Christmas Snow Page 3

  He let go and started across the room. “Nicole help Andi with her coat, then come on back. Your mother’s trying to destroy my kitchen.”

  Andi turned to Nicole. “Is he always a whirlwind like that?”

  Nicole laughed and hung her coat on the coat stand in the front entry. “Papa is a force of nature. He’s also very protective of his kitchen.”

  After hanging her own coat on the rack, Andi followed Nicole to the back of the house. Andi stepped through a swinging door and was caressed by the smell of baking cookies. She took a deep breath and let it add another layer of happiness to the one Mr. Russo set in place with his welcome.

  A trim brunette, who looked like an older version of Nicole, closed the oven and turned to them with a smile that lit her whole face. “You’ve made it.”

  Mrs. Russo crossed the kitchen and folded Nicole into her arms. “We were so worried about you last night.” Mrs. Russo let her daughter go then ran her gaze over her daughter. Andi got the impression Mrs. Russo needed to see for herself that Nicole was all right. “We tried calling but your phone went straight to voice mail.”

  Nicole walked over to the kitchen island and snatched a powder-sugar covered cooking off a plate. “You know how spotty cell coverage is on the drive.” She took a bite of the cookie and closed her eyes. “Mmmm.”

  Mrs. Russo turned her attention on Andi. “Well, I can tell you, we worried a lot less when Nicole told us you were with her.” She wrapped her arms around Andi and gave her a motherly hug.

  Andi felt as if someone squeezed her heart. She wanted to laugh and cry at the same time. Mr. And Mrs. Russo were as perfect as Nicole described them. They were like the parents Andi had always wished she’d had.

  Mrs. Russo and Nicole kept up a steady stream of conversation as Mrs. Russo led Andi to a seat at the large kitchen table.

  Mr. Russo set a coffee carafe and mugs on the table. “Andi, do you drink coffee or tea? Nicole didn’t say.” He shot his daughter a look that implied she’d committed a sin. Nicole lifted and dropped her shoulder and smiled at her father as she reached for a mug.

  Andi stared at the interaction. Then, remembering her manners, she said, “Coffee would be lovely.”

  Nicole filled a mug for Andi and slid the creamer and sugar bowl to her.

  Mrs. Russo put a plate of decorated cookies on the table and sat down. Mr. Russo followed suit after setting a plate of premade sandwich triangles on the table. “I figured you might be hungry after your drive.” He scooted the plate in Nicole’s direction.

  “Thanks, Papa.” Nicole grabbed a sandwich.

  Andi was feeling too overwhelmed to think of eating. She hadn’t been in this house for more than ten minutes and already, she didn’t want to ever leave. Andi jumped when a weight plopped on her leg.

  A dog that looked part lab and part shepherd sat with its chin on her leg. Tail swishing wildly.

  “Oh, hello.” She pet the dog’s head and scratched behind its ear.

  “I see Max said his hello.” Nicole smiled over her mug. “He didn’t even bother to greet me first.” She leaned over and gave Max a grumpy look which Andi thought was more comical than grumpy. “Traitor. See if you get a Christmas present from me.”

  Max whined and thumped his tail but didn’t leave Andi’s side.

  Andi was having more and more trouble remembering why she had to protect herself from these people. They were really as nice and perfect as Nicole described them. And Nicole was one of the nicest people Andi ever met. As she thought about it, Nicole wasn’t just nice to Andi. Nicole was nice to everyone.

  Max nudged Andi to keep her hand moving. She complied and asked, “What kind of dog is he?”

  “We found him at the animal shelter two years ago. Don’t know exactly how many breeds of dog he has in him. But he’s a local hero.” Mrs. Russo said this with pride in her voice.

  “A hero?”

  “He’s a search and rescue dog for the ski resort.” Nicole answered her question. “My brother, Tony, is a paramedic. He and Max team up on the mountain a couple of days a week in season.”

  Mr. Russo set down his mug and leaned in. “Our Max is a special kind of search and rescue dog and he’s self-trained.”

  Andi looked down at Max who still had his chin on her lap.

  “Max and Tony were out hiking one day before the snow season when Max took off running. Tony eventually found Max sitting next to an unconscious hiker.”

  “How did Max find the hiker?” Andi asked.

  “We’re not sure,” Mr. Russo continued. “But he found injured people enough times that Tony put a search and rescue vest on Max and included a tracker in the vest. Then Tony talked to our friend, Jim, who owns the ski resort. Now Max roams the mountain looking for injured people. When he finds them he sits down and keeps them company until help arrives. Tony watches his GPS and if Max doesn’t move in a while, Tony goes to find him.”

  Mrs Russo reached over and rubbed Max’s head. “Max has caused a lot of hurt people to get help hours sooner than they would otherwise.”

  “He just finds injured people?”

  “Mhmm. He seems to know they need comfort and he offers it. We’re pretty proud of him.” Mrs. Russo took a sip of her coffee then put it down and looked at Nicole. “You didn’t say if you and Andi were staying in one room or two so I made up both rooms just in case.”

  Andi choked on her coffee.

  Nicole spoke before Andi could. “Mom, Andi wants to stay at the lodge.”

  “Nonsense.” Mrs. Russo turned the full power of her maternal persuasion onto Andi. “If you girls don’t want to share a room under our roof I’ve already said I made up two rooms. How can we spend time with you both if you’re spending all your time driving back and forth to the lodge?”

  “I—” Andi wanted to stay so much. She stood abruptly. “Thank you but I can’t.”

  “Please think about it. We can cancel your room at the lodge.” Nicole stood up and tried to put her hand over Andi’s.

  Andi pulled her hand back and held it with the other against her chest. “I can’t. I have to go-o.” Her voice broke on the last word. Andi was afraid she might cry. She bolted out of the room.

  Andi grabbed her coat as she swung the front door open and slipped through.

  She felt wetness on her checks and swiped at it with her hands.

  A weight leaned against her leg. Max had kept up with her and slipped out the door with her. She sat down on the porch step and Max nuzzled her neck.

  Andi heard the door open behind her. She stood up facing away from the house and wiped her cheeks with the backs of her hands.

  “Andi?” Nicole’s voice was soft and comforting.

  Andi needed Nicole to be angry. Anger she could handle. Kindness would cripple her right there on the porch.

  Andi lashed out. “I don’t have all day to wait around. This is eating into my holiday.”

  Nicole stepped up behind Andi and gently rubbed her back. “Okay, if that’s what you want. I’ll get my car keys.”

  Rather than making Nicole mad, Andi had hurt her instead. A knife blade stuck into Andi’s heart.

  Andi nodded once but otherwise stood rigidly silent. She cursed herself for even thinking she deserved someone like Nicole.

  After another long moment, Nicole gave Andi’s shoulder a squeeze and went back inside. Andi didn’t move. She felt like if she did, she’d break into so many pieces, she wouldn’t be able to put herself back together again.

  Nicole walked back out and stopped next to Andi. Andi kept her face averted so Nicole couldn’t see her tears flowing uncontrolled.

  “Are you sure? You can have your own room. My parents would like you to stay. And I’d like you to stay.”

  Nicole’s voice had a pleading sound to it. What little was left of Andi’s heart was torn out of her chest. Andi wanted to gasp from the pain but she bit her lip and shook her head. She started for the car.

  The dog kept crossing in front o
f Andi, tripping her up. She tried to walk around him but he seemed to be everywhere she tried to move.

  Andi’s heart was banging against her chest. She was breathing deeply to avoid letting sobs take over. She had to get out of here now. “Max, get out of the way!” A huge sob ended that command.

  “Oh, Andi.” Nicole’s arms enwrapped her.

  Andi didn’t have the strength to fight her. She no longer even had the strength to stand.

  Andi sunk to her knees on the snow-covered ground and Nicole followed. Nicole held Andi and Max leaned against her other side. They let her cry out her pain.

  Finally, Andi said, “I can’t. I can’t get close to someone and have them walk out on me. I can’t do it again.”

  “Andi.” Nicole slid her hands to cup Andi’s face. She wiped at Andi’s tears with her thumbs. “You’ve lost a lot of people in your life. But the fault was in them, not you.”

  Andi felt the hopelessness receded a little. Max whined softly and stood up.

  “I can’t guarantee that we’ll live happily ever after,” Nicole said gazing into Andi’s eyes. “But I sure want to see if we can.”

  Andi gave a weak, half-laugh. She really wanted to see that too. “Are you going to be this optimistic for the rest of our lives?”

  Nicole gave her a dazzling smile that made Andi catch her breath.

  “Um, yup. That’s my plan.”

  Nicole’s face was inches from Andi’s. Andi felt each breath Nicole took as it caressed her face. Her gaze dropped to Nicole’s lips.

  Andi pushed thoughts about her parents, her grandfather, and the big betrayal out of her mind.

  This. This was what she wanted.

  Andi leaned in. Nicole met her halfway.

  Her lips touched Nicole’s.

  Andi was surrounded by the heavenly scent of strawberries.

  Nicole’s arms went around her.

  Andi felt light-heated, and wonderful. And, she felt… home.

  Max gave a soft woof and raced off.

  Andi looked back at the woman who made her heart feel whole again. Nicole wore a huge smile that lit her entire face.

  As senses began registering in her mind again, Andi noticed the cold seeping into her knees first. She stood up and pulled Nicole with her. Andi looked at her soaked pant-legs, brushed a hand over her wet face, and gave a slight laugh. “I must look a sight.”

  “No, but you do look like the woman I’m crazy about.”

  Arm in arm, the two women walked back into the house.

  ~~~

  Look for Book Two,

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  Christmas Snow

  Copyright © 2015 by Jillian Clare

  First Edition: December 2015

  All rights reserved. Published in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

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

  CONTENTS

  Christmas Snow

  ONE

  TWO

  THREE

  FOUR

  Five