why you’re hesitating,” he said with a boyish smile. She laughed.

“Ok, yes, that would be great, thank you. I’ll just go get Nancy. Where’s Tad?”

“Oh, he got bored here, so I let him go to a sleepover with his best friend.”

On the way to the nursery, Lori grabbed Lauren.

“I have to run, because Bruno is giving me a ride home, but would you explain to the others and say that I’m sorry I didn’t say goodbye?” Lauren looked at her perceptively, noting that she was pale and fragile.

“Sure thing, girl,” she said. “Did you have a good time?”

“I did. Just, the fireworks were a little too much for me.”

“I think I understand. Have a good night, and we’ll hang out tomorrow, ok?” They hugged, and Lori went to the nursery to collect a peacefully sleeping Nancy.

Lori liked riding in Bruno’s truck. It was big and made her feel safe being so high off the road. During the journey, she talked about her old career, when she’d owned a boutique arts and design store. She didn’t want Bruno to think she was always weak and incapable of being independent. Her business had been very successful. She’d had a lovely store in Hope Valley, and a strong online presence, and she’d shipped her products all across the US. She specialized in quirky, one-off pieces by independent designers.

“Why did you stop?” Bruno asked.

“Well, I had to close the Hope Valley store when I moved to Turnersville – my ex-husband’s hometown. I was planning to keep going with the online store, but Rob didn’t want me working. He wanted me to stay at home and clean and cook, and that was all. I didn’t give in to him easily, but he made things impossible, like cutting off the internet connection, and banning me from keeping stock in the house. In the end the website was looking so pathetic, with hardly any items in stock, so I decided to kill it.”

“That’s appalling,” Bruno said, his voice taut with repressed anger. “When you love someone, you should encourage them to be all they can, and support them in every possible way. That’s the first duty that mates have to each other.” Lori smiled, liking the way he referred to couples as ‘mates’. It sounded nice, and intimate, somehow.

“I’m not sure that Rob ever really loved me,” she said. “I think he actually just saw me as his property. You know, you grow up and get a wife, and you install her in your house, and you get her to take care of you and bear your children.” She broke off, worried that she'd offended Bruno. “I mean, I know that most men aren’t like that.”

“Just the occasional asshole who thinks he’s living in a ’40s time warp. Don’t worry, I know what you meant,” he said, flashing her a glance. His eyes glittered in the darkness and she knew that he was more amused than offended. “So where’s your old store in Hope Valley?”

“It’s down on Eastman.”

“Oh, yeah, I think I know it,” he said.

“I actually haven’t been to see it since I’ve been back. I’ve heard that it’s now a vintage clothes and furnishings store, but not a very nice one, so I’ve been kind of putting off going there.”

“Yeah, I get the impression it's owned by some out-of-towners who haven’t made any effort to integrate themselves into the valley.” Bruno frowned. “Actually, there’ve been some rumors that they’ve been running a money laundering operation or something there, and I think people are pretty keen to get them out.” Lori's heart gave a little jump while she absorbed the news.

“Would you be interested in getting your old place back if it was available?”

“Maybe,” she said slowly. “I mean starting up the online store again had crossed my mind, but I haven't really thought about having a physical store.”

“Did your store use to be busy?” he asked.

“Yes, there were always people coming in, at any time of the day, checking what was new in stock, buying things for their house, or as gifts for friends and family. It really was a happy place.” She smiled at the recollection.

“I can imagine. I'm sure it reflected your personality,” he said. She looked at him sideways. That sounded like a compliment, but what did he mean? So far, he'd only seen her at her worst.

“I don't know about that,” she said with a laugh. “But I was really proud of it.”

“Well, let's hope you bring it to life again,” he said with warmth. “Actually, I’ll ask around, see if anyone knows who the owners are, aside from the rumors,” he said.

“I’d appreciate that,” she said.

They’d arrived at Andrea and Magnus's place.

“Thank you so much for the ride, and for everything,” she said as she started to climb out of the car.

“Wait, let me help you. It’s a big drop,” he said, as he opened his own door, climbed out and ran around to her side. He stretched out his arms and she carefully lifted Nancy up and handed her to him. The baby stirred and grizzled a little. Bruno held her against his body and stretched his free hand out to Lori. She took it, transferring a little of her weight onto him as she negotiated sliding out of the seat in her long dress. As she stepped down, her face came very close to his. She smelled the sweetness of his breath, saw his lips up close, well-shaped and slightly parted. She landed on the earth, with one foot and then the other, and he didn’t move his face away, his lips remaining inches from hers. His eyes bored into hers, the color still visible, even in the dark, and she had a fleeting sense of a connection between their souls. She felt that if she hadn’t been holding Nancy, he would have kissed her. No, I’m sure I’m mistaken. He stepped back abruptly.

“I’ll walk you to the door,” he said, and strode off, along the pathway before she could think about protesting. She followed him and opened the door of the cabin with her key.

“Would you like me to carry her upstairs for you?” he offered.

“Oh, no thanks – you’ve done enough,” she said, taking her back. “Thank you so much for everything.”

“It was my pleasure,” he replied. He waited until she’d walked inside and closed the door before he drove away.

Lori took Nancy upstairs, changed her nappy and gave her a feed. How did I end up needing to be rescued by Bruno yet again? she thought. It was almost comical. Almost. He must think I'm such an idiot. Yet, his way with me is so gentle. He's this big, rugged, sexy man – wait – did I just say sexy? She sucked in a breath. He was, undeniably, a very sexy guy. His strong, solid physique was her ideal body type, and those eyes – when they fixed on her, they did something that made her feel hot and uncomfortable and excited, all at the same time. But he was so far out of her league that it wasn’t even funny. I wish I was beautiful and sexy too, so that he’d be interested in me, she thought. And then she clamped that thought right down in her brain. She had no time or energy to be thinking things like that now.

Nancy was making adorable little noises as she fed, looking up at Lori from time to time with her lovely violet eyes. This – this is all the emotional closeness I need, she reminded herself. Relationships just bring pain and heartache. When Nancy had finished feeding, she snuggled with her on her bed for a little while, before putting her into her beautiful new, hand-carved crib. Then Lori took her make-up off, cleaned her teeth and went to bed as well.