Snowy Encounters by Clarissa Yip Page A

but you need to calm down. I don’t think you’ve heard
one word I said since I got here. If Maddy is leaving, then just
let her go. If they won’t stick around then they won’t stick
around.”
    Cole stopped and turned around. He jabbed a
finger against his brother’s chest. “Maddy’s not leaving.”
    Brad frowned and rubbed the spot he’d poked.
“Rumor is she’s already packed her car. Probably on her way out of
town now.”
    Cole cursed. He whipped around and paused as
his gaze locked with Ash Delaney, the town’s animal vet. What the
hell was he doing here? The man never came to the lodge unless
there was a sick animal on the property that needed care. He
watched as Ash waved Karen off, dismissing her with a flick of his
hand and stalked across the lobby, determination and tension
filling the taut lines of his face.
    Brad moved up next to Cole, frowned, and
nudged him in the side. “What is he doing here?” he muttered.
    Ash stopped short in front of them. His gaze
bounced between the two of them. “Jo Button is missing.”
    Brad shrugged. “Check someone’s bed.”
    Ash’s features contorted with rage. “Are you
done?”
    Annoyed at his brother for his rudeness, Cole
frowned.
    Brad took a step back. “Whoa, Delaney. We all
know—”
    Ash glared and cut Brad off. “Do your job,
Harmon. She’s not in anyone’s bed but mine, that’s how I know she’s
missing. And while you’re at it, look out of the window
occasionally. An avalanche just rolled down Death’s Peak. There may
be someone caught in it. If you’re lucky, the little red car I saw
made it through before the road got buried, but I’m not sure. So
send someone over there to start digging!”
    Cole froze. Maddy had a red rental and she was leaving
today. He grabbed Ash’s shoulder, but the
man shook him off. Panic lit through him. “What red
car?”
    “Didn’t recognize it. Probably a tourist.”
Ash turned his attention back to Brad, with a fierce glare ready to
battle. Cole yanked him back. He needed to know if it was Maddy.
The other man threw his arm off. “What the hell, Cole?”
    “How long ago?” Cole swallowed hard. His
heart pulsed, palms started to sweat.
    “About five minutes ago. I came straight up
when I saw it.”
    The blood drained from his face. Brad had
told him he’d heard Maddy packing the car and was probably on her
way out of town. What if it was she under the avalanche? How could
he live without her?
    Ash said something to him, but he didn’t
hear. With an inward curse, Cole tore through the lodge, colors
around him turned into a blur.
    He couldn’t lose her.
     
     
     

Chapter Twenty
     
    Maddy threw her suitcase in the back with an
irritated sigh. She was ready to leave. No point for her to stay
since her parents weren’t home yet. She looked down the street,
taking in the various houses and white covered trees and driveways,
and stopped at Cole’s house, longing and sadness quickly enveloping
her, but she slid into the driver’s seat before she allowed herself
to dwell on anything in regards to Cole Harmon. It was over. And
for the best. As she started the car, the phone rang. The screen
blinked her mother’s cell number. She pressed talk. “Hey, mom.
Merry Christmas.”
    “Merry Christmas. What are you doing?”
    Maddy blew out a short puff of air. The
tightness in her chest made it hard to breathe. “I’m about to drive
to the airport.”
    “You’re leaving? But…I thought…”
    She frowned. Guilt punched her in the
stomach. She should stay to spend time with her family, but not
this holiday—maybe never. “I had a lovely run-in with Brad Sr., and
since you’re not home, there’s no point in me staying.”
    “Yeah.”
    She heard the remorse in her mother’s tone.
“What’s going on? Is Aunt Kate, okay?”
    “She’s fine. Home now. Just a little…um…car
accident and a sprained ankle.”
    Her mother’s voice didn’t sound convincing.
She was hiding something. “Mom,” she