Snow Falls by Gerri Hill Page B

amazed that the dogs could find the route, but we knocked it down pretty good.”
    “You went up the ridge?” Jen asked, handing a cup to Ryan. Snow still clung to Ryan’s dark hair, and Jen reached up, brushing it away. Her fingers grazed Ryan’s cheek and their eyes locked. Jen felt her pulse race; she couldn’t pull away. There was a look in Ryan’s eyes that both frightened her and excited her at the same time. She let her hand fall to her side, but their stare was only broken when Ryan lowered her gaze to Jen’s mouth. Jen held her breath, so afraid Ryan was going to kiss her...and so afraid she would not.
    Startled by her thoughts, shocked by the war going on inside her, she let her breath out when Ryan turned away from her, moving quietly back into the living room. Jen sighed heavily as she stared at the floor, acknowledging the disappointment she felt...and the relief.
    “Jen, I’m trying to do the right thing here.”
    Jen looked up, glad Ryan’s back was to her. She didn’t pretend not to know what Ryan meant by that statement. She swallowed, nodding. “I know.”
    ***
     
    Ryan felt a restlessness she hadn’t felt in years. Her laptop was opened, yet her fingers remained motionless on the keys. They had no Internet and probably wouldn’t for a couple of days. Jen, too, was staring at her laptop, although she appeared to be reading. Tension permeated the room, hanging so heavy between them that Ryan knew even the dogs felt it. Their intelligent eyes darted between the two of them, their quiet whimpers nearly as unsettling as the silence.
    Finally, by midafternoon, the sun broke through the clouds completely. The bright sunshine bounced off the snow in waves, sending a warm cheery glow into the cabin. She stood, and both dogs jumped to attention. Jen glanced at her with raised eyebrows.
    “Gonna shovel snow off the deck,” she said.
    Jen nodded. “I’ll help.”
    She had to forcibly push the door open—the snow had drifted up against the cabin more than four feet. The earlier chill was fast disappearing in the sunshine, and Ryan found no need for a coat.
    “It’s almost balmy,” Jen said as she tossed her coat back inside the cabin.
    The light powdered snow of winter, this was not. It was wet and heavy, making the chore of cleaning the deck harder than normal. They both went to work with shovels, clearing the snow from the wood. She went to the railing and looked down. The lower sundeck was completely covered. She would leave that one to melt on its own. Which shouldn’t be long, she reasoned. Even now, the constant drip, drip, drip of melting snow could be heard as the warm rays of sun made the ice shine like crystals. It was a beautiful sight, but she wouldn’t mind the passing of winter. Green trees and bare earth, birds and chipmunks, flowers and sunshine—she longed for it all. Maybe, as Jen had said, she wasn’t really such a hermit after all. She longed for the day she could drive down to Sloan’s Bar for a burger and beer.
    “I can’t believe it’s melting already,” Jen said. “It’s falling off the trees in clumps.”
    “Yeah. It’s also because it’s a heavier snow.” She looked to the sky, seeing nothing but blue. “Evidence of this storm will probably be gone in three days. Once it stays warm, snow melts quickly,” she said. “They’ll probably start plowing the lower road next week.”
    “Yes, I know you’ll be glad to get rid of me.”
    Ryan shook her head. “I didn’t mean to indicate that you’d worn out your welcome,” she said. “But I’m sure you’re ready to get out of here. Get back to your life.” She paused. “Where it’s...safe.”
    Jen held her gaze with a question in her eyes. “Am I not safe here?”
    The tension between them was thick again, and Ryan swallowed nervously. “Of course you are,” she said. “I would never do anything—”
    “I know you wouldn’t. And I’ll be out of your hair soon so you won’t have to worry