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But this is the worst. This tops them all. We parked a half mile from the location, knowing Natalie would be watching for trespassers, and started out on foot when there was nothing worse than a thin, cold mist falling from the sky and clinging to our jackets, shoes, our hair, and the surrounding trees. It couldn’t have been more than five minutes before the mist turned to a steady, icy rain. The sort of rain that works its way into your bones and threatens to freeze your muscles and joints. The wind is fierce, blowing almost straight in our faces. At least Dallas’s constant insistence that he take the lead works in my favor this time around. He’s sort of a windbreak, making it possible for me to hike without it feeling like my face is turning to ice.
No way could she make it out here for long. There’s no electricity, not a hint of a cell signal. This could only ever be a temporary resting point.
When Dallas comes to a sudden stop, I slam into his back. “The fuck?” I bark over the wind, but there’s no need for him to answer. Not once I look up ahead and identify a faint glow in the darkness. That glow gives me strength, makes it easier to move my feet and push against the unforgiving wind. The cabin is just ahead, and there’s a light inside. Someone is here. Hope blooms in my chest that we’ve finally found her, and it will mean getting out of this godforsaken rain.
There’s a small porch, and even the roof over our heads is a welcome change once we stumble up the steps. I peer through a grimy window beside the front door, and what I find inside melts the ice that’s built up around my heart as day after day of searching has left us with nothing but frustration. Natalie is crouched in front of the fireplace wearing oversized sweats, poking at the logs inside without much success. They don’t seem to want to catch. Maybe the wood is wet.
But she’s here. She’s shivering and cursing, but she’s here.
And when Dallas opens the door with no warning, she pivots, grabbing for the gun on the mantle and aiming for him before recognition takes hold. She goes from glaring murderously to sighing once I enter and close the door against the weather.
I don’t know what I imagined would be the first thing out of her mouth after all this time. Did I think she’d recoil in surprise? Break down in tears? I should’ve known better.
“Took you long enough.” She doesn’t replace the gun right away, I notice, but eventually returns it to its spot on the mantle before folding her arms and pretending not to be as cold as she clearly is.
I can’t get over it. In the glow from the lantern on the coffee table, she could be ten years younger. I’ve gotten so used to the polished façade she wears in her daily life—hair and makeup always done perfectly, designer clothes at all times of the day. Now, her long hair hangs loose and her bare face makes her look more like a kid than the woman I know. Someone in need of protection.
She notices me staring, and when our eyes meet, she arches an eyebrow in a silent challenge. I wish it didn’t stir something in me, something hot and familiar and potentially dangerous. This isn’t the time to remember how easy it is for her to turn me on.
“Looks like you’re having trouble with that fire.” Dallas strips off his wet jacket and hangs it from the doorknob before assisting without being asked. Natalie steps aside—obviously, pride doesn’t mean much when you’re half-frozen and the temperature is only getting colder all the time.
“Which one of you found the notebook?” Her gaze swings back and forth between us. Dallas only grunts, throwing me a look over his shoulder. Even now, the competitive prick wishes he could be the one to take credit. And I’m the one who’s a child? It’s baffling.
“I found it,” I tell her proudly. “Nice hiding place.”
“Thanks.” She snickers and looks away, watching as flames leap to life. It doesn’t take long for the cabin to warm up and loosen my muscles, while the light from the fire gives me a better idea of what we’re dealing with here. For a remote cabin, it’s fairly well appointed, with stuffed bookshelves lining the wall on either side of the fireplace. At the far end of the large room is the kitchen, and a round wooden table with four chairs serves to separate the two spaces.
From what I can see where I’m standing, the bathroom features a deep clawfoot tub, and the bedroom beside it holds a queen size bed, at least. The cheerful quilt spread across it is a nice touch. It’s almost homey.
