3:56.
Ugh. I can’t stand here doing nothing.
I grab my coat and shove my arms in. Pull on the boots. No time for gloves or a hat. I’ll be fast. Just to the edge of the porch to see if I can spot him.
I open the door, and the wind slams into me, causing me to stumble back.
Okay. Maybe this is a bad idea.
But I’m already outside. Well, sort of. And the car is parked close. I can see…
The wind shifts, and I lose my bearings. White.
Oh no. Where’s the cabin?
I turn. But I see only trees and snow and…
Panic claws up my throat. “Cole!” My voice is thin, swallowed by wind.
I take a step. Then another. My boot catches, and I stumble, catching myself on a tree trunk.
My hands are going numb. I should’ve grabbed gloves. Should’ve…
“HOLLY!” His voice is strong. Close.
Relief floods so hard my knees buckle. “Cole!”
He appears through the white, and his face shows a mix of fury and fear.
He grabs my arm. “What the hell are you doing out here?”
“You didn’t wake me. You said you’d wake me. I thought you might be hurt.” My teeth are chattering. I can’t stop them.
“How long have you been out here?”
“I don’t know. A couple of minutes or so.”
He curses, shrugs off his outer coat, and wraps it around me. Then he pulls me against his chest, one arm locked around my waist. “Stay close. Eyes on me. Don’t let go.”
We push through the wind together. I can barely see or feel my feet. But Cole’s solid beside me, guiding and holding me up when I stumble.
The cabin materializes out of the whiteness. Relief stings my eyes.
“What the hell are you doing out here?” His voice is flat, all function, as the wind tries to rip me backward.
“I—”
“Not now. Move.”
He muscles me inside and shoulders the door shut. His hands are already checking my coat, sweater, and skin. “You’re cold.”
Tremors rattle through me. “I’m?—”
“Don’t tell me you’re fine.” He moves clinically. “Coat off. Now.”
I fumble with the zipper. My fingers won’t work. He helps, peeling off the snow-stiff layers, and swears under his breath. “Sit.”
I do, by the fire, and he piles blankets around me. Wool and fleece wrap me tight.
