Winter Heat

by Jennifer Lucia

  "Skiing?" I asked. "Is there skiing here?" Liam frowned at me, and I threw my hands up. "Kidding!" I was only sort of kidding.

  Liam made his way around the cabin, making sure that every single window was latched shut and every door was quadruple locked. Once he’d made his way around the entire perimeter, he pronounced the area safe and flopped down into the recliner.

  I looked around, inspecting the cabin further. To the right of the living room was a small open kitchen, which I hoped was stocked with marshmallows and hot chocolate. And vodka. To the left was a short hallway with three closed doors. I glanced at Liam, whose head was leaned back with his eyes shut, and walked down the hallway. I opened the first door, which was just an all-purpose laundry room/ supply closet, and quickly closed the door. The second door opened into a bathroom which held a shower and a claw foot tub. I made a mental note to take full advantage of that as soon as I got a chance. I shut the bathroom door and opened the last door at the end of the hallway, which opened into a bedroom. The bedroom featured a king-sized poster bed in front of a window with a gorgeous view of a snowy mountain. My jaw dropped, and I plopped my suitcase down at the entrance to the bedroom. I walked to the bed and pushed down on the mattress. It was so soft that my hand almost disappeared within the cushion of the blankets. I really could get used to this. As I looked around the bedroom, an uncomfortable thought dawned on me.

  “Liam?” I called, exiting the bedroom and walking back into the living room. He opened one eye, turning his head towards me.

  “My name is Amos, Agnes,” he said gruffly. “You’ve got to start using your alias.”

  “Okay, Amos. There is only one bedroom and two of us." Liam's face was impassive. "I mean, we're only pretending to be married. We can't share a bed." Liam opened his other eye, and his eyebrow quirked at this. A pool of warmth spread from my belly to my cheeks. Liam smirked.

  "Don't worry, Agnes; I'll be sleeping out here on the couch. Your virtue is safe with me," Liam said, pushing himself up out of the chair. He looked out a window and surveyed the scenery. "Let’s get to the grocery store before this snow gets any worse.”

  "Okay!" I agreed quickly. I went into the bedroom to grab the parka from my trunk, and when I got back to the living room, Liam had already donned his. "Let's go," I said, anxious to get out into the snow.

  It was a half-mile walk to the village, and I skipped through the snow the whole way there, ignoring Liam's warnings to be a little less conspicuous. When we got to the village, I wasn't surprised to see that most of the businesses were closed, it being Thanksgiving and all. Only the grocery store and a gas station were open, and both of those only until two. I grabbed a cart at the entrance, and we headed for the produce section first, making our way through every aisle and stocking up for the week. When we got to the wine aisle, I grabbed a few bottles, ignoring Liam’s disapproving face. I had some wish fulfillment planned that involved a lot of drinking wine in front of a fireplace, and no one was going to stop me. I pushed our cart to the only open line, and the teenager manning the register smiled at us.

  “New in town?” she asked, scanning our items. Liam nodded solemnly, not returning her smile, which faltered at Liam’s scowl.

  “Yeah, we’re here on vacation,” I responded, giving her a blindingly friendly smile. Liam was going to attract way more attention by being rude than by being friendly. "I'm Agnes, and this is my husband, Amos."

  The teenaged girl raised her eyebrows and shrugged. “Well, welcome to Langdon Falls. I hope you have a nice vacation.” Liam nodded without responding. We finished checking out and left, wishing the cashier a happy Thanksgiving as we went.

  “Man, you charmed the pants off of her, Mr. Personality," I said, once we were on the road back to our cabin.

  "You were far too friendly," Liam reprimanded. "You need to tone it down. We don’t want to invite too many questions about why we’re here.”

  “Yeah, yeah, I get it,” I said. “But we’re in a remote village in the middle of New Hampshire on a major holiday on the cusp of a major storm. The chances of Jack Nelson finding me here are minuscule.”

  “Remember why we’re here in the first place. I can’t keep you safe without your help.” We kept quiet the rest of the way to the cabin, carrying our groceries. We got back to the cabin, and I started loading up the fridge while Liam inspected the fireplace.

  “I think I’ll start up a fire for us in here,” he announced to my delight. I grinned broadly as he went outside to a large pile that had been covered with a tarp to keep it from getting wet. I watched from the kitchen window as he lifted the tarp, revealing logs that needed to be split. Liam looked around for an ax and found one leaning against the chopping block. He loaded the first log onto the chopping block and lifted the ax over his head, splitting it in half. He chopped log after log, working up a sweat despite the cold. He shed his parka first, then his flannel shirt, leaving on just a white v-neck tee shirt that clung to him, revealing every inch of his broad chest.

  Despite the ridiculousness of this man chopping wood in a tee shirt in the snow, I stared unabashedly, getting hotter and hotter the longer I stared at him. Liam finally finished chopping the firewood and came in through the back door, dumping a stack of wood next to the fireplace. Not wanting him to know I’d been ogling, I busied myself with washing the one glass that I had placed in the sink.

  “Enjoying the view?” he asked, looking out at the snowy backyard. I blushed furiously and nodded, playing dumb. I sneaked a glance at Liam's face. He was grinning cockily. He winked, and I threw the dish towel at his chest and shook my head, walking to the fireplace. I arranged three logs in a pile and lit a match, tossing it on top. The fire grew as I watched, hugging my knees while I sat on the hearth.

  I watched the fire for over an hour while Liam sat behind me on the couch, finally getting bored and crawling over to the cabinet under the television. I found some DVDs next to a player and held one up to Liam, who nodded disinterestedly. We watched movies on separate couches until I couldn’t contain my yawning anymore. I stood up and stretched.

  “I’m going to hit the hay,” I said, using the remote to turn off the television and looking down at Liam.

  He nodded. “Okay, have a good night,” he said, crossing his arms and settling further into the couch. I tamped down the twinge of guilt as I walked towards the giant, fluffy, soft king-sized bed and I paused, looking back out at the living room.

  “Hey, Liam?” I called softly.

  “Yes, Agnes?”

  “Happy Thanksgiving," I said. Liam grunted softly, and I smiled. I closed the bedroom door until I heard the lock click softly. I crawled into bed, not bothering to put on pajamas, and was unconscious as soon as I sank into the mattress.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  I wake up with a start. My mouth is dry, and my eyes are glued shut with sleep in them. I try to lift my arms to stretch, but something is holding them down. I open my eyes and look down at my hands. They are tied together in my lap. Panicking now, I survey more of my surroundings. I am seated in a chair, ropes tied around my waist and legs. There is a sticky substance running down the side of my face. I look around me- I am in dark room, lit only by a single lamp in the far left corner, next to a closed door. As I watch, the door slowly creeps open and someone large and imposing walks in. I moan in fear and apprehension as the stranger approaches me...

  ***

  "Kelsey, wake up." Someone was shaking my shoulder roughly, and I wrenched my eyes open. Liam was kneeling next to the bed, leaning over me and looking concerned. "Hey, you're having a nightmare."

  I sat up in bed, rubbing my wrists, and looked over at Liam. “God, this is embarrassing,” I said, rubbing my face now. “Was I being loud?”

  Liam nodded. “It’s understandable. You’re in a stressful situation. But from now on, you leave the bedroom door open so I can hear you better. That door is so heavy that someone could attack you and I’d never even know.”

  “Boy, y
ou're sure helping me calm my nightmare anxiety. You've got a great bedside manner. Anyone ever tell you that?" I said, wrinkling my nose at him.

  Liam shrugged. “I’m here to keep you alive, not calm you down.”

  “That’s real nice,” I said, leaning back against the headboard. “What time is it anyway?”

  “About eight in the morning,” Liam replied.

  “Well, time for a shower and coffee anyway,” I said brightly, throwing off the covers and getting out of bed. I was determined to shake off the lingering darkness in my mind by keeping myself as busy as possible. Liam stood back as I walked out into the hallway and headed to the kitchen.

  “You want some coffee?” I called back over my shoulder. I heard a grunt and took that as a yes. I started up the coffee maker in the kitchen and opened the fridge, surveying the food that we’d bought yesterday. I grabbed a banana and ate that while I stared at the coffeemaker, willing it to finish brewing.

  When the coffee was done brewing, I poured myself a mug and walked into the living room, seating myself in a chair next to the window. I gazed out at the landscape, still entranced by the snowy trees and white-covered hills. I heard Liam moving behind me, and I looked back. He was sitting on the couch with his coffee, looking at me. I smiled at him, and he nodded, tilting his mug up to his lips.

  “So, what are we going to do today?” I asked, smiling more brightly at Liam.

  “We’re going to sit still in this living room and keep you alive,” Liam said, grabbing the remote and turning on the television.

  My smile turned into a pout, and I crossed my legs in my chair. "Come on. I never get to see snow like this. Let's do something outside! It's not like Jack is lying in wait under that woodpile," I said.

  Liam looked at me impassively. "No. Would you rather be alive or be entertained?"

  “Ugh," I grunted, slumping into my chair, but letting the argument go for now. Liam was very unreasonable, in my opinion. We were all the way in BFE, New Hampshire. What was the point of stationing us in an idyllic cabin a half mile away from a quaint village if we weren't supposed to enjoy it? Isn't that what the point of our new identities? I wasn't going to let this opportunity to explore a new area go to waste just because one U.S. Marshal would rather sit and watch television for a week. I finished my first cup of coffee and headed to the bathroom to take a quick shower. When I was done showering and getting dressed, I came back out to the living room. Liam was where I'd left him, still watching television.

  After an hour of watching the golf channel (of course Liam liked the most boring channel on television), Liam stood up and announced he was taking a shower. This was the perfect opportunity for me to slip out and explore our little village. I nodded at him and sipped my coffee, hoping my true intentions didn’t show on my face. As soon as the bathroom door shut, I jumped up from my seat and went to the kitchen, searching the drawers for a pen and paper. I hastily scribbled a note to Liam explaining that I was going to the village to walk around.

  I grabbed my parka, my cell phone, and a twenty dollar bill, and closed the door tightly shut behind me. I stood on the front porch, breathing in the fresh air, and smiled. It was going to be a beautiful walk. I headed down the same path we’d walked yesterday, making sure to admire every bit of nature I saw, not wanting to miss out on anything in this new environment.

  A few people were milling about the village when I got there, but it was mostly shop employees and postal workers. It was the day after Thanksgiving, after all, and I imagined most people were still at home in their food comas, eating turkey omelets. I looked around the village, delighted by the small shops and cafes. There was a used bookstore next to a coffee shop just beyond the town square, and I headed in that direction. Maybe I could get some books to pass the time during our stay here.

  The little bell above the door jingled when I walked in, and the two women lounging by the register looked up. One was a slim older woman with a shock of white curly hair jutting out above her ear. She had bangles covering her arms, about four scarves wrapped around her neck, and she was wearing a patterned tunic over tights. The other woman was a pretty young blonde dressed in an over-sized sweater and jeans. The young blonde flashed me a friendly smile.

  “Welcome,” the older woman called to me. “I haven’t seen you around before.”

  I waved and walked over to where they were standing and looking at me with great interest. “I’m just visiting for the week. I love your village.”

  The older woman smiled at me. "It has its ups and downs, but we like it too. I'm Dolores." She held out a hand to me. I grabbed her hand and shook, looking down at it with amusement. Every finger had a ring on it, some fingers even having more than one.

  “I'm Kels-Agnes," I said, clearing my throat. "Agnes Day. My husband Amos and I are in town for a little vacation." The blonde held her hand out for me. "I'm Daisy. It looks like we all have old lady names here."

  I smiled. “Oh, I don’t think Daisy is an old lady name.”

  “Oh, I'm joking," Daisy said. "I'm just glad there's someone else my age in town. There is only a handful of us young women, so any new faces are welcome."

  “Thanks,” I said. “But my husband and I are only in town for a week or two.”

  Daisy pouted. “That’s a shame. Surely you’ll be here till at least next Saturday, though?”

  I shook my head. “Hard to tell. It’s possible, but it’s really up to my husband.”

  “Well, if you guys are still here, you have to go to the Winter Ball. It’s the biggest event of the year. There will be dancing and drinking and singing. It’s a great time.” Daisy beamed at me.

  “A winter ball does sound fun, but again, it’s up to my husband.” I cringed as I said it. I knew how it must’ve looked- like I need my husband’s permission to do anything. Daisy and Dolores both frowned but neither of them said anything. Dolores came from behind the counter, pulling her shawl more tightly around her, while Daisy hopped up onto the counter and propped herself up on her hands.

  “So, Agnes, where are you guys from?” Dolores asked.

  “Florida,” I replied. I had a strong feeling that our identities had once been retirees. “We came here so we could see the snow. I’ve never seen it in real life!”

  Daisy smiled. “I have had enough snow to last me a lifetime. I can’t imagine going anywhere just to see it. What do you do?”

  I faltered, trying to remember what my file had said my occupation was. “I’m in between things right now,” I said.

  Dolores and Daisy both nodded sympathetically. “Well, I own this bookshop and Daisy owns the coffee shop next door. Both of us are always either in here or next door. If you ever need someone to talk to while you’re visiting, don’t hesitate to come visit with us,” Dolores said.

  Daisy nodded. “In fact, I’m headed over to open up shop right now. Would you care for a cup of coffee and some conversation?”

  I mulled it over, wondering how much time I could get away with before Liam came looking for me. Finally, I nodded, and Daisy beamed. She hopped down off the counter and headed out the front door, calling out her goodbye to Dolores as she left. Dolores lit some incense and waved back at us in a cloud of nag champa. I smiled as I went with Daisy, and we walked the five feet to the front door of the coffee shop. As Daisy fiddled with her keys, I shivered in the cold, and she apologized softly. She pushed the door as she unlocked it and a blast of warm air hit us. We stepped quickly inside, and Daisy shut the door behind us.

  “So what do you like? Regular drip coffee? Americano? Fancy latte?” Daisy said.

  “Drip coffee is great," I said, looking around. Her coffee shop was aptly named Daisy's. It was as cute as Daisy was, with armchairs and ottomans arranged haphazardly in no discernible order around a fireplace. There was a large bookshelf next to the fireplace, filled from floor to ceiling with books. I stepped towards it, examining the spines. The books had no rhyme or reason, ranging from thrillers to encyclopedias to roman
ce novels.

  “I usually spend what I make here at Dolores’. It’s a wonder I’m not in the red,” Daisy said, coming to stand next to me. She handed me a coffee and gestured towards one of the large armchairs. “Have a seat, let’s gab.”

  I did as instructed and sat. The chair was a lot softer than it looked and I sank down, going deep. "So, Daisy, how long have you lived here?" She smiled. "My whole life. I kept meaning to move, but nothing ever panned out. I got married, and he wanted to stay here. I got a divorce two years ago and thought that was my chance to leave. Then my mother died about two months after the divorce and left me this shop, and that solidified my permanent residence here. It seems I'll never be able to leave Langdon Falls." She smiled sadly, looking at the fireplace. She set her coffee down and lit a long match, throwing it onto to the pile of logs, then sat back in her chair as the flames rose.

  “I'm sure if you wanted to leave, someone could take over the shop for you. A sibling, maybe, or a cousin? Or even a stranger. You're young, you shouldn't let anything hold you back," I said. Daisy nodded politely but didn't reply. We sipped our coffees in silence, watching the flames licking at the log pile in the fireplace. I finished my coffee and stood, placing my cup on the table next to me. "I should get going," I said. "I didn't tell my husband what I was doing, and he's probably pretty worried by now."

  Daisy stood too, putting her mug next to mine. She pulled me into a quick hug, then drew back. "Thanks for stopping in and chatting. Please take a book from the shelf, so you have something to read in front of the fire- that way you have no excuse not to come see me again while you're here."

  "Thank you! Are you sure?" I asked.

  Daisy nodded. I pulled out the twenty I'd shoved into my pocket, but Daisy pushed my hand down. "No, no, don't worry about it. It was worth one black coffee and a book rental to get to know you better."