Page 56 of Out of the Cold

And anyway, he wasn’t convinced shecouldtake care of herself. Back in San Francisco or Florida, sure. But there was still so much she didn’t know about living up here, and yesterday had proved it. Still, there was something admirable in the way she was rallying to her circumstances. She was more resilient than he’d given her credit for.

He set the bag on her steps and hurried away as Hilde started barking. He needed to be inside his cabin before she opened her door.

He stood peeking around the edge of a curtain. A minute later, she came out and picked up the bag. She opened it, looked over at his cabin, then stepped back inside and shut her door.

He wasn’t out of the woods yet, but he didn’t want to be caught watching for her out the window, so he poured a can of soup into a pan and stirred, waiting for it to heat. Several minutes ticked by, and he began to relax. Maybe she’d accept the gift after all.

He was sitting down to eat when he heard her come up the steps. Her knock was sharp and all business, and he opened the door warily, prepared to be more stubborn than she was.

She wore her jacket but hadn’t bothered to put on a hat, and her cheeks were flushed a hectic pink. Hilde was racing around his yard, losing her mind over a chipmunk.

Lucy pushed the bag into his chest. “I can’t take this. It’s very generous, but I’ll be fine without it.”

He held his hands up, refusing to take possession of the bag. “But better with it.”

“This is ridiculous, Gabriel. Whatever I need, I can get on my own.”

Her glare would have leveled a less determined man. He changed tactics. “I can’t rest easy unless I know you’re safe, and you won’t be until you’re wearing the right clothing.”

She hesitated, clearly conflicted. “The socks alone must have cost—”

“I got them on sale.”

“Even so. Seven pairs of silk long underwear? I looked it up, and this stuff is expensive.”

So that was why it had taken her so long to come. “Not if you own the store.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I own Tree Line. With a partner, that is.”

“Oh my God. That was you.”

“What was me?”

“I Googled you a while back, but I didn’t believe the guy who owned an enormous chain would be living in the middle of nowhere and working as a caretaker.”

“Well, he is.”

“In other words, you’re rich.”

“I’m comfortable, but that’s beside the point. I’m just giving you a few things from my own store.”

“You mean they were free?”

“Well, no. But I bought them at cost.”

Her eyes narrowed again. “So you’re living in this tiny cabin and working as a caretaker, even though you’re loaded?”

“I have my reasons. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t talk about it. It wouldn’t be great for business.”

The last thing he needed was someone learning that one of the partners of Tree Line was living like a recluse and struggling with mental health issues.

“Of course I won’t talk about it. But—”

“Keep the clothes, Lucy. Please. There’s no reason you should spend money on this stuff when you’ll only be here a few months.”

She bit her lip and looked down at the bag in her hands, clearly torn. “I wanted to do things on my own,” she said, sounding forlorn.

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