Page 86 of Abdominal Snowman

The word made her smile, and she nudged him as they walked hand in hand toward the festival after they’d parked the Jeep.

She had enough on Tobin to make headlines. All it would take is one email to the right person.

And Sage already had it queued up in her drafts, just in case her and Soren’s plan didn’t work out.

“Soren!” someone shouted nearby.

The man in question smiled and waved at someone she couldn’t see over the crowd. Soren didn’t have that problem. Tall bastard.

He walked with his hand wrapped around hers, and her heart was practically dancing in excitement as she spied the twinkling strands of lights. The town was alive with laughter bouncing around the square as Sage and Soren made their way into the heart of the celebration.

“What stop should we make first?” Soren peered over his shoulder, soft strands of freshly dyed dark hair poking from under his toboggan, a toothy grin spread across his face. She’d done a pretty good job.

Sage looked around the square at the various food vendors, from popcorn to corn dogs to hot chocolate, she spied a stall for everything. Her stomach rumbled as the enticing scents twined in the air and teased her senses.

One familiar vendor in particular made her mouth water just from memory alone, and she steered Soren toward the older woman.

“Sage!” Mag’s grin was whole and pure as she rounded her booth and drew Sage into a crushing hug.

“Hi, Mag!” Sage wheezed, squeezing the woman back.

The two pulled apart, and Mag moved to grab Soren’s free hand in a tight grip.

“I think we have a convert, Mag. This is the first place she wanted to come.” Soren winked at her, chuckling.

They chatted for a few moments, waiting for the ding of Mag’s oven and the delicious lamb pasties inside.

Sage’s gaze wandered, taking stock of the next vendor to stop by when a movement caught her eye. A younger man waved at her from a popcorn booth. Unsure, she waved back just to be polite and offered an awkward smile. He looked like he was about her age, maybe a bit older, his bright shock of blond hair under his toboggan a beacon in the dimming light. His huge form rivaled Soren’s as he bent to finish his conversation with the young lady at the popcorn booth.

Who was that?

Sage looped her arm around Soren’s to give the guy a clue, but a moment later when she checked back, he was putting change in his pocket and heading her way. Internally she groaned, wondering what this stranger could want.

Get the hint, buddy.

As much as she loved visiting town with Soren, he just had to be the most popular guy around. They hardly got time to enjoy town together without ten people coming up to say hello and ask how Soren was doing and who was she and—

“Let me guess, Sage Burnsby?” the stranger asked. He was dressed like a… well, like someone she’d expect to live in a small town in the middle of nowhere. Worn jeans, flannel, a thick jacket, boots, and a hat. He had smile lines that appeared as he waited for her response, his emerald green eyes twinkling at her. He was huge, almost as tall as Soren, his thick corded muscles straining under his jacket.

Tilting her head, she eyed the man. “Maybe. Who’s asking?”

He grinned and held out his hand. “I’m Brian, the SnowBnB host. It’s nice to put a face with the name.”

A smile broke out on her lips as she accepted his hand. “It’s nice to meet you! Yes, I’m Sage.”

“I figured,” he said with a wink. “You’re the only new face around here, and probably the only one crazy enough to put up with this guy,” he teased, tossing a thumb in Soren’s direction.

For a split second, she fought a frown and studied Brian closer. Why’d he say it like that? Did he know something about Soren? What if he knew—

“Brian!” Soren greeted, a wide grin splitting his lips, turning from Magda’s booth with two steamy pastries in his hands.

“S’good to see you again! You’re up on that mountain far too much these days.” Brian laughed.

“Hmm, wonder why that could be?” she teased, elbowing Soren in the side.

Yeah, yeah, she was over the whole creating a storm so she’d have to stay longer thing, but that didn’t mean she’d let Soren hear the last of it.

Brian’s gaze bounced between them before he snorted and raised his eyebrows suggestively.