Shifters in the Snow

by Jacqueline Sweet

  After breakfast, Andi changed back into the clothes that Dan had washed and dried for her and they set off in Dan's big tow truck to get her car back home.

  Over a foot of snow had fallen over night, the first real snow of the season. A little later than the winter sports industry would prefer but there had certainly been worse years.

  The big truck was equiped for the Sierra winters and Dan had no trouble getting it down his driveway and out to Andi's stranded Camry. He sternly told her to stay put in the heated cab of his truck while he hooked her sedan up and then he hauled both her and the muddy Toyota back to her borrowed apartment in town.

  “What do I owe you?” She asked as he handed her back her keys.

  His expression went from confused to hurt and then he shook his head, “No. No. It's a favor. I could never charge my m---- um. I mean, I can't charge a friend.” This time the corners of his mustache tipped up far enough at the edges she could make out the curve of a lip and the flash of strong, white teeth under it.

  She wasn't sure how to react. She liked the idea that they were friends. She liked it a lot.

  Chapter 7

  Jen saw the truck pull up in front of the coffee shop and rushed to pour the large plain coffee. The shop was filled to capacity every morning with tourists since the ski lodge had opened up for the season.

  Andi was busy filling orders as fast as she could when she saw him walk through the door. He looked awkward as he made his way through the tables of boisterous hipsters on his way to pick up his order at the counter.

  Jen called out, “Andi, can you get Grinchie's pastry? His coffee's already on the counter,” as she ran in back to grab another stack of cups.

  Jen was in the process of finishing her sentence as she come back around the corner, “...doesn't want to stand here any longer than he has to. You know how he....” the words died on her breath as she stared at the big man standing at the counter talking casually with Andi.

  “I heard the Coydog Saloon does a big Thanksgiving thing for everyone in town that doesn't have any place to go,” Andi was telling him as she rang up his order, “I was thinking I might as well go. Dad's got the new wife, Mom's in Georgia with her sister, and I guess I'm not exactly expected at--” Andi paused for a second before finishing her sentence, “Mike's family.” She said with a note of irritation, “So yeah, I probably will be there on Thursday.”

  The Grinch smiled and Jen noticed the way his hand hesitated briefly as it brushed against Andi's as he took the little paper bag from her. He gave both girls behind the counter a polite nod and turned to make his way through the crowd back outside.

  “Bye Dan,” Andi called after him, “Thanks.”

  “Dan?” Jen demanded. “His name is Dan?”

  Andi used the brief break between customers to restock the cups and rearrange the remaining pastries so they could take out the empty trays, “Yeah. His name's Dan.”

  “And just how do you know that?” Jen was following Andi around the kitchen, not giving her an inch of space to move in.

  "I asked him," Andi was enjoying Jen's obvious confusion and frustration.

  The short week before Thanksgiving kept Andi busy enough that she didn't have time to worry about Mike or what he was telling his family about the reason she wouldn't be at the family dinner this year. But it didn't keep her busy enough to stop thinking about Dan.

  Every day around 10, Dan came in to the little coffee shop for his coffee and danish. Every day Jen tried to have his order ready to go, just like always. Everyday, Jen watched in awe as the big man she'd always known only as "Grinch" hovered by the register until he had a chance to talk to Andi personally, even if only for a moment before the constant flux of hung over and under-caffeinated skiers demanded she break off their morning conversation.

  By the time Thanksgiving day rolled around Andi was ready for the coffee shop to be closed all day. She got to sleep in before getting ready to head to the famous Coydog Saloon for its annual "stray dog Thanksgiving dinner."

  She had only been up to the bar once since she'd been in town for the winter. Run by Donovan Wile and his brothers, the Coydog was the heart of the little community. Despite there being several other places where tourists could grab a cold beer or hot breakfast, the Coydog was the place where the locals went.

  It also served as the go-to destination for the surrounding communities, the place where bike runs ended and began, where classic car clubs parked on Saturday mornings during the summer months.

  Donovan ran the place like a twisted take on everyone's grandmother's kitchen. Always open. The grill served up the best breakfasts, the perfect burgers, and a mean steak amid what seemed to be a steady pour of draft beer and various shots and mixed drinks.

  If you passed out on the floor of the Coydog, you could always trust that one of the brothers would drag your carcass into the back room so you didn't get trampled.

  Donovan was notorious for taking in strays. The annual "stray dog" Thanksgiving feast was just one of the saloon's yearly events designed to bring the community together. Whether they had a place to go for the holiday or not, at some point between 1 PM and midnight, almost every one of the town's permanent population of 629 people would make their way through the Coydog's doors on Thanksgiving day.

  Jen had told her that the 'Dog opened its door around 1 o'clock but there was no set time for dinner, just a steady stream of people coming and going through out the day and well into the night.

  Andi decided to wait till later in the afternoon before heading up the hill. She knew just about everyone in town now; their names, their stories, and the way they drank their coffee, but she didn't have plans to meet up with anyone for dinner so it didn't really matter when she went.

  After nearly an hour on the phone with her mother, Andi locked up the house and headed up the hill.

  The Coydog was already in full swing when she made her way through the doors. Half the town was gathered inside, sitting around a collection of plastic patio tables draped in plastic table cloths that had been brought in and arranged in what was normally open area, dance floor and band stand.

  Town folk had been telling Andi about it all week. Around 9 PM the crew would start wrapping up left overs and moving tables off the dance floor. A local band was scheduled to play till closing. Everyone promised that the only party the 'Dog did better than Thanksgiving was New Year.

  Elias Wile, the youngest of the brothers working with Donovan, met her at the door and traded a cold beer for her winter coat, "Jen's over there with the Millers," he shouted above the din of the crowd as he pointed toward a table across the room.

  Andi gave the young man a one-armed hug and headed toward Jen's waving arm.

  "Go get a plate," Jen took the beer from Andi's hand and waved toward the line of people gathered around the buffet spread out on the bar.

  When Andi returned to the seat that Jen was saving for her at the table, the Millers had left and the Vanderhornes had taken their place. Andi sat and ate and tried to keep up with the constant rotation of people that stopped by to chat for awhile.

  It was hard to feel lonely amid all the laughter in the densely packed room. Andi hadn't realized how many people she'd met in the few short weeks she'd been in town. As her new neighbors made their way to her table to greet her, she realized how well she'd come to know them. She knew who's children were in college, who was getting married, who had suffered a recent loss-- she knew much more than just their daily coffee order.

  This place was growing on her. This was the type of town she could call home.

  She idly wondered what Becks was going to do with the little coffee shop if she got the full time ranger position she was after.

  Andi savored the pumpkin pie as she watched tables being cleared from the dance floor when the front doors opened again.

  The doors had been opening and closing all day, their hinges were getting a work out with all the people coming and going through out the busy celebration
. Andi didn't even turn to look at which neighbor had arrived until the hush fell over the room.

  It was far from silent, but enough people had stopped talking and turned to look at the new-comer that it was hard not to turn in her seat and see what was distracting every one.

  The tall man standing just inside the door turned his head to scan the room. Elias was there to meet him with a cold beer like he had nearly every one else and Dan accepted it with a curt nod as his eyes found Andi.

  "Is that....?" the noise level had died down enough that Andi could hear Jen's shocked whisper. She imagined the whispers all over the room were pretty much the same.

  She waved him over to their table with a bright smile as nearly every head in the place followed Dan's movement.

  His dark brown hair was combed neatly back, his button down shirt showing off the lean lines of his torso. The jeans were just basic blue denim, but they were new enough that the color was still a dark ingido, no signs of wear or stains showing from the brown leather belt buckled neatly over his flat abdomen to the cuffs that scrunched up slightly over the arches of a newly polished pair of leather cowboy boots.

  The shock of seeing the Grinch in something other than a pair of dirty, worn out overalls was enough to set the town to whispering, but what had them questioning his identity was the complete lack of whiskers on his face.

  Andi swallowed uneasily as he made his way toward her. His smile no longer hidden under the edges of a mustache. He moved between chairs and tables on his way toward her without showing the slightest bit of concern for the stares that followed him.

  "You made it," Andi was surprised at how excited her voice sounded. In fact, if she was honest with herself, she was surprised at how excited she was to see him. As well as surprised at how much difference a clean shave could make on a man.

  She could clearly see how young he was now. Much closer to her own age than she'd have guessed. His jaw was firm and square, his skin smooth, his lips full and soft looking.

  Andi felt the little tingle of electricity move through her again as he took the seat beside her, only this time she was caught off guard by the flush of heat that followed it.

  "Um, you guys all know Dan, right?" Andi made sure to emphasize his proper name so no one at the table missed it. Not that he seemed to mind the Grinch nickname at all.

  A chorus of "hellos" and "how do you dos" and "nice to see you made its" echoed around them.

  "Did you want dinner? I think there's still food in the kitchen if you want a plate," Andi was halfway to her feet when his hand landed on her arm.

  "No thank you," Those dark brown eyes smiled up at her, "I came for the company." He drained his pint glass in a single pull and set it on the table in front of him, "Ate with Rod earlier. He said he ain't up for a party."

  The band had just finished their first song when Dan had walked in the door, now the dance floor was filling in with people, "I was hoping I might get to dance with you tonight?"

  He held his hand out to Andi as he got to his feet. She saw Jen's jaw hanging open as she followed him to the dance floor. She saw a lot of jaws hanging open as Dan let his arms drape over her shoulders lightly while she held his waist and they began swaying to the slow music.

  When the song ended, Andi expected him to escort her off the floor. Instead, he took her hands in his and surprised her with the lively 2-step that broke out next.

  "You can dance!" Jen was beside herself with wonder as the couple made its way back to the table.

  Andi plopped down into her chair and tried to catch her breath while Dan grabbed the empty glasses off the table, "Hell yeah I can dance," he scolded her. Then he turned and headed for the bar.

  Jen leaned across the table toward Andi, "I told you that man was sweet on you!" She leaned back and looked toward the bar, shaking her head, "I can not believe he's been hiding that handsome face under all those whiskers this whole time."

  Andi laughed as she listened to the girls at the table gossip while she waited for Dan to return with the next round of drinks.

  "I don't think I've ever seen him in anything but those old overalls," Alice Watkins was saying to Jen.

  "Holy shit! I had no idea the Grinch was so hot," Andi heard the girls at the table next to her whispering excitedly.

  "I wonder what else he's been hiding in those overalls?" One of the girls added and then that whole table exploded in giggles.

  By the time the party slowed to a halt just before one in the morning it seemed that everyone in town had met their very own Grinch again for the first time.

  "How long have you lived here?" Andi laughed as a decidedly tipsy Mrs. Thomas promised to bake Dan one of her "trademark" pecan pies for Christmas. As if the 60 year old woman hadn't been paying him to plow her drive for the last 4 seasons. Mr. Thomas had finally pried his wife's hands off Dan's arm and taken her home.

  "About six years now, I suppose." Dan smiled and waved at the Thomas's. "Moved back here from Montana."

  "You're from here?"

  "California originally. Hadn't been back in a long time."

  They were making their way up the street, still lined with cars. Some of them would stay over night while party goers found alternate ways home. Dan's truck was parked on the side of the road a good walk away from the bar.

  Andi had promised Jen and the other ladies who'd ended up gathered around the table all night that she would tell them all about her evening when the coffee shop opened back up on Saturday morning. Then they had giggled like teenagers as they called out their "good nights" and "have funs" while Dan offered her a ride home.

  "I guess I better get ya home," Dan's voice sounded disappointed as he started up the truck.

  "Well it is one in the morning," Andi said as she stared down at her hands in her lap.

  Truth was, she'd had a really good night and she wasn't ready for it to end. Now that she was sitting alone with Dan in the cab of his truck waiting for the engine to warm, she knew it hadn't just been the couple of beers, or the dancing, or the music-- that little tingle that she felt when ever she was close to him had grown into a strong vibration that hummed through her veins. Every time he took her arm or held her hand she ached for his touch to travel farther.

  "Yeah," Dan's voice echoed her feelings but he pulled the gear shift into drive and made a sweeping U-turn onto the main street, taking her back to her place.

  Andi's heart fell. For a second, she expected he might offer to let her stay at his place again. Maybe not on the couch, this time.

  He pulled the truck into her drive way and turned off the engine, "You just stay put," he warned her when she turned to unlatch her own door.

  He walked around the truck and opened her door for her, helping her down with a strong hand, "Least I can do is walk you to the door like a gentleman," he grinned shyly.

  "I didn't know we were on a date," Andi tried to keep the awkward giggle out of her voice as she mentally batted at the butterflies in her stomach.

  He walked up the stairs with her and they stood on the balcony in front of the door in silence. Andi's mind desperately searching for some excuse to invite him in.

  "Well," she stalled as she turned the key in the knob, "Thanks for coming out tonight," she pushed the door open slightly, "I had a really good time," she looked up, prepared to be met with one of his lopsided smiles but instead she found that he had already met her half way.

  Andi tilted her head back and stretched up onto her tip toes, bracing herself against his firm chest with the palms of her hands as his lips brushed softly against hers.

  He backed away, but only slightly, as though he was surprised by her willingness. She stretched up on her toes a little closer to close the gap he'd opened between them. Her mouth pressing against his firmly until he bent his head lower, allowing her to return her heels to the ground.

  Her arms reached up to encircle his neck as his lips parted against hers, his hands gripping her waist.

  Andi was slightly su
rprised at her body's reaction to his touch, to the smell of his skin so close to her, to the way his fingers digging into her hips brought her nipples to attention and drove her to press herself against him.

  With his mouth hungry and hard on hers now, she found herself lifted off her feet for a second as he pushed her against the wall near the door that was still standing ajar. One of his hands spread across the small of her back pulling her into him as the other reached up lightly tracing her jaw before wrapping itself around the back of her head.

  The wall was there only for balance now as the length of her body was touching his. He'd moved one hand to the wall behind her head, his other still on her back pulling her against him.

  He finally broke the kiss, turning his head aside and panting for breath as she continued kissing the side of his face, the line of his smooth jaw, "You should go inside now," his voice was deep and raspy. The pressure of his hand at her back, the hard ridge in his jeans pressing into her thigh issuing an entirely different order than his words.

  "So should you," Andi whispered against his ear, tugging at it with her teeth.

  A rumble moved through his chest, a low growl that tumbled through him like thunder. Wrapping his arm around her waist, she became weightless in his grasp. Her breath taken away as much by the sensation of lightness in his arms as by the crushing firmness of his chest against hers as he moved them both through the door as one.

  His mouth was on hers again and she managed to kick the door closed with an awkward flail of her foot before he set her back on the floor.

  She pulled him into the bedroom without breaking their kiss. Hands fumbling at buttons and zippers, he pushed her onto the bed which gave a brief creak under the sudden movement.

  A giggle escaped Andi as he yanked at the stubborn hooks on her bra till it gave way, and then his mouth was over her nipple, his hands wrapped around each breast. His tongue was hot as it flicked over the yearning buds till her back arched and her playful giggle turned to a needful moan.