Page 71 of Snowed In

“The Atlanta Con was weak this year,” I shrugged. “And you’re the one who hates flying.”

“I think I could have gotten over my fear of flying to get to Maine in a few hours versus a few days. Hindsight is a mother—” The car fishtailed, and he gasped as he gripped the steering wheel even harder. “Fuck… I hate this. Seriously. Where the hell are we?”

“I… Should we pull over, wait it out?”

“I’d rather find a place to stay for the night, still no service?” he asked, and I shook my head.

“No,” I exhaled a long breath as I stared at the map. “If we keep heading down this road, we should go through a few towns. We could find a place to stop, or you can flip a U and head back to the interstate.”

“Let’s keep going, there has to be a place to stop. Backtracking now doesn’t seem smart.” His shoulders relaxed and he expelled a nervous laugh. “All of this so you can live out your poly-Hobbit fantasy.”

“I’m a one Hobbit kind of guy, thank you very much.” I laughed and the anxiety in my chest faded. “Samwise is my one true love.”

He rolled his eyes, his smile dimming enough I noticed. “You always go for the blonds.”

“What was that look for?”

“I didn’t have a look.”

“You totally had a look,” I accused, and his smile twitched. “Oh my God, are you jealous of a fictional character?”

“Hell no,” he cracked up and the sound warmed my stomach. “I just think it’s funny you have a type. Short, round, and blond.”

More like dark hair, blue eyes, and a laugh that made my knees weak.

“I have never dated anyone matching that description.”

“What about that guy from the bar?” he raised his brows. “Looked just like Sean Astin and?—”

“Fuck off, he did not, and he was a ginger.” Laughing, I shook my head. “You’re the one who always goes for the blondes.”

He turned to look at me, his gaze lingering in the way that had always tied my heart into intricate pretzels, something like longing, but filled with mischief as he reached over and playfully swatted a pale strand of hair that had fallen from my elastic band. “What can I say… I like what I like.”

I cleared my throat, my cheeks hot as I raised my eyes. “Gary! Watch out!”

He snapped his attention forward as well, slamming on the brakes as two deer stared at us from the middle of the road.

It all happened too fast.

The world spun.

And screamed.

White and deep green.

Until there was nothing but darkness and the unsteady beat of my heart.

Chapter Two

Gary

My hands wouldn’t stop shaking as I reached up to wipe at the stinging above my eye.

“You’re hurt?” Shiloh’s voice trembled. “Oh my God, are you bleeding?”

A small amount of blood covered the tips of my fingers where I’d wiped at my forehead.

“I’m okay. I think I bumped my head when…” I looked out the window into the eternal white of the snow and forest in front of us. “Shit, did we…” With my heart in my throat, I scanned every inch of my best friend’s face. His cheeks were damp with tears, his pupils eclipsing the warm, brown color of his eyes.

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