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She hummed “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” as she prepared her food and poured herself a glass of wine. And as she curled up on the couch with her dinner, she let herself truly start to reflect on the fact that Emma’s house was now occupied by someone else. She had thought she’d feel upset by the notion. And sure, there was a part of her that found it strange. But for the most part, Colette just felt relieved.
It was as if a weight that had been on her shoulders since she’d discovered that Emma had left her the property had lifted at long last.
* * *
Zach reached for his second bag, pulling it across the bed in the primary bedroom and unzipping it to reveal his clothes within. He grabbed a shirt from inside the bag before spinning to face the closet. From the corner of his eye, he caught another glimpse of the snowy landscape beyond those amazing windows, and he had to fight the urge to walk over there and gaze out of them for at least an hour.
He’d done just that after Colette had handed him the keys and he’d gotten his bags inside. The first thing Zach had done was taken them upstairs and stared out those windows in awe. He’d never seen a view quite like this one. With the beautiful, softly falling snow capping the brightly colored roofs of the houses beyond the backyard, the stunning mountains in the distance, and the fluffy pine trees that lined the property, it was so picturesque that Zach had trouble believing it.
It wasn’t hard for him to see why Dennis had found this place so inspiring. Within moments of arriving, Zach had felt a twinge in his hand that usually preceded him falling into a fit of madness that only painting could cure. As he grabbed another shirt from his bag and placed it on a hanger in the closet, he felt the twinge again.
He knew that if he closed his eyes, a painting would begin to take shape in his mind. He’d be able to see the exact brush strokes, the way he’d layer blues and yellows to create the effect of the sun glistening on the blanket of snow. He’d even be able to see himself on the other end of the paintbrush, making it all happen. But Zach also knew that once he tried, once he actually sat down to actually create the thing his brain was seeing, it would all leave him.
It had happened to him too many times over the course of the last year. Zach would find inspiration when he was out on a walk at night, while a neon sign reflected in a rain puddle, or in a crowded park when a brightly colored jacket caught his attention. But then, once he tried to take that inspiration and harness it, it would slip through his fingers like sand.
No, Zach knew that he needed to put himself in a hiatus for a little bit. It was what he’d come to Snowy Pine Ridge for, after all. To finally get some rest and to not worry about creating for a little while. As far as Zach could tell, it was the only way he’d be able to truly find his way back to who he used to be. And he didn’t want to risk it.
Blowing out a breath, he hung up another item of clothing and turned back toward his suitcase. The bright, gleaming white of the snow taunted him from just beyond the pane of the glass. The pull to admire it grew stronger and stronger, until eventually, he couldn’t give in.
What would it hurt? he asked himself. It wasn’t as if he was going to paint. He was just going to look. And there wasn’t any harm in that.
CHAPTEREIGHT
Colette stirred the pot she had simmering on the stove as the potent smell of apples and cinnamon wafted up around her from the warming cider. Looking out the window directly behind the sink, she couldn’t help but allow her eyes to flick toward the main house in the distance.
The snow fell down around it softly, and she noticed smoke drifting up from the chimney spout on the roof. She smiled slightly, liking that she could now look across the lawn for a glimpse at another life. It made her not feel so alone on the large property.
When the apple cider was piping hot, she poured some into a mug and then pondered over what to do with the rest. A thought occurred to her, and she glanced back out the window to the house in the distance. She remembered how Zach had talked about other drinks he had tried during his short time in Snowy Pine Ridge, and she couldn’t help but wonder if maybe he would like apple cider too.
An image rose into Colette’s mind, one of a handsome face surrounded by unruly auburn hair, and she quickly shook her head to banish it.
“I’m only doing this because I want to be a good landlord. He’s my first tenant, and I want to get this right,” she said to herself out loud, but even to her own ears, the words sounded false.
Trying not to dwell on it too much, Colette poured the remaining cider into a thermos, slipped on her coat and boots, and stepped out into the snow. Holding the thermos in one hand and her own mug of cider in the other, she made her way toward the main house.
The lights inside the house glowed warmly from behind the curtains, glimmering on the snow along with the wintry midday sunshine. Ever since Emma’s death, every time Colette had looked across the lawn toward the main house, it had seemed empty and desolate. It made her happy to finally see it brimming with life, even if she found it strange that it wasn’t Emma making it seem that way.
She raised a hand and gave three quick knocks to the front door, then waited. A few seconds passed, and she didn’t hear a single sound from within the house. Colette’s brow furrowed. She wondered for a moment if perhaps Zach wasn’t home and had just accidentally left the lights on and the fire going.
Just as she had come to the conclusion that no one was going to answer, the front door opened, startling a little yelp out of her. She tilted her head to look up at Zach, who stood in the doorway. He was in jeans, a t-shirt, and a thick, fluffy wool cardigan, looking so handsome that it should’ve been illegal. On anyone else, the outfit might have seemed disheveled, possibly even sloppy. But on Zach, it looked cozy and effortless.
She shook away the slack-jawed expression on her face and gave him what she hoped was a wide, friendly smile.
“I have cider,” she said by way of greeting, nodding her head toward the thermos and mug that she held in her hands.
“Oh, thanks. Come on in.” Zach returned her smile and stepped back, motioning for her to step into the house.
As soon as the door closed behind her, warmth washed over her as the smell of the fire crackling in the other room floated up to greet her. There were knickknacks and personal items on the shelves in the entryway that hadn’t been there before. Sweaters and coats hung on hooks by the door, and below them sat a pair of overturned snow boots that had clearly been kicked off and left to dry.
Her eyes roved over all of these small glimpses into Zach and his life, making a casual note of each of them.
“The place looks great,” she said, shifting her focus back to him.
“Thanks. Here, let me take those.” Zach reached forward and lifted the sealed thermos and steaming mug from her hands, allowing her to take off her coat and hang it on one of the empty hooks.
He motioned his head toward the kitchen, and Colette followed after him. She took a seat at the table while he grabbed an extra mug from the cabinet and brought it over. She lifted her mug from where he had left it on the kitchen table and pressed it to her lips, sighing as the warmth and taste flowed across her tongue. They were silent as Zach filled his mug with cider and did the same.
“This is great,” he said with a sigh after swallowing his first sip, and Colette beamed at him.
