On a Snowy Christmas Night (8 page)

Annie started to say something else but someone interrupted her, and Shea took the opportunity to hurry toward the stables. She resisted the impulse to run. Breathe deeply, that’s what she had to do. Keep calm.

Before she’d realized she was doing it, she’d begun counting in multiples of three, briefly pausing between each set. Screw it. The habit helped relax her and now wasn’t the time to practice alternate therapy.

By the time she’d saddled Candy Cane and they were heading out of the stables, Shea had centered herself. Until she saw the black clouds overhead. The sky looked bad as far as she could see. Half surprised that Annie hadn’t shown up to tell her she’d reconsidered, Shea nudged the mare into a gallop headed in the opposite direction from Annie and the rest of the group.

* * *

J
ESSE
CURSED
HIMSELF
for being a fool. He never should’ve stopped at the Billings recruitment office after dropping off the injured ram. If he hadn’t been so damn impulsive he would’ve missed the snow. How friggin’ stupid, he thought, as the second fat flake splattered against the windshield of the Cessna. Not just stupid but irresponsible. This wasn’t his plane.

It wasn’t so much a safety issue—he’d flown in snow enough times and this baby had the best deicing equipment he’d ever seen—but the principle involved. The questions he’d had could’ve been handled over the phone. No need for unnecessary risk. He wouldn’t make his decision to reenlist until after the holidays, and if he decided to go back in, it wouldn’t be through a recruitment center. The bonus they offered for a ten-year re-up would have to make it worth his while.

What annoyed him was that his mind had been as clouded as the black sky overhead—had been since he’d talked to Shea yesterday. He’d been thinking about her too much. Made no sense, since the only thing he knew for sure was that she had a good heart. He would’ve liked to see Annie’s face when she got the coffee and feed. Three hundred pounds of oats and corn were nothing compared to Safe Haven’s need. Shea didn’t know that, but she cared enough to stop at Jorgensen’s and find out how she could make a difference. The hay delivery would be a godsend.

Coming down faster and harder, the snow pelted the Cessna. Later he could finish ripping himself a new one for being a dumbass, for now he gave his full attention to the controls. It’d be another twenty or thirty minutes to the airstrip he used. His truck was parked there or he’d seriously think about putting down at the Sundance. Nice thing about flying in a rural area—few power lines and sufficient places to land a small plane if the need arose.

He surveyed the ground for one of his landmarks before the place was covered in white. A dozen miles back he’d flown over Vernon’s fishing cabin. That meant he was now over Safe Haven land. Damn, he hoped Shea had left early. No need worrying. Annie would’ve seen to it.

A gust of icy wind buffeted the plane. Wet snow slapped the wings.

“Shit.”

Man, when the local meteorologists screwed up they really went all out. It wasn’t a blizzard but pretty damn close, with no signs of letting up. He grabbed the radio.

“Piedmont Ground, this is Cessna 55512 over Safe Haven, looking for an area weather report.”

Waiting for a response from ground control, Jesse rolled a tense shoulder, then darted a look below. He thought he saw something pink. Probably a trick of the muted light. There was nothing out here. Certainly no reason for a person to be roaming around in this weather. He rubbed his right eye and squinted at the object. Too late, he was already passing.

“Cessna 55512, this is Piedmont Ground, repeat your location.”

Jesse didn’t recognize the voice. Just what he was afraid of. Paul, the guy who owned the airstrip, must be taking time off. Then something clicked. “Piedmont Ground, this is Cessna 55512, is that you, Stanley?”

“Affirmative, Cessna 55512.”

Jesus.
It was Paul’s nephew, and he knew Jesse. Not much small aircraft activity in these parts during winter. But filling in for his uncle was probably the highlight of Stanley’s year. He’d stick to formality even if he knew this was his only communication for the day.

“Hold on, Stanley. Back in a minute.”

Jesse had to circle around and have another look. It was probably nothing. All he ever saw were cows or wildlife in the winter. But something pinkish might as well be a red flag. Doubt would nag at him if he didn’t put his mind at ease. A couple minutes to backtrack wouldn’t kill him.

The snow was coming down like a son of a bitch, though, and he’d be lucky to see anything. As he came around, he gently pushed the wheel down and used the elevator control to drop for a better look.

He’d barely decreased altitude when he saw the shape of a person. A small person. A woman. Wearing a pink jacket.

Shea.

What the hell...

His heart thudded. He should’ve recognized her jacket immediately.

She sat atop a horse, hunched over its neck. He couldn’t tell if she was hurt or trying to shield her face from the blowing snow. And then she must’ve heard the engine because she tilted her head back, her arm thrown across her forehead, as she stared up into the sky.

Jesse didn’t bother signaling. Too much snow. She couldn’t see him. He only hoped she had sense enough to keep her eyes on the plane. After he landed, she’d have to come to him.

He picked up the radio again. “Piedmont Ground—Stanley?
It’s Jesse. Making an emergency landing. Plane is fine. I’m fine. I’ll be in touch.”

8

S
HEA
COULD
BARELY
see the plane circling above. Her pulse pounded so loudly in her ears she’d initially thought she’d imagined hearing the engine. Icy white snowflakes kept falling and the wind was so cold it sliced through her jacket. The weather had gone to hell so fast—she’d never experienced anything like this before.

Candy Cane seemed fine, considering. Probably because the snow hadn’t yet accumulated to more than a few inches on the ground. That would change quickly, too, she thought, watching the small aircraft begin to descend. Was the pilot landing? But where? Nothing but fields surrounded them, a couple of small hills, the occasional grove of trees.

He couldn’t have been looking for her. She’d only left Safe Haven a half hour ago. Not enough time for Annie to alert anyone. Annie expected Shea back at any minute, but she’d gotten so lost once the snow started. She’d tried to head back to Safe Haven. She had.

She couldn’t think about that right now. Something could be wrong with the plane. Maybe the pilot was in trouble.

A crazy thought popped into her head. Was it Jesse? No, too big a coincidence. Although he was expected back this afternoon, and how many people would be flying on a day like this if they could avoid it?

She sucked the frigid air into her unsuspecting lungs and winced at the pain. Using her arm to block the snow from flying directly into her face, she tried to keep sight of the plane while it continued to lose altitude. The descent seemed controlled, so maybe nothing was wrong. For all she knew, a landing strip stretched out on the other side of the rise that would eventually cut off her view of the aircraft.

Shea swallowed the lump of fear forming in her throat, dug her heels into the mare’s flanks and urged her forward. It was as good a direction as any. She no longer had a clue where Safe Haven was.

God, she’d promised Annie she’d keep Candy Cane safe. And Caleb...she hadn’t caught so much as a glimpse of him. He was out here in the freezing cold, too. Her teeth chattering, she pushed every thought out of her mind except for the plane and the pilot. Darkness seemed to be falling as quickly as the temperature. She had to stay focused, keep her gaze alert through the tricky shifting light.

A minute later, the plane disappeared.

* * *

A
S
SOON
AS
J
ESSE
LANDED
, he radioed Stanley, gave him a brief rundown and asked him to call the Sundance. Rachel would get in touch with Annie. Later, after he made sure Shea was safe, Jesse would contact them again.

He dug out his emergency gear, pulled on a parka and prayed like hell she was on her way toward him. A pair of skis and snowshoes were stowed in the back of the Cessna, but he didn’t need them yet. He glanced up at the sky. Within a half hour, he would. The unexpected squall was turning into a damn blizzard.

“What the hell is she doing out here?” he muttered, the fear thick in his voice and in his chest.

Leaving on his sunglasses to cut the glare, he trudged in the direction he’d seen her last. Fortunately the wind was coming from behind him. Good for him, not for Shea. The blowing snow would be partially blinding her. His only consolation was that she had to be riding a good horse. Annie would never have let her out here otherwise. Then again, it wasn’t like Annie to allow something like this to happen in the first place.

Jesse muttered a few more choice words he seldom used and pressed forward. Maybe he’d been too hasty to dismiss the snowshoes, although they would’ve slowed him down. He kept pushing himself, his eyes trained on the top of the small hill she’d have to climb to get to him. He knew exactly what time he’d landed but he didn’t bother checking his watch now. The passage of time didn’t matter. Getting to her did.

Moments later he saw her. God bless that pink jacket. He didn’t think she’d spotted him. Hard to tell with her arm hiding her face.

“Shea,” he yelled, letting the wind carry his voice.

When she showed no sign of having heard him, he cupped his gloved hands around his mouth and called again. After two more tries, she lowered her arm. Her shoulders suddenly went back and her mouth opened. He thought she might have said something but he couldn’t hear her.

For a second he feared she might spook the mare, but she paused, adjusted her grip on the reins and nudged the horse toward him. His breathing labored from trudging through the thickening snow, he waited where he stood.

“Jesse, are you okay?” she asked, then climbed off the mare before he could stop her. They needed to move quickly.

“You all right?” He caught her by the shoulders, studying her flushed face. Icy snow clung to her hair and eyelashes.

She nodded. “I was looking for Caleb. He got away. Did you see him from up there...?” She started to look over her shoulder but he gave her a gentle shake.

“Listen, we have to find shelter. Now.”

“The plane?” She blinked hard against the snow pelting her face.

He hugged her against him, using his body to protect her. “A cabin not far from here. But we have to go now. Let’s get you back in the saddle.”

“What about you?” She tilted her head back, her teeth chattering violently.

“I’m fine walking.”

“But—”

He lowered his head and kissed her. Not the best way to shut her up but he’d acted on instinct. And it worked. He drew back. “Please don’t argue.”

The wind howled around them. He doubted she’d heard him. She just stared at him with wide eyes. It would be easy to pick her up and put her back in the saddle. And all he wanted was to kiss her again.

She leaned into him and lifted her mouth.

Damn, they had to get out of here.

He pulled her against his chest and kissed her hard, his tongue probing the seam of her lips. She let him inside and tentatively touched her tongue to his. Her shoulders shook beneath his hands.

This was insane.
He
was insane. He broke away. “We have to go now,” he mouthed, unable to compete with the shrieking wind.

She nodded, and he helped her into the saddle.

Noticing the cinch was loose, he reached under the mare, and in spite of his bulky gloves, managed to tighten the strap. It pissed him off that he was somewhat disoriented. He’d been too focused on her instead of monitoring where they were in relation to the line shack that he knew straddled the border between Safe Haven and the Hebers’ land.

Once he was confident they were headed in the right direction, he took the reins and motioned for Shea to keep her head down. She didn’t object but instantly dropped her chin to her chest. His sunglasses helped protect him somewhat but the way the snow slashed sideways, punishing their exposed skin, he knew it was going to be a long trek.

He led the mare toward the plane, intent on stopping to pick up his emergency kit on the way to the shack. Though he’d flown over the place a few times, he hadn’t used it in years. He hoped like hell they weren’t in for a nasty surprise.

* * *

A
T
FIRST
S
HEA
THOUGHT
the small cabin was a hallucination. It didn’t seem possible there’d be a building, such as it was, in the middle of nowhere.

It was also possible this whole thing was a dream. Jesse had kissed her. She’d kissed him back. How could that have been real? Could she have made it up in her head?

Jesse led Candy Cane right up to the door and tethered her to a pole that had been stuck in the ground, buried in nearly a foot of snow. She knew he expected her to dismount but she was so numb from the cold that she feared she’d need his help in order to land on her feet. Which wasn’t the least bit fair—he had to be exhausted.

Apparently he hadn’t expected her to do anything because he reached up and caught her at the waist. “Ready?”

She nodded, unable to utter a word. Her teeth were still chattering too hard, and the uncontrollable shivering hadn’t eased up. She felt like such a baby.

He lifted her off the saddle and set her on the ground. Her legs were unbearably weak, hardly more stable than overcooked spaghetti, and if she went down she’d just die.

Without a word, Jesse slid an arm around her. “No point in me going inside first. We have no other choice.”

Grateful for his support, she leaned against him. “I’m just glad it’s blocking the wind.”

He pushed open the unlatched door, and Shea could’ve sworn she saw a critter run across the wood floor. Or it might have been a trick of the waning light. Either way, she didn’t care. As long as there was no biting involved, she was willing to share.

A dank, musty smell permeated the air, and she didn’t care about that, either. As they stumbled across the threshold, she saw the place consisted of a single room with no windows. A cot had been shoved into the corner and beside it sat two small benches that looked like the results of a high school woodshop project.

Other objects were scattered about but it was too dim to make them out. Something big and gray sat in the middle of the room and she got excited when she realized it was a potbellied stove.

“Does this thing work?” she asked, optimism warming her insides.

“I hope so.” Jesse removed his arm from around her waist and was slowly inching away. “You okay to stand?”

She had been leaning on him quite heavily. The realization surprised her, but more shocking was the sudden need to keep him glued to her side. “Of course, sorry.”

“For what?” He rubbed her arm with reassurance and then dug in the large bag he’d taken from the plane.

She heard a soft click before the round glow from a flashlight swept the small room. The light stopped on a lantern hanging on a rough, unfinished wall. She saw the floor was made up of warped wooden planks and made a mental note to be careful how she stepped.

“I was hoping the lantern was still here.” He took her hand and pressed the flashlight against her palm. “Hold this, would you?”

“How did you know— Have you been here before?”

“Many times.” He pulled off one of his gloves, and just watching him expose his hand made her shudder deep inside her jacket. “In fact, my brother Cole and I helped Cy Heber put up this shack twelve years ago.”

She tried to keep the beam of light ahead of him while he retrieved the lantern. “It seems older.”

“May not be the Ritz, but it’s served its purpose more than once.”

“I’m not complaining,” she said, unable to stop shivering. Nice to be out of the snow but it seemed just as cold inside as outside. “Should I close the door?”

“Let’s see if we can air the place out a little.” He stopped fidgeting with the lantern, looked over at her and then went back to rooting inside the bag.

He pulled out something big and silvery and draped it around her shoulders, gathering the ends together under her chin. She’d lowered her arms to her side, making the flashlight useless.

“What is this?”

“A blizzard blanket. It helps conserve your body heat.”

She couldn’t see his face in the murky light but she could feel his breath, warm and moist, dancing across her cheekbones. “What about you?”

“I want to get this lantern lit and a fire started.” He brushed his bare thumb along her jaw.

Even though she couldn’t see, she was pretty sure his touch to her face was deliberate. Was he thinking about the kiss? Would he say something about it? She kind of hoped he didn’t. Still, she liked having him close, wanted him closer. She tried to move her feet, but that didn’t work out so well.

“We’re going to be okay here,” he said quietly, and there was the slightly rough pad of his thumb again, stroking her jaw, making her want to sag against him. She was exhausted, that’s all. “You understand?”

“What about Caleb and Candy Cane?” She saw a flash of white teeth.

“Candy Cane?”

“I didn’t name her.”

He made sure she had a grip on the blanket before he withdrew his hands. “They’ll be fine.”

“Please don’t lie to me.”

“Shine the flashlight over here.” He picked up the lantern. “You think people bring their horses and cattle inside when it snows?”

“You don’t have to be condescending.”

He pulled matches out of his bag of tricks and lit the lantern. The flickering glow caught his faint smile. “You accused me of being a liar.” He shrugged. “So we’re even.”

“I didn’t say you— Okay, I sort of did, but I didn’t mean it.” Sighing, she pushed the hair away from her frozen face, and glanced around the room again now that they had some light.

Logs were stacked on the other side of the stove, so that gave her hope they’d have some heat soon. Closer to her an open cardboard box bulged with kindling and crumpled newspaper. By the far wall was a kettle and an iron frying pan sitting on an overturned metal bucket. Canned goods had been stored in an old corner bookshelf. God only knew how long they’d been sitting there. She wasn’t that hungry yet.

Her gaze went back to Jesse. “What can I do to help?”
That won’t embarrass me,
she nearly added. She never felt more useless than in a situation like this.

He crouched in front of the stove, opened the small door and used the illumination of the lantern to peer inside. “Find a decent place to sit while I get a fire going. You can use the flashlight.”

Either she was getting used to the musty odor, or leaving the door open had worked. She peeked outside to check on Candy. The mare snorted steam but seemed sufficiently content to not have snow blowing in her face. That didn’t stop Shea from worrying. Caleb was still out there with no shelter at all.

“Shea, I promise you the horses are fine.”

She turned around and watched him arrange the logs inside the stove. “How can you make that promise?”

“We have herds of wild mustangs living in the mountains who survive one winter after another, including their young.”

All right, he had a point—one she hadn’t considered. “Caleb is domesticated.”

“And probably smarter than half the people we know.”

She smiled. Another valid point. No doubt the horse was savvier than herself, damn her IQ. She pulled the metallic blanket more snugly around her shoulders and swallowed hard. “I really messed up,” she said, mortified when her voice broke.