Page 47 of Snowed in With My Small Town Billionaire

“Heavens, I hope not, but it sure looks like it’s going to, doesn’t it?”

They got inside just as lunch was being served. Brent and Gwen weren’t the only ones who saw the sky. With a sense of doom, everyone prepared for another storm.

19

C H A P T E R

Sawyer

Sawyer sat in the corner of the parlor, his hands resting on his knees, as Daniel laid out the situation about the generator in a calm but urgent tone. The snowstorm they had feared hadn’t come and the clouds had cleared, but the temperatures had dropped drastically overnight, creating a chill in the lodge that even the heaters couldn’t completely defeat.

“So, how much longer do we have with the gas we’ve got left?” Sawyer asked, glancing between Daniel, Lucas, and Oliver. His mind was already running through the worst-case scenarios. They were all hoping the weather would clear soon enough for a rescue, but it seemed that help wasn’t going to come before they ran out of fuel.

“Maybe a day, at most,” Daniel replied, his expression grim. “After that, we’ll have to switch to the propane tank. It’s a hundred and twenty gallons, but it won’t generate enough amps to keep everything running. We’ll have to cut back drastically—probably just the essentials. We can keep the well going forwater and power the kitchen. But that means no heat in the rooms, even at night.”

Sawyer felt the weight of those words settle over him like the heavy snow outside. The idea of surviving without heat in these temperatures, especially with Zaid still recovering and the others already on edge, made his stomach twist.

“We’ll do what we have to,” Oliver said, his voice steady. He crossed his arms, his face stern but resolved. “If that means chopping wood and huddling in the living room for warmth, then so be it. We can make it work.”

Sawyer nodded. He admired Oliver’s calm under pressure, but he knew they were skating on thin ice.

“We can’t risk anyone getting sick, especially with Zaid’s condition. We’ll need to make sure we have plenty of wood for the fireplace. That’ll be our main source of heat.”

“We can do that,” Lucas chimed in. “We’ve got enough axes and saws, right?”

Daniel nodded. “Yeah, there’s a good supply of tools in the shed. We’ll just have to stay on top of it. Chopping wood will keep us warm, anyway.”

Sawyer chuckled softly, though the humor felt hollow. “I guess that’s one way to look at it.”

His mind drifted back to Gwen and the others. It was hard enough to keep the tension low without adding freezing temperatures to the mix. Everyone’s nerves were on edge and people were snapping at each other. They were tired of cards, board games, and the same movies on DVDs that they’d been watching.

They all sat in silence for a minute.

“All we can do is take it day by day,” Sawyer said.

“I guess I’ll make an announcement,” Oliver said. “I don’t want anyone to be taken by surprise.”

They had everyone gather in the parlor. As expected, no one was happy about the situation. With everyone sleeping together in the parlor, they would almost literally be lying on top of each other.

“I think I’ll be going back to the cabin and sleeping there,” Sawyer told Lucas.

“I’m with you, there,” Lucas agreed.

After the meeting, Gwen pulled Sawyer aside.

“Is Zaid going to be okay if we have to stay here much longer?”

Sawyer ran his fingers through his hair and sighed. “I honestly don’t know. I’m giving him the antibiotics that Oliver had, but they don’t seem to be helping. He needs stronger meds.”

“Does he know?”

Sawyer sighed heavily. “He does. I’ve been completely honest with him.”

“Dang. Is there anything I can do?”

“Not for Zaid. As for everyone else, you can help keep them calm. I know people are bored, restless, and afraid. Now is the time to use those classroom management skills.”

She laughed without humor. “I think rambunctious teenagers are easier to deal with.”

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