The sun is starting to set behind the mountains as Lucas and Max finally head home. Max pulls his sled behind him, his cheeks flushed and his eyes sparkling with excitement. Lucas glances at his watch. It's already late, but the smile on his son's face makes him forget the fatigue of the day.
Max : Dad, do you think we'll be able to go sledding again soon?
Lucas : We'll see, champ. For now, we're going inside to warm up. Hopefully, we still have hot chocolate.
Max : And marshmallows!
Lucas shakes his head, smiling, and picks up the last bags of decorations they bought in town.
A few minutes later, as Lucas is putting things away in the kitchen, he hears a knock at the door.
Haley : Lucas, it's me!
She enters, a brown paper bag in her hands, the tantalizing smell of baked goods wafting from its contents.
Haley : Look what I got you! A little treat for my favorite brother and his hungry son.
Lucas : I'm your only brother.
Haley : You should feel privileged.
Max appears out of nowhere and rushes towards the bag, nose forward.
Max : Coirssant or pain au chocolat?
Haley : Both, of course. I don't do things by halves.
Lucas nods in thanks and pours a cup of tea while Max settles in with his loot. Once Max is too busy savoring his pastry to listen to them, Lucas turns to Haley, hesitating for a moment before asking her the question that's been on his mind since this morning.
Lucas : Tell me, would you be free tomorrow night?
Haley : Free, why? Do you have an emergency, need me for something?
Lucas : Sort of, yes. I... well... Brooke and I have plans to go out to dinner. And... I could use someone to watch the kids.
Haley : Wait a minute. You have a date with Brooke, and you're asking me to babysit? That's adorable.
Lucas : It's not a date.
Haley : Oh yeah? So what's it? A dinner to discuss the weather and the best Yule log recipes?
Lucas : It's just a dinner, nothing more. So, can you help me or not?
Haley : Hmm... I don't know. Babysitting is a big responsibility. What's in it for me?
Lucas : I'll make you dinner for the week?
Haley : Tempting. But I'd rather see my brother happy, so okay. I'll babysit Max and Emma tomorrow night. But in exchange, you'll tell me everything in great detail afterwards.
Lucas : You're dreaming.
Haley : We'll see. Okay, I'm going to go. Get ready for your non-date. And Lucas... Make sure you enjoy it. You deserve it, you know.
She leaves him there, pensive, with her words still echoing in his head. Max finishes his pain au chocolat and looks at his father with a satisfied expression.
Max : Dad, tomorrow night, are you going out with Emma's mother?
Lucas : Yeah, and you're going to have a great night with Aunt Haley.
Max : Cool! She always lets me watch a movie before I go to sleep.
As the evening settles in, Lucas finds himself looking forward to dinner with Brooke with a hint of excitement. Maybe Haley is right after all. Maybe he should really take advantage of this chance to discover something new.
After Haley leaves, the house calms down. Max, full of pastries, settles down in front of a cartoon. Lucas sits on the couch, hands clasped behind his head, thoughts wandering. Tomorrow night... Dinner with Brooke. Just the thought of it is enough to make him smile like a kid. As he thinks about what he's going to say, or not say tomorrow, Max interrupts his thoughts.
Max : Dad, do you know what you're going to wear tomorrow night?
Lucas : Huh? Why are you asking me that?
Max : Well, it's important. If you want Brooke to think you're handsome, you have to dress nicely, right?
Lucas : Max, it's just a dinner with friends. No need to get out the three-piece suit.
Max : If you say so. But I'd wear my black shirt if I were you. Girls like black.
Lucas : Oh really? Are you an expert in seduction now?
Max : Maybe.
The next day, after a busy day between shopping and discussing the choice of fairy lights, Haley arrives in the early evening, true to herself, with her boundless energy.
Haley : So, brother, ready for your big night?
Lucas : It's just a dinner.
She looks at Max and Emma playing together on the living room rug and leans towards Lucas.
Haley : The kids are in complicit, that's a good sign. I'm guessing they're up to something to bring you and Brooke closer together.
Lucas : Oh, I have no doubt about that. They already have their own little secret club.
Haley : So, my little plotters, ready for a crazy night with Aunt Haley?
Emma : Yesss!
Haley : Okay. Come on, go. You're going to be late for your appointment.
Lucas : It's not a...
Haley : Yes, yes, we know. Not a date.
Lucas sighs, grabs his coat and goes out into the cool of the night.
When Lucas arrives in front of the small village restaurant, Brooke is already there, wrapped up in her coat. She turns when she hears him approach, and her smile is enough to make him forget the cold.
Brooke : You're right on time. Impressive.
Lucas : I'm trying to make a good impression.
Brooke : It's working.
They enter the restaurant, a cozy place with dim lights and the sweet smell of fresh bread. A waitress guides them to a table by the window, where a view of the illuminated village greets them.
Brooke : It's lovely here.
Lucas : I thought you'd like it. Plus, it's a change from home and kids, right?
Brooke : Don't you feel guilty about leaving them?
Lucas : No. They're in good hands. What about you?
Brooke : Yeah, Haley seems great. Emma already loves her.
Lucas : She's great, yeah. A little too curious sometimes, but that's part of her charm.
The waiter arrives with two menus, and they spend a few minutes choosing their dishes, between laughter and remarks on the local specialties. As they sit in this cozy little restaurant, the sound of their conversation and the soft background sound of Christmas music make Lucas feel like he's in a bubble. Brooke has this sweet smile, but something in her eyes makes him understand that she still has unhealed wounds. He decides to ask a more personal question.
Lucas : I know I've asked you this before, but why Green Valley? I mean, it's not a place you choose by chance.
She hesitates, plays with her fork for a moment, then looks up at him.
Brooke : I... I wanted a new start. Not just for me, but especially for Emma. Where we come from, it was no longer livable. I left my partner. He was... violent, for a long time. Too long. And at some point, I realized that if I didn't do something, I was putting Emma in danger too. So I took what I could, and I left.
Her words fall like a weight in the conversation, and yet, she says them calmly, almost at peace with the truth.
Lucas : I'm sorry, Brooke. No one should have to go through this.
Brooke : Thank you. But I don't want people to feel sorry for me. It's in the past now. Being here is my way of turning the page, of showing Emma that you can always start over, no matter where you come from.
Lucas is impressed by her strength, her courage. She exudes a resilience that touches him deeply. But he senses that she wants something in return, that she wants to restore balance in their exchange.
Brooke : And you, Lucas? Why did you and Max come here?
Lucas takes a sip of wine, staring at the flickering candles on their table.
Lucas : It's... complicated, but not as complicated as what you went through. I found out my wife was cheating on me. With my best friend.
Brooke's eyes widen slightly, and she places her hand on the table, close to Lucas's.
Brooke : Oh... I'm sorry, Lucas. That must have been... terrible.
Lucas : Yeah, it was a real blow at first. Especially because Max was in the middle of it all. He didn't understand why his mother and I couldn't live together anymore. But over time, I realized that it was better to start over, for him and for me. So we came here, where my sister lives. A small town, a simpler life... I think it's doing us good.
Brooke : Funny, isn't it? Here we are, two strangers who decided to leave everything behind to start over, and then our paths cross.
Lucas : Sometimes, life knows what it's doing, even if we have a hard time believing it at the time.
A comfortable silence settles between them, the kind of silence that doesn't need to be filled.
Brooke : It's late. Emma must be telling Haley her entire life story at this hour.
Lucas : And Max probably has to show him his incredible dinosaur collection.
They get up, pay the bill, and step out into the cold night air. The snow crunches under their feet, and Lucas notices that Brooke is walking more slowly, as if she doesn't want this night to end.
When they arrive in front of her house, Brooke stops and turns to Lucas, a hesitant smile on her lips.
Brooke : Lucas... do you want to come in? Just one last drink, to end this evening?
Lucas : If you don't mind, with pleasure.
She opens the door, a gentle warmth immediately envelops them. Lucas wonders what else this night has in store, but one thing is for sure: he's ready to find out.