“What’s the matter?” Rob asked.
He came from behind to Abby’s side. She was doubled over, holding on to her ankle. He pointed the flashlight down at it. The rest of them stopped as well when they noticed the flashlight wasn’t pointed forward.
“I think I just twisted my ankle,” she groaned. She was the only one without winter or hiking boots, so she had to settle for the sneakers she had been wearing.
“I can’t see much,” Rob called out.
“We can’t stop here, guys,” John shouted. “It’s too forested on both sides of the road. Rob, I’ll take your backpack. You can help her walk.”
Ruth walked around to her other side and helped. This was bound to slow them down even more.
Could it get any worse?
Abby dug deep to hold on to the last remaining strand of faith she had left.
Chapter 4
ANDREW looked out from the kitchen window. The snow was coming down harder.
I should really stock up on extra firewood tonight.
The house had a new furnace, and there was also a convenient switch inside the house to turn on the backup generators. Still, he couldn’t take any chances in case the power went out. There was no way he wanted to wake up in the middle of the night to troubleshoot if the generator didn’t turn on for some reason.
He pulled his winter jacket off the hook in the entryway closet, and put on his winter boots to go out to the shed. By then, the blowing snow had piled up over three feet in front of the doors.
Ugh, great.
Too late for that plan.
It would take hours to shovel that snow to get at the firewood, so he turned to go back inside, hoping what he had brought in earlier would suffice.
As he walked back to the house, he thought he heard a loud howl. He stopped and listened, and the sound filled the night again. No, that was either a scream or a whistle, and it didn’t sound like it came from far away. There were no neighbors who used their homes year round, not for at least two miles in either direction. It had to be people stuck out in the snow.
He waited quietly and heard the sounds again.
Definitely a whistle.
He went back inside and grabbed the battery powered lantern and his loaded rifle from the front closet.
You could never be too careful at this time of year.
Even with the snow falling like this, it was dark, and there could be coyotes or mountain lions on the hunt.
He walked up the long driveway and in the direction he thought he heard the sound originating from. The snow was coming down harder than before and blowing in every direction, making visibility virtually impossible. He didn't hear the sound anymore, so he hoped he was headed the right way. He got to the tree line at the edge of his property and wasn't sure which direction to take. He stopped and listened again. The wind was not helping. It whirred and whistled through the trees, picking all the fallen snow up from the ground and blowing it around, as though what was still falling wasn’t enough.
As Andrew walked up the slight slope of roadway, he began to question whether he had heard anything at all.
Could my mind have been playing tricks on me?
The sound was so familiar. It transported him back to that night. It was the first time in a long time that he had remembered the horn of the other vehicle blaring through that silent night, after the crash.
Other memories from that night would surface more frequently.
Great. God, I hope the sound of a car horn doesn’t become another fucking installment of my nightmares and waking thoughts. The horn had not stopped blaring that night, because the lifeless body of the other driver had slumped forward onto the steering wheel.
The loud crackle of a broken twig in the distance plucked him from his thoughts. He raised his lantern to see if he could make out animal figures. He did not want a mountain lion sneaking up on him. The light of the lantern hit some subtle shadows in the distance. After a few seconds, he could tell it was people. Andrew sighed reluctantly and approached them slowly. So much for peace and quiet.
"We’re so lucky we found you, sir," said a young lady at the front of the group.
Andrew thought something slightly different. He agreed it was pure luck they had found him. He had considered walking around the tree line in the other direction to see where the sound had come from. If he had, they probably would never have met. He was not glad to see them, though.
"What are you people doing out here in this weather?" Andrew asked.
"Our car’s damaged back there,” the lady answered, pointing back where they came from. “We hit the Broad Oaks Country Club gate by accident, and it’s banged up pretty badly. We figured if we came this way, we’d find some shelter. I’m Barb. Our friend here is hurt.”
“Why did you think anyone would be down here? I’m the only one who lives here year round, at this corner of the lake,” he asked.
“We didn’t have much choice,” Barb answered.
"Where are you people from?"
"We all live around Reno-Sparks and were on our way to our colleges in San Francisco. Ruth here thought we could stop at her grandfather's cabin, which was supposed to be around here somewhere. Can you help us?"
"Yes. Of course," he answered. "My cabin is just a few hundred feet this way.” He noticed they all looked exhausted from carrying bags and walking so far. Broad Oaks wasn’t too far away, but in this weather, and on foot, they had to be running on empty.
“Here. Hold the rifle. Let me carry her." He passed the rifle to the young woman helping the other injured lady. She held it at the barrel with both hands, away from her body like it was nuclear waste or something equally dangerous. It was clear she had never held a weapon before. At least she’s not likely to try anything, he thought. They were strangers, after all.
As Andrew moved close to pick up the young lady who was hurt, they made eye contact and both froze for a moment. There was something so familiar in her eyes. He’d have to find out why he seemed to know her later.
"Okay, let's go. The cabin is this way."
He led them across the barely visible path, carrying the woman in his arms. As exhausted as the rest of them seemed, they kept his pace. Within minutes, they were at his driveway and up on the front porch. The front door was unlocked, so he turned his body carefully to open it without potentially hurting the injured lady’s leg any more than it already was.
"Come in," he called to them. "The fireplace is in the room on your left."
He took the injured lady to the easy chair closest to the fireplace, and set her down slowly. She pulled back her parka hood and craned her long, slender neck to look up at him with the biggest, palest green eyes. He was certain he had seen her before. He just couldn’t remember where.
“Let me get my doctor's bag,” he said softly, as if by instinct. He regretted saying it the moment the words passed his lips.
“You're a doctor?” the woman asked.
“I don't practice anymore,” he mumbled gruffly as he walked away and down the hallway.
Andrew was not looking forward to this unexpected group of visitors.
They haven't even been here for a minute and already I’m getting questions about my past.
He hoped the conversation would be kept to a minimum and that soon, he would have his solitude again. He pulled his medical bag from the lower shelf of the walk-in closet and hurried back to the living room. The group had clustered together to soak up the warmth of the fire. Only the injured young lady noticed when he walked back in. Where do I know her from? She seemed so familiar.
He knelt beside the chair and looked over to the kids at the fireplace.
“You,” Andrew called to the tall, blonde man who had been helping the injured woman. “Slide that ottoman over here to elevate her ankle. And when you're finished, the kitchen is on the other side of the front door. Get me an ice pack from the fridge.”
“Sure thing,” the young man answered as he dragged the ottom
an in front of the chair and gently propped her injured leg on it.
Andrew slowly took off her boot, and began to remove her sock. He touched her injured foot gently, and when she jumped in reaction to the pain, he stopped and got a pair of scissors from the bag.
“Sorry, I'll have to cut your sock off,” he looked up and said to her. “Not to worry, I'll replace it.”
“It’s okay,” she answered. “These were supposed to be my lucky socks. Now, I’m not so sure anymore.”
“Sorry.”
“It’s okay. I'm a licensed registered nurse. I know what you have to do. Go ahead and chop it off."
“You are?” He asked as he cut. “Good. Then you know that I have to feel the ankle itself, and around it to have an idea whether it's broken, fractured, or just sprained. Right?”
“Yes,” she answered and braced for his examination. “I can handle it. Go ahead.”
One of the ladies left the fireplace and came to stand on the other side of the chair.
“Here, Abby” she said, reaching out. “Just squeeze my hand whenever you feel any pain, okay?”
“That's really sweet of you, Ruth,” the injured woman said. “I'm sure I'll be fine.”
Okay, her name is Abby. Andrew still wracked his brain to remember where he knew her from, and hoped desperately that it had nothing to do with the night of the accident. As he examined her lower leg, ankle, and foot, he knew it wasn't as bad as it could have been. Even so, Abby wouldn't be walking for at least a few days. And with the snow falling so heavily, no one would brave this weather to come get them. They'd be here for a little while. The reality of their presence at his cabin slowly sank in. He shifted in his squatted position to look at her.
"Well, miss, only an X-ray can confirm my prognosis, but for now, it doesn't seem that your ankle is broken or fractured," he explained.
"That's good," Abby answered.
"The bad news is that without crutches or an ankle brace, you'll need to stay off that foot for the next few days."
"That's not so good." She looked at him and nodded.
"Not that you'd be able to walk anywhere for a few days, the way the weather is now," he said, and looked around for the blond man. "Where's your friend I sent for the ice pack?"
"I'll go look for him," the blonde girl answered eagerly.
As she walked towards the hallway that led to the kitchen, the blond man almost bumped into her. He made a beeline around her, as though she was a leper.
There is definitely something between those two.
“Hey man, this place is huge,” he said, walking toward them with a bowl of ice and two ice packs. “I've never seen a cabin that looks like this. It's a mansion, man. I got lost trying to find to the kitchen, and got lost again coming back.”
Andrew didn't respond. He nodded and gently placed the ice pack on her ankle. “Take this off in ten minutes and replace it after the same amount of time. And repeat at least a few times tonight before you go to sleep.”
“Thanks,” she answered. “I’m familiar with R.I.C.E.”
“Yeah that's rest, ice, compress, elevate, right?” the blond man interjected.
“That's correct.” Andrew looked back at Abby. "By the way, my name is Andrew. What are all your names?"
“Nice to meet you, Andrew,” the brunette jumped in as she stepped away from the fireplace. “I had already mentioned my name is Barb, and this is Abby here, and Rob. Ruth is standing next to Abby, and that’s Tina and John over at the fireplace.”
“Good to meet you all,” Andrew answered politely and stood up. “It doesn't look like you'll be able to leave any time soon. This storm is just getting started. Didn’t you hear the news before you left Reno?”
“Sorry, sir, that was my fault,” Ruth said shyly from Abby’s side. “I made them take this route instead of going back to Highway eighty as we had planned. We only realized the storm was coming when it was too late.”
“Well, never mind that,” he said, trying to take the pressure off her. She looked like she was about to cry. “Do you have extra clothes?"
"Yes," they answered almost in unison.
“With you here?” he clarified.
“No,” Ruth replied with regret. “We left them in the car. We have what we’re wearing, but they’re wet. Once they dry off, we’ll probably have a week’s worth of stuff to wear, with all these layers.”
"Okay," he continued. “There are several bedrooms upstairs that you can all stay in. And there’s a laundry room upstairs too. I’ll find you some warm clothes to change into for tonight.”
“Thank you so much,” Barb chimed in and put a hand on his shoulder.
He was familiar with the deviously flirtatious look she gave him, and made a note to stay as far away from her as he could. He was not ready for anyone to get close, let alone this uninvited guest who was so eager to hit on him before she knew a thing about who he was.
“I don't have guests here often,” he said, taking a step back to escape the presumptuous gesture. “And the maid only comes once a week, so all the beds will need to be made."
"Thanks so much, sir," Abby answered. "We really appreciate it."
"No problem," he replied. "You can all call me Andrew. And Miss-uh, Abby, was it?"
"Yes, I'm Abby." She gave a weak smile.
"Okay. There's a spare guest room beside mine here on the main floor. You'd better take that room so you don't have to navigate the stairs and make it worse for your ankle.”
"Thank you," she answered. “Sure, that would help.”
“Lucky score, Abby,” Barb said quietly in Abby’s direction.
"I think I may have crutches in the shed outside,” he continued, doing his best to ignore the frisky woman’s offensive comment. “They’re from a couple years ago, and may not be the right size, but I’ll check when the weather eases up.”
“That would be great,” Abby answered politely.
“For now, you should all get out of your wet clothes and leave them in front of the fireplace to dry," he said to the group as he turned to walk out of the room. “I’ll find you some clothes.”
Could that woman be more obvious? Andrew got to the walk-in closet in his room to find some extra clothes. He would have to keep away from that one. He gathered up six neatly folded t-shirts, a package of athletic socks, and six plaid, flannel pajama sets, still wrapped in their original packages in the bottom drawer. It was the comfort gift his father would give every year since Andrew’s mother had left them when he was at medical school. Somehow, it became a tradition, except Andrew never had much use for them. He preferred sleeping in the nude, even here at the cottage.
He walked out to his guests, his arms laden with the clothing and a large comforter for Abby. He hoped that other woman would tone it down for the rest of their unexpected stay.
“Here are some clothes. Help yourselves.” He placed them on the sofa closest to the fireplace. “There’s also a comforter for you, Abby. These clothes may not fit you ladies, but it’ll keep you warm. I’ll put the kettle on and get you something to eat. You must all be hungry.”
He looked at the group of them, exhausted and soaked to the bone. Only the blond man seemed to have any energy left. He would have to do if Andrew was to get any help from his new guests. “Rob, is it? Grab a change of clothes and change quickly in the powder room down the hall, will you? You can help me get your friends some water to drink? After you all eat, I’ll show you to your rooms."
Chapter 5
ABBY couldn’t believe it. From one moment to the next, they had gone from very likely not to survive the night, to crisis averted. It was one of those mini-miracles that she had never been familiar with, but remembered praying for one before her mom had passed away. Here they were, finally safe, indoors, and warming up in the spacious home of this handsome stranger. The second she had looked into his eyes, she felt something. Was it relief? No, it was something else. Something more potent but harder to express. Something elementa
l.
Her breath hitched thinking back to when he picked her up so effortlessly into his arms. In her exhaustion, she had let herself lean onto his warm chest and rested her head on his shoulder as he carried her inside. She had not been this close to a man—let alone a complete stranger—since she broke up with Cole two summers ago, not a difficult breakup because they had dated for only six months.
Cole was the only male student in her undergraduate nursing program, and for whatever reason, he had gravitated to her. After six months of dating, there was still no spark. At least, she didn’t feel one. It was the sensible thing to do, and when she barely missed him after the breakup, she knew she had done the right thing.
“Is he hot or what?” Barb declared as Andrew left the room with Rob. It made everyone uncomfortable.
“Shhh,” Ruth said softly, stepping out of her jeans. They were soaked all the way up to the knees.
“I’m positive he heard that, Barb,” Trina agreed, picking up a set of clothes and removing the wrapper to check the size.
“So what? The guy’s fucking hot,” Barb added. “And a doctor, too? In this massive house? Let me be the first to say, I think we hit the mother lode.”
“Seriously, Barb.” John was apprehensive as he continued. “I might be treading on thin ice here, but I’ve got to side with the ladies. This guy just let six complete strangers in his house. Can you lay off so we don’t get kicked out and back into a blizzard? As a dude, even I think you were hitting on him hard. Give the guy a day or two to get his bearings or something. Sheesh.”
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