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He grinned. “I pay attention.”
The road came to a low-running wash and Ace guided the truck through the wash. The truck’s tires slid in a slick of mud but pulled clear and they were headed down the road again.
Charlee stared out the window. “The sky was clear when I left home.”
Ace glanced at her as pellets of hail started pinging his truck. “You know how storms can be here.”
“Yeah, I know.” Charlee shook her head. “I do try to be careful.”
“Looks like we’ll be stuck together for at least the night.” Ace guided the truck through a series of mud puddles as the storm grew wilder. “Got a deck of cards?”
“And a few games, too.” Charlee smiled. “I even have kerosene lamps and candles for light to play by if we lose power.”
He gave her a teasing grin. “Up for a game of strip poker?”
Charlee gave him an indignant look, but he saw a flash of amusement in her eyes. “Not if your life depended on it. Or mine.”
He laughed. “How about a good ol’ basic game of poker?”
Charlee smiled. “Much better.” She hesitated then said, “I hope it’s not too bad, so you don’t miss Christmas Day with your family.”
“They’re your family, too, Charlee.” He glanced at her. “You’ve been a part of our bunch since we were kids.”
“Thanks,” she said quietly.
“I can’t imagine your sister knows about this.”
Charlee shook her head. “She’d kill me.”
“Then why are you planning this trip alone?” he asked. “Christmas is about family.”
She shrugged when he glanced at her but didn’t answer.
Well, she might not tell him now, but she would before this time away was over.
CHAPTER3
Fifteen minutes after leaving the Mustang behind, they reached the cabin. Her retreat wasn’t a little one-room log cabin. From the outside it looked to be a good twenty-five hundred square feet, at least. He glanced at Charlee. “Looks like a nice place.”
She nodded. “It’s my favorite escape from reality. Usually.”
They passed a row of stacked firewood and Ace parked his truck in a double carport to the right. At the back of the carport was a large tool shed. To the left was a set of stairs leading up to a side door.
He smiled. “Got any hot chocolate, sunshine?”
“And marshmallows.” She gestured to the side door. “We’ll go through the laundry room so we don’t track mud into the cabin.”
Ace got out and helped her step down from the passenger side. When she was on her feet, he opened the rear door and grabbed her red tote and handed it to her with a bag of groceries. He gripped the red case and the other bag of groceries before pulling out a blue duffel he kept in his truck for emergencies.
Ossie bounded to the ground and waited for a command. Ace gave her a hand signal and she followed them.
Rain thrummed on the roof of the carport as they walked to the door. Charlee visibly shivered and fumbled with the keys. “My hands are so cold.”
“Let me try.” Ace took the keys from her, unlocked the door, and they entered a nice-sized laundry room, Ossie following.
He set everything down before he toed off his boots and left them beside the shoes she had just kicked off. They shrugged out of their wet jackets and hung them on hooks next to the door.
“It’s warm here,” he said.
