Hope Newton was packing her things. She planned to spend the New Year with Easton at his place as a doctor, so she didn’t ask Iris to take her to Professor Andrade’s house. Instead, she returned to the little villa she shared with Easton.

Surprisingly, the courtyard herbs hadn’t been buried by snow. Someone had clearly been tending to them every day. Some of the hardy plants even had little buds blooming.

Even more unexpected, the villa had the heat on, and a pot of soup was simmering in the kitchen.

Hope’s first thought: Easton must be home.

She hurried upstairs, searching every room, but Easton was nowhere to be...