Page 37 of The Awakening
“Be safe, cowboy.”
“I will.” Stealing one last quick kiss, he turned and walked out the door.
I watched him swing his leg over his horse as I walked out onto the porch. The three men waved as they rode off. When I couldn’t see them anymore, I turned back into the house and closed the door to the building cold.
The hours passed, and the wind picked up as the snow fell. I sat in the living, watching the storm gradually obscure the trees that surrounded the house until they were no longer visible.
My landmarks gone, I’d never felt more lost than I did at this moment. I placed a few more logs the fire, the sparks exploding like fireworks in the fireplace. Immediately, I felt the warmth of the new logs now ablaze, and as I turned, the lamp beside the couch flickered and went off.
“Well, isn’t that just great?” Placing my hands on my hips, I looked around, mentally making a check list of everything I needed to do.
Check the fire in the bedroom was first on the list.
The minutes ticked by like hours. The house had remained warm, thanks to the almost constant back and forth checking. Rummaging through the hall closet, I found a set of pie irons. It might to be a five-star meal, but I was going to have as much fun as I could riding out this blizzard alone.
Opening the fridge, I pulled out the ham and cheese, then searched for pizza sauce in the pantry. I had the makings of a campfire pizza.
My watch read eight o’clock as the storm raged on outside the window, and I desperately looked for an outline of the three riders.
I stood at the window until my legs were tired, then slumped onto the couch and pulled the big quilt up to my chin. I watched the flames flicker and listened to the hisses and pops of the burning logs as I drifted off.
A cold blast of air filled the house. I startled awake and looked toward the fire, but between the hearth and me stood a large man with his back to me. Then someone was screaming.
“Hey, it’s me. Quit screaming. Ellie, it’s just me.” He came toward me with arms extended, but before I could pull away, the flames from the fireplace lit up his face. Gavin.
I slapped my hands over my mouth to stop the scream I’d been ready to let loose. He pressed his lips together, his eyes lighting up, and I couldn’t help but start to laugh.
“You don’t have a wooden spoon under that blanket, do you?” Gavin was obviously seeing similarities to the night we met, and I couldn’t help but lift the blanket and reach under like I might just pull one out and threaten him with it.
“No, I don’t” I giggled.
“Good, as cold as I am, you just might shatter me into a million pieces.”
Hopping off the couch, I flung my arms around him and held on for dear life. “You should get out of these wet clothes.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Gavin
The winter turned to spring, and the ranch was buzzing with new life, green grass, and blooming flowers. Ellie and I grew closer every day. We had become friends quickly and now we were more than that. She and I worked well together, and I enjoyed her company when it was just the two of us.
Stepping out of the hardware store, I set off toward the pharmacy, realizing I should have asked Ellie if she needed anything while I was here. I had my phone halfway out of my pocket when someone called my name.
“Gavin.”
I turned, coming face to face with a ghost from my past. She was someone I used to think I’d never get over, but seeing her now, I realized I hadn’t thought of her once in the last few months.
“Naomi, hi.”
She flung her arms around me and hugged me tight. When she finally let me go, she was almost vibrating with excitement. “Are you busy? Let’s grab a coffee somewhere.”
I looked around the street, which was usually bustling with people, but it was almost empty. “I suppose I could spare a few minutes.”
“Good. Let’s go to Stella’s. I want to hear all about what’s been happening. I heard you got married! That must be a story.” She laced her arm through mine and pulled me toward the coffee shop.
Had she always chattered this much? Naomi had always seemed so levelheaded, but this encounter had exhausted me already.
“Hey, Stella. Two coffees, please. We’ll be in the back booth.” Naomi said as we walked past the older lady at the counter.
