It was true, and she meant it. But Joe’s comment made her notice how the stress of their situation was twisting everyone’s perceptions. When people felt vulnerable, they started looking for threats and blaming others.
Knowing Brooke, she was probably aiming some of her frustration at Joe. Blaming him for slowing them down and for not finishing before the weather turned would be an easy outlet.
She glanced at Nick as he stood near the camp stove, melting snow. When he noticed their water situation was less than ideal, he’d gone out and scraped snow off the hoods of the cars and the tops of tree stumps.
He set out a tarp to gather more snow while attempting to keep it clean. He knew, as well as she did, it’d take a lot of snow to result in a small amount of water. Probably at least eight cups of snow to get one cup of water. Still, it was better than nothing.
What she most admired about Nick was how everything he did was without fanfare or requests for recognition. He simply did what was needed while being there for her. For all of them.
Despite her reservations about his unsettled lifestyle, Gina was impressed. There was something appealing about someone who solved problems instead of creating them.
Watching Nick systematically address their needs, Gina felt a small crack in the walls she had spent years building.
Maybe there was more to his story than just another guy who couldn’t commit to anything. Maybe his extensive camping gear and useful skills meant he was actually better prepared for life’s uncertainties than people who relied on permanent structures and steady paychecks.
The thought was dangerous and unwelcome. She’d learned to trust actions over time, not actions in crisis. Anyone could step up for a day or two when circumstances demanded it. The realtest was whether someone showed up consistently, day after day, when things were ordinary and boring and difficult.
“Thanks for getting us organized,” she said quietly when Nick finished adjusting their camp setup.
“No problem. Better to be comfortable if we’re going to be here awhile.”
He moved to check on the group, offering water and one of the energy bars from his seemingly endless supply. Then he quietly suggested that Brooke move away from the doorway, where the cold was worse. “Come over here. There’s less of a draft.”
Gina was nothing short of surprised by Brooke’s nod, followed by a tired sigh. “Okay. But if something freaky happens, you’d better step in.”
“I’ve got you.” Nick smiled.
Small gestures, but thoughtful ones. The kind of attention to group welfare that spoke of experience managing people in difficult situations.
“You’ve done this before,” Gina observed. “Managed groups in crisis situations.”
Nick shrugged. “Construction crews. Something goes wrong, you learn to keep everyone calm and focused until help arrives or conditions improve.”
The storm continued its assault on the old building, and their small group settled into an uneasy routine of waiting.
Brooke relaxed into the spot Nick created for her and dozed near the makeshift camp. Joe’s color improved as he rested and hydrated. Kelsey’s nervous energy gradually subsided into watchful alertness, though she still went to the windows more often than Gina felt was needed.
She kept stealing glances at Nick, wondering if her careful boundaries around unreliable people were harder to follow than she thought.
Outside, the Wyoming weather raged on, trapping them together for who knew how long. Inside, the dynamics of five very different people slowly shifted and evolved under the pressure of shared vulnerability.
Maybe some good could come from this unplanned adventure after all.
The wind had died down to sporadic gusts, but the temperature continued dropping.
Gina checked on Joe one more time. His color was better, and he was breathing more normally. Kelsey sat near the window, still fidgeting with her phone even though there was no service. Brooke slept while leaning against the wall.
Nick stood and stretched, reaching for his jacket. “I’m going to go out and start the rigs. It’s not super cold, but we don’t want to risk the batteries being affected.”
“I’ll come with you,” Gina said, the words out before she could second-guess them.
Surprise flickered across his face. “You don’t have to. It’s cold out there.”
“I know.” She grabbed her own jacket. “But if one of them doesn’t start, you might need help doing the jump. Besides, I could use the air.”
What she didn’t say was that she wanted some space away from the others. Brooke may have settled down, but her weird energy seemed to permeate the building. And Kelsey was still acting strange.
She wanted a few minutes with someone who wasn’t falling apart or being suspicious. And she wanted to be near Nick without having to justify it to herself.
