by Leah Atwood
He didn’t try to hide his smile. Titles in relationships had bothered him in the past. With Jessa, he didn’t mind the designation at all.
She entered the room and ran toward him, threw her arms around him. “You made it.”
“I told you I’d be careful.”
“How is it out there?” She unwrapped her arms and put several inches between them.
“Rough. Worst I’ve ever seen.” Shedding his coat, he darted a glance around the room. “How are Beth and the kids?”
“Good. She took them upstairs after Dex fell asleep in the game room.”
“Maybe tomorrow you’ll have a chance to talk to her. From the very little I know of her, she needs a girlfriend.”
“I gathered that.” She took his scarf from him and draped it over a chair to dry.
“Have you heard from your family?”
She nodded. “They closed every business around when the first reports came out that the storm would be worse than expected. When Phoebe’s work closed for non-essential employees, she went to Mom and Dad’s to ride it out there. I talked to her five minutes ago, and they still had power then.”
“Even the streetlights in town are out. Your parents will be lucky to not lose theirs.”
“Come to the kitchen and warm up. More coffee had just finished brewing when ours went out.”
“Does Mrs. Addy need help starting fires or anything first?” He sniffed, catching a hint of burning wood.
“I have strict instructions to get you dry and warm. She said no one is getting pneumonia on her watch.”
“In that case, I’m taking off my shoes and socks.” His feet had thawed enough to be a cold, wet, uncomfortable mess.
“You need something on your feet.” She pursed her lips. “Let me run upstairs and see if Mr. Lejeune is still awake. He should have a pair of socks you can borrow.”
Before he could protest, she bounded up the stairs with her flashlight on. The thought of wearing someone else’s socks made him queasy, but as long as they were clean…
Chapter Twelve
No sunlight filtered through the window when Jessa awoke. She rolled over in bed and grabbed her phone. Seven-thirty. The sun should have been up by now. She swung her legs over the bed’s edge, surprised to see socks on her feet.
She never slept with socks.
With the blankets tossed aside, her body registered the cold air. Had the heater broken? She stumbled to the window and looked outside. Several feet of snow covered the ground.
Her brain snapped awake, and she remembered the blizzard. The power going out. Landon.
Landon was downstairs.
She rushed to the bathroom to brush her teeth, jarred by the ice-cold water. She did her best to wrangle her hair into a style more attractive than a lion’s mane, but it wouldn’t cooperate. When it got like this, all she could do was take a shower and start from scratch. That wasn’t happening, however. She’d rather Landon see her a mess than take a shower in frigid water in an already cold house.
Let him see her at her worst—know what he was up against. She allowed her thoughts to wander and imagine them married one day, looking at each other with their bed-heads and morning breath. The image made her giggle, but also served to remind her Landon would look worse than her.
As far as she knew, he didn’t have the benefit of a change of clothes, nor toiletries. He’d been stranded in the truest sense of the word. She dug through her belongings, searching for anything she could take to him.
She didn’t have a fresh toothbrush, but she could lend him her toothpaste. Substituting his finger for a brush wasn’t ideal, but better than nothing. She had trial size shampoo that came as a sample in the mail. If he was brave enough to attempt the cold water, he was welcome to the shampoo. She also had an unused razor he could use if he didn’t mind the girly pink of it. Personally, she wouldn’t mind if he didn’t shave. She preferred a day or two worth of facial hair on his face.
Since she’d already decided she didn’t need to have her A-game on, she stayed in her warm flannel pajamas and added a sweatshirt for an extra layer. I hope it’s warmer downstairs. Only several rooms in the large house had a private fireplace, and hers wasn’t one of them. She packed the toiletries for Landon in a small floral bag—the only one she had—but he had enough confidence in his masculinity that she doubted he’d care.
Turning her flashlight on as she stepped into the hallway, she was surprised how dark a home could be, even in the daytime. The long hallway had a window in each end, but the overcast sky and snowfall blocked the sun’s light.
The smell of bacon and eggs drifted up the stairs. Thank goodness for gas stoves. Was that cinnamon rolls she smelled as well? The aromas spurred her into quicker motion, and she stopped at the kitchen first. Several kerosene lamps were lit on the counters, giving off enough light to work by. Beth opened the door to the wall oven and pulled out a tray of cinnamon rolls. “I’m fairly certain I’ve gained ten pounds simply by smelling these all morning.”
“The best ten pounds you’ll ever gain next to pregnancy.” Mrs. Addy stood at the stove, which had all burners in use, including two occupied by old-fashioned coffee percolators. She turned and smiled at Jessa. “Good morning. Did you look outside yet?”
“Through my bedroom window.”
“Don’t make plans to go anywhere today or you’ll be disappointed. I doubt we’ll see a plow come through until this afternoon at the earliest.” She flipped an egg and balanced the spatula on the edge of the skillet.
“How much did we get?”
“Two and a half feet, with another six to ten inches expected before it all ends.” Scooping the finished eggs onto a platter, Mrs. Addy jutted her chin toward the front of the house. “The drifts are higher in parts. We can’t get out the front door right now, but the back is fine. The men said they’ll shovel us out after breakfast.”
The clutter on the counters caught her eye—messes were rare occasions in the kitchen. “Can I help do anything? Clean up?”
“No thanks, sweetheart. We took all we needed out of the fridge in one swoop, and we’ll put it all back the same way to preserve the cold air. I have too much food in there to let it go to waste from a power outage.”
“You could always put it outside in the snow.”
Beth laughed, the first joyful noise Jessa had heard from her. “I already suggested that.”
“I told her that was a wise idea and it might come to that, but for now, we’ll stick with the refrigerator.” Addy cracked more eggs onto the stovetop griddle. “We’ll use the food first that will spoil the quickest. With the exception of the bacon since the men requested it. Our meals won’t be fancy today, but they’ll be hearty.”
“That’s the best kind on a cold snow day.” Her nose caught another whiff of the cinnamon rolls, and she gave serious thought to swiping one.
“For lunch, I’ll whip up a batch of vegetable soup. I’d already transferred the beef cubes from the freezer to the fridge yesterday before the storm, so I’ll have to use them up. I always make extra to save, and with that in mind, what I set out should be enough to serve our extra guests as well.”
“If you have the ingredients, I can make several loaves of French bread.” Beth picked up a bowl of glaze for the cinnamon rolls and began icing them. “Baking is my stress release.”
“Be my guest.” Mrs. Addy rinsed her hands in the sink and dried them off on a terrycloth dishtowel. “Homemade bread is one thing I’ve never been able to master. It would be a real treat to have some with our soup.”
Jessa decided she’d easily gain five pounds before this storm was over, but she wouldn’t complain. She’d work off all the calories in the upcoming days, even if it meant shoveling snow for exercise.
“Breakfast will be ready in ten minutes. I’ll ring the bell soon, but if you want to see your man first, I’d go now.” Mrs. Addy winked then turned her attention back to the stove.
Giving the cinnamon rolls one f
inal longing glance, Jessa maintained self-control and went to the library. She knocked on the closed door, respecting the privacy of Landon and the two other travelers who had shown up last night, college friends returning to school after a long weekend. Both males, Mrs. Addy had set them up in the library with Landon.
The blond man answered the door, appearing every part the college kid who’d woken up late on the day of exams and rushed out the door for class. His personality, however, was polite and respectful. “Good morning, ma’am.”
His greeting made her feel fifty, not twenty-seven, but she smiled. It beat ‘hey you’ or ‘whadaya want’ that the younger generation often said. “Is Landon in there?”
“He left five minutes ago to clean up. You’re welcome to wait in here for him if you’d like. We’ve already dressed and cleaned up.”
“Thanks. Breakfast will be ready soon if you want to head to the dining room.”
“Awesome.” The blond turned his head to face into the library. “Hey, Jake, come get grub.”
She tried not to laugh. Those days of being young and carefree seemed a lifetime ago, but she still remembered the fun of them. Making every experience an adventure, living life to the fullest, preparing for tomorrow, but not stressing about it.
The boys stormed out, already in conversation about college basketball stats. Jessa went to the chairs she and Landon now called theirs and waited for him.
Two minutes later he walked in, and her stomach clenched. So much for assuming he’d look rough. His hair was combed, his face fresh and cleanly shaven. He wore the same jeans as yesterday but had a fresh shirt on. When she raised her eyes to his head again, she noticed his hair had moisture in it. Had he braved the icy water to take a shower? No fair. For a brief, juvenile second she wanted to stomp her foot but instead slumped her shoulders.
She patted her hair, aware of every strand out of place. At least she’d brushed her teeth. She held up the toiletry bag with a sheepish smile. “I brought you down a few things, but it seems you don’t need any.”
“Thanks. I appreciate the thought.” His gratefulness helped smooth her self-consciousness. “Jake and Zane pooled together their resources to get me what I needed.”
So that was the blond kid’s name. “Did you take a shower?”
“Are you crazy? Have you felt that water?”
His wide-eyed incredulous stare made her laugh. “Yes, and that’s why I thought you were crazy when I saw your hair wet.”
“I splashed a handful of water on it to keep the strays down.”
“Since you don’t need this, I’ll run it back upstairs and change.” Forgive the lie I’m about to tell. “I came to see you first so you could get ready. I didn’t think about the guys having toiletries you could use.”
Landon wiggled his brows. “Maybe I like the flannel and sweatshirt look on you.”
“Yeah, okay.”
“I do. It shows you’re comfortable in your own skin.”
Boy, did he know the right words to say. The breakfast bell rang, and she had a choice—change and be late or go as-is like she’d initially planned before seeing Landon. Spurred by his compliment, she swallowed her pride. “Let’s get breakfast. The cinnamon rolls are calling my name.”
“You weren’t kidding about loving all things sugar.”
She shook her head solemnly. “I never joke about serious issues.” She couldn’t hold her laughter any longer. “My aunt gave me my first lollipop when I was two, and it all went downhill from there. I figure as long as I balance it out with lots of veggies and lean protein, I’m good.”
“Sounds solid to me.”
Breakfast was a lively affair. With a variety of people gathered together from different seasons of life, everyone had a story to share. Beth remained quiet, cutting food into small pieces for Dex, but April jumped into every conversation, charming everybody in the room.
Landon nudged her and leaned over to whisper. “For a little girl so concerned about leaving with a stranger last night, she sure seems okay with all of us now.”
“I’m surprised she knows what a stranger is. She’s even made friends with the college boys.” She watched with amusement as April held the two young men captive by explaining in detail about a movie she’d seen in theatres over Christmas break.
After the meal ended, Mrs. Addy shooed everyone away refusing all offers of help. Several people organized a checker tournament while the able-bodied men prepared to shovel a path from the back door to the front.
Jessa dug her snow pants out of her closet and dressed warmly. She needed to burn energy, not just to work off the cinnamon rolls. Unaccustomed to lounging around for two days, her muscles went stir crazy. Her legs ached to move around and running up and down the bed and breakfast steps would get old quick.
As a reward, once the shoveling was completed, she looked forward to quiet time with Landon. How’d they accomplish that in a house filled to the brim she didn’t know, but she’d find a way. She hadn’t brought up the topic, but this snowstorm likely affected their Valentine’s Day plans.
Even if local streets through town were plowed today—which was doubtful since the snow showed no signs of ending—the roads overall wouldn’t be safe for him to leave and he’d have to stay another night in Jasper Lake. The earliest he’d get home would be Thursday. Would he want to come right back on Saturday to keep their plans for the most romantic day of the year?
If not, she wouldn’t be upset. She understood he might have to work and make up the lost days, or not want to make the drive again so soon. The weather couldn’t be helped, and she’d make the most of this time they did have together.
Dressed like a gigantic ball of bubblegum, she waddled down the stairs. What had possessed her to buy the pink suit? Other girls could pull them off, but not her. She came off as a blob, and it wasn’t that she had a bad figure. Oh well. He saw me in pajamas and crazy hair. This can’t be much worse.
She met Landon, Jake, Zane, Mr. Bill, and Mr. Lejeune out back.
Mr. Bill, a permanent boarder, handed out the shovels. “We only have three, so we’ll work in pairs. The snow is heavy, and the effort will tax your body. Our goal is safety.”
If that were the case, he and Mr. Lejeune shouldn’t be out there to begin with. Mr. Bill pushed seventy and had served his time through the years pushing snow. Mr. Lejeune was middle-aged, staying at Addy’s for February, but he wasn’t in the best shape. She’d questioned Landon about it between breakfast and changing, but he’d assured her they were grown men who could make their own decisions and knew their limits. Asking them to step aside would only sting their pride and make them more determined to work harder.
The six paired off. Jake teamed with Mr. Bill and Zane with Mr. Lejeune. She was surprised at the groupings until she saw Landon wink at the younger kids and realized he’d set it up that way. If she had her guess, Landon, Jake, and Zane would do the bulk of shoveling before Mr. Bill and Mr. Lejeune ever had a turn.
Her feelings for Landon multiplied. Time after time, he proved his integrity and compassion. She could have kissed him right there, except her bulkiness would keep them apart. That and a kiss in front of others was different than holding hands. She’d never been a fan of public displays of affection.
With the other four paired off, that left her to partner with Landon, just as she had wanted. They trekked through the high snow twenty feet down the stone walking path, and Landon dug the shovel into the snow and began. Clearing a path and removing the drifts in front of the house shouldn’t take long with all of them working together.
She reached for the shovel after fifteen minutes. “Let me have a turn.”
“I’m still going strong.”
“But I’m cold and need to move to keep warm.” She grinned. “Plus, you’re cute and all, but I can only stand here and stare at you for so long before I feel like a creeper.”
He chuckled then narrowed his eyes, giving her a doubting glance. “You’re up to something.
”
“I’m not. Promise.”
“Sure.” He stretched the word into multiple syllables, clearly not believing her, but he handed over the shovel anyway.
She shoveled a few inches, clearing a foot spread in the path, pretending she had no ulterior motives. Once she saw Landon relax his defenses, she scooped a large shovel full of snow. In a single, graceful movement, she lifted the shovel and dumped it on him before he had a chance to realize what was happening.
She broke into laughter at his stunned expression.
His face registered the attack, and his eyes glinted with revenge. He stooped down and gathered a large handful of snow. Rolled it and patted it until it formed a perfect snowball.
Still laughing, Jessa held the shovel in front of her as a shield. “Oh no, you don’t.”
“Don’t play if you can’t pay.” Landon grinned, pulled his arm back, and released the snowball.
She braced for the impact. Thanks to her layers, she barely felt it, but she wouldn’t let Landon get the last move. Tucking the shovel handle under her arm, she bent down and made a snowball of her own. Too late. Landon had already sent another her way.
Multiple snowballs flew across the yard. Jake and Zane had joined the game and showed no mercy. One flew straight to her head, and she ducked to miss it. She straightened up, only to be struck on the shoulder.
Mr. Lejeune laughed and identified himself as the culprit.
She clucked her tongue. “Grown men acting like children.”
Mr. Bill chuckled and lobbed one toward Jake. “Who says we can’t still have fun.”
“No one.” She winked, throwing a snowball at Zane.
Landon ribbed her. “I was going to say, you’re the one who started it.”
The fun continued for another ten minutes until they collectively decided to get back to work. Freshly fallen snow covered parts of the path they’d already cleared. They’d have to repeat the process once the snow ceased falling but getting the bulk out of the way would make the second pass less demanding.
They reached the front porch in an hour. Clearing access to the door came first, and then they started on the sides of the porch and the walkway from the steps to the front gate along the road.