Page 6 of Surrender

The historic blizzard left nearly thirty inches of snow across the state. Only a true Minnesotan can say where they were during the event, with many bragging about their attempts to trick-or-treat during the storm.

“We’ll see how it pans out.”

“Don’t tell Bree that. This will be her first big snowfall since she moved back. Last winter was nothing compared to this.”

“I bet she’ll love it. The three of you all cozied up in that house with your dogs. Isn’t that some shit straight out of those romance novels she reads?”

“You told him I read romance novels?” Bree shrieks from the kitchen. A quick cry rents the air, followed by her gentle shushing.

“Don’t scare the baby,” I tease. “Between you, Juniper, and Cortney, you might as well start a local book club.”

Bree scowls from around the kitchen entry before disappearing around the corner.

“I swear those three get together, and it’s like they forget the rest of us exist. Does she not remember them going on and on about a new book by some author a few months ago? You would have thought one of them won the lottery,” I say.

“Things We Left Behind by Lucy Score.” Corjan spits out his response as if he’d been holding the words on his tongue.

I cock a sarcastic brow. “You into romance novels too, little brother?”

Corjan licks his bottom lip. “You’re perpetually single—”

“As if you’re one to talk,” I butt in, reminding him of the celibacy he clung to after Bree walked out on him a decade prior.

His shoe sails off his foot and smacks me in the shin.

“Dick,” he mutters.

Leaning forward in his chair, he levels me with a look. “As I was saying, I’m going to teach you two things. One, if your girl mentions anything that seems important to her, even in passing, you don’t forget it. Remembering those little pieces of information is the recipe to a happy relationship.”

Okay. He’s not wrong. It seems he’s grown wise over the years. “What’s the second thing?”

“Those novels are the spice.” Corjan leans back with a satisfied smirk on his face. “They’re like roadmaps. If I really want to get her going, I have her read them while I—”

“Corjan Powell, you stop talking right now!” A blushing Bree walks swiftly into the room and deposits Charlotte on her daddy’s chest. She levels her husband with a glare that I can’t see and rests her hands on her hips. After a tense moment of silence, her shoulders relax, and she turns to me. “Everything he said is true. End of discussion.”

A burst of laughter from me breaks the tension. “While you two have enlightened me, truly, I think it’s time I head into work and leave you to whatever it is that you do for fun.”

I rise from my chair and step into the full bathroom, needing that shave before I go.

Bree’s playful bickering carries through the wooden door.

“Do you see what you did? Jack’s never going to be able to look at us the same again.”

* * *

A light layer of snow covers the cars in the parking lot of my home away from home. The blizzard isn’t expected to start until tomorrow evening, so these flurries are more like a prelude. Ominous gray clouds roll overhead, casting everything in a similar dull shade.

Cooper meanders before me into the motel, winding around the desk to his bed in the corner and flopping down.

“Hey, boss.” Hunter glances up from the laptop on the desk.

“Morning. How was last night?”

“Quiet. One check-out and two check-ins. Both plan to stay the entire week.”

Those numbers hurt. I hide my grimace with a stiff nod.Thankfully, they aren’t typical.

“Why don’t you head out for a bit? Pick up anything you might need over the next few days and get some rest. I don’t anticipate the guests needing much while hunkering down for a blizzard, but you never know.”

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