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“Something after he left.” I hurry toward the front door and push it out, only for the door to stop abruptly from opening completely.
It’s only opening an inch or two. A wall of snow blocking the door crumbles a few chunks of ice and flurries onto the floor, but I can see we can’t simply push it out of the way.
I turn to Harper, who has worry washing over her beautiful face. “Everything’s going to be fine. The snow must have slid off the steeple when Dennis left. It probably tore through the awning too. We’re snowed in for now.”
4
HARPER
Snow trapping us inside of a church during a storm feels like divine intervention.
“Is it just us in here?” I ask him.
Curiosity wants me to explore that kiss even more. The storm outside is merely a reflection of what I feel for Father Hudgens. I know I shouldn’t tempt him or put myself in a position to want him, but I can’t help myself. My body aches for him, for his touch, for his mouth all over mine once again.
Hunter nods. “Yes. I wanted to wait for you to come and thought the storm would hit later. I sent Dennis to deliver the bulk of the boxes, and I would have brought your donations after I left.”
There are dozens of questions circling my mind. I throw all of them his way. “Are we going to freeze to death? Is someone coming to plow the parking lot? Do you think they’ll realize we’re stuck in here? When are they coming? I can probably call one of my brothers to come by…”
“Harper, baby girl,” he says with such calmness that my heart settles. “Take a deep breath and relax. We’re going to be fine. We have a plow scheduled for tonight. The power isn’t out, so we won’t freeze. There’s food in the pantry and fridge from the donations for the soup kitchen. So we won’t starve.”
“And who’s coming to dig out the parking lot?”
“Actually, I have your brother, Hendrix, down as the volunteer for that.”
“That’s great. I can probably get him here quick,” I say with relief, pulling out my phone to call my brother.
He picks up on the first ring. “What’s wrong, Harper?”
“Uh, nothing?” I try not to worry him.
“Harper?” His tone is serious.
“We’re stuck inside the church, and Hunter says you’re supposed to come dig out the parking lot. How soon can you get here?”
There are a few mutters and curses away from the phone before he comes back to the line. “Sorry, Harper. Visibility is zero right now. We’ve been ordered to stay off the roads until the storm passes. What are you doing at the church? And who’s we?”
His protective nature kicks into overdrive. My eyes glance over at Hunter, unsure of what to say about me and the priest.
Hunter tips his head to the phone. “Put it on speaker, baby girl.”
It takes a second to push the button and hold the phone between us, telling my brother, “Jimi, I’m here with Hunter. I mean Father Hudgens.”
“How ya doing, Father? This is Hendrix. Are you guys okay to get through the storm?” Jimi asks him.
Hunter leans in close to speak. “Yeah, we’ll be fine. The church has a backup generator in case the power goes out. We can hold on until you or anyone with a truck can get us out. I think the snow fell off the steeple and slammed the front doors shut.”
“What about the emergency exits?” Jimi asks.
Hunter’s face scrunches with frustration. “They’re blocked. We moved a few broken pieces of furniture out back until trash pickup tomorrow, and my truck is up against the other one. I planned on being the last person here and locking up for the storm.”
“Okay, you guys sit tight. I’ll call Hayden and see if he can get to you before me.”
“Thank you,” Hunter replies and turns to me. “I’m going to turn on the heater in my office and see what food we have to snack on.”
Hunter heads off and I take Jimi off speaker. “Thanks, Jimi.”
“Don’t thank me yet. Neither of us may get to you until the morning. I’ll call Mom so she knows not to worry about you. You’re okay with the priest?”
