Page 30 of Snowed in With My Small Town Billionaire

Gwen found Sawyer sitting in the library in front of the dying fire. His eyes were closed and he was absently massaging one of his biceps.

She sat in the chair across from him. “Hey. I just wanted to say thank you for saving Brent. He’s my nephew, but I couldn’t love him more than if he was my own child. I don’t know what I would have done if – if…” Her voice broke off in a near sob.

“It was my pleasure. Brent is an amazing young man. But even if he was a turkey, I would have gone after him anyway. I love kids – that’s why I became a pediatrician.” He ran his fingers through his dark brown hair and smiled. “Kids are the future. I’ve heard a lot of people say that they worry about the future because they think that today’s kids are out of control, they are out of touch with reality, and can’t think for themselves. I don’t see it that way. I think that all kids, no matter what they do, are just doing the best they know how.” He paused. “Except for maybe the killer kids. I’m not sure where the wiring in their head went wrong there.”

Gwen smiled. “That’s exactly why I became a teacher. I work with a lot of kids who have it rough and some of them have made some unfortunate forces, but they’re doing the very best they know how to do. They just need someone to believe in them and show them the right path to take.”

“That’s a good philosophy,” he said. “I bet you’re a great teacher.”

“I’d like to think so.”

Without even realizing it, Gwen’s hand reached across the small space between their chairs and lightly touched Sawyer’s hand. A surge of warmth coursed through her. Before she could pull her hand away, Sawyer gently held it.

She glanced down at their hands and then back at his face. A slight smile played around his lips. Their eyes met and for a moment, the world disappeared around them. It was just the two of them sitting together.

Sawyer yawned. “I’m sorry. I truly enjoy hanging out with you, but I’m pretty sure that if I don’t get to my cot soon, I’m probably going to pass out right here.” He stretched. “I would do anything for an hour in that hot tub we had in our cabin. Muscles I didn’t even know I had ache – even the ones in my toes.”

Gwen laughed. “I bet they do. You’ve been going nonstop since the avalanche. Brent isn’t a light weight and carrying him in your arms like you did had to have been hard.”

He nodded and they stood. He looked into her eyes for a moment and gently touched her face.

“Good night,” he said softly.

Gwen checked on Brent. He was breathing softly on the couch.

Audrey was stretched out in one of the recliners. “I’m staying with him tonight.”

“Call me if you need me.” Gwen kissed her mother’s cheek and headed to the room she shared with the three women. They were still talking so she knew her five-minute shower wouldn’t bother them.

She crawled into the warm sleeping bag on her cot, prayed, and closed her eyes. An image of Sawyer popped into her mind. She could almost still feel his hand on her face.

What would it be like if he kissed me – a deep passionate kiss?

She tingled at the thought of it.

I need to be careful. I don’t need to end up with some kind of hero-worship crush and end up getting my heart broken.

The next thing she knew, it was morning. She could hear coughing coming from the living room. Brent was lying on the couch coughing. His face was flushed and he was shivering uncontrollably even though he was wrapped in blankets in front of the fireplace. He looked at her and groaned.

“I don’t feel good, Aunt Gwen.”

She put her hand on his forehead. “You’re burning up.”

Just then he leaned over the couch and threw up.

Her heart dropped. “I’ll be right back.”

She ran to the men’s bedroom and knocked on the door. “Sawyer, you have to come. Brent’s sick. He’s coughing, shivering, really hot, and throwing up.”

He jumped out of bed and ran to the couch where Brent was trembling.

“We need to make sure that he stays hydrated. Go see if Millie has any Gatorade.”

Gwen ran into the kitchen and came back with a bottle.

“Get some washcloths and a bowl of cool water.”

Gwen rushed out and came back to see Sawyer telling Brent to take just a tiny sip of the Gatorade.

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