Chapter Three
Paxton
The half-hour out-of-my-way thing looked good on paper—or on the dash screen, but the snowstorm the weatherman predicted hit just as I left the highway. It might not have been as much of a problem there with the taillights of all the other cars to follow and snow plows waiting to clear it away, but on the smaller road, the fluffy white stuff built up quickly. The lack of comforting red lights ahead of me on the unfamiliar two-lane track had me wondering if I should have made this trek on my return to the city.
Unfortunately, my boss had asked me to do it on the way, and it hadn’t occurred to me.
The GPS map with its arrows and tiny image of my vehicle still occupied a corner of the dash screen, so there was that. But it wasn’t of course detailed enough to keep me from ending up in a ditch as the line on the road and the shoulder became blurred.
At least I’d bought a vehicle with all-season tires and full-time four-wheel drive. Without that, I’d have had to turn back. Slowing my speed to a crawl, I crept along. While I wasn’t exactly climbing a steep mountain, there were some edges I’d rather avoid.
The short journey from the highway seemed to take forever, the snow falling heavier and my concerns stronger. Driving in snow was normally not a big deal, but usually I was in a situation where if a problem occurred, I could call for help. The city or that highway I’d left behind with so little care. Besides visibility, the extra time was making me later and later. Then, for extra fun, the GPS lost connectivity and an order to call Mom was not answered by the friendly cyber voice I’d grown to count on.
Zero bars.
What a disaster.
I was going to end up in a snowbank, and nobody would find my pathetic frozen corpse until spring. All my boss would have to say was I never gave him the information on the venue. Mom would never forgive me for missing the holiday celebration. And the others, friends and family, would wonder why I was on this little road instead of the highway on my way home as I should have been. I cursed my boss under my breath for this fool’s errand as well as the project my team had finished despite all odds. The deadline had been unreasonable and put everyone under undue pressure and stress at a time of the year when they should have been able to enjoy preparations for the holidays they celebrated.
How much farther was this place and why wasn’t the road to it better? If we were going to be having a big event here, it should be the kind of place that would have traffic coming and going and maybe even a sign or two along the road. It was going to be a bust; I just knew it.
And then, just as I was about to give up and turn around, I spotted the shape of a building. This couldn’t be it. From what I could see, it was not in great shape, and certainly not one of the pretend-rustic places the company preferred. But at least I could go in and get a cup of coffee and maybe my bearings. The storm was not abating, and my odds of making it home tonight were nil at this point. If the resort had a room available, I’d have to book it, and if they were filled up, then maybe they’d let me sit in the lobby until morning when hopefully the storm would abate.
Those hopes were dashed when I saw a sign. Heavily dusted with snow, I had to pull up close to make out what it said. Words that chilled me even more than the snowstorm.Closed for the Season.Oh no. That meant I had to try to get back to the highway, which I just didn’t think would work. My tire tracks were filling in behind me already. But what choice did I have?
Continuing on, I looked for somewhere to turn around without getting stuck in the snow, when I saw light spilling out a window on the building I’d noticed earlier. Could someone be here?
Pulling as close to the structure as possible, I climbed out of the SUV and dashed through the calf-high snow to the door. Fingers crossed, shivering even in my warm jacket, I knocked and prayed. At first, there was no response and I thought maybe the light was kept on all the time to discourage vandals, but then the door jerked open to reveal a slender man backlit so his face fell in shadow.
“Oh my gods, you have no idea how happy I am to see you. I thought I’d end up stuck in a snowbank somewhere.”
The man stepped aside, staring at me oddly, but with the storm blowing around me, I determined to go inside first and ask questions later. No doubt he hadn’t expected company. I hadn’t seen a single car since leaving the highway, and although I’d lost GPS partway through, I’d made a mental note of the turnoff for the resort—was this a resort?—who would have been on that even narrower road? With the place closed down for the winter, who would have reason to even use it except whoever this was. The owner or maybe a winter caretaker?
My mind was busy, teeth already chattering a bit until I entered the warmer space. The office, obviously. Perhaps the fellow was doing some end-of-year bookkeeping? The woodstove was not lit, but a small electric heater glowed near the desk. “I’m so sorry to interrupt your work…” I began, turning to face the man before my jaw dropped. “Nico?” It couldn’t possibly be. I must be hypothermic or maybe just delusional. Wishful thinking exploding into hallucinations.
“Hi, Paxton.” He was a few years older, maybe five pounds heavier than when I last saw him, but he looked darned good to me. “What are you doing here?”
“I-I how are you?” It wasn’t the answer to his question, but my errand, worth going out of my way for on my time off, faded into unimportance. “It’s been a while.”
Very casual, but there was nothing casual about this meeting. When we worked together, I’d been too scared that once he found out what I wanted in a relationship, he’d run away and I’d lose him completely. So, what did I do instead? I took the coward’s way out and accepted a position in another firm far away and left. Ran away rather than tell this man who I truly was and give him a chance to accept or reject me. Left with a handshake and man hug, slap on the back…lost touch. Not deliberately, at least on my part, but platonic friendship was not enough, never would be.
“I’m fine,” he said, his gaze roaming me from head to foot. “You look good.”
“You look amazing,” I replied. “The country suits you.”
“Thanks, so why are you here?”
“Oh, that. My company is planning to have a retreat here in the spring and my boss asked me to dash in on my way to my folks’ for the holidays and have a look around.”
His face reddened, and he winced before seeming to shake it off. “I see. Well, in the current weather, I don’t think it’s a good idea to try to wander the property. The cabins are set apart from one another for privacy, the snow is getting deeper and, since we are closed, they are not easily accessible in this weather. Maybe another time?”
“I see. Sure. I can stop by again on the way back to the city?”
He still looked uncomfortable but gave a nod. “If the snow has melted, that will be doable. We aren’t geared for clearing all the paths in this season, since, at least for this year, we won’t be accepting guests in the winter.”
“All right. I guess if I can find a place to turn around without getting stuck, I’ll be heading back to the highway, then.”
“Don’t go!” he blurted out then colored again. “I mean, the roads will be impassible soon, if they aren’t already. Stay the night and you can reassess in the morning.”
