Page 73 of Mine For The Winter

It felt like a battle. One she was fighting against her own desires and impulses. But one thing was certain, she’d stay strong for herself and Cole.

And in a few weeks, all of this would be over and things would be back to normal.

* * *

“Hey.” North looked up from the tree he’d been cutting down, a smile on his face as he saw Kris approaching. “Wanna help me with this?”

“Sure.” Kris walked over, grabbing a pair of work gloves from the toolbox next to where North was standing. “What do you need me to do?”

It was the final day of the harvest at the tree farm. Most of the trees had been cut down earlier in the season, ready to be shipped across the Eastern seaboard to North and Amber’s loyal customers. But they’d had an unprecedented demand and North had spent the last couple of days cutting down as many trees as he could, working with his helicopter pilot to get them loaded into the truck to be delivered.

“Just hold her up while I finish. Then we’ll lay her down gently and wrap her in ropes. The helicopter will lift her into the truck.”

There were men working on every row of trees, cutting them down and trussing them up. “Where’s the helicopter now?” Kris asked. It sounded distinctly silent.

“Waiting for us to tell him we’re ready,” North said. “There’s no point in it being airborne until there’s enough trees to load up.” He finished sawing through the trunk, then pointed at the ropes, showing Kris how to truss the tree up for it to be moved. Each tree was wrapped in a net, then the rope was looped around it.

“Remember when we used to come here and play hide and seek as kids?” Kris asked.

“Yeah, I remember. I also remember you falling asleep and us not being able to find you for hours,” North said dryly. “Gabe and I were about to call the cops. And we knew we’d get grounded for losing you.”

“I’m a heavy sleeper.” Kris shrugged. “And it all turned out okay.”

“That time.” Their eyes met and Kris knew what his brother was thinking about. The way their cousin, Alaska, had disappeared for forty-eight hours when she’d been camping with Gabe. She’d only been eight, Gabe a little older.

And it had torn their family apart.

“So how are things going?” North asked him.

“With what?”

North’s eyes crinkled. “I don’t know. I assume you’re here to get something off your chest. Unless you’ve developed a new found love of evergreens.”

It was strange how well his brother knew him, even though they’d been apart for years. “I think I messed things up with Kelly.”

They moved to the next tree. North passed him the net to pull over the branches. “How did you mess things up? Haven’t you apologized to her yet?”

“I’ve tried.”

North’s gaze flickered to his. “And?”

“And then I messed things up more.”

North laughed. “You may have to be more specific if you’re looking for advice.”

“Who said I’m looking for advice?” Kris asked him.

“Why else are you here?”

Kris blew out a mouthful of air. “Okay, I’m looking for advice. Kelly came to my cabin last night. We did some stuff. Then she ran away.”

“Oh.” North started up the chainsaw and touched the blade to the trunk. Kris kept quiet, not wanting to disturb his brother while he was working. And when the tree was down they trussed it together again before moving onto the next.

“What does ‘oh’ mean?” Kris asked him.

“It means exactly what it says.”

Kris frowned. “I thought you were going to give me some advice.”

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