Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 22991 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 115(@200wpm)___ 92(@250wpm)___ 77(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22991 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 115(@200wpm)___ 92(@250wpm)___ 77(@300wpm)
Grabbing as much stuff as I could carry from my van—including food and some cooking supplies since I wasn’t sure what all was available in the cabin—I loaded up before making the trek to my temporary home during the storm. With the snow coming down hard and the wind blowing, it took me a while to make my way there. It also didn’t help that I kept stopping to take in my surroundings and snap some pictures.
At one point, I barely refrained from taking a photo of a guy in black ski pants and a red jacket with a white cross on the sleeve carrying a woman in a maroon ski suit. She was cradling her wrist against her chest and had tears streaming down her cheeks, but they still painted quite the romantic picture.
The man was so careful with her that I stood stock-still as they passed, hearing him whisper, “It’s okay, Iris. I’ve got you.”
“I should’ve known not to go out on the bunny hill when it was snowing so much,” she muttered. “What in the world was I thinking? I’ve only had one lesson.”
The man grinned down at her, unbothered by her irritation. “Maybe you were thinking that your fall would give me the chance to rescue you.”
I practically swooned over them as I continued on my way. When I got inside my cabin, I realized that I could’ve left some of my stuff behind, but there was no way I was going to head back out into the cold to put anything in my van. Instead, I stripped out of my boots, coat, hat, and gloves after dumping all my stuff near the door. Then I took in my new digs, letting out an appreciative whistle.
The place was cozy and charming, even with the snowman motif carried over from the lobby of the inn. It had pretty much every amenity I would need, including a fireplace. I’d never used one before, but I had a feeling that I’d be spending more time on the couch across from it than in the comfy king-sized bed.
When I saw the kitchen, I wished I’d stopped at the store for extra groceries. I did pretty well cooking for myself using the propane stove I installed in my van, but I could do so much more with this gorgeous stove.
After putting my stuff away, I padded into the bathroom. Spotting the tub, I rubbed my palms together. I was definitely going to take a long, hot bath before I checked out. Even if I had to use shampoo to make bubbles, it would still be amazing.
I had finished unpacking and was just pondering taking a bath tonight when there was a knock on the door. Assuming it was someone who had the wrong cabin since I didn’t know anybody in Winter Falls, I almost didn’t answer. But curiosity got the best of me.
When I flung the door open, I was happy to find a snowy Hayden standing there. “Hey.”
He grinned at me. “Don’t look so surprised to see me. I told you that I’d see you later.”
“You did,” I murmured, returning his smile.
It wasn’t until he lifted a blue plastic tub that I realized he was carrying something. That was how distracted I was by seeing him again so soon. “What’ve you got there?”
“Chains for your tires. When the roads open back up, the conditions still won’t be great, and I noticed that you don’t have snow tires,” he explained.
I appreciated how much thought he’d put into my safety, but I wasn’t sure it was necessary. “Oh, but I have all-wheel drive.”
“That’ll help some, but without winter tires, it’s not good enough for driving after a blizzard like this. All-wheel drive doesn’t do much to help with turning and braking on snow and ice.” Moving past me, he set the tub on the floor near the door. “These’ll need to be properly installed, so don’t leave before I can help with that.”
Grabbing onto an easy excuse to make sure I got to see him again, I quickly agreed. “Sure.”
“I guess I better head out.”
“Umm…I hate to ask for another favor, but could you maybe help me get a fire started?” I asked. “I’m from South Florida, so I’ve never used a fireplace before. And judging by the pile of logs, I’m guessing that I can’t just press a button to get it going.”
“I’m glad you asked.”
He strode across the room, and I fanned myself with my hand as he bent over, showing off his perfect butt while he tossed a few logs into the fireplace. Then he walked me through the steps for how to start one myself, warning me about checking to make sure the flue was open.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have any other handy excuses to keep Hayden from leaving.
As soon as we said our goodbyes and I shut the door behind him, I wanted nothing more than to call him back. But I knew he had important things to take care of, so I padded over to the kitchenette to drown my sorrows in a delicious mug of hot chocolate instead.