Snowy Encounters

by

Clarissa Yip

Smashwords Edition
Copyright © 2010 by Clarissa Yip

ISBN: 978-1-936394-48-7

Cover art by Dara England

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This book is a work of fiction. Names,
characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s
imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events,
locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

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Published by Decadent Publishing Company,
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~DEDICATION~

To my Passionate Critters, especially Silke,
Nicola, and Rachel for keeping me inspired to write.

Chapter One

“Oh, Cole, sweetie!”

The shrill voice ran a chill
down his spine as Cole Harmon drew in an agitated breath and slowly
turned around. The brisk winter air brushed against him. He pasted
on a smile.
Just what I
need
.
Great.
“What’s up, Brie?”

“You weren’t going to leave without saying
‘bye’, were you?” Brie, the diner’s waitress, slapped a hand to her
waist and jutted out a hip.

If I could help it, then
yes.
The woman was constantly after him.
Cole forced out a chuckle. “Sorry. You were busy, and I didn’t want
to distract you.”

“You should have asked me to serve you. I
could have slipped you some pie or something.”

She was being nice. But Brie’s pout and
female wiles didn’t come off as attractive. Instead, he couldn’t
help but become annoyed. It was the same game he played every time
he came to the diner—the same conversation he had with every female
in town. If he wasn’t believed to be such a great catch because of
his recent successes, the women probably wouldn’t have given him
the time of day. “Next time, I will. I’m in a hurry though.”

Brie closed the distance between them from
the diner’s front door to stand in front of him. “You need to stop
working yourself so hard. It’s not healthy.”

“Gotta do it. The lodge isn’t going to run
itself. I don’t have time to rest.” He glanced impatiently at his
watch, wishing he’d never decided to stop for a bite. But they had
the best grilled cheese sandwiches, and he couldn’t resist. “I
gotta go. I’ll stop back in later when I get the chance.”

Brie beamed him a wide smile. Her hand
flattened against his chest. She moved in a little closer. “Good.
We should have dinner together or something. I get out at
eight.”

He stiffened. As much as he liked the
attention he’d received, he didn’t feel anything. Brie was a good
woman, worked hard and always friendly with the locals, but he
didn’t have the energy to court anyone. His last attempt only left
him with a broken heart and divorce. “I’ll try my best, but don’t
count on it.”

She pouted. “That’s what you said last
time.”

Irritation pinched him. “I swear, I’ll
try.”

Brie eyed him warily then dropped her arms to
her side. “It’s okay. I heard that the decorator from Pentonville
backed out on you. What are you going to do?”

He shrugged. He was still
trying to figure that part out. With a lodge full of tourists
expecting a spectacular Christmas, he had nothing—no trees, holiday
decorations, or entertainment—just lots of snow and skiing. And his
new lodge due to open in less than ten days and no one to plan the
grand opening party either…life was great.
If it didn’t crush me like the frequent avalanches around
this damn mountain.

“Well, if I don’t see you tonight, at least
save me a dance at the Christmas Eve party.”

Cole blew out a relieved sigh. She wasn’t
going to drag on the game. “Sure thing. I’ll see ya.”

He climbed into his truck before Brie could
wave goodbye. With the start of the engine, he jerked the clutch
into drive and carefully maneuvered out of the parking lot. Batting
at the garland and strings of lights poking at him from the
passenger seat, he tried to focus on the road. Fluffy snowflakes
fell across the open, narrow streets of Five Oaks, a.k.a Five
Stumps. The town had been in the pits for so long until Cole
renovated and re-opened Tall Oaks lodge, drawing in new tourists
from across the country. Who could resist a day of skiing on the
slopes and cuddling in front of an open fire with hot
chocolate?

He needed a drink. Something strong. Maybe a
scotch.

Four days before Christmas and he had no one
to celebrate it with besides his father and little brother. The men
in his family had no culinary skills. They’d probably end up at the
diner or the lodge for their holiday meal like they had the past
two Christmases. Since his divorce. Sure, he had women offering to
spend this time of the year with him, but he couldn’t bring himself
to. It was still too soon.

Cole shook his head. What difference did it
make if he started seeing someone again? Maddy wasn’t going to
return to him. She’d stated very clearly she didn’t want to stay in
the hick town. Just like his mother.

Giving the decorations one last jab, he
turned down his street and pulled the truck to a stop in front of
his ex in-law’s house. He’d tried to distance himself from Mary and
Hank, but they wouldn’t have it. They still treated him like their
own son. It didn’t matter that he and Maddy were divorced.

Hopping down from the driver’s seat, he
slammed the door shut and went to the back of his truck, where he
lifted the snow blower down. No matter how many times his in-laws
told him he didn’t have to clean their driveway, he did it anyway.
Maddy’s parents weren’t old, but with them alone, he hated that
they had no one around to take care of them. His ex-wife had run as
far as New York City, almost to the other side of the continent
from Five Oaks.

The snow crunched under his boots as he
pushed the snow blower to the driveway. Already five-inches thick,
the white stuff fell faster. Cole started up the machine and
glanced towards the house, noting the lights. He frowned and
immediately flicked the off button. The Glovers should have left to
spend Christmas with Maddy in the city. He trudged through the snow
to the front door. A burglar couldn’t have broken in since he’d
made sure they had an alarm system installed years ago.

Lifting his hand to knock, he jumped back a
step when the wooden panel swung open, the wreath on the door
swaying with the force. Mary Glover stared at him, mouth opened as
relief surged into her green eyes.

“Thank God, you’re here.”

Cole pressed a quick kiss to her weathered
cheek, concern knotting in his chest. “What’s going on? Shouldn’t
you and Hank be in New York?”

Mary gave him a quick hug and drew back. “No.
We decided to do Christmas here. I meant to tell you, but we’ve
been so busy and I wanted to invite you and your father and brother
over. I’m making your favorite turkey, so you have no choice, but
to accept.”

He grinned then tensed. If they were spending
the holiday here, then that would mean…? “What about Maddy?”

Mary’s hand fluttered to her chest. “That’s
why I’m glad you’re here.”

He arched an eyebrow while his heart started
an unsteady beat. A million possibilities ran through his mind. Was
Maddy hurt? Did something happen to her in the city? Or worst yet,
was she getting married? “What’s going on?”

“Her car is buried under an avalanche.”

Chapter Two

A howl sounded from afar,
and Maddy Glover trembled, willing her fast-beating heart to
still.
A wolf is going to eat me, and my
parents are going to regret forcing me back here.

Cupping her hands, she
breathed into them, shivering against the brisk cold. She stared at
her rental, half buried under the snow. She’d almost forgotten
about the famous avalanches from the mountain. One second, she’d
been driving, the next, a heavy white blanket rushed at her car,
and her life flashed before her eyes. But she’d only met the end of
the spill.
Just my luck.

If she had it her way, she wouldn’t be here
in the first place.

But what was Christmas
without her family? She frowned and rubbed her arms through the
thin down jacket. She should have known better. Five Oaks’ winters
were brutal. At least, she knew
that
hadn’t changed.

Tilting her head up toward the bright night
sky, she blew out a breath, watching cloudy smoke rings dance in
the air. As much as she hated coming home, she dreaded one thing
the most: seeing her ex-husband. It was inevitable. Their
separation hadn’t been the easiest, on her or her family. Divorced
for three years, she hadn’t found the nerve to return until her
mother had openly refused to spend the holidays in New York. She’d
had no choice, unless she wanted to disappoint her parents, and she
didn’t have the heart to hurt them anymore than she already
had.

She’d taken away the only son they knew,
along with upsetting the usual holiday traditions.

Two weeks. I can do this.

Glancing up the mountain, Maddy studied the
line of trees buried under the recent avalanche. The white stuff
was never going to melt. She preferred the clean sidewalks and
hustle and bustle of city people, but deep down she couldn’t ignore
the ache.

This used to be her home.

The sound of snow crunching drew her
attention down the road, and the headlights sent a spurt of relief
through her. Finally, her father was here. After a harried phone
call to her mother, she’d waited around for two hours. Nearly
frozen to death.

But her eyes narrowed as the
black truck approached on the other side of the bank where the snow
covered her car and half the road. She’d been lucky the stuff
pushed at the passenger’s side, otherwise she could very well have
been buried under. With a shiver, she ignored the thought.
Could have, would have
.
She’d played that game one to many times with her
marriage.

The truck pulled to a stop, and she squinted
at the bright gleam. A man hopped down from the cab of the large
GMC. It wasn’t her father. Fear rose in her throat, but she
reminded herself she wasn’t in New York. Everyone in Five Oaks knew
each other, and she’d never known any other place where she’d felt
safe to frolic on the slopes late at night.

Another howl sounded nearby.
She jerked her gaze to the top of the mountain.
Okay, maybe not on the slopes, but anywhere around the town
on her own.

With the slamming of the door, the man
approached, maneuvering around the mound of snow and her car, until
he stood only ten feet from her. “Need some help, beautiful?”

The familiar voice rang in her ears and she
froze.

Cole chuckled, and sauntered
toward her, running his hand through his jet black hair, cut
short—shorter than how he used to wear it. She drank in the sight
of him. Her insides clenched. The taut lines on his face, charming
smile and twinkling in his deep blue eyes were the same. Her gaze
trailed over his heavy peacoat to his tan boots. She swallowed
hard. She knew what was hidden under there, spent many years
familiarizing every muscle, every scar over his bronze skin,
and…she immediately pushed the thoughts away.
Stay calm, you knew this was bound to happen. Get it over
with!

“What are you doing here?”

“Saving you.”

She smirked, and crossed her arms over her
chest. “I didn’t call you.”

“No, you didn’t, but Mary asked me nicely to
come get you since Hank’s truck is buried at the moment.” He waved
a hand at her rental. “Not as bad as yours though.”

She frowned, inwardly cursing her mother.
“I’m fine. I don’t need help.”