Snow One Like You by Kate Angell Page B

alert. He got called
back to work. I hitched a ride on his two-seater Polaris. You’re
one of few stores with electricity.” Worry creased his brow.
Tension set his shoulders. “How are the twins?”
    “ Manfred and Maynard are
doing well. They’re oblivious to the weather.”
    “ I’d like to see them while
I’m here.”
    “ We share
custody.”
    “ It’s been a busy winter
season at the lodge,” he grew serious. “I don’t get into town as
often as I’d like. I’ve been negligent.”
    It had been two weeks.
Without contact. Not even a text. Their
kiss . She thought he was avoiding her.
She’d missed him. More than she cared to admit.
    She understood his obligations. Rhys
was in demand. He’d competed competitively in his twenties,
training in his home state, and earning a spot on the U.S Olympic
Ski Team. He’d brought home downhill gold. Snowbound had celebrated
his success as their own.
    During the snowmelt the very next
spring, Rhys’s father had suffered an unexpected stroke. Crayton
Forester had never been sick a day in his life. The stroke hit him
hard. His hospital stay was long. His recovery slow. Rhys was an
only child. He couldn’t leave his mother alone. He returned home,
and stayed. Even after his dad was back on his feet and again
managing the lodge full-time.
    Rhys kept himself busy. He remained in
the spotlight, pouring his athleticism into individual and group
lessons. Competent and charismatic, women sought his attention. Men
wished to reach his skill level. He was a true ambassador for the
sport.
    Allie slapped her palms
against her thighs. They needed to catch
up. “When will Guy return for you?” she asked him.
    “ It’s Christmas Eve. There
are few guests at the lodge, so I’m not needed. My dad built a fire
in the main room, and my mom is serving hot toddies and hot
chocolate. I’ll see everyone tomorrow. Unless we’re snowed in
here.”
    Snowed in did strange things to her. Her heart softened,
warmed. She locked her knees before they buckled. “The loft’s
always available to you,” she offered. This wouldn’t be his first
sleepover. He’d been stranded in town on several occasions, all due
to bad weather. Previous times, her parents had been at the store.
Tonight, they’d be alone. Only a staircase separated their
bedrooms. Her room was located beneath the stairs. His, right
above.
    He went on to unzip his mono Maverick
snowmobile suit. The slow slide of the zipper past the yellow
lightning bolt on his chest stopped at his groin. He shouldered off
the top, then bent, drawing down the thigh-high, two-way zippers.
He unsnapped the tabs at his ankles. Unlacing his boots, he
heel-toed them off. A final tug, and he stepped out of the suit. He
shook it out, snowflakes flew. He hung it on a peg beside his
backpack.
    He stood before her in an old
University of Vermont sweat shirt, navy sweat pants, and thick,
gray wool socks. His long underwear was visible beneath the collar
on his sweat shirt and above the drawstring of his pants. Frigid
temperatures required layers. The added warmth could save a man’s
life if he got lost or stranded on the mountain.
    His lips twitched. “Are our boys in
the barn?”
    Mention of their twins brought them
closer together. Here was a bond neither could deny. Neither could
break. She nodded. “They wandered around outside before the
blizzard hit, but came in with the first snowflake. They’re now in
for the night.”
    “ They’re warm
enough?”
    She loved his concern. “Toasty.
There’s an emergency backup heater. You’ll see.”
    “ Do I still have a pair of
Nikes in the mud room?”
    She nodded. They were old athletic
shoes. One had a hole in the side; the other was without a lace.
Still, they’d get him from the backdoor to the barn. Thanks to a
short, enclosed walkway that connected the two.
    He hesitated, and his jaw worked.
Contemplating his next move. He finally took her hand, twining
their fingers. He’d held her hand