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“Save it,” I say, walking past her.
Artie peeks his head out the door of the kitchen. “Oh, you’re out.”
“Don’t even start with me right now,” I say. I walk all the way to the back of the cabin and pull open the closet that’s attached to the wall. It houses a few necessary tools as well as overcoats, a first aid box, fuel—essentials in case we get stuck here after an especially bad storm.
It has happened before. When I was ten, there was a storm so bad we were stuck inside our house for over a week. And all I wanted to do was run away—because, at that point, what was inside the house was way scarier than anything outside. But I had my brothers to protect. I couldn’t leave them behind with a monster.
I take the wrench from the toolbox before closing the closet door. Ollie is standing a few feet away. “Woah, woah, relax, Ed.”
I roll my eyes. “This isn’t for you, idiot.”
“Good,” he says, getting into a faux boxing stance. “Because you’re never going to win against me.”
I scoff. “You wish.”
My gaze falls to Susan, still standing in the doorway behind him.
“What’s with the wrench?” Ollie asks, nodding at the tool in my hand.
“I know you’re thinking with your dick right now, but we need to make sure everything is in place before the snow starts coming down heavy. That includes the backup generator. Did you put fuel in it last week like I asked you to?”
“Yes,” Ollie says, but he doesn’t sound too convincing.
“Got my answer,” I say, heading for the back door. “There are two piles of chopped wood on the porch,” I instruct him. “Bring them inside quickly. Once they get wet, we won’t be able to light them up.”
“Yeah, okay,” Ollie says, not arguing this time. He flexes his biceps, showing off for Susan. “This is how it’s done, baby girl.”
I roll my eyes. He’s not the only one who works out. My brothers and I are built the same, and together, we may even come off as menacing. Only Artie is the biggest sweetheart in the world.
Ollie walks past Susan, making sure she’s looking at him. And she is. Sometimes my brother resembles a chest-thumping orangutan who can’t think of anything but fucking everything that has an ass and two legs. He’s probably set his trap for her already. My brother can be quite charming when he wants to be, a talent that both Artie and I lack. While I simply don’t care, Artie is more likely to woo books than girls. But I saw the way he was watching Susan earlier—like an animal about to strike its prey. Something about the way he looked at her really irked me, which doesn’t make much sense because I really couldn’t care less.
I walk out to the porch and switch on the light, which barely lights up anything past the stairs. The stony ground is already covered with a fine layer of snow. I switch on my trusty flashlight and sweep the surrounding area with its bright arc. Usually, when the storm gets bad, wild animals like foxes make their way to the cabin to protect themselves from the snow. Most of them are harmless, but recently there have been sightings of a mountain lion in the nearby area, so one can’t be too careful.
I walk to the shed and switch on the light that runs on solar energy. The roof of the shed is fitted with rows of solar panels, another one of Artie’s innovations. During the summers we can collect enough to even sell commercially, and during the winters there’s just enough sun to use for our own needs.
I check the generator, making sure the crank is working before I fuel the engine. Once I make sure everything is in place, I make my way back to the house. The snow is coming down harder now, and the chilly wind swirls around me, almost blinding me in the process. I dash the rest of the way in and almost collide with the figure standing at the door.
Susan moves back a few paces, her eyes wide.
“Inside,” I command. She does as I ask, and I have to resist the urge to spank her ass.
“What do you think you were doing out there?” I demand, cleaning the snow off the bottom of my boots. I look at the sweater she’s wearing. It looks barely warm, and definitely not mountain appropriate. “You could catch a cold.”
“I’m sorry, it’s just that you were outside and…” She trails off, shaking her head.
I soften a little. Maybe I was judging her too harshly.
“I told you he’d be fine,” Ollie says, putting a hand on her shoulder and steering her in the other direction. “It’s just routine work for him. Did you see me bring in the wood all by myself?”
I roll my eyes even though I know Ollie can’t see it. I shut the door behind me and lock it for good measure before walking inside.
“Dinner is served,” Artie announces as he heads out of the kitchen toward the dining table. “I’ve made chicken pot pie, mac and cheese, and some chicken stew made from bones.” As he speaks, he lifts the cover of each dish to let out the steam emanating from inside.
Susan draws closer. “It smells heavenly.”
“It does,” Ollie says, reaching for one of the dishes. Artie slaps his hand away.
“I’ve prepared the food for our guest,” he says pointedly, glaring at Ollie. “Susan, if you may.”
