Page 18 of Stuck With Mr. Frosty

“Has anyone ever told you that you’re incredibly bossy?”

“Mia, you’re not being helpful right now. I’m going to get your foot out, and then we’re going to take a look at it.” I slip my hand down between the rocks and the bottom of her boot, gripping the heel.

She whimpers as I ease the boot partway out between the rocks, tears in her eyes. “Stop. It hurts.”

I pause, glancing up at her. “You can do this, okay? I’m going to get it the rest of the way out, and everything is going to be fine.”

Her head shakes, and her bottom lip quivers. “I don’t think I can.”

Honey circles Mia before laying down on her chest, forcing her back. Mia starts to run her fingers through Honey’s fur, taking deep breaths. I don’t know how much help it is, but I know that when I’m starting to panic, there’s nothing more comforting than having Honey settle on me.

“Okay,” Mia says, her voice wavering. “Please get my foot out of there.”

“It’s going to be fine. Just take a deep breath and let it out.” I wait until she inhales, and then I pull her foot out the rest of the way.

She lets out another shaky breath, but Honey stays in place, keeping Mia as calm as possible right now.

The second Mia’s booted foot is out of the rocks, I kneel and pull her foot into my lap, taking off her boot and starting to feel along her ankle. Nothing feels out of place, and though the muscles are obviously stiff and bruised, she’s able to move it.

Her cheeks are a deep red as I slip her boot back on and tie it up. “I’m sorry you had to come all the way out here in this,” she says. “I thought I knew where I was going, and then my map got soaked through and I tried to turn back, but then I started getting turned around and?—”

I get to my feet and hold out a hand to help her as Honey gets up. “You don’t need to keep rambling. It’s my job to find you.”

“Oh.” She puts her hand in mine and allows me to help her up. She tests out putting weight on her ankle and nearly falls over. “I don’t know if I’m going to be able to get anywhere right now. Maybe it would be better to leave me and go back for a snowmobile.”

“Not going to be able to get one up the mountain in this storm. Too risky.” I help her over to a tree and take her backpack, packing up the blankets and the sleeping bag. “I’m going to help you, unless you want to ride on the sled.”

She shakes her head. “No, I should be good to limp along. It’s just going to take some time.”

“We have all the time in the world.” I put her supplies onto the sled along with my own backpack, securing them so it will be easier to pull along and help her. “Rather get there alive than risk you getting more hurt by trying to keep up with me.”

I loop my arm around her waist, and she hooks hers around my shoulders, resting some of her weight on me as we walk along.

However, with the first step, she nearly goes down.

“Shit,” she says under her breath. She looks at me with tears in her eyes, looking like she’s seconds away from falling apart.

I turn around and disassemble the sled before motioning to it. “Sit down. I’m going to put this stuff in your lap, and then we’re going to get moving.”

“Aiden, it’s going to hurt you. I’m not light, and with everything else?—”

“Mia, shut up and get on the sled. We can argue once we get to the cabin, but I’ll be damned if you think I’m going to leave you out here because I can’t deal with your weight and two backpacks.”

Her cheeks turn a darker shade of crimson, and she slowly lowers herself to the sled, settling in and grabbing the backpacks. She pulls them into her lap, looking down at them, her dark eyelashes dusting the tops of her cheekbones.

I adjust the harness and check the map before I start walking. Mia is silent throughout the walk, but every now and then, I think I hear a sniffle.

Guilt eats at me as I peek at her over my shoulder. I should’ve been here earlier. Maybe if I had been nicer to her last night, she never would’ve taken off this morning.

The cabin rises up on the horizon, nothing more than a black blob against the dark night, but the closer we get, the more shape it takes.

I stop outside the door and push it open before unhooking the sled from my harness. I take the bags from Mia and toss them into the cabin before crouching down and picking her up before she has a chance to try and move on her own.

“Aiden, this is unnecessary.” She claps her hands on her bright red cheeks.

“It’s going to be a long walk back, and you’ll need to be able to put weight on your foot, so yes, it is necessary.” I set her on the couch, and Honey follows us inside. I go around the room, turning on the lanterns hanging throughout the cabin. “Do you need help getting out of your ski suit?”

Her cheeks turn a darker shade of red. It would be lying to say that I didn’t like seeing how flustered she gets at times. It’s never this bad when we’re around people, but right now, when it’s the two of us, she’s a little off guard.

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