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Starting all over again

 

Snowed Over

 

Angie Stanton

 


Published by:

 

Vanguard Management, Inc.

 

Copyright © 2012 Angie Stanton

 

Cover by:

 

Damonza

 

All characters in this book are fiction and figments of the author’s imagination.

 

http://angiestanton.wordpress.com

 

http://facebook.com/AngieStantonAuthor

 

Twitter: @angie_stanton

 

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

 

 


Other books by Angie Stanton

 

Rock and a Hard Place

 

A Young Adult romance ~ an amazing, emotional ride with a rock star and a regular girl!

 

Dream Chaser

 

A Young Adult romance filled with humor, heart and heat!

 

Snapshot

 

A Young Adult romance. ~ A reluctant rock princess meets an undercover guitar wizard.

 

Snapshot, a moment in time that changes two people forever.

 

Love ’em or Leave ’em

 

A 2011 National Readers’ Choice Award Finalist

 

If you like reality dating shows, you’ll love this!

 


 

 

For Ed.

 

Thanks for your constant love and support.

 

You still make me laugh.

 


 

Chapter 1

 

Each gust of wind shot tiny shards of sleet at Katie Brandt’s already frozen face. She hadn’t laid eyes on her ride, Alex Walker, yet, but already she didn’t like him. He said two o’clock, and it was twenty minutes after. If there was one thing she hated, it was not keeping your word. If you say something, for crying out loud, mean it. Especially if it means you’re leaving someone outside to freeze to death.

Katie gripped her cold coffee and braced against the biting wind as she waited outside the Memorial Union for her long ride north with a complete stranger. Nothing about this holiday felt familiar or right.

Ever since her parents’ sudden split last June, her mom had started acting different. She decided to drag Katie and her little sister up to some guy named Tom’s cabin for the Christmas holiday. Katie shivered.

So Katie was forced to wait in this deep freeze to catch a ride with a fellow university student she hadn’t actually met. Apparently Alex’s hometown, Middle of Freakin’ Nowhere, Wisconsin, wasn’t far from Tom’s place.

Her mother referred to Tom as just a friend, but Katie wasn’t stupid. Forty-something, newly divorced women didn’t suddenly force their unwilling kids away from every holiday tradition they’d ever known to hang with a friend.

Katie’s teeth chattered as she turned her back against another sub-zero gust. Her long hair tangled in the wind. She pulled her cell phone from the pocket of her down coat, checking again for a text or message from the extremely tardy Alex.

Nothing. Her roommate’s brother shared a house with Alex and a few other guys. Lindsey said Alex was super smart, totally hot and engaged to a girl back home. Whatever. He was late.



As Katie shivered and watched for his blue truck, she thought about how perfect life had been until two weeks after graduation when her Dad abruptly moved across town, and Mom started dressing too young for her age and going out all the time.

Katie’s phone rang. About damn time. Her numb fingers fumbled with the phone. She checked the Caller ID and sighed. “Hi, Mom.”

“Hi, honey. Are you on your way yet? Tom says that if you don’t leave soon, you’re going to run into snow. It was supposed to go north of us, but now it’s changing direction.”

Katie rolled her eyes. “I’m waiting for my ride.”

“Tell me again who you’re riding with? And how do you know him? I’m really not comfortable with you accepting a ride from a total stranger.”

“I told you. His name is Alex, and my roommate knows his family.” A total lie. “This is how college students get around, Mom. If you weren’t forcing me to go to the other side of the state, I wouldn’t be riding with a total stranger.” Katie felt a little regret for her snarky comments, but this was totally her mother’s fault. Katie deserved to act like a sullen teenager.

Her mom ignored her tone. “I wish you could have come up with Tom, your sister, and me on Thursday. The university shouldn’t schedule their exams this close to Christmas.”

Katie would much rather ride with an unknown college student than Tom, who she’d nicknamed, Not the Boyfriend.

“What’s his cell phone number? I should at least have that,” her mother asked.

“No! Not happening. You’ll just call to give him weather updates every ten minutes.”

“I’m not that bad,” her mom said.

Katie didn’t respond.

“Okay, maybe I am, but it’s only because I love you and want you safe.”

Katie huffed. If her mom loved her so much, she’d tell her what the hell happened to their family in the last six months. Instead, her mother kept pretending life was normal when it was anything but.

“Mom, my fingers are freezing off. I’ll see you in five or six hours.”

“All right, but make sure he drives careful. If it starts to snow, I want him to pull over, and if there’s car trouble, call me, and I’ll give you my auto club number. Do you have money to stop for something to eat?”

“I’ve got it under control. I’m hanging up. Goodbye.” Katie snapped off the call. How would she endure four days with her mom? They used to get along, but ever since her parents separated, she could barely stand being around her. Being away at college had been her savior.

Only a few students were left on campus this close to Christmas, and most of them had the smarts to stay inside. Katie gazed longingly at the doors of the Union and thought about going in to warm up, but she didn’t want to miss Alex. With her toes freezing off, she wished she’d worn the boots buried deep in her duffle bag, instead of her athletic shoes. She dumped her nearly frozen coffee into the trash bin.

The blast of a horn caught her attention. She turned. An old, blue pickup truck idled at the curb. The guy inside waved. Finally. She adjusted her overstuffed backpack on her shoulder and hoisted her duffle bag off the frozen sidewalk while trying not to lose her purse and shopping bag full of Christmas gifts.

She managed to pull open the passenger door.

“Hi, you Katie?” His tousled brown hair stuck up on top as if he just ran his hands through it. His expressive, dark eyes danced upon her. Lindsey had said this guy was a looker, and she hadn’t exaggerated.

“Yup, you Alex?” Good looking or not, Katie forced herself not to yell at him for causing her to nearly freeze to death.

He nodded with a matter of fact friendliness, but short of an actual smile. He hopped out of the truck wearing only a grey University of Wisconsin hoodie over his broad shoulders. He seemed immune to the elements as he came around and tossed her heavy laundry-filled duffle into the back of the truck. She noticed a snow shovel, some large covered buckets and a huge canvas bag in the truck bed. Alex stood tall and lean, maybe six foot in his boots. He reached for her backpack, but she pulled it away.

“Thanks, but I’ll keep it with me. My laptop’s in there.”

“Okay.” He reached for the shopping bag.

“I’ll keep these up front, too. They’re presents.” She could picture the neatly wrapped gifts sliding around the back of his dirty truck.

He raised an eyebrow. “Suit yourself.” He walked around and hopped back in while Katie maneuvered her remaining bags into the truck cab. It was a tight fit with his coat and gloves on the seat and his backpack and a couple of other bags crowding the floor. She squeezed her bags to the floor at her feet and eyed his hot coffee. Must be nice.

She wiped her icy mitten across her runny nose. “Geez, it’s cold out there.” Katie buckled up, thankful to finally be in the warm cab and out of the deep freeze. She slipped off her mittens and hat, turned the heat vents toward her, and rubbed her hands in front of the warm air. Wasn’t he at least going to apologize for being so late?

“Here, let me turn it up.” Alex adjusted the fan to blow at full speed. The temperature was already on the warmest setting. His eyes met hers, and he offered a friendly smile.

“Thanks.” She sighed as the hot air thawed her fingers.

Katie wasn’t prepared for his soulful eyes framed by dark eyebrows, and he had the most perfectly shaped mouth. How was she supposed to spend five hours with this guy? Next to him she looked like a total loser with her drippy nose and watering eyes. She sat back and focused on the road ahead. He was engaged, off limits. Plus, his late arrival was one big checkmark against him.

“So, you’re a friend of Matt’s little sister?” He put the truck into gear and pulled away from the curb.

“Yeah, Lindsey. We’re roommates. Thanks for giving me a ride. It saved me from two very long bus rides that would have stopped in every rural town and taken all day.”

“No problem. Crystal River is only twelve miles from my parents.”

She reached in her coat pocket for a tissue and blew her nose. She imagined her nose had turned bright red. It always did when she was cold. She didn’t know what to say to this guy, and they’d be spending a lot of hours together. She dabbed at her nose and stuffed the tissue away. “So what’s your major?”

“Engineering. You?”

“Finance.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, what’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing.” He smiled, and it lit up his entire face. His eyes twinkled and a small dimple appeared on the side of his cheek. She felt like a troll next to him.

“You just don’t seem like a numbers kind of girl.”

She frowned. “Well, I am.” What did she look like to him?

“I didn’t mean to make you feel bad. You look like more of a creative type.” He gestured toward the brightly wrapped gifts sticking out of her bag and the paisley design on her backpack.

“I’m creative too. I just like when things make sense. When there is a right or wrong. Everything always adds up, and when it doesn’t, you fix it.”

He checked his side mirror and merged onto the highway. “Sounds like you’re on the right track.”

“Thank you.” She sniffed.

“Mind if I listen to the hockey game?”

Katie was pretty sure that was code for I don’t want to make small talk with you anymore. “No. Go ahead.”

After a few minutes listening to the drone of hockey coverage, she slipped in her ear buds and turned on her music. She’d stayed up half the night studying for her Stats exam. She leaned her head back, used her coat for a pillow and closed her eyes.

 

~ ~ ~

 

 

Alex glanced over and smiled at his sleeping passenger. Her ear buds had fallen out and her head lolled to the side, her mouth open. She must be really tired to sleep through the first two periods of the hockey game.

Katie looked like a typical freshman, young and clueless. The newness of college hadn’t worn off yet. She was eager, nervous and clearly driven. Not that he was so old and worldly in his sophomore year, but the past seven months had put him through hell and back.

He glanced at Katie again. Her long lashes lay against her rosy cheeks like butterfly wings. She didn’t wear much make-up, and he liked that.

His cell phone rang and he quickly grabbed it to avoid waking Katie.

“Hello,” he said quietly.

“Please tell me you’re almost here.”

He frowned at the annoyingly familiar voice. “Not even close.”

“But I told my mom you’d be here in time for dinner.”

He sighed. “Trina, I told you I wouldn’t get there in time to eat and that I was staying home tonight. I just finished my last final this morning. I need a break.”

“Well, I don’t. I haven’t seen you since Thanksgiving and then my Grandma died and messed up the whole weekend.”

Alex couldn’t believe he had ever agreed to marry her; granted, she’d tricked him into it, but he’d remedy that situation soon. This time he wouldn’t let Trina derail him when he tried to break it off. Their relationship had gone on far too long and for all the wrong reasons.

“I’ll be over in the afternoon of Christmas Eve. You and I need to talk,” he said.

“Are you transferring up here? Oh my god! That would be the best Christmas gift ever.”

“No, I’m not transferring. I’m staying in Madison.” She knew why he wanted to talk and kept deluding herself that it wasn’t to break up.

“I hate Madison. Ever since you got there, you’ve changed. Suddenly you want all different things.” Her whiney tone grated like nails on a chalkboard.

Getting out of Ashland was the best thing he ever did. It opened his eyes to all life had to offer.

“Oh! Before I forget,” Trina changed topics faster than musicians changed keys. “I was at the mall today and saw a super cute white coat with a fur-lined hood. It was on hold for someone at the check-out counter. The ugly clerk with a big nose said it was the only one left and I couldn’t have it.”

Alex knew without hearing another word that Trina had bullied the poor clerk into selling it to her.

“But I made her sell it to me! I can’t wait for you to see it! It’s amazing!”

After an awkward silence, Trina’s incessant chatter continued. “So what did you get me?”

“Trina, let’s talk tomorrow. Are your mom and dad going to be around?”

“Why? Oh my god! You want to set a date!” She squealed into the phone and Alex wished he could crush the damn thing to pieces. “I am totally coming over tonight to wait for you at your parents.”

“No. I don’t want to set a date and don’t come over! Listen, I won’t be home till late, I’ve got to drop off…” he glanced at Katie. “…a friend.”

“Not fair.” Trina’s voice turned pouty. “But you have to come over on Christmas Day. I told my mom you were spending the entire day with me. She wants me to help cook dinner. If you’re there, I won’t have to.”

Alex sighed. “You know I can’t do that. I always help serve dinner at the senior center on Christmas Day.”

Katie stirred and opened her eyes. The instant she saw Alex, she sat up and looked straight ahead.

“Listen, I’ve gotta go. I’ll talk to you soon.” He hung up before Trina could argue or coerce him into promising something he couldn’t deliver.


 

Chapter 2

 

Katie yawned and stretched.

He slid the phone into his cup holder. “Have a good nap?”

“Yeah, I was really out.” She blinked a couple times. “How long did I sleep?”

“Over an hour and a half. You must have been really tired. That, or you don’t like hockey.” He saw the corners of her mouth curl. “You don’t like hockey? No way! I’m gonna have to pull over and kick you out.”

Her eyes widened for an instant and then a smile transformed her pretty face. She turned in her seat to face him. “I’m sorry. I can’t follow hockey. I went to a game once, and they spent the whole time skating around and around and then, out of the blue, someone tries to shoot a goal. It happened so fast, I never even saw it.”

“That’s because you’re supposed to pay close attention.”

“And there’s the crux of the problem.”

“The crux?” He tilted his head in question.

“Yes, the crux.”

“Do you even know what that means?” He laughed and watched her forehead crinkle.

“It means—you know—the point of the problem, the center of the problem. I don’t know. It’s just a word,” she said, flustered.

Alex eyed the traffic, grinning. He enjoyed rattling her cage. She was an easy mark. “We’re coming up on an exit. I’m gonna gas up. Want something to eat or a bathroom break?”

“Yeah. I’m starved.”

He turned on his blinker and exited the highway.

 

Back on the highway with a full tank, empty bladder and hot food, Katie dug into her burger and bag of Cheetos. Alex tried to drive and take his cheeseburger apart at the same time.

“Can I help with that?” she offered between bites.

“I can get it.” He kept looking at the road and back to the burger lying on top of the bag.

“What are you trying to do?” She watched as he made a mess of his burger.

“I’m trying to put two onion rings in there and the bun on top.”

“Here, let me help.” She reached over, added the second onion ring and put the bun lid back on.

“Thank you.” He picked up the over-sized burger and took a bite.

“I’ve never seen someone put onion rings on a burger.”

“You should try it. It’s great,” he said, chewing.

“I’ll have to do that some time.”

“Try it now. There’s plenty. Help yourself.” He gestured to the onion rings with his burger hand.

“Okay.” She added an onion ring and put the bun back.

“No, you gotta add two, for maximum crunch.”

She shook her head and added another, then squeezed the bun down and took a bite.

“Well?”

She nodded and kept chewing. She covered her mouth with her hand. “It’s good.”

“See. Stick with me and you’ll learn all kinds of things.”

If only. She couldn’t begin to imagine hanging out with Alex, a totally hot, already-spoken-for guy.

They ate in comfortable silence, except for the country music station Alex tuned in. The greasy food tasted great, but she longed for her mom’s home cooking. Or would it be Tom’s cooking? That thought put a pit in her stomach.

“How do you like Madison?” Alex asked.

“I love it. I’m not real partial to walking up Bascom Hill to get to classes, but otherwise, it’s great.”

“That hill is a beast.”

Katie’s phone rang. She wiped her fingers on a napkin, checked the display, and answered. “What’s up?”

“Hi, honey. Just checking in to see what your ETA is.”

“Mom, you’re calling to make sure we’re not in the ditch somewhere or wrapped around a telephone pole.” She looked at Alex and rolled her eyes.

“I wouldn’t put it that dramatically, but yes, I wanted to make sure you’re safe and well on your way.”

“Yes and yes,” she snapped, a little more severely than she meant to.

“Good. Where are you now?”

“Alex, my mother would like to know our exact location at this moment.”

“Katie, you don’t need to tell him I asked,” her mother said.

Alex chuckled. “We just passed Wausau. I’d say another couple hours.”

“Did you hear that?” Katie said to her mom.

“Thank you. You should know that it’s already snowing here and accumulating pretty fast. Tom says you’re going to run into snow soon, so be extra careful.”

“Yes, Mom.” Katie wanted to tell Tom what he could do with his snow.

“Katie, I’m serious.”

She turned in her seat. “Alex, my mother wants you to know that it’s snowing up north, and Tom says that we’ll be heading into snow soon. You need to drive extra careful. She’s serious.”

“Got it,” he answered, amused.

“Clearly, you aren’t ready to talk reasonably to me.” Her mother sounded irritated, which Katie didn’t mind.

Katie responded in a bright cheery voice. “Okay, sounds good. See you soon.” She quick hung up. She knew she should feel bad about it, but her mother brought it on herself by keeping Katie in the dark about the separation. Her mom only wanted to talk when it wasn’t about their family disaster. Why was this strange guy so important that Katie was forced to drive through a snowstorm to share Christmas with him?

She shoved the phone to the bottom of her purse where she wouldn’t hear it ring.

“So, who’s Tom?” Alex asked.

“It’s a long story.”

“We’ve got nothing but wide open highway.” Some sappy country song about a guy and his dog came on the radio.

“I don’t really know. My mom says she isn’t dating him, but she’s making us haul ass up to Crystal River to spend Christmas with him, and we’ve never even met.”

“And I take it you don’t want to meet him.”

“No. I don’t.”

“So, your parents are divorced?”

“That’s an excellent question. I don’t think so, but things are moving so fast, who knows.” Neither of her parents would talk about it. They kept giving her a bunch of bullshit about still loving the kids, just needing change in their lives or new air or some other crap.

“Let me guess. This is your first Christmas with your parents separated.”

“You got it.”

“That sucks.” Alex frowned.

“Big time.”

They rode in amiable silence and listened to Alex’s country music. A half hour later, flurries started, and within a few minutes, the fine, light snow changed into large, heavy flakes that whipped past the windshield.

“Here it comes.” Alex slid his soda back in the cup holder and sat a little straighter as he focused through reduced visibility.

Katie pulled her legs under her and watched the snow fly, glad the roads were still clear. “It’s about time we had a white Christmas.” There was something exciting about a big snowfall. The last few years, heavy snows had been few and far between. But now the wind spun the snow wildly in sheets and waves like water in an angry sea.

“My brother, Jason, has got to be loving this. He’ll have his plow rigged and ready to go. He’s like a little kid when it comes to snow,” Alex said.

“He drives a truck too?”

Alex tilted his head and the corner of his mouth lifted. His eyes sparkled as he grinned in a way she could only describe as sexy. “Up north, everybody drives a truck.”

Katie liked this lighter side of Alex. He’d seemed polite but preoccupied earlier, especially after his phone call.

“Jason will be chomping at the bit to get out there to plow and pull cars out of the ditch. This is the best Christmas gift he could ask for.”

She bet Alex liked the snow just as much as his brother. “And what do you want for Christmas?”

He glanced at her and then back to the road. The snow began to accumulate. He huffed. “Me? I want a new life.” He raked a hand through his hair and stared at the swirling white stuff.

Katie wondered, did he mean he couldn’t wait to get married? He looked lost in his thoughts as he cruised on.

He might want a new life, but more than anything, Katie wanted her old life back. New wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. She wanted to spend the holidays and winter break in her old house, with both her parents and her little sister, Nichole. No new people being forced upon her.

The radio station crackled. Alex glanced over. “Want to find a new station?”

“Sure.” She reached over his coat and backpack to adjust the dials. She noticed how good he smelled, like aftershave or maybe really good deodorant.

“You’re not going to find much this far north. You might get a station out of Minocqua or Park Falls.”

Katie slowly rolled the knob of the old truck radio, listening for a break in the static. A few inches to her left, Alex’s hand casually held the steering wheel. She noticed a few hairs on his long fingers. His nails were trimmed short. The cuff of his hoodie was worn on the edge and a little dirty.

“Go back. You passed something.” Alex pointed with his index finger.

She turned back and caught a radio station playing Christmas in Sariejvo by Trans-Siberian Orchestra. It was like a Christmas song on steroids; she figured Alex would like it too. Katie settled back in her seat.

Alex cranked the volume and tapped his finger against the steering wheel as the music pumped through the speakers.

“I love these guys. They are so awesome. Have you ever seen them in concert?” she asked.

“No. I didn’t even know they toured.”

“Every year they do a huge Christmas tour from November through early January. This is the first year since I was little that I haven’t gone.” She ignored the twist in her gut reminding her that that the simple family tradition was over forever.

“How come you didn’t go this year?” His head pulsed to the rock beat.

She sighed. “The break up.”

“That sucks.”

“Yeah, it really does. Nothing’s the same anymore. My mom is dragging me up to the middle of flippin’ nowhere. No offense.” She peeked at him out of the corner of her eye. She didn’t mean to diss his childhood home.

Alex glanced over and smirked. “None taken.”

“Now I have to spend four days, including Christmas, with some guy I’ve never met. My mom doesn’t even know what to call him. She says he’s not her boyfriend.”

Alex raised an eyebrow.

“I know!” Katie raised her hands in the air. “What the hell is that? How stupid does she think I am? And then after that nightmare, I have to go to my Dad’s new place and celebrate Christmas with him, his new squeeze, Marie, and her three little kids.”

“Ouch.” Alex cringed.

“What I wouldn’t give to run away and skip this entire holiday.”

“You and me, both,” he mumbled.

The song ended and the DJ came on. “That was Christmas in Sarejvo by Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Up next we’ll hear more holiday music, but first a weather update.”

Katie leaned forward as Alex turned the volume up.

“The entire Northern region is under an official weather warning and starting at seven p.m. this evening it will change over to blizzard conditions throughout the night and into tomorrow.”

Katie skimmed a quick glance at Alex. He listened intently but didn’t appear too worried.

“Expect high winds with estimated snowfall this evening of six to ten inches, and an additional overnight snowfall of eight to twelve inches, ending by afternoon. Temperatures will drop, creating wind chills in the negative numbers along with significant blowing and drifting snow.”

“Holy crap. I guess my mom was right for a change.” Katie stared wide-eyed across the truck cab. A white Christmas was one thing, a full-out blizzard another.

“So, folks. If you don’t have to go out, don’t. And if you are out, get back home as soon as you can. This is the perfect time to snuggle in and enjoy a hot toddy and a white Christmas. And on that note, here’s Bing Crosby.” The strings started playing and the crooning voice of Bing singing “White Christmas” floated through the cab.

“Good thing I put extra weight in the back of the truck last time I was home. It’s going to take longer to get there than I thought.”

Katie twisted in her seat to see the two large utility buckets on each side of the truck bed, snow accumulated around them and her canvas duffle bag. “How much longer do you think?”

“I’d say an hour, maybe an hour and a half.”

“I should probably call my mom and give her an update.” She fished the phone out of her purse and turned it on. The light pulsed repeatedly looking for a signal, but there was none.

“No service?” Alex asked.

“None.”

“I kind of figured that would happen. There’s terrible tower service up here, and with the storm, the only thing that’s going to work is a landline.”

Katie dropped the phone back in her bag, not sure if she was disappointed to be cut off from her mother or relieved. “Well, that gets me off the hook listening to my mom nag about your driving, the current snow conditions, and if I flossed my teeth today.”

“You never can floss enough,” Alex teased.

Katie tossed a Cheeto at him. Despite the fact he was driving, Alex caught the Cheeto and popped it in his mouth. He shot her a cocky grin. Katie smiled and shook her head.


 

Chapter 3

 

Alex hadn’t seen a winter storm this bad in years. The road conditions had changed from bad to barely visible, and for the last couple of miles, he only saw a few other cars on the road. The snow fell in a constant, thick blanket. The headlights illuminated the snow, and the flakes raced by at warp speed like they were in a space ship in a sci-fi movie.

“Why aren’t the plows out?” Katie asked from her side of the dark cab.

“They might be waiting until more snow accumulates or maybe they haven’t gotten to this road yet.” Another huge gust hit the truck, causing Alex to grip the steering wheel tighter. The winds howled. “Sometimes when there are high winds, the plows are pulled until conditions ease up.”

“That seems like a bad idea.”

“It does if you’re stranded out in it.” He focused on the road.

“Like us,” she said.

He detected the strain in her voice. “Nothing to worry about. I’ll get you there in one piece.” He wanted to reach over and pat her leg in reassurance but figured two hands on the wheel would be better.

“I’m holding you to that,” she teased.

He chuckled. “No problem. In Ashland, we get huge lake effect snows off of Lake Superior. Trust me. I have a PhD in driving snow-covered roads.”

An hour later, they’d only covered thirty miles. Ice had accumulated under the windshield wipers. Even with the defroster on high, the icy build-up made it difficult to see the road.

He glanced at Katie and found her gripping the armrest.

“Do you think we should pull over somewhere?” she asked.

Alex didn’t want to admit defeat when they were so close, but the roads had definitely deteriorated. “We’ve only got another fifteen miles, and I think we can get there no problem. But it’s gonna take a while, unless a plow comes through and clears a path.”

In the distance, he spotted the fuzzy glow of lights at the side of the road. A minute later they came upon a combination gas station/convenience store. The station’s bright overhead lights illuminated the snow-coated building. “What do you say we pull over and see if they have a weather update.”

“I’m good with that.”

Plus, after that jumbo soda, he could use the bathroom. Someone had plowed the station not that long ago, so the lot was much better than the actual highway. Alex turned into a parking spot in front of the store. The strong winds had drilled snow onto one side of the building and wiped it clean on another.

“Why don’t you go first, because if we both open our doors at the same time the wind will blow everything right out of here,” Alex said.

Kate slipped into her coat and grabbed her purse. “All set.” She hopped out; the wind blew her hair straight back as she pushed her door closed and ran inside.

Alex forced his door open. Piercing cold air took his breath away. He squinted to prevent the icy snow from stabbing his eyes and ran the few steps to the entry door.

“Whew!” He shuddered and shook his head. Snow flew off his hair like a bad case of dandruff.

“Oh my god, it’s freezing out there.” Katie hugged herself from the cold as she headed to the restroom.

Colored Christmas lights twinkled from the store windows, lighting up a display of chewing tobacco. The sales counter featured crowded displays of lighters, holiday hard candies, Amish fudge, and a dozen other impulse buys. An older guy, maybe in his sixties and wearing a red, flannel shirt and glasses that reminded Alex of his Grandpa, stood behind the counter. Red foil garland decorated the wall of cigarettes.

“It’s pretty nasty driving out there,” the man commented.

“The last few miles have been the worst. Have you heard any updates?” Alex asked.

“Here, take a look.” The man placed a laptop on the counter and turned it Alex’s direction.

The radar showed a huge white blob of precipitation covering upper Wisconsin and extending back into Minnesota. When Alex checked radar this morning, the snowfall predictions were low. “I thought the storm was supposed to be north of us.” He stared at the white cloud that covered most of the monitor.

“Weather men are no better today than they were thirty years ago. All that high-tech equipment and they only predicted three inches of snow. Now they’re saying twelve to twenty before this thing is done.”

Alex looked outside at the white-out conditions. “Seen any plows? We’ve only got fifteen miles to go and a plow sure would make life easier.”

“Not for a while. Hard to say what they’ll do with it being the holidays and all.”

Katie appeared wearing a disarming smile. She noticed the radar. “Holy crud! Look at that.”

Alex held back his grin as she peered at the screen. Her glossy, brown hair flowed over her shoulders. She turned her amber eyes on him, her long, dark lashes waved. “What do you think? Can we get through?”

“That’s what we were just talking about. If we don’t try to get through now, I don’t know when we will. This is only the front end of the storm. It’s going to last for quite a while.”

Katie pursed her lips as she concentrated on the radar screen.

“If you don’t want to drive any more tonight, there’s a small motel, the Do Drop Inn, up the road a mile or so.” The clerk gestured to the north.

Alex preferred to drive through the snow and arrive tonight, versus waiting until the snow stopped, but he felt he should hear Katie’s thoughts, too. “What do you think? Do Drop Inn or four-wheel drive?”

“How far again?” she asked, apparently considering the options.

He wondered if she worried more about spending the night with him in a hotel room or not getting home to see her mom tonight. “If it’s really bad, forty-five minutes, maybe an hour at the most.”

“You realize you’re going to have to stay the night? My mom will never let you keep driving in weather like this.”

“You mean stay with, what did you call him, Not the Boyfriend, Tom? I don’t know.” On the other hand, if he got waylaid, he’d be able to postpone his break-up talk with Trina. A night at a cabin with a bunch of strangers wouldn’t be all bad. Plus, Katie seemed pretty nice and low drama.

Bright flashing lights appeared outside, followed by a huge snowplow.

“Look, there’s a plow.” Katie pointed out the window.

“And it’s headed the right direction. What do you say? Want to go for it?” Alex asked, anxious to get back on the road.

“Totally. No guts, no glory.” Katie’s face lit up. She held up her hand, and Alex high-fived her.

“Do you kids have emergency supplies in case you have trouble?” the old clerk asked.

“Yeah, I’ve got sand in the back and a snow shovel.”

“How about water and blankets?” the clerk asked.

“I have half my wardrobe in my laundry bag, but I’ll grab us a couple of waters.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll be fine. We’re not far from our destination,” Alex explained.

“I’m sure you will be, but it never hurts to be prepared.” He moved the laptop off the checkout counter.

As Katie paid, Alex scanned the store racks for some last minute Christmas gift for his fiancée. She’d be pissed if he gave her a light-up pen with a Santa dressed in a Packer’s jersey. Fudge wouldn’t be on her diet or a giant tin of popcorn. Once he broke off their engagement, she’d probably throw any gift he gave her back his face anyway. He followed Katie out to the truck.

 

The plow scraped off the top inches of snow off the roads. The going was still slow, but Alex felt satisfied he’d have Katie at her destination soon. He spotted their turn thanks to a light at the intersection.

“The good news is we found River Road. We’re getting close,” Alex said.

“And the bad news?”

He slowed to take the turn. “River Road hasn’t been plowed.” The truck fishtailed as he took the corner.

“Whoa, don’t do that!” Katie gripped the dash.

“Sorry.” Alex peered out at the deep, unmarred snow before them. Someone had driven by from the other direction not too long ago; he used their tire treads to help guide the way.

“So where’s the river?” Katie peered into the darkness with nothing but snow flying all around.

“I don’t know. I’ve never been this way before. It could be right next to us for all I know. I can barely see the road.” He gripped the steering wheel and peered through the mesmerizing snow.

“At this rate, you’re going to end up staying the night with me at camp dysfunctional. Ha!” she taunted, sounding more nervous as they neared her destination.

“You’d like that, wouldn’t you? To make me suffer alongside you?” He might not mind staying at her place. The closer he got to home, the more he dreaded the task ahead.

“Anything to save me from facing Mom and Not the Boyfriend alone. I feel like I’m going to death row, not celebrating Christmas. How messed up is that?”

“Pretty messed up, but isn’t that what the holidays are about? Forcing families to spend time together so they can be reminded how odd everyone is.” That’s how he felt about Trina. She used to be pretty and fun, but now she stood out in ways that weren’t good.

“Interesting theory. I always thought my family was pretty normal. But now that you mention it, I have my Aunt Liz.” She giggled.

“What?” He glanced over to see her laughing face illuminated by the lights from the dashboard.

“Whenever Aunt Liz hosted Christmas, during dessert she’d bring out this old jug filled with what looked like dark, grimy apple juice. You see, after my great grandpa died, they found three jugs in the cellar from when he made moonshine.

Aunt Liz would set up little shot glasses and pour for anyone who wanted a shot. A couple hits of Great Grandpa’s juice and they were wasted. It’s pretty hysterical.”

Alex had seen his parents tipsy a few times and joined them on a couple of occasions, too. “Have you ever tried any of your Grandpa’s moonshine?”

“Once I took a sip. It tasted like pond scum. I thought for sure it was going to burn through my stomach wall.”

“Not much of a drinker?”

“Not really. I’ve been to a few parties at school, but everyone gets drunk so fast. It’s fun at the time, but the next day is so horrible, I swear I’ll never drink again.”

“Until the next party,” Alex added.

“Exactly.”

Katie reminded him of his freshman year and all the hellraising he did.

“Oh, Aunt Liz likes to strip!” Katie giggled again.

“Seriously?” Alex wished he wasn’t stuck driving through a blizzard. He’d rather focus on Katie. Did she know how her face lit up as she recalled old times?

“Erase whatever visual you’re thinking of, because you’re wrong. Aunt Liz is a very large, fifty-year-old woman. She sings loud, crude songs and pretends she’s a size-two, Vegas showgirl,” Katie said.

Alex laughed and smiled at Katie. She grinned and shrugged, then looked forward.

“Look out!” she yelled.

He snapped his head forward. A deer stood in the middle of the road, staring transfixed at the headlights. The truck careened forward.

“Shit!” He slammed on the brakes. Unable to get any traction, the truck slid, turning sideways. The four-wheel drive was useless in the deep snow.

Alex turned the steering wheel to keep the tires pointed forward. He laid on the horn. The deer bolted. He struggled to get the truck under control.

A second deer ran across their path. This one wasn’t so lucky. Alex had no choice. The truck clipped the deer’s hindquarter and sent them spinning.

The truck turned like a Tilt-a-Whirl, and with the heavy snow falling, he had no idea which direction was forward, or if they were about to hit a tree. “Hang on!”

The truck careened off the road, back end first, then turned sideways. He felt sure the truck would flip. He thrust his right arm out to hold Katie in place. Each nanosecond passed in slow motion.

The truck bounced down a steep embankment, turning forward and finally sliding to a halt.

Then Katie screamed like he’d never heard anyone scream before.

The headlights revealed rushing water splashing at the front of the truck.

They were in the river.


 

Chapter 4

 

“Oh shit!” Alex tried to scramble backward in his seat to avoid the dark, angry water engulfing his truck, but his seatbelt held him in place

“The river is going to pull us in!” Katie yelled in panic.

Alex looked around frantically. The front end of the truck was clearly in the water. Would the whole truck slide in? Was Katie right, that the force of the strong current would pull them in further?

“We have to get out!” Katie nearly cried.

“Let me try putting it in reverse. Maybe it’ll get us out of the water a little.”

“No! Don’t touch anything. It’ll suck us in!”

Adrenaline pumped through Alex. He had to move quickly. He gingerly put the truck into reverse and stepped lightly on the gas.

The truck lurched backward for a second, but then slid back into place. He glanced at Katie, her face terrified, her hand gripping the truck door, her other planted firmly on the dash.

He tried one more time, giving it more gas. The truck rocked back a fraction and then slipped forward again.

“Stop, stop, stop! Please don’t do that anymore! You’re going to rock us further into the river.”

“Okay.” Alex put the truck into park and placed the brake, hoping it would hold them in place. With a sigh, he turned off the ignition.

“We’ve gotta get outta here.” He scanned the truck for the best solution. “It’s gonna have to be either by the door, which is close to the water, or the cab window. I’m not sure I can fit through that.”

“I don’t want to be stuck in that tiny window if the river suddenly pulls us in,” Katie said.

Alex couldn’t stop staring at the water as it raced by. He opened his door a few inches. A rush of cold wind blew in. “The water at my door is only a few inches deep.”

He yanked the door shut and turned to Katie. “Put on all your winter stuff and let’s get out of here while we can.” He quickly slipped on his coat, hat and gloves.

Katie looked ready, except for frantically pulling items out of her shopping bag and stuffing them into the pockets of her coat.

“What are you doing?” Alex asked in disbelief.

“I’m taking as many of the gifts as possible.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me.”

“If your truck gets washed away, I’m not losing all my stuff.”

Alex reached past her legs to the glove box. “Excuse me.” He popped it open and grabbed a flashlight and slammed it shut.

“Good idea.” Katie stuffed a couple long, narrow bags of bread down the front of her coat and zipped it tight.

“You planned on giving someone bread for Christmas?” He slid the flashlight in his backpack and pulled one strap over his shoulder.

“It’s a family tradition. My grandpa used to have a bakery. Plus, we might need it later.”

“Good point. Now let’s get the hell out of here.”

Alex unhooked his seatbelt and balanced himself between the seat and the steering wheel. He glanced at Katie and the fear in her eyes.

He attempted a brave look. “Here we go.”

 

~ ~ ~

 

 

Katie unbuckled and stood awkwardly in the tilted truck cab. Her heart nearly pounded out of her body.

Alex opened the door. Cold wind blustered in. He held tight to the truck as he stepped down. Katie noticed he wore boots. Smart guy. She instantly regretted her poor choice of shoes. With her backpack containing her laptop strapped on her back, she scootched to the driver’s side door. No way was she letting Alex out of her sight.

He stepped out and stumbled to his knees. He stood and held on to the truck for support as he managed to move a few feet away from the door.

He held out his hand. “The rocks are covered in solid ice. Hold on to the truck as you step down and then take my hand,” he hollered over the wind.

Katie looked out at the dark, churning water. They might have drowned if they slid further in. The cold, biting wind threatened to push her back into the truck.

She gripped the truck door with one hand and the hanging seatbelt strap with the other. Katie stepped down and broke through thin ice into glacial water that instantly soaked her shoe. She planted her other foot further away, in several inches of snow.

“Good job. You’ve got it.” He kept his hand outstretched, his face encouraging.

Katie let go of the seatbelt straps and took a large step toward Alex. She almost reached him, then her foot slipped and she fell.

Hard.

Her legs slid under the truck into the icy water.

“Katie!” Alex yelled, scrambling over the slick rocks.

Stunned, it took her a second to realize what just happened. Freezing cold water soaked her legs and seeped up the front of her coat. Her elbow hurt like hell.

“Katie! Are you okay?” Alex appeared at her side.

“Yeah,” she said, startled to find herself in the water.

Alex’s hands slid under her arms and pulled her out.

“I’ve gotcha.” He lifted her to her feet and leaned her against the truck. The wind and snow whipped around them. He moved close to her face. “You’re going to be okay. Got it?”

She nodded, absorbing the affirmation in his eyes. Cold river water dripped down her legs.

“Good. Stay close to me. We’re going to get back up to the road.”

Katie balanced herself against the side of the truck as they eased their way over the worst of the large rocks. Alex led them up the steep embankment, pausing often to help her. Beneath several inches of accumulated snow, dried weeds helped secure her footing. She still slipped and fell a couple of times, and her wet jeans were quickly coated with snow.

At the top of the embankment, they looked down at the truck. Both front tires rested in the river. Thank God they were safely away from the terrifying water, but Katie didn’t like the odds of being out in a blizzard either. Shivering, she turned to Alex. “We are in deep shit.”

“That’s an understatement.” He zipped his coat all the way up, and tugged it higher to cover his ears.

Katie hugged herself in a failed attempt to stay warm. Her legs were numb. She fought to stand straight against the blowing wind, her coat no longer a barrier to the cold.

“How are you doing? You okay?” Alex checked her over, his brows lowered in thought.

“Other than freezing to death, I’m f-f-f-f-fine.” Her teeth chattered.

Concern clouded his eyes. He reached for her scarf, the red one she got last Christmas. He rewrapped it around her neck, this time covering her mouth and nose. “We’ve got to hope someone comes by really soon or find some shelter, and fast.” He tucked the ends of the scarf in snug.

“Which direction should we go?” She wanted out of this cold as fast as possible.

“We didn’t pass anything for a while on this road, so let’s keep moving forward.” Alex hitched his backpack higher and started off, bracing his body against the strong wind.

Katie trudged behind. She appreciated Alex trying to serve as a windbreak, but it didn’t seem to make much difference. Within minutes, her jeans were frozen, the icy fabric rubbing against her skin like sandpaper. The biting snow hit her face like tiny needles. She tugged her scarf higher, so it all but covered her eyes. She wished she had a hat.

Each step became agony as they pushed forward. Katie could no longer feel her toes and her feet felt like they would break off with her next step. Her fingers turned into frozen sticks. The cold seeped into every pore. If they didn’t find shelter soon, she was in danger of frostbite or hypothermia.

After what felt like an hour of walking but may have only been ten minutes, Alex stopped. Katie walked right into him. “Sorry,” she mumbled.

Alex turned to her, his face red from the fierce wind. He tucked his hands under his arms and yelled over the howling wind. “How are you holding up?”

Katie wiped frozen snot off her nose. “I’m really cold. Do you see anything?” Her teeth still chattered.

“No, only trees on this side. The other side is the river. There’s got to be a driveway to a cabin or house eventually. You usually can’t go two minutes without running into a fishing cabin or summer cottage in this area.”

Maybe they should have stayed in the truck. She couldn’t believe she was actually entertaining that thought. The truck might be washed into the river by now. But at least in the truck, they could have run the engine to stay warm. “Do you know how to build an igloo?” She joked, but really meant it.

“I wish I did. We’ve got to get you out of the cold, and soon.”

The wind howled through the trees that lined the left side of the road. “Let’s go. I’m afraid if I stop for too long, I won’t be able to keep going,” she said.

Alex put his arm around her and pulled her close, practically holding her upright. She tucked her body into his, which helped block some of the wind. They trudged forward like dazed zombies through the deepening snow, praying for a break in the tree line that would indicate a driveway.

A few minutes later, when her backpack felt like the weight of the world, Alex pointed. “What’s that?”

Katie squinted and spied a shadow of something at the side of the road. A few steps later, her heart leapt.

“A mailbox!”


 

Chapter 5

 

Sure enough, a thin break in the trees revealed a narrow driveway that wound out of sight. Thoughts of freezing to death disappeared. Instead Katie pictured a roaring fire, hot chocolate and a big dinner.

They picked up their pace and followed the path that would lead to salvation. She hoped.

The snow here piled higher. It appeared that no one had plowed this driveway all season, so instead of dealing only with today’s storm, they had all the snowfall to-date slowing their progress. Even with Alex forging the way and creating a trail, Katie still had to lift her legs high to get through. Each step became torture as her frozen jeans rubbed her legs raw. She grit her teeth and pushed on.

“There it is!” Alex yelled with renewed energy.

Katie paused to catch her breath, spying the distant cabin. “Thank God.” She didn’t know how much longer she could go on.

Ahead, in a small clearing, nestled a quaint log cabin coated in snow like a gingerbread house with frosting dripping off the side. The only thing that took away from its storybook quality was the lack of smoke streaming from the chimney and an absence of light glowing warmly from within.

Katie noticed a shed with a long row of snow-covered firewood lining one side. They dragged themselves through the deep snow to the cabin door.

“Any chance they left the door unlocked for us?” She yelled over the whistling wind.

Alex pushed snow out from in front of the screen door with his boot. “I doubt we could be so lucky.” He pulled on the screen door until he wedged it open far enough to reach the doorknob. “Locked.”

Katie sighed. She wanted out of the elements. Now.

“I’ll have to break a window.” Alex left the front door and walked around the cabin.

“What are you doing?” Katie followed him back into the deep snow.

“I’d rather break a window in a bedroom and not the main part of the cabin. It will be hard to keep the wind and snow out once we break in.”

Katie nodded, hugging herself, thankful to be with such a smart, resourceful guy.

They struggled around the perimeter trying to figure which window might be a bedroom. The first window Alex peered in looked like a kitchen. A couple of large windows indicated a main room that probably looked out over a scenic view, but whatever the view might be on a sunny day, it was obliterated by the darkness and blowing snow.

They reached the other side and discovered two smaller windows. “I think this is our best shot,” Alex said.

The bottom edge of the window was about four feet off the ground and even with the snow, it didn’t give them much advantage. Katie noticed a screen covering the window. “How are we going to get past the screen?”

“Have you got a jackknife on you?” Alex grinned and despite his chafed red face and their horrible circumstances, she couldn’t help but grin back. Even covered in snow and practically freezing to death, Alex looked sexy as hell.

“Sure, right here with my thermos of hot chocolate and hand warmers.” She must be hallucinating from the cold. Why else would she be thinking about his good looks at a time like this?

Alex slipped off a glove and fished in his pocket. He pulled out his car keys. He handed her his glove to hold and ran the key over the screen, his hand shaking from the cold. The key created a dent in the old metal, but didn’t break through. He ran it over the side of the screen where the mesh attached to the frame, but no luck.

He glanced at Katie. She saw his determination. He repositioned the keys in his hand and she knew how frozen his fingers must feel. He jabbed the key straight at the screen instead of at an angle and punctured through. He dragged the key down, hard. The metal ripped. He made a four-inch tear and shoved the keys back in his pockets. He slipped his fingers through the gap he made and yanked hard on the screen, creating a larger and larger opening.

Thank God.

Alex brought his bare hand to his mouth and blew warm air on it.

“Here, you want to put your glove back on?”

He nodded, his face red, and slipped his hand in. Then he tore away the screen exposing the window.

“Stand back. I’m going to try to break it with my shoulder.”

“That sounds dangerous. You could get cut really bad.”

“Have any better ideas? See any bricks laying around?” He scanned the area.

“No, but I saw a wood pile back by the shed. Maybe a piece of wood will work.”

Alex nodded.

“I’ll go get a piece.” She turned to fetch the wood.

Alex’s grabbed her arm and stopped her. “No. You can barely stand. I’ll get it. Wait here.” He literally leaned her up against the side of the cabin and disappeared around the corner. She didn’t argue; her feet felt like lead and her body was so cold she could barely move.

A couple minutes later, Alex returned with a piece of wood. “You better stand back, just in case glass flies everywhere.” He gripped the wood in his gloved hands and tapped it firm against the window. Nothing. He hit it again, harder, creating a crack. Then he swung back hard and nailed it.

The glass shattered. He ran the wood over the inside edges of the window frame to knock the jagged glass away. He brushed stray shards off the side and turned to Katie. “We’re sleeping inside tonight.”

She sighed in relief, thankful to finally find a safe haven.

“I’ll climb in and come around to the door.”

That was fine with her. She didn’t know if she could navigate her stiff, frozen limbs through the window.

Alex brushed the edge of the sill again, put his gloved hands on it and jumped up. He ducked his head and disappeared inside, his legs scraping the edge as he went.

Katie held her breath, praying he was okay. A couple seconds later, he popped up, looking happier than he had the whole trip. “Go around to the back door. I’ll meet you there.”

She picked up the piece of firewood and hugged it, hurrying the best she could to the door. For an instant, she panicked, afraid he wouldn’t be there to let her in, that she’d be stuck outside. But her fears prove false as the door flew open, and Alex reached forward to help her in.

He closed the door after her, blocking out the frigid winds. She sighed, so exhausted and cold from their trek. She looked around the dark room, stunned at the quiet of the cabin compared to outside. They stood in a kitchen with a counter jutting out. The shadows of furniture loomed in the space beyond.

Alex removed his gloves and rubbed his hands together. “I am so cold, my fingers could fall off.”

“I don’t think I’ll ever feel warm again. Oh, here. I figured we’d need this.” She set the piece of firewood on the counter, her backpack and purse followed.

Alex fumbled in his coat pockets and pulled out the flashlight. “Let’s get a look around and see what we’ve got. There’s no electricity; I checked. Either the owner turned it off when he left, or the storm knocked down the power lines.”

He directed the light slowly around the cabin, revealing a tiny kitchen that opened up into a main living area. A big, old brown couch anchored the room with a log coffee table on a large braided rug in front of a fieldstone fireplace.

“Bingo!” Alex turned to her, his voice so bright that she could picture his great smile.

Thank goodness. They examined the fireplace closer and found a poker and brush in a stand, a basket of old newspapers, and on the mantle an old kerosene lamp. She wondered if it was a decorative antique or something they could actually use. She found a couple of framed pictures, most likely the owners whose home they’d just busted into, and a large box of stick matches.

“Let’s start a fire right away.” Katie couldn’t keep the urgency out of her voice. She moved to the kitchen to grab the chunk of wood. Her jeans felt like hard cardboard against her frozen skin.

Alex kneeled before the hearth with the chain curtain open, crumpling newspaper. “Here, take the flashlight and see if there’s any wood stacked over there.”

Katie aimed the beam at the other side of the fireplace and discovered a metal pail with wood. She lugged it over. “There’s only three pieces.”

“Thanks. That’ll be enough to get a fire started. I’ll get more wood in a few minutes.”

“I can fetch some now,” she offered.

“No, you need to get warm. You’re shivering.”

Katie resisted the urge to hug him. She really didn’t want to go back outside. “Thanks.”

While he organized the newspaper and wood, she pointed the flashlight beam at the fireplace.

He struck a match and lit the edges of the paper. “There you go. Burn baby, burn.”

The tiny flames quickly spread, catching more paper on fire. Katie moved closer, longing for warmth. Within a minute the paper engulfed into flames, but a few seconds later, smoke poured into the room.


 

Chapter 6

 

Katie coughed and backed away.

“Oh shit! I forgot to open the flu.” He reached into the fireplace.

“The what?” She waved through the smoke that billowed from the fireplace.

“The flu, the damper. It’s kept closed to keep air out when the fireplace isn’t in use.” He fiddled underneath and coughed. Eventually, the smoke stopped snaking into the room and trailed up the chimney instead. “There, that should do it.”

Katie knelt next to Alex to watch the small flames as they devoured the newspaper and caught on the corners of the wood. They held their hands close to the growing fire. Katie let a whisper of heat touch her fingers. “Now that’s what I’m talking about.”

Alex glanced at her and smiled.

“What?” she asked.

“Nothing. You make me laugh. It doesn’t take much to make you happy does it?”

She wrinkled her forehead. “Like surviving a near death experience?”

“I wasn’t going to let you die. You were always safe with me.” He nudged her with his shoulder.

“Yeah, until you drove your truck into a river and made me walk ten miles through a blizzard in wet clothes, which, by the way, are now frozen solid.” She arched an eyebrow.

“My bad.” He chuckled. “Just for that, I’ll bring in more firewood?”

“Don’t you want to wait and warm up a little first?”

“No. I’d rather stock up now and not have to go back out for a while.” He grabbed his gloves and disappeared back outside, into the cold abyss.

Katie wiped her nose on her sleeve as she was out of tissues. She cleared the area next to the fireplace to make space for the wood. Even though she still couldn’t stop shivering, she unzipped her coat and pulled out the slightly bent sour dough bread. Luckily it didn’t appear to be wet. They’d be eating it soon.

The door flew open. Along with a frigid gust of wind and snow, Alex brought in an enormous pile of wood. He wasn’t kidding when he said he was stocking up.

“Over here. I cleared a spot.”

He crossed the room and eased the pile onto the stone hearth and went out for more. She stacked the wood in a neat pile and tossed two more pieces on the fire, to make sure their precious heat source didn’t extinguish.

Alex brought in two more loads, and in between organizing the wood, and thawing herself by the fire, Katie moved her belongings to the side of the couch.

“That ought to hold us for a while.” He lowered the last of the wood to the floor and then stood in front of the open flames.

“Great job. It actually feels warmer in here.” She shivered from the cold wetness of her thawing jeans.

Alex noticed. “You need to find some dry clothes. We both do.” Snow covered his jeans well past his knees from tromping through the drifts. “There might be some clothes in that back bedroom.”

“I’ll take a look.” She grabbed the flashlight and opened the bedroom door. A cold blast blew. The freezing room sucked away any warmth she’d managed to coax back into her body. Broken window glass covered the floor, and snow dusted the small room. The owners were not going to be happy, but she and Alex had no choice. It was break in or die. She knew her parents would pay for the damages. Then she thought of her mom and how worried she must be and how much more worried she’d be when they failed to show up. Katie never gave her mom Alex’s number, so she couldn’t try to contact him either.

She opened the top drawer of the dresser to find miscellaneous items like sunglasses, binoculars, and a book on fishing. The next drawer contained a few t-shirts, some socks and one very large pair of boxers. But the bottom drawer held the mother-load. She grabbed a few items and brought them to the living room where Alex sat by the fire with his coat open.

“I found some pajama pants and a pair of sweats, along with a couple flannel shirts and what look like hunting socks. I think our host is into shooting things.”

“And fishing too.” Alex held up the flannel pajama pants patterned with various types of fish. “Let’s hope these were a joke Christmas gift and not this dude’s real taste in clothes.”

“I’m taking the sweats.” Katie snatched them off the pile before Alex could.

“Fine. I’m a Pisces. I’ll do the fish flannels proud.” He held them up, admiri


Date: 2015-04-20; view: 996


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