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“After story,” Liam said.
“Yes. But after we read this book, I think it’ll be time for a nap.”
“Sleep with Hadley?” he asked.
I watched as his sister curled into him before the two of them laid down on the bottom of the pack-and-play.
“Sure,” I said, sighing. “Why not?”
I propped myself against the edge of the couch and began reading The Giving Tree. I’d bought this book for Liam on a whim and he’d been obsessed with it ever since. We’d only had it a few months, but the spine was already falling apart. There were food and drink stains on the pages, some of them were ripped, and others were stuck together. I read through the book and showed Liam the pictures while Hadley fell asleep, and the moment I finished the book I could see Liam’s eyelids drooping as well.
I grunted as I rose off the hardwood floor and grabbed a blanket from the couch. I fluttered it over their bodies before a small smile crossed Liam’s cheeks. I looked down at them, and couldn’t help but feel a pang of aching in my gut.
I quickly pushed it away and resolved myself to do the best I could for them. Even with all the troubles that life had thrown our way, I’d try to be happy we had each other.
CHAPTER 4
MELANIE
The snow was falling so hard I could no longer see where I was going. The roads were a blur and the path was no longer clear. I was slowly winding up a mountain whose edges I could no longer keep in my vision. A downed tree lay across the main road that led to my house and I swore. I knew there was another way, a back way, but I hadn’t traveled it in ages. Right now, though, it didn’t look like I had any choice but to try. I took a right turn off the main road and started traveling through some thick forestry, but then my car started to slide.
It slid and it weaved and I slammed on my breaks. My tires refused to grip the ground and I felt myself losing control. My hands gripped the steering wheel while I tried to dodge the trees, but I fell over an embankment and into a ditch.
I was stuck and the snow was coming down even harder than before.
“Shit!” I swore and hit my steering wheel with the palm of my hand.
My hands were trembling as I reached for my purse. I gathered up my stuff and checked my phone, pulling it out just in time to watch it die. I scrounged around, hoping I had another charger in my car, but no luck. I was stuck in the woods with snow falling in bucket loads and no one knew I was out here.
Kicking my door open, I finally got myself out of the car. I scrambled up the embankment and looked around as I pulled my coat tight around my body. The ground was already covered in so much snow that I couldn’t even discern the road from the woods, and tears of fear streamed down my face.
Why the fuck did I forget to charge my damn phone?
The wind began to blow and it kicked up a dust of snow. I braced myself and walked through it, following the upward slope of the mountain. I was hopin
g I could get to a clearing soon and figure out where in the world I was.
But, the longer I walked, the colder I got, and still there was nothing in sight.
Off in the distance, I saw chimney smoke rising. Hope swelled in my chest as I started running, my numb legs taking me as fast as they could go. I tripped through the trees and got snagged on branches, but the closer I got to the smoke the less afraid I was becoming.
I got to the top of the hill and found myself staring at a beautiful log cabin. There was a truck off to the side and the chimney was still billowing smoke into the sky. My body was trembling, bouncing between being petrified and being relieved. My mind automatically recalled my past ordeal, but I tried to push it away before the panic could take hold. I was a much stronger person than I had been back then. Not to mention, I didn’t have much choice. It was either take my chances with the stranger in the cabin or freeze to death out here in the cold. I thought of my dad alone at home and pushed myself forward.
I drew in a deep breath and walked up to the front door. I knocked on it with my shaking fist, then crossed my arms back over my chest. The door opened in front of me and I froze immediately, taking in the massive man that was standing in the doorframe.
His close-trimmed beard was black and his hair was thick. His brown eyes peeked out from a suspicious face as his body loomed over mine. I took a step back and studied him, taking in the way his six-foot frame was covered with muscle.
Muscle that could overpower me in a heartbeat.
“Can I help you?” he asked.
His voice was low and gravelly, a stark contrast to the chilling nature of the weather swirling around me. My jaw quivered and my hands clutched my coat tightly.
“Yes. I’m sorry. Um—my car skidded and got stuck in a ditch. My phone is dead, too. Do you, uh, have a phone I might be able to borrow?”
I felt helpless. Like that day so many years ago. I stood up tall and tried not to show any fear I might be feeling. Though I’d done a lot of healing in the past four years, I was still leery.
“Why don’t you come inside?” he said.
