Page 17 of Snowed-in With The Mountain Man
After Chellie's bath, accomplished with heated water and creative use of plastic cups, I offer to handle bedtime. Stella agrees gratefully, taking the opportunity to light more candles throughout the main rooms as the afternoon light fades entirely.
"Story, Widge!" Chellie bounces on the guest bed that she shares with Stella, clutching Mr. Bunny tightly. "The snow one!"
I settle beside her, the children's book I found in a box of my childhood possessions already becoming her favorite. "The Snow Day it is."
She snuggles against my side as I read, her small body radiating trust that makes my throat tighten. By the third page, her eyelids grow heavy, and by the final illustration, she's sound asleep, thumb tucked securely in her mouth.
I watch her for a moment, this tiny human who's claimed a piece of my heart so effortlessly. Chellie may not be mine by blood, but in every way that matters, I'm already thinking of her as family.
In the hallway, my phone buzzes in my pocket, surprising me. Cell service has been spotty since the storm began. I answer quickly, moving toward my bedroom for privacy.
"Ridge? You there?" My brother Jax's voice comes through, broken by static.
"I'm here. You okay?" I close my door, keeping my voice low.
"Yeah, power's out at my place but the emergency generator's running. Riley's with me." His girlfriend of six months, a social worker who's softened my oldest brother in ways none of us expected. "Wanted to check on you. News says your area got hit hardest."
"We're managing." I hesitate, then decide honesty is simpler. "I'm not alone up here."
A pause, then, "The woman and kid Colt mentioned? Stella something?"
"Brooks. And yes." I hadn't realized Colt knew about my visitors, but small town gossip travels fast especially since he got with the sheriff’s daughter. "She showed up three weeks ago. Her and her daughter Chellie."
"Your Stella?" The emphasis makes me both wince and smile. My brothers have heard about her for years, seen me pine for her since we were teenagers.
"She needed somewhere safe to stay." I keep the details vague, unwilling to share Stella's story without her permission.
"And now you're snowed in together." Jax's voice holds both amusement and concern. "You okay with that?"
The question carries layers of meaning. Am I okay with the responsibility of protecting them? With the complications this brings to my orderly life? With the inevitable heartache if she leaves again?
"More than okay." I glance toward the door, thinking of Stella just down the hall. "Things are... different this time."
"Different how?" Always the protective older brother, wanting to shield me from another disappointment.
"She wants to stay," I say simply. "Here. With me."
The silence stretches, broken only by static. "For real? Or just until the snow melts?"
"For real." The certainty in my voice surprises even me. "There are complications we need to work out, but she's not planning to leave again."
"Her ex?" Jax asks, cutting to the heart of it. "Colt said something about her running from a bad situation."
"How did Colt… Nevermind, her ex, yeah." I lower my voice further. "He's been harassing her. Threatening custody claims for a child he abandoned before she was even born."
A curse crackles through the static. "What's your plan?"
"Keep them safe. Help her file for full legal custody once the roads clear. Beyond that, take it day by day."
"You need backup, you call. Me and Colt will be there." The simple offer of support warms me. My brothers and I have our differences, but when it matters, we stand together. "Service is getting worse. Check in when you can."
"Will do. You and Riley stay safe. Tell Colt the same." The call drops before he can respond, the signal finally giving out.
I tuck the phone away, staring at the storm still visible through my bedroom window. Knowing my brothers are there if I need them settles something in me. Whatever comes after the snow melts, we'll face it as a family. All of us.
When I return to the great room, Stella has transformed it. Candles flicker on every surface, their golden light reflecting off the windows where darkness presses against the glass. She's built up the fire to a cheerful blaze and arranged cushions and blankets on the floor before it.
"Chellie asleep?" she asks, looking up from where she sits cross legged on a blanket.
