Winter's Shadow by M.J. Hearle

Winter’s driveway, she was reaching for the door. She couldn’t wait to be free of the tension in the car, which hadn’t abated despite his apology. But before she could escape, Blake gently took her arm.
    ‘Winter, wait.’
    The touch of his fingers on her skin sent a tingle of pleasure through Winter, and all at once she was no longer eager to be gone. Intrigued, she saw conflict troubling his handsome features. Something was on his mind.
    ‘I don’t think you’re crazy, Winter.’
    Disarmed by the admission, she took a moment to respond. ‘Oh. Good to know.’
    There was clearly something else Blake wanted to say, but the words were eluding him. Or he was holding himself back. Winter wanted to reach over and touch him, take his hand, do something to let him know it was okay to talk to her, but the moment passed. Blake forced a small smile. It was a weak effort to cover up whatever tormented him.
    ‘I’ll get your scooter,’ he said and stepped outside, leaving her baffled. That first moment she’d spied Blake in the graveyard, Winter had sensed he carried a secret sorrow within him. This mystery was part of his allure, adding depth to his beauty, making it difficult for her to cast him from her mind. Despite everything that had transpired between them, glimpsing that secret in Blake’s eyes rekindled her curiosity. She still wanted to know him; however, there was every chance he no longer wanted to know her.
    As Winter hopped out of the truck, Blake was wheeling Jessie to the foot of the driveway. He rested the scooter on its stand and turned to face her, his green eyes sparkling in the dark. Only yesterday afternoon he’d been standing in more or less the same spot, looking at her with a similar intensity.
    The balcony light flicked on, bathing them in its weak yellow glow. Both of them glanced up to see a shadow move behind the curtain: Lucy. Winter’s nosy sister was sending a not-very-subtle message that they were being watched.
    ‘Well, I guess this is goodbye,’ Winter said, watching his face for a sign – any sign at all – that this wasn’t goodbye. That he forgave her for what happened this afternoon and wanted to see her again. Instead, her hopes sank as Blake reached into his jacket and pulled out the concert ticket.
    ‘You should take this back.’
    ‘Okay.’ Winter gingerly plucked the object that had caused all this turmoil from his hand. ‘I’m sorry for . . . everything.’
    Blake dismissed her apology. ‘Forget it.’ He nodded towards the ticket. ‘It was a nice thought, Winter. Maybe you can give it to one of your friends?’
    Winter didn’t know what she would do with the ticket. Burning it came to mind.
    ‘See you around,’ Blake said, his eyes meeting hers one last time. That conflict was still there, as well as something else – remorse, maybe? Then again, that might be just wishful thinking on her part. Winter watched Blake climb into his truck and drive away, and then pushed Jessie back up to her garage, resisting the urge to kick the scooter on her way out.



Chapter 18

    As she walked upstairs she could hear Lucy on the phone in the kitchen, the conversation too low for her to make out any words. Winter was just grateful her sister was distracted. She started tiptoeing down the hall —
    ‘Winter?’
    Dammit! Lucy must have heard her footsteps. ‘What is it?’
    ‘Phone for you. Hold on a second, Jas, she just walked in the door.’
    Jasmine was the last person she wanted to talk to right now. With a reluctant sigh, Winter went to take the phone from Lucy.
    She placed the handset against her ear, turning away from her sister. She was worried her face would reveal too much.
    ‘Hello?’
    Jasmine sounded as if she was eating something on the other end of the line. In between mouthfuls she managed to blurt out, ‘You know why I’m calling. Talk to me.’
    ‘It’s not a good time, Jas.’
    ‘What do you mean? What happened? You sound weird.’
    ‘I’ll call