Page 28 of The Runaway Bride of Blitzen Bay (Blitzen Bay)

Chapter Fifteen

NASH

December 22

Blitzen Bay, California

“This is the road into Blitzen Bay.”

I’m not sure if she’s asleep. After she talked about her grandma, she closed her eyes and laid her head against the window. She’s been quiet for about ten minutes. I’m guessing that’s a record for her.

She sits up and looks out the front window. Walls of rock surround us on both sides where they cut the road through the mountain. She lays her head on the dashboard and looks up.

“You ever been up there?” She cranes her neck a little further.

“I don’t think there are roads that go up to the top. This is the only road that goes into this area of the mountain—one road in, one road out.”

“Huh,” she says, sitting back. “Kind of like Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.”

“I have no idea what that is.”

“You’ve never seen Seven Brides for Seven Brothers?”

“Is it a movie?”

“Yeah.” She pulls her legs up to her chest and lays her head on her knees. “It’s a great movie. It’s about seven brothers who kidnap seven brides—well potential brides—because they want to marry them.”

“So, it’s like a crime drama?”

“No, it’s a musical.”

“There’s a musical about kidnapping?” I look over at her. She’s peeking at me from under her long, blonde curls that are now flowing over her shoulders.

“You don’t get it,” she says, pushing some of it behind her ear. “I mean, the women like the men. They want to marry them.”

“Then why do the men have to kidnap them?”

“Stop! You’re getting me off my original point.”

“There’s a point to this?”

“Yes! There was only one road to the men’s house—just like this. They caused an avalanche so the women couldn’t be rescued until spring.”

“So now, it’s a movie about kidnapping and imprisonment? And they sing about it?”

“Sing and dance. There’s one really cool musical number with sawhorses.”

I look at her, squinting my eyes. “You’re making this up, right?”

“No! It’s a great movie. You should watch it.”

“Yeah, that’s not going to happen. And just so we’re clear, there’s not enough snow in this area to cause a road-blocking avalanche, so you can leave whenever you want. In fact, I can take you back right now.”

She rolls her eyes and looks back out the front windshield as we’re cresting the hill that leads down into the valley. The sun’s jagged rays are reflecting off the snow flurries that have just started to swirl.

“Is this Blitzen Bay?” she says, looking at me with her eyes wide.

“Yeah. Pretty, huh?”

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