Page 30 of Out of the Cold

Hilde had no such hesitations. Dropping her stick, she ran to him with her tongue hanging out and stood panting up at him.

The little traitor.

“Come Hilde,” she said.

Hilde glanced at Lucy and back at Gabriel as he straightened and wiped his hands on a rag.

“Hilde, come!” she said, her voice sharp.

This time the dog came, and Lucy turned toward the little bridge back to her cabin.

“How was your hike?” he asked, stopping her in her tracks.

“Short,” she admitted. “This is the first time I’ve used the trail.”

“Nervous?”

She nodded. What was the point of pretending otherwise? “I was sure there was a mountain lion around each turn.”

“You’ll get more comfortable. Take reasonable precautions and you’ll be fine.”

“I’m not so sure.”

“You can talk yourself out of nearly anything if you only think of the danger,” he said, not unkindly. “Driving a car is more dangerous than hiking out here.”

“People always say things like that, but it’s not the same. Humans are naturally afraid of the unknown. You’re comfortable being outside, which is why you’re never afraid.”

He set a wrench down and picked up another tool. “I’ve had my moments.”

“Really? Like when?”

“I got caught on a mountainside in a storm one night. The wind ripped my tent out of the ground and nearly blew it off the mountain, with me in it.”

“Oh my God. I don’t think I’d ever climb a mountain again.”

“I didn’t exactly race to go back out, but after a while I missed it. Besides, there are ways to mitigate risk. I was younger then, and I didn’t think anything could touch me.”

“No wonder you think I’m such a wimp.”

“I never said that. I think you’re out of your element, which is entirely different. Anyway, you shouldn’t care what I think. I’m a miserable bastard.”

“True. Plus, you barely know me.”

“Also true.”

Everyone used to tell her how brave she was when she was going through treatment. Maybe she’d been more resigned than brave, but either way, she’d endured that misery for years. She knew how to bear things. It wasn’t exactly a skill or something to brag about, but if leukemia didn’t break her, living here sure wouldn’t.

Tomorrow she’d go a little farther down the trail. She was going to earn her soak in the hot tub.

Speaking of which. “I’d like you to show me how to take care of the hot tub.”

“You sure you want the hassle?” he asked.

“I don’t mind. It can’t be that difficult.”

“It’s not. I can show you right now, if you like.”

“That would be great.”

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