“Go, Jake.”
Her laughter tempted him to stomp back in and curl up with her, but this break in the weather may be just a temporary reprieve. He closed the door, slipped on his snowshoes, and headed into the forest. The storm had dumped a lot of snow, blowing drifts against the brush and boulders. He only walked fifty yards before he saw what he searched for.
The prints of rabbits emerging from their burrows crisscrossed the snow like a chaotic map. He located four busier paths and set up the snares he’d fashioned out of paracord. Hopefully, when he came back to check it just before nightfall, there’d be fat rabbits he could feed Chloe with. He took a deep breath, inhaling the clean scent of a forest after fresh snow, and steeled himself for the next task.
He trekked closer to the cabin to get wood. The birds twittered their joyful song in the branches above him. Leaning his hand against a tree, he gulped his breaths, his energy waning more than he wanted to admit. He needed to get to the plane, even if it was just to dig all the food out of the packs left in there. Anything he trapped in his snares would go to Chloe, so he’d need the energy the MREs left in the plane would provide to keep her alive.
First, though, he had to focus on wood. They could live more days without food than they could heat and melted snow. He took the hatchet she’d found and whacked it against the base of the tree. Three more whacks, and the tree fell with a thump. He pulled it up to the side of the cabin and turned to get another. The thunk, thunk of the metal echoed through the valley as he felled two more trees.
He squared the head of the hatchet on the last tree he’d take today and hit it with as much strength as he could. He’d have to take a brief break when he finished with this to recoup some energy. Maybe check on Chloe.
The echo from the hit quieted, but a distant crack had Jake scanning the sky through the thick treetops. A low rumbling like a thunderstorm built behind the mountain ridge, though the sky was blue as far as he could see. He headed toward the cabin to get a clearer look, when the sound intensified like a jet taking off an aircraft carrier.
Jake’s stomach flipped. Avalanche. The treeless valley suddenly made sense. He took off for the cabin. The snowshoe on the prosthetic caught in the trees he’d just cut down, twisting off his leg and throwing him headfirst into the cold.
Snow billowed around him, filling his nose and mouth. Somehow he recognized he wasn’t in the thick of the avalanche, but the thought of being buried alive had him moving. He scrambled on his hands and knees to the side of the cabin. Pushing himself up against the log walls, he stood, praying the onslaught of thick snow would stop.
Chloe’s screams threaded through the thundering mountain and sliced into his heart. His chest heaved as the rumbling slowed and the birds’ chirping renewed. Only a heavy cloud of settling snow remained from the violent last minute raged by the avalanche.
Jake hopped to the corner of the cabin and slumped. The plane, which held supplies they’d need to make it and the emergency beacon, no longer sat where he’d crashed it. The mountain had swept it away and buried it deep within an expanse of hard-packed snow.
He needed to get the wood chopped now so he could search for the wreckage. He went to his knees and crawled to where his foot had gotten stuck. He pulled it from the log it had wedged beneath, and with a sick feeling in his stomach, the foot flopped awkwardly from the ankle. His muscles quivered as his gut hardened. Because of him and his inabilities, Chloe would die. A guttural roar ripped from his chest and bounced through the valley.
“Jake, it’s not your fault,” Chloe stated for the hundredth time as she grabbed wood from the pile he’d thrown near the cabin.
When the avalanche had reverberated through the cabin, she thought for sure she’d end up buried alive in the shack from hell. She’d also known she didn’t care, since Jake had to have been swept away in the raging snow.
As the thundering had slowed to quiet, she had curled into a ball before the fire, great sobs wracking her body. Jake’s primal scream had sent shivers down her spine and rushed her body with relief so fast she thought she’d faint. She’d found him white from head to toe, his broken prosthetic tossed aside. At that moment, she knew she’d give up whatever she had to, even her career, if it meant staying with him.
Jake’s disgruntled humph before he turned back to chopping the last tree raised all her hackles. She’d tried to get him to come inside and rest, but he’d pushed her off, muscled one of the fallen trees beside a rock, and while resting the knee of his injured leg on the rock, began chopping the tree into firewood. She’d forced him to drink some water and had refused to go back inside when he growled at her.
She had a stubborn tenacity to rival a mule. Something Jake would get well acquainted with, especially if he kept acting like an idiot. An anguished idiot who took far too much on his own shoulders and impressed her with every awkward, balanced chop of the ax. She just wanted to take a minute to hug him, to reassure him that everything would work out.
Yet Chloe didn’t know that for sure, so she held back. Maybe he just needed time to get his frustration out. She looked through the trees at the expanse of white where the airplane had landed. She snorted. She sure picked the perfect place to land. Avalanche Alley. All the snow that had fallen during the storm must have layered just right on the ridge. Thankfully, whoever built the cabin had tucked it inside the trees, otherwise the entire thing would’ve been swept away like the plane. She shuddered at the thought and rushed to take the stack of wood in her arms inside.
Two more loads and Jake followed her inside and slumped to the floor in a dejected pile of grumbling male ego. The cabin once again had a mountain of wood to keep the fire going. Technically, if they were wise about the wood use, they could survive at least another fourteen days. Wasn’t that how long a person could live without food? She prayed it didn’t come to that.
She took a mug of water to Jake and pushed it into his hand. He gave a half-hearted grunt that had Chloe’s eyes rolling. This forced vacation would get old fast if he didn’t snap out of it.
Stomping to the other side of the cabin, she wished the room had just a few more square-feet to show her upset. Two steps just didn’t seem to hold the punch she wanted. She may have to resort to actually throwing a fist. Maybe then he’d wake up.
She grabbed their dinner, knowing the day hadn’t gotten to that time yet, but also knowing Jake had used a lot of energy stripping the forest of its trees. She stomped back to him for good measure and flopped down beside him. She shoved his cold pack of gelatinous spaghetti at him. That meal hadn’t tempted her like the rest.
“I don’t want it.” Jake’s low grumble irked her.
“Don’t be an idiot.”
“Too late for that.”
“You just used every calorie you’ve consumed since we got here. Eat.” She poked him in the side.
He hmphed and squeezed a bite into his mouth. Chloe took a bite of her bar, the sweetness soothing her frazzled nerves. She took another bite and closed her eyes while she chewed. The wood crackled in the fireplace. Birds chirped happily outside. The stink of sweat and self-loathing waved off of Jake.
“You have to stop. This funk isn’t going to help us any.” Chloe peeked over at him as she took another bite.
“I should’ve known. It’s so obvious this is an avalanche chute.”
“Jake, please. We were crashing. It’s not like you could be picky.” Chloe balled her wrapper up and put it in the garbage bag. “Besides, this cabin has been a God-send. It would’ve been hard to survive that storm without it.”
He shrugged and took another bite. Men. She drank the mug of water down in four big gulps and went outside to get some more snow. When she got back in, she set the mug by the fire to melt and lay down on the sleeping bag. Hauling the wood had zapped her energy to nil.
She touched his leg, and he flinched. “Can you lay with me for a little bit? I need to rest before we tackle the next task.”
His gaze darted to
her and back to the fire. With a slight shake of the head, his refusal squeezed her heart. She narrowed her eyes. He wasn’t getting off that easy.
“Please, I’m cold.” Ugh, that tone was annoying.
“I’ll get you another sleeping bag.”
She bit her tongue to keep from calling him an idiot again. That probably wouldn’t turn his attitude around. Could she appeal to his inner hero when he had entrenched himself in such a deep pit of anger?
“I don’t want a sleeping bag.”
“Chloe, I—”
“The truth is, I’m still scared … still shaking from thinking you’d been buried alive.”
She closed her eyes to that thought, her nose stinging. Shoot. She hadn’t meant to get all weepy, but the afternoon crashed over her. She couldn’t stop from tearing up. She cleared her throat, yet the emotion wouldn’t dislodge.
“I just … I just need you to hold me, or do you not want to do that anymore?”
He stared down at her, his eyebrows pushing together and his eyes shining with doubt. He opened his mouth only to snap it shut with a small shake of his head. Why was he so hesitant to be with her? Had the snow swept away his growing affection like it had the plane?
With a deep sigh, he lay down beside her. She scooted close, wrapping her arms tightly around him and burying her face in his neck. It was pathetic and weak, but she didn’t care. She needed his arms holding her. Needed the assurance that they’d survived another harrowing day.
Seventeen
Anguished mutterings pulled Chloe out of sleep. She blinked groggily as she tried to focus on the noise. Jake’s arms tightened around her. His fingers dug into her muscles and woke her fully.
“No.” The pain in his voice twisted her heart.
How could she wake him without startling him like before? She levered herself onto her elbows and studied his face in the dim light. His heart beat hard against her hand and sweat beaded on his forehead.
She leaned down and brushed her lips like butterfly wings against his. She crooned “It Is Well With My Soul,” the first hymn that popped into her head.
“Jake.” She kept her voice low and kissed him again. “Jake, wake up.”
His forehead relaxed, and he turned toward her. The corners of her mouth twitched as warmth spread up her cheeks. She touched her lips to his with more pressure.
“Wake up, Jake. It’s kissing time.”
Strong fingers eased and stretched across her back. His body relaxed. She smiled against his lips and pressed them more firmly to his. That she could tame the beast that haunted him in his sleep had her flying as high as the mountaintop. She scooted up further to get a better angle.
His groan as he slid his hands up her back and dug his fingers into her hair had blood rushing to her ears in a deafening beat. Relief that he responded to her made her giggle against his lips. The uncertainty of earlier gave way to a happiness she hadn’t felt before.
He froze, his eyes popping open and his eyebrows flying to his hairline. “Ch—Chloe?”
“You expecting someone else?” She smirked and leaned down to continue their make-out session.
He put his fingers over her lips, stopping her descent. “I didn’t brush my teeth.” Sitting fast, he muttered low, “So stupid.”
He reached for the cup of water and a scrap of fabric and scrubbed at her lips hard. She winced and pulled at his hands. He glared and shoved the cup into her hands while he crawled to the Ziplock bag with their toothbrushes.
“Jake, its o—”
“It’s not okay.” He squeezed toothpaste onto the bristles. “I can’t even kiss you without screwing up.”
Chloe rolled her eyes as she snatched the toothbrush from his hand. “I believe I was the one kissing you.”
She brushed her teeth with vigorous strokes, taking her frustration out on her enamel. Why the man insisted on infuriating her was beyond understanding. She spit into the fire and pointed to his toothbrush with a lift of one eyebrow.
He shook his head and turned to put them away.
Anger and hurt heated her cheeks. She tossed her toothbrush at him, pegging him in the shoulder. He glanced down at where the brush had landed and up at her with a questioning look on his face.
“Get over it, Jake.” She crossed her arms over her chest.
“Get over what exactly? Being reckless with your safety and flying us into a storm we had no business going into? How about that every decision I make makes matters worse for you?” Jake speared his hand into his hair. “I can’t even kiss you without screwing up.”
“I know I’m a hassle.”
“That’s an understatement.”
His words hit her like a slap across the face. She flinched and curled in on herself, turning toward the fire. Hadn’t she already known she was too much trouble? She never should’ve gotten her hopes up. Should’ve kept the guard around her heart that allowed it to remain intact.
“Chloe, I didn’t … that’s not what I meant.” He shifted behind her.
“Yes, it is.” Chloe glanced at her watch. “It shouldn’t be dark yet.” She moved to the snow pants and pushed her legs through them in jerky motions. “I’m going to go check the snares.”
“Chloe, wait.”
She shoved her feet into her boots and rushed out of the cabin, grabbing her coat and the snowshoes on the way out. She wiped the tears that streamed down her face with a growl and took off into the woods. Coward.
The light faded from the sky. While colors hadn’t painted the landscape in the pinks, purples, and oranges of sunset yet, she couldn’t imagine it was far off. She followed the indentions of Jake’s footprints from earlier. While the avalanche had swept away everything in the valley, it had just dusted below the trees slightly with its cloud of snow. Thankfully, she could still make out Jake’s footsteps in the waning light.
“Fool.” What was she thinking, believing someone as amazing as Jake would want to deal with her?
It was probably better that it came out now than after they got rescued. She stopped, bending over at the sharp pain in her heart. Shaking it off, she continued trekking through the woods, muttering to herself.
She pulled up short at the sight of a rabbit lying beneath the brush. She covered her mouth and did a little happy dance. The thought of roasted rabbit had her mouth watering. She rushed to pull the animal out of the trap and reset it like Jake had explained while he made them, glad she’d forced herself to focus instead of getting distracted by his strong fingers as they deftly wove and knotted the cord.
Ten minutes later, she floated back to the cabin with three rabbits hanging from her hands. The day had gotten brighter, though the sky showed the first signs of sunset. They were getting out of there alive, and she had a plan.
She swung the door open with a triumphant flair. Jake spun from the opposite side of the cabin where he leaned his head against the log wall. She held in her satisfied grin as his jaw dropped.
She tossed the rabbits into the center of the cabin. “You get those. I’m making a signal.”
“Chloe, wait.” His call picked up her pace as she closed the door.
“Can’t. Gotta make this before I lose the light.” She cringed at her rudeness and almost turned back.
She couldn’t handle his awkward apology or, worse, his reasons for them to not be together. The reasons were many. Hadn’t she listed them repeatedly in her head through the years? No. She’d do what she did best, avoid the issue. She nodded with determination as she gathered pine branches from the trees Jake had downed and headed across the hard-packed snow the avalanche had left. Eventually, her heart would fall in line with her mind’s logic.
Jake hit his head against the log wall as Chloe’s footsteps retreated. Her red eyes and the dried streaks down her cheek said he’d made her cry. He wanted to punch himself in the face. Why had he said those words? He scoffed at himself. He knew why. Because he was not only a coward but also a jerk.
He hobbled over to the ra
bbits and sat down. She’d gotten three of them. These could feed her for a couple of days. When the meat was gone, he could make broth out of the bones. The vice that had clamped around his chest, and squeezed until he thought he’d die, loosened a fraction.
Ten minutes later, he had the rabbits skinned and gutted. Wild hare didn’t have a ton of meat, especially in the dead of winter, but between the organs, muscles, and bones, he knew he could get Chloe some necessary calories she desperately needed.
He sliced up the hearts and put them in water to boil. He’d have her start with that, then he’d roast one of the rabbits whole. He didn’t want to make her sicker, so starting slow would be best. If only he had a proper spit, one that wouldn’t burn up and drop the rabbit in the fire. His eyes fell on his prosthetic and a bitter smile stretched across his face.
Ripping and prying, he stripped the piece down to the titanium rod that ran through the middle. The fireplace was small and rough enough that he could set the metal on rocks along the inside of the chimney. It positioned the meat in the perfect spot for roasting.
He placed the other two rabbits and edible organs in a plastic storage bag and placed that within a watertight bag. He hoped the two layers would keep any animals away from it. Now if he could find a way to hang it outside on the cabin, they’d be set.
He pulled on his coat and hopped to the door. His heart caught at the sight before him, and he leaned on the doorframe so he didn’t buckle. The sunset painted the snow-covered landscape in oranges, purples, and pinks from the bottom of the valley to the tip of the mountains. Chloe had hauled a pile of pine limbs into the open area far enough that a passing plane wouldn’t miss it in the trees. Now she worked at laying them out to spell SOS.
He pulled the door closed and leaned against the cabin. She didn’t need him, not really. Look at how well she’d taken care of herself so far. He just caused her more work and heartache. Sure, if they lived normal lives, he could probably be enough for her, especially if his nightmares were under control. But she lived an extraordinary life. What if someone tried to attack her and his leg failed again? His dream came rushing back. The sounds of her screams when he couldn’t get to her sent ice sliding down his spine. Could he risk that becoming reality?
Crashing Into Jake Page 11
