Page 2 of Snow One Like You

“Okay. Well, just be extra careful, sweetheart. You’re so beautiful, and I just worry…”

I smiled, and my voice was soft when I said, “I love you, Mom.”

“Oh, honey. I love you too.”

“Give Dad a kiss for me, and I’ll see you in a couple of weeks.”

After hanging up, I grabbed my bags and rolled them out onto the porch. When I woke up this morning, the snow was coming down fast and thick, but now, only a few hours later, it was close to whiteout conditions. We needed to hit the road as fast as possible or risk the roads being closed.

I pulled my hat down over my ears and slipped my hands into extra warm gloves, then grabbed my suitcase and duffel, before traipsing out into the storm. It was usually only a few minutes’ walk to the Inn from my cabin, but it took me nearly fifteen, with the snow piling up faster than it could be shoveled. Entering through the back entrance, I smelled freshly baked cookies and detoured into the kitchen.

When I heard my brother’s voice in the lobby, my brows rose. He wasn’t supposed to be home until tomorrow. It would be nice to say Merry Christmas and goodbye, I thought, taking a big bite of a cookie that tasted exactly like Wassail. Our pastry chef was freaking amazing, and when she put her head together with Raven, they came up with the most delicious treats.

“Yeah, I injured myself,” my brother said. “It’s no big deal, so don’t make a fuss.”

I rolled my eyes at his brush-off. A concussion was definitely a big deal. Not that he’d told any of us. I’d found out from a medic friend who was working the competition where Jake was slammed into by an amateur, knocking him headfirst into a gate—one of the pairs of poles set up along the course that snowboarders had to navigate through while racing down the slope—on a practice run.

I’d waited to see how bad his injury was before deciding on whether to force him to tell the family. Jake was cleared a couple of weeks ago, so I let him keep his secret. Although, I’d put out the word to some friends to keep their eye on him and watch for any long-term effects.

“Anyway,” Jake continued, “I need a quiet place to think and recoup in solitude. Somewhere that doesn’t come with a hovering, nosy mother.”

I snorted and finished my cookie. Hovering and nosy. Now that was an understatement if I’d ever heard one. My mother loved us and meant well, but her matchmaking was one reason I needed to get away. I shoved another cookie in my mouth as I left the kitchen.

Colin, my sister’s partner—and honorary brother…as if I needed more than Jake and my brother-in-law, Caleb—replied before I heard the click, click, click of the computer keys. “I’ll just look at reservations and see what’s available for you to?—”

“Don’t worry about a guest cabin, Raven,” I announced as I strolled into the lobby. It didn’t make sense to lose money on a guest cabin when mine would be empty for two weeks. “You can use mine, Jake. I’m going on a trip with some friends for a few weeks.”

Jake frowned, and his eyes narrowed.

And cue overprotective brother in 3…2…1

“What friends? Where are you going? A few weeks? Can you be more specific? Are any of these ‘friends’ guys?”

I shot Jake a lethal stare, then turned it on Colin and Caleb, causing them to muffle their laughter.

I sighed and raised my hands, then ticked off my fingers as I spoke. “None of your business, Europe, yes, no, and none of your business. Did I answer all of your questions?” My smile was smug, and he scowled in return, but I ignored him and walked around the desk to crouch in front of my six-month-old twin nieces. I smacked a kiss on each chubby cheek, then opened my arms, and their older sisters, six-year-old Hailey and four-year-old Rachel, came rushing over to give me a hug.

“She’s a grown woman, Jake,” my sister defended me. “If she wants to take a ride on Santa’s sleigh, you don’t get any say in it.”

I couldn’t help snorting a laugh. I loved my sister.

Jake growled, “You better not be riding anyone’s sleigh, Cammie. You’re too young.”

“Oh, for the love of snowmen and their top hats,” Raven muttered, making me grin. I always got a kick out of her penchant for replacing profanity with Christmas words. She’d been doing it since we were kids.

The front door opened, letting in a gust of wind and flurries as a bunch of feet stomped inside. The five girls with whom I’d be traveling shook off the snow, covering their hats and coats. Glancing outside behind them, I said a brief prayer that this blizzard—which was worsening faster than expected—wouldn’t ground our flight.

“Cammie! Are you ready to go?” my friend Hannah asked.

Hannah and her best friend Wendy were figure skaters who had competed in the Olympic Games just under a year ago. Hannah had taken home the gold for women’s singles, and Wendy had won the bronze.

One of the other girls, Shelly, had been in my doctorate program and had also recently passed the National Physical Therapy Examination. Candice and Siân were doctors and had both recently completed their residencies, and Ardith had just passed the bar.

We were all celebrating a big change in our lives, and it would be really annoying if this storm put a kink in our plans.

Hannah was staring at her phone, probably checking the weather, when she added, “I need to get the hell out of Dodge.”

“Yeah, just let me say goodbye to my family, and we can hit the road,” I responded, then I gave my older nieces a quick kiss on each of their cheeks.

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