Page 1 of Snowed In With the Grizzly

1

Rowan

When I heave open my front door, a blast of snowy air tears right through my clothes.

“You’re three hours too early, you know that?” I tell the snowflakes that land on my hair and face like icy little pinpricks as I fumble with my coat buttons. Guess they didn’t pay attention to the weather forecast, which said no snow before two p.m.

My little car is already covered in a white frosting. I heave my weekend bag into the trunk, then I climb into the driver’s seat and tap the destination into my GPS.

ETA three hours and seven minutes. Long drive in this weather. But as long as the snow doesn’t get any worse, I should still make it to Wilder’s Edge well before nightfall. And if it does… well, I’ll just have to deal with it. I need this vacation more than I can say. It’s my last weekend of freedom, before my life gets turned completely upside down—

But I’m not going to think about that now.

I’m going to stay focused on the positives and make sure I enjoy this trip to the max.

The car’s ancient engine judders as I start it up. I pull out of the driveway, turn on my left blinker, and… stamp on the brake as a sleek silver car cuts off my exit.

“Be careful, goddamnit!” a furious face bawls through the open window.

“Sorry,” I mutter automatically, my throat clenching.

The driver’s side door swings open and my father’s tall, suited figure steps out of the car and stomps over to me. His red face fills the driver’s side window. “Stupid fuc—”

I try to tune his words out. I’m either a smartass or spectacularly dumb, depending on which mood he’s in.

“I need you to pick up Charlie from tennis practice. She finished fifteen minutes ago.” He spits out the second sentence like that’s my fault.

I blink. He knows I’m driving to Wilder’s Edge today. It was the one concession he gave me. “I’m sorry, Daddy, I can’t. The snow’s come in early and I need to leave right now if I don’t want to get caught in a blizzard—”

“I need to get to a meeting.” He cuts me off.

“Can’t you ask—?”

He grinds his teeth, then he treats me to hislook. The one that makes me feel as low as a worm. The one that’s usually accompanied by the observation,you’re weak, like your mother. “What kind of sister are you, huh?”

My shoulders slump. He knows exactly how to get to me. I’ll do anything for my kid sister, no question.

“Fine,” I tell him, through a clenched jaw. “I’ll pick her up right now.”

He grunts. Then, without a word he turns and heads back to his car.

I take three deep, calming breaths, then I floor the accelerator.

* * *

Charlie’sglossy auburn head is nowhere to be seen. But there’s Brianna, the mom of one of her teammates, standing in the entrance of the sports hall. They must be late finishing.

It’s okay, I tell myself. As long as I leave in the next half hour, I’ll still be able to make it. I won’t wind up spending the weekend in a truck-stop motel, waiting out the blizzard.

But the sky is low and ominous and I feel like the storm could come at any moment. My eyes prickle. What if I don’t make it there at all? I’ll never see my Grandma Jo’s old place again.

Because in four days’ time, I’m going to become the property of a man I barely know.

Vincent DiMarco is forty-five years old, wealthy, and my father’s biggest creditor—

Because it turns out that Daddy is not quite the successful businessman that everyone believed. He’s been racking up massive debts over the years, borrowing money to pay back loans, until it’s all finally caught up with him.

Now DiMarco wants to collect. He’s willing to forgive all my father’s debts, in exchange forme.

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