Page 75 of Home Field Advantage
I need to do this.
I step outside, and the cold sends a shiver down my body, but I fight it off. Making my way to my covered car to start brushing the snow away. “Should have put your car in the garage, Poppy,” I mutter.
The snow is heavy and thick. I don’t think my car is going to make it down the road, even if I do get it cleaned off.
I need to do this.
“What are you doing?” I hear a voice call from across the lawn.
No. No. No. I suck in a sharp breath, staying focused on cleaning off my car and pretending I didn’t just hear Dallas shout from his front porch. That last thing I need is for him to see me as such a frantic mess.
Because that’s what I am right now.
My body is moving with a need to make this happen.
It’s trembling with the thought that I won’t make it to the store today, and I’ll have to do it tomorrow. I feel crazy, but I know I’m not.
I hear footsteps crunching in the snow behind me, only making me more frustrated.
I don’t want him to know.
Why won’t the snow stop so I can get this cleaned off?
“What are you doing?” he repeats, this time right behind me.
Looking down at the ground in defeat, I close my eyes, fighting back the tears threatening to break free.
Finally, I spin around to face him.
He’s bundled in a puffy winter jacket and a beanie on his head. God, does this man ever not look good? In the snow, his chocolate brown eyes reveal hints of amber, like fire buried beneath the surface. His eyes don’t just watch me curiously; they linger as if they know more than I’m ready to say.
“I’m cleaning off my car to head to the General Store,” I finally say.
“I don’t think your car is going to make it, Poppy. Let me take you. It’s coming down pretty hard still, but I have four-wheel drive.”
He doesn’t ask me why I need to go.
He doesn’t make me feel stupid for needing to go right now.
He’s simply offering me an alternative.
If I didn’t want to cry a few seconds ago, I do now.
“I don’t want you taking Sage out in this.”
“She’s with her mom for the weekend. I drove through this on the way back earlier this morning, and it’s not that bad on the main roads.”
“Not so bad?” I scoff, looking around with my arms out. “It’s everywhere. It’s up to my ankles.”
He smiles, and dammit, it makes me weak. “The roads aren’t as bad as the driveway. It seems that Bluestone Lakes works hard to keep everything running smoothly here. Which is a good thing.”
I look from him to our street, and I do see that it’s not as deep with snow as my driveway. He’s so casual about all of this. What I would give to be as carefree and able to adapt to change so easily.
“I really can take you, Poppy. It’s not an inconvenience to me. I want to help you.”
“I need to go now,” I breathe out, finally looking back at him. “I mean…I’d like to go now. I don’t have a lot of food left from my last trip, and I want to get stuff in case the storm gets worse.”
He nods. “First, I’m going to need you to put on a real jacket. It’s cold out here. Go inside to grab one, and I’ll bring my SUV over.”
