Page 38 of Snowbound with the Santas

“What can I say, he’sveryprotective,” Nick replies.

Turning back to the console, he gives me a quick rundown of what all the buttons mean and what to look for once Archer and Frankie fix whatever is broken. Either the top row of lights will flicker back into existence and Nick can press the two blue buttons to restore the signal, or the lights will remain dark and those two will return.

“What happens if they can’t fix what’s up there?” I ask, peering out the door.

“There’s too much that could be broken on a tower this old,” Nick explains. “But Archer’s fixed it more times than I can count, so he’ll be the best one to tell us whether it’s fixable or not. With any luck, the storm just knocked some wires loose or disconnected the transponder.”

“And with no luck?” I glance back at him.

Nick puffs out his cheeks. “Then I guess you’ll be with us for Christmas.”

I can’t express how much that doesn’t sound like a bad idea.

Back outside, I peer up the tower trying to get a glimpse of either Archer or Frankie. They’re so high up now that they blend into the old structure and I can’t make out any details. I need them to make it down in one piece because they’re only here for me.

Given what I’ve observed and how they talk so casually about the mountain, these men love it here and they’re familiar with how to survive. If it weren’t for me, then I doubt they would even care that the radio is down, and they would just wait until their next planned hike down to civilization.

Instead, we’re here, and they’re up there risking their lives to fix the tower so that I can radio home. The longer I stare upward, the more my stomach starts to twist.

What if it goes wrong? What if someone slips and they both topple down from the tower? If they vanish down the mountain, what would I even do? I definitely don’t know how to hike back to the cabin, and what if something were to happen to Nick?

The mountain suddenly feels a lot colder until a soft cheer rises up from inside the building. I poke my head back inside to see a full row of lights along the top of the console and Nick’s hands on the blue buttons.

“It’s working?”

“It’s working!” Nick flashes me a grin. “The radio signal is weak but it’s there. And this?” He points to a flashing amber light. “This is the Fixed Wireless Access port. It’s how we get the internet when the weather isn’t terrible.”

“Y’know, I’ve kind of missed the internet.” It’s working. Which means Archer and Frankie fixed what they needed to and they’ll be coming back.

But it also means I’ll be able to call home and likely return to the ski lodge.

“So I’ll… I’ll be able to go back?”

Nick flips a few more switches and then strides over to me. “Not quite yet,” he says, and my heart lifts. “You will be able to call your family, but with this other storm on the horizon, I don’t think it would be wise to travel much further until it passes. We don’t want you lost in the snow again.”

It shouldn’t bring me so much relief to hear him say that. Being trapped here shouldn’t be my preferred solution, and yet it’s all I can think about. The longer I’m here, the safer I am and the more time I have to work out how to tackle Ashton.

Only, I’m also working to not think about him.

Maybe I can stay here forever.

I linger near the door while Nick performs a few checks of the console, and while he talks me through what he’s doing, none of it sticks.

Reality is suddenly weighing down my shoulders once more, and I don’t know how to face it. This little bubble with these three has been so short and so amazing that I want to stay. I crave it like I used to crave the burn of a good alcohol.

Another couple of days and I’ll be back with my family. Back with Ashton.

“Rayne?” Nick’s concerned face swims into my unfocused vision, and I straighten up.

“Hmm?”

“Are you okay? I asked if you had any exciting Christmas plans to get back to and you were staring into space.”

I meet his eyes and force a smile. “I’m sorry, I was just?—”

“Frankie!” Archer’s somewhat distant cry sends Nick and me running back outside into the snow with our attention skyward.

A few feet above us, Frankie dangles out from the tower held in place only by the strap connecting him to Archer.

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