Page 39 of My Three Christmas Secrets

“Looks like the storm is getting worse,” Liam noted, peering through the window.

Clearly a little anxious, Jessica asked, “Do you think the roads will be okay?”

Trevor reassured her. “We’ll check the reports later. Our cabin isn’t too far away. We’ll be fine.”

Suddenly, the lights flickered and went out, plunging the room into darkness. A collective gasp rippled through the group. The power outage was now the second unwelcome surprise of the evening.

From there, it just got worse.

From the dimness, I saw a few sparks flying from the corner of the living room.

The lamp!

Tiny tendrils of smoke started wafting upwards, followed by a sudden burst of flames, turning our cozy gathering into a scene straight out of a horror movie.

“Oh, my God, FIRE!” Jessica shrieked.

The calm of the evening shattered.

Everyone was on their feet, scrambling in different directions. Chaos ensued as shouts and gasps filled the air.

Liam, who handled crises well, raced to the kitchen. “Water! We need water!”

Mason, staying surprisingly calm amidst the frenzy, started giving orders. “Everyone, stay back! Bodhi, help me move the furniture out of the way. Jessica, Trevor, keep the others back.”

I could hear the rushing footsteps of Liam and the splashing of water being filled hurriedly. The smell of burning fabric and melting plastic became more pronounced.

As if it had been rehearsed, Mason and Bodhi efficiently cleared a path, ensuring nothing else could catch fire. Liam returned, holding a large pot filled to the brim with water.

With one forceful swing, he doused the flames, sending plumes of steam into the air. The room became filled with a smoky haze, the remnants of the adrenaline pumping through our veins.

Silence returned, broken only by our heavy breathing and the wind howling outside. With no lights, the darkness seemed even more pronounced. Mason quickly activated the flashlight on his phone, directing its beam to the now charred and dripping-wet lamp.

“What happened?” Jessica whispered, her voice shaky.

Mason bent down, examining the cord. “The wire’s chewed up. It looks like some animal got to it.”

I remembered my first night alone in the cabin. “A squirrel attacked me on my first night here. Well, not really attacked, but you know, close enough. I did notice it had taken a liking to the cords.” I couldn’t help but roll my eyes at the absurdity of it all.

“What happened to the squirrel?” Jessica asked.

I relayed a shortened version of my unexpected confrontation with nature, eliciting laughter and making things more relaxed.

Mason grinned. “Well, it looks like the squirrel got his revenge in the end for you kicking him out.”

Now that one emergency had been handled, it was time to tackle the other challenges the winter storm brought—no power and snowy roads.

The only light was from the candles that Bodhi had just lit, and I looked at my guys as the shadows of the flames danced across their faces. They’d know how to handle this—especially Liam since he was used to roughing it.

Not that my parents’ four-thousand-square-foot cabin was truly roughing it.

“Let’s get a fire going just in case it takes a while for the electricity to come back on,” Mason said.

Liam added, “And if the power is out for too long, let’s turn on the faucets, allowing them to drip, so the pipes don’t freeze and burst.”

I knew I didn’t have to worry. My guys could take control when situations took a turn for the worse, and I relished that they made me feel safe.

“Maybe we should get going,” Nate suggested, and the group agreed.

---