Extraits

I caught myself staring too long at Ian and promptly looked away. Not sure what it was about him, but the owner of the inn attracted me like no other man had before. He had a cool collectedness to him, and though it was clear he came from money, he still managed to seem down to earth and kind.

The couple walked back up the stairs, and Ian watched them a moment before meeting my gaze—which had stubbornly locked back on him. He approached me, his gaze traveling to my damp hair.

“Everything okay?” he asked, his brow creasing.

“Yeah. I think I just need some fresh air.” The cold air might help me clear my head.

“I wouldn’t step outside with wet hair,” he said. “Unless you want to make a fashion statement with icicles in your hair.”

“You never know. Could be a new trend,” I responded. Then something occurred to me. “You said your last name is Hensley? Well, you wrote it in the note you left on the clothes.”

“That’s correct. And this is Hensley manor.”

Hensley Manor. I remembered hearing the name before. But from where?

No. Surely not.

The answer slammed into me so hard that my legs shook. I braced a hand on the wall behind me and sucked in a breath. There was no fucking way. None at all.

“Cole?”

I ran for the front door, hearing the old woman’s words from the antique store echo in my head.

“That snow globe was one of my favorite items in the store. Hensley Manor is beautiful.”

Reaching the door, I flung it open and ran outside. Cold air hit my face and caught the wet strands of my hair. My gloveless hands stung, but I couldn’t think about the miserable temperature right now. I nearly lost my balance on the icy porch, but I caught myself on the railing near the stairs. I made my way down the five steps and ran into the yard, looking at the vast walls of snow-covered trees surrounding the house.

And then I turned to face the manor, feeling like I was about to pass out.

The arched doorway, long windows, and brick exterior—it was all familiar. A light flickered on inside, shining through the same window I had thought I’d seen a light in while gazing at the manor before. Except now the manor was life-sized, and I was standing in front of it.

I was inside the snow globe.