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“He didn’t have to force me into anything,” Ivy said. “Once I learned that you wanted to extort him out of the lake access, I realized you were never going to let me keep my inn. It would just be something you could hold over my head. That’s something Huxley would never do. He was a better option.”

“You’re not going to get away with this.” Travis pointed at Ivy. “Neither of you. I’ll tie this thing up in court.”

“On what grounds?” I asked. “The property belongs to Ivy. She inherited it from your mother. She’s caught up on her taxes.” I made sure of that. “You don’t have a legal leg to stand on.”

“Travis, please.” Ivy’s soft voice held far too much compassion toward a man who didn’t deserve it. “Let this go. It’s what Gram would want. You told me I needed to stand on my own two feet. Huxley can help me do that. He can be the reason the inn thrives again. The reason I can succeed.”

“You’re no match for him,” Travis said. “He will show his true colors, and when you see who he really is, it will be too late for you. Too late for our family’s legacy. My mother would be so disappointed in you.”

“I’ll prove you wrong,” she said.

“I doubt that.” Travis walked onto the snow-covered pavement, turning his back on a sweet, gentle soul who would probably forgive him if he asked. I hoped he never did.

“When did you know you were going to accept my offer?” I asked as I shoved the contract in the inside pocket of my jacket.

“As soon as you presented it, but we got interrupted.”

“Why didn’t you just say inside that you signed my contract?”

“I was about to, but you walked out. It didn’t occur to me that you wouldn’t realize it was your deal that I took,” she said. “You’re so confident. I assumed that you would know.”

“You throw me off balance,” I admitted. “You have from the moment I met you.”

“I made the right choice.”

“How can you be so sure?” I asked.

“Because you were willing to sacrifice your whole project for me. Even after you thought I sold my house to Travis, you still chose me.”

“I’ll always choose you.” I pulled her into my chest. “You made a sacrifice for me tonight too. You went against your family.”

“I did what I thought my grandmother would want. She left the house to me for a reason. I might not fully understand what that reason is yet, but if I would have signed it over to Travis, I might not ever know.”

“I never wanted you to lose your house. I’ll make sure you never do.”

TWENTY-FOUR

Ivy

Christmas Eve… one year later

As I stepped into my fully renovated inn, it took my breath away. Huxley had insisted I stay away until it was finished. There had been no doubt that it would be spectacular, but I had no idea how incredible it would look.

“Well?” He leaned against the archway that led to the kitchen. “What do you think?”

“It’s stunning.” I breathed in the scent of fresh paint, the crisp aroma of new construction, and the look of beautifully finished hardwood floors. “I can’t believe this is the same house.”

“I tried to keep the integrity of the original. It just needed some upgrades.”

“The guests are going to love it.” I buzzed around the house, appreciating the new open concept. “It looks so much bigger.”

“My architect does exceptional work.”

“My grandmother would love this window.” I motioned toward the lake. “She always wanted a better view from the kitchen.”

I opened the new doors that led to a patio, allowing the chilly December wind to blow over me.

“What is that?” I hurried across the patio and down the steps that led to a path. “A gazebo?”