Page 11 of Snowed in with the Mountain Man

“Last minute shopping?On Christmas Day?”The words are hard to get out because I feel like someone kicked me in the chest and stole all the oxygen from my lungs in the process.“For who?”We may not have talked about much, but Mallory has mentioned her toxic family a time or two.A pang of jealousy hits me.Is there someone else?Is she going home to another man?My fists ball at my side at the thought of another man touching her.

“Fred told me all about the festival when he drove me in.Vendor booths and live music.Thought it might be fun to shop local.”

“Yeah.There is.I was going—”

“I know how much you hate Christmas,” Mallory adds, dragging her suitcase toward the front door.She’s already bundled up in her coat and boots.My heart sinks down the length of my body and disappears somewhere beneath the floorboards.

I don’thateChristmas.But the words won’t come out.

“You ready to go?”Fred asks Mallory.

“Yep!”She turns toward me, finally meeting my eyes.“Keep the food.I won’t be needing it.”

Fred looks uncomfortable, as if he’s starting to piece things together.The blankets heaped in front of the fireplace might have tipped him off.But the old man doesn’t say anything as he grabs Mallory’s suitcase and follows her outside.

I stand there like a fucking deer in the headlights, confused as hell about what just happened.About how easily the woman I love walked right out of my life, as though I meant nothing to her.

It doesn’t make any fucking sense.

The roar of a diesel engine fades as Fred drives off, leaving me all alone on Christmas.Just like I wanted.

Except it’s all wrong.

Each twinkle of the Christmas lights and its crooked star topper seem to mock me.Mallory helped me learn how to enjoy the holidays again.She made it easy to leave the past in the past for once.

And now, she’s gone.

There’s an ache in my chest that promises to haunt me for the rest of my days unless I do the brave thing.

10

MALLORY

I wishsomebody had warned me that the Christmas festival wasinthe train station.The past three hours have been absolute torture.The bathrooms have been too crowded to sit in a stall and bawl my eyes out.There’s literally nowhere else for privacy since it’s Christmas Day and nothing else in the entire town is open.

I’ve had to swallow my emotions, but I’m losing the battle of pretending everything’s okay.

All Jake had to do was ask me to stay.

That’s it.

That’s why I called Fred to come get me early.I knew if Jake really felt the same way, he’d never let me walk right out the door without saying something.But as eager as he’d been to take me into town himself, I knew I couldn’t be stuck in the same truck with Jake if he was ready to be rid of me.

I have too much pride to cry in front of him.

We’re both adults.If this Christmas weekend was just meant to be a fling, it’s better Jake doesn’t think I went and fell in love like some lovesick sap.

Finally, after what feels like a million hours, I hear the call for my train.

I’m not ready to go home, but I can’t stay here.

After double checking my pocket for my ticket, I grab my suitcase and roll it toward the platform.I can’t help that I search the crowded station for any sign of Jake.It’s embarrassing to admit I had hoped he’d come to his senses and stop me.Humiliating that I really thought we had found love at first sight like some sort of Christmas miracle.

“Ticket please.”

I reach into my pocket to hand my ticket over.Only, the wind rips it from my fingers.“That’s my ticket!”

“Well, better go get it miss.”

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