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“This is going to hurt like a bitch in the morning.” I press on her ankle, feeling for broken bones, but she doesn’t wince, and I don’t feel anything out of place. That said, I’m not a doctor.
“It’s just bruised. I twisted it a little when I went down, but I’m fine. No reason for concern.”
“Really? Okay, well…” I stand from the edge of the ottoman and make my way toward the kitchen to grab a cloth for ice cubes.
“You really don’t have to do this. I’m okay. Besides, the storm is getting worse. You should go if you’re going. Getting around this mountain in a snowstorm like this is a death sentence.”
I set the ice on her ankle and grab my phone out of my back pocket. “I should call my dad and let him know where I am. My brothers were at the bar so I’m sure they saw me leave with the game warden. If I don’t get ahead of this, everyone will create their own story of how I’m fucking everything up. You okay for a second while I check in?”
She nods and lifts her own phone, scrolling through it casually as I step out on the front porch. The wind whips the newly fallen powder across the field and swirls in front of the porch.
“Hey.”
“Where are you?” My father’s voice is curt and dark. I’m a forty-five-year-old man, but we’re here to do a job, and I know he’s pissed I’m not there with the family. “Atlas said he saw you taking the game warden home from the bar. You shouldn’t be messing around with her.”
“It’s not what you think. She was drunk and she needed help. I just brought her home.”
“And you’re stuck there now. They just closed the roads. No unnecessary travel.”
I laugh under my breath. “Well, I didn’t have a choice. So, everything’s fine.”
“No, it’s not. The people in town already hate us. We need to follow the rules. You’re stuck until they lift the ban. You know your brothers look to you for answers. If you start being a shit head, they’ll follow suit.”
“I don’t think that’s the case. I think they’ll do what they want.” Honestly, I need to think of a good reason to leave this house tonight. If I stay here, I’ll be the one making bad decisions. There’s no doubt about it.
“Do you hear me?” my father groans into the phone. This is the part where working with family is tough. “That bear is probably tucked away right now, and there’s nothing out there to track. Get rested, don’t fuck her, and we’ll catch up in the morning.”
I don’t make a comment to the ‘don’t fuck her’thing because I know he’s right. “Copy. Call you in the morning.”
He disconnects the line and I head back into the warmth of the cabin, bringing with me a whirl of snow.
Bailey is leaning over her ankle, pressing on the swollen parts as though she’s assessing herself for damage. “I can move it, so that’s good, right?”
“It’s good you can move it. From here it looks like a bad sprain. We’ll keep it up tonight and ice it. In the morning, I’ll take you to the doctor in town.”
“No, that’s fine. I’ve sprained my ankle before. I can rest it for a few days. Besides, that’s a long drive back here for you in the morning. If I need the doctor, I have friends nearby I can call.”
“Actually, it won’t be a drive because I’ll be here.”
“What?” Her face pales. “Why? Did you decide to take me up on my offer?”
“They closed the roads.”
Her breath hitches. “Well, this is good news. The roads were bad on our way up. Now you don’t have to worry about that.”
“I can sleep on the floor or out in my truck. I know it’s not ideal. I’m sorry.”
She drags in a deep breath and lets it out slowly. “You’re a massive man. You can’t sleep in your truck, and I’m not letting you sleep on the floor.”
“I’ll take the couch then.”
She laughs and stands from the sofa. “This thing wouldn’t hold one of your feet. I’ll sleep out here, and you’ll take the bed. A good portion of your legs might hang off, but at least you’ll be mildly comfortable.”
“Thanks, but I can’t do that. It’s your bed, and you’re injured. You need your sleep if you’re going to get better.”
She looks down at her purple ankle, then back up at me. “Okay, you’re probably not wrong. So, sleep with me.”
“You’re an aggressive little thing, aren’t you?”
