Page 12 of Snow Globe Secrets

He looked at me strangely as he placed the groceries on the counter behind me.

“You don’t have any decorations,” I explained. “No tree?”

“Oh.” He shrugged. “Well, it’s just me, so …”

“Well, we’ve got time now,” I enthused. “We could pull out your decorations and make this place festive!”

His next “oh” was intoned exactly the same way as his last. He looked down as he confessed, “I don’t have any,” as if it was a question.

“No worries.” I jumped right in, not wanting him to feel bad, like it appeared he did. “We’ll find something to do around here to keep us occupied.” Oh fuck, had that sounded like an inuendo. I hadn’t meant it to sound salacious. “Like cooking!” I quickly suggested.

With the groceries deposited, Randall headed back toward the laundry room door. I was able to grab ahold of his upper arm again as he walked past me. I really liked touching him too much, and so far, aside from one handshake, I’d only done it through layers of clothing.

“I can get the rest. You start to unload since I don’t know where anything goes.”

He glanced at my hand on him again before croaking out, “Firewood.” He moved his arm, the one I was holding, so that his thumb was pointing over his shoulder to a sliding glass door on the other side of the kitchen. “I cleaned out the fireplace when I thought I’d be gone for two weeks. We’ll need more firewood.” He went to head in that direction. “I haven’t needed the generator yet, but I did have it tested and serviced a few weeks ago. They said it won’t power everything, but it should keep the refrigerator going and get us heat and hot water. The guy told me the original owners didn’t bother to hook it up to the stove because of the elaborate outdoor kitchen. I’m glad I had him out, or I wouldn’t have known any of that. He made sure the propane was filled on the grill too. So we should be okay if the power goes out.”

He sounded worried as he ticked off all the things he’d had done to make sure he was ready for a winter storm. “And now we’re stocked up and ready to ride it out.” I enthused, hoping to reassure him.

“We’re going to be fine!” I continued. “But please, let me get the rest of the groceries and the firewood. You’ve done so much already. I’m here invading your gorgeous space. It’s the least I can do.” I spun around to take in the one large room yet again. “I swear this place is like the best vacation villa ever.”

“It actually was a vacation home for the last owners, I’m pretty sure.”

I looked pointedly at Randall, and he finally acquiesced, sort of.

“Follow me,” he said. “I’ll show you where the firewood is, and then I’ll grab the rest of the groceries.”

He opened the sliding glass door, and we were on a huge patio, partially covered where we stood in the doorway. “Right over there.” He pointed. “There are carriers you can load up.”

“On it!” I smiled since he looked worried. He stood in the door as snow blew in on both of our faces. “I’ve got this. Go inside.” I practically had to yell over the storm. “You’re letting all the cold, and the snow, into your beautiful house. Go! Shoo!” He nodded and turned. I hoped his worry wasn’t over having me, or any guest, tracking snowy shoes through his pristine cabin. So I tried to keep it light. “And keep the stuff out for dinner. I’m starving!” We’d already decided on the fish at the grocery store since it was the least likely to keep for very long. He gave in and walked back to the kitchen.

The snow was really piling up, so I couldn’t see much outside except for the wood neatly stacked in a rack along a stone sitting wall that formed the outer barrier of the patio area, a section of which was covered by a pergola. It served as some small protection as I found a couple of large canvas sacks neatly stored on a shelf that was part of the firewood rack’s structure.

I filled them both and lugged them back to the slider, depositing one at the door and stepping inside with the other. There was a section of tile by the door, with an indoor/outdoor mat on it, and I stood there dripping and eyeing the path to the fireplace while Randall was busily putting away groceries. I took another look around the well-appointed and unique cabin and realized there would be very little privacy for the next few days.

I decided it was best to rid myself of as many dripping-wet clothes as possible, so I peeled off my jacket and deposited it on the floor. I bent to pull off my sneakers next and realized that my sweats were caked in snow too. Maybe I could just stand there until I was dry enough to deliver the wood to the other side of the cabin.

I decided to pull off my sweatshirt and use it as a towel to soak up some of the moisture, and when my head was free of the material, I emerged to find Randall taking me in. I yanked my T-shirt down and bent to brush off around my ankles.

I looked up at him from my bent position. “It’s really coming down out there. I think we made it home just in time. I’m sorry for the mess …”

“Don’t be silly, and don’t worry about tracking snow in. I’ll clean it up. We should really get the fire started in case we lose power. Here, I’ll grab this, and you can go get changed.”

“Yeah, about that …” I had the sense to look sheepish as I was about to confess the most college-student thing ever. “I didn’t really pack for this trip. I just brought my dirty laundry. I mean, I think I have a button-down and dress pants for Christmas, but, yeah …”

Randall stood there, the heavy sack in hand, just looking at me. Eventually, he said, “Okay. That door there is the downstairs bath. You go get cleaned up. I’ll find a towel and something for you to wear. I’ll get the fire going, then see about your laundry. Then dinner. Sound good?”

“I … You don’t have to do my laundry. I can take care of it if you don’t mind me using the machine. God, I’m so sorry for the imposition! Really, just, all of it.”

He was quiet again, like everything to him was a problem that had to be worked out. Or like he wanted his answer to be perfect. He nodded. “Okay.” He pointed at me. “Shower.” Then at himself. “Fire, then we’ll regroup for dinner and laundry.”

“Perfect.” I smiled, and he lugged the firewood.

“And it’s no imposition. Having you here. It’s really not.” He put the bag down and waved toward the kitchen. “I mean, if you weren’t here, who would drink all that beer?”

I shook my head and laughed as I made my way across the room to the bathroom, another well-appointed room with a large shower taking up most of one wall, the sink and commode opposite it, and a whirlpool bath straight ahead. I couldn’t help but comment aloud, “This place is really nice.”

Chapter Six