It was the hope that made her step away.
Despite his words—“Amazing. And beautiful,and strong,and brave...”
No, he hadn’t the first clue who she really was.
“Please don’t let me hurt you.”
He had no idea the pain her life might level on him. Frankly, he probably deserved the truth.
But she wanted him to at least like her, so...
So probably she should refrain from kissing him again.“This can’t work.”
She opened her eyes, stared at the wooden ceiling, and weirdly, a song dropped into her head. Just a piece—
In the whirl of the storm, my dreams scream loud,
A voice lost in the wind, just trying to be found.
What was it River said—“You put to words exactly what Iwas feeling”?
Huh.
Keely got up and slipped into her fuzzy boots, pulled her pom-pom hat over her hair. She needed a brush, but really, she needed a hot bath. Her bones were achy, her hair turning a little coarse after so many days.
Outside her room, the early morning waxed the lodge in tones of somber gray, just the hearth fire flickering to shed light. The aroma of coffee lifted, but no chatter came from the kitchen.
“You know the drill.”Sure, he’d said that, but then had been painfully, brutally silent during their tromp toward the lodge. And by the time they returned, the blizzard had set in again, so no leaving for them.
She’d eaten dinner with Wren and Oliver, unable to look at Dawson, who had clumped with Griffin and some of the other men, talking about the community. He’d left with Griffin while she helped clean up in the kitchen, and she hadn’t seen him when she retired to her room.
Then she slept so hard she hadn’t moved in twelve hours, maybe more.
Goldie would be thrilled. Her voice felt a little stronger today too.
Keely headed downstairs into the main area and over to the hearth, flanked by the long sofas. Someone had left their guitar, still in the case, by the fire, and she pulled it out, settled herself on a sofa, and began to strum.
She set the song in the key of G major and found a D–G–B combination. Threw in an F-sharp. Started to hum, heard the words surface.
In the whirl of the storm, my dreams scream loud,
A voice lost in the wind, just trying to be found.
Each snowflake a shroud, each gust a plea,
Beneath the veil of white, I’m longing to be free.
Sounded a little desperate. But maybe...
She started humming again, the lyrics stirring inside her. Outside, the snow gusted, rose, and fell, like a breath.
Hear my name, as the blizzard roars untamed,
Find my soul in the silence the snowflakes frame.
As the world dresses in white, away from the dark of night,
Hear my name, oh hear my name, in the soft dawn’s light.
