TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter One
Sasha Steinfeld stared in disbelief at the huge diamond on Katie Morgan’s finger. The sound of everyone chattering in the school cafeteria faded to a dull drum as her mind slipped into a world of its own. That could have been hers. If only she didn’t turn into a wretched fool around men. The thought of a man touching her made her shiver. Sasha’s stomach tightened into small knots. Cringing, she wondered if she would ever be able to stand a man’s touch again.
“Let me see,” Margaret exclaimed, and grasped Katie’s hand. “Oh, my. That diamond is huge.”
Katie sat next to Kelly at the table while Margaret still held on to her hand. “Aren’t you happy for me?” Katie looked at Kelly and Sasha for a response.
Sasha didn't know what to say.
“Of course I’m happy for you.” Kelly hugged Katie. “I best be going. My next class starts in a little while. See you all later.”
“I need to be going, too.” Sasha grabbed her books, rose from her chair, and went over and hugged her friend’s neck. “I’m happy for you, too, Katie. You and Wade make a cute couple.”
“Thank you.” Katie pulled her hand from Margaret’s grip and patted Sasha’s back.
As Sasha hurried from the table, she could hear Margaret complaining, “Does Wade have any other friends who are doctors? Maybe you could fix me up with one of them."
Sasha wished it was as easy for her to go out on dates again… but the memories wouldn’t let her. She still had nightmares. Lord, help me to overcome the past and move on with my future. Help me to trust again.
She didn’t have to hurry as much as she let on, but the cafeteria had become too confining. Sasha needed to get outside, where she could breathe. In her haste, she flung the door open and collided with an obstacle.
"Ow."
She gently eased her way through the partially opened door, and looked up to see a man holding his head. He took a step backwards.
“I’m sorry,” Sasha exclaimed, touching his arm. Involuntarily, she jolted at the contact, afraid her gesture might be misconstrued, and quickly turned to flee. In doing so, she ran into someone else. Her books cascaded to the ground and lay spread in disarray.
Her newest victim frowned before bending to help scoop up the scattered papers and books. Sasha knelt on the ground and tried to retrieve her own belongings. “You really don’t need to help me. I can pick this up.”
“You should be more careful.” His smooth, deep voice caused Sasha to glance up at him. Brown eyes pierced her icy core. When his mouth twitched, it raised slightly on the left side. “Are you okay?”
Lowering her eyes, Sasha went back to the task of picking up her belongings without answering the stranger. He was wearing a green coat and matching green pants. She assumed he was probably one of the people who took care of the grounds on campus. The tension in her shoulders eased, but she kept her guard up. She didn’t know him any more than she did any other man, with the exception of one. Shuddering, she grabbed her things from his outstretched hands and stood.
“Is something wrong? You’re shivering. Maybe you should get a hat or something.” The stranger suggested as he studied her.
Sasha noticed he was maybe half a foot taller than she was. That would make him around six feet and by the looks of him, he was built. Not a body builder, but someone she wouldn’t want to reckon with.
“Thanks. Sorry I bumped into you.” Sasha fled without even glancing over her shoulder.
As Sasha walked briskly, she could only think of getting away. Since today was Friday, perhaps she’d go for a hike tomorrow. She didn’t have any classes on Saturday. With the onset of winter, the weather was beginning to turn cold, which meant she wouldn’t have to worry about snakes along the trail. Somewhere with a beautiful view and no one but her around, the fresh country air blowing, and an exhilarating walk was just what she needed. That thought alone encouraged her even more. Hugging her books to her chest, Sasha hurried on to her final class of the day with a new determination.
♥ ♥ ♥
A couple hours later, Sash pulled off the paved road and parked her green Escort at the base of a large hill. She’d hiked across the property before and was comfortable with its terrain, plus she liked the view from the top. It made her feel closer to God, especially now. Sasha felt so far away and longed to hear His voice again.
Sasha grabbed her backpack and sports bottle, climbed out of her car and hurried to conquer the task before her. Deep inside, she knew the hill was a mountain she needed to tackle, a barrier she had placed in her heart, keeping her from receiving the healing and comfort God offered, if only she’d give her burdens to Him.
Her heart beat a steady rhythm as she walked at a brisk pace up the small hill and traveled on across the expanse of ground before her until she reached an even larger hill. Pausing a moment to glance upwards, she took a sip from her water bottle, readjusted the straps of her backpack and pressed forward. By the time she reached the top, her heart had begun to race. She flopped down on a fallen log and hunched over in exhaustion. Her body felt tired, but it was a good feeling, one encompassed with physical exertion.
Lord, when I’m up here, I enjoy seeing all the wonderful things you’ve made. The air smells so fresh. In the distance I smell wood being burned in a fireplace. It’s so refreshing here. I know when I go back, things will feel different. I’m afraid and I don’t know how to get past my fear. Please help me. Not everything you created is beautiful. Maybe it was, but turned ugly.
Lord, how can some men be so cruel and brutal? I know it wasn’t your will… but… Oh, Lord, please help me. Please.
Sasha laid her face in her palms and cried. How long she cried, she wasn’t sure. The wind whipping against her face made the tears that continued to flow, sting. A quick wipe with the back of her hands removed the moisture, but the redness remained. Little fluffs of white floated down from heaven. She blinked.
“Snow? They didn’t say anything on the radio about snow.” It wasn’t the first time the weatherman had been wrong.
Sasha bundled up her coat and drew her hood closer to her face before she began the journey back to her vehicle. By the time she had completed the hike back, a layer of snow already covered the ground. Frowning, she noticed the road hadn’t been plowed yet either. She knew they would clear the main roads before they bothered with the side roads.
Sighing, she climbed into her Escort and maneuvered the car onto the road. Her wipers swished across the windshield in a frantic effort to clear the snow that fell faster than each swipe could wipe away.
Before Sasha knew it, her car skidded and whirled around to face the opposite direction, then continued to slide until it slid down a small embankment, and stopped abruptly when it made contact with a tree. Sasha’s head hit something solid before she closed her eyes and gave in to the darkness that overtook her.
When she came to, the wipers continued their dance before her, making her head whirl. She reached her hand up to steady the spinning and felt moisture. Quickly she pulled her hand away and stared in alarm at the bright, red, blood covering her fingertips.
Grabbing her backpack, she rummaged through its contents and retrieved a tissue to wipe away the blood, wincing at the contact. Another dig through her sack produced her cell phone. “Yes.”
Sasha opened her flip phone to be rewarded with a few beeps and a light that flashed, alerting her that her battery was low. “No. You can’t be!”
After several failed attempts to dial out, she leaned her head against the steering wheel, wanting to cry. Think, she prompted herself. You have to think. Smoke. Her head darted up; bringing a new wave of dizziness that threatened to bring on the darkness again.
Bundling her co
at, she turned off the engine and climbed from its warm interior. A stream of smoke was wavering up to meet the sky. Smiling in satisfaction, she began to head towards it, hoping to find someone who could help her make it back to campus. By the looks of her car, it was going to take a tow truck to get it dislodged.
With each step her muscles ached. The snow had gathered several inches deep, making it more tiring for her to trudge forward in its depths. A sigh of relief escaped when she spotted a log cabin a hundred yards away. Pure determination made her press forward. Dear Lord, she prayed, please let it be an elderly couple.
When Sasha reached the cabin, she noticed a small table lamp casting a warm glow in front of what she assumed was the living room window. Eager to find relief from the cold, she knocked on the door and awaited an answer. Knocking louder, she was awarded with the same silence. No one was home.
Her temple throbbed. She had to do something, but what? Obviously the cabin wasn’t abandoned or there wouldn’t have been a light on. But could she stand waiting out in the cold until the owners returned? Wrapping her arms around her waist she glanced up at the flakes that continued to float down towards the ground like salt being sprinkled through a shaker.
A brief look around revealed a wheelbarrow with some logs in it. Lifting one of the chunks of wood, Sasha contemplated breaking a window. Tossing the log back she thought better of it. The owners might not be too thrilled to come home and find a broken window. It might make them less receptive to finding an unexpected visitor, too.
Walking around the exterior of the cabin, Sasha pushed on each window hoping one of them would open. To her dismay, none budged. There was only one window left to try. Although she seriously doubted it would open, she emptied the contents of the wheelbarrow on the ground and rolled it under the window, then turned it upside down to stand on it, hoping it would be tall enough for her to reach.
“Please be open,” she mumbled.
She pushed on the window, and slowly, it raised. Thank you, Lord. Hoisting herself up, Sasha climbed the wooden exterior and started to crawl in. Halfway through, she became stuck. Her fingers were barely able to touch the counter below. She couldn’t grab hold of anything to pull herself through the window. An empty dish strainer flew to the floor in one of her desperate attempts to latch onto something solid. She screamed.
♥ ♥ ♥
Forrest Tucker eased his truck into the driveway, now made invisible by a blanket of snow. He shook his head and rubbed his eyes. They weren’t mistaken. Before him, hanging out his kitchen window, was a pair of boot clad legs flailing around frantically.
With a swift slam of his door, he stormed over to his would be intruder. “Can I help you?”
“Ah, yes, help. I’m stuck.” The frantic movements of her legs stilled.
Forrest’s eyebrows raised in amusement. He couldn’t wait to hear the explanation his female intruder would have. It was almost tempting for him to go inside and interrogate her while she remained stuck within the confines of the open window. If it had been a man, he wouldn’t have thought twice about leaving him hanging.
“I’m going to grab onto your legs and ease you through. Find something to hold onto to help steady yourself. Okay?” Forrest stood on the wheelbarrow and locked the pair of legs securely in his grip. The last thing he wanted was to get knocked senseless.
“Yeah. Okay. Can you hurry? This is really getting uncomfortable.”
With a bit more force than intended, Forrest shoved until the pair of legs went sailing through the opening on their own.
“Ah… ow.” Clump.
Before Sasha could even open her eyes, the man had entered the house and hoisted her up into a standing position. “Now, would you mind telling me why you were breaking into my house?”
Grabbing her side with one hand, she brought the other to aching temples. Both sides of her head throbbed in protest as her body began to sway.
“You’re hurt.” He reached out to steady her.
Sasha leaned into her accuser, fighting the wave of dizziness that threatened to take her into the bleak recesses of her mind. She forced herself to focus and look at the man standing before her.
“You! What, are you following me?” Sasha pushed him and bolted, determined to flee his cabin.
“Hold on, little lady. You aren’t going anywhere yet." He lunged in time to grab her before she could escape. "You’ll be lucky if I don’t call the police. If it wasn’t for this storm, I would. Unfortunately, I don’t think they’ll be able to make it.”
“Why would you call the police?” The color drained from her face. “It's not like I was some hardened criminal. I just needed to get out of the cold.”
“Is anyone else with you?”
Her eyes widened before she slowly shook her head. “No.”
“How did you get here?”
“My car. I went for a hike and it started snowing. I tried to make it back to campus. But before I knew it, I skidded and went off the road.”
“That explains this gash above your eye. Why don’t you sit down and let me clean it up for you.” He felt her flinch beneath his touch as he ran a finger along her temple. “Don’t worry, I won’t hurt you.”
Forrest released her, then pulled out a chair for her to sit on. All the while her eyes never left him. “You acted like you knew me. I don’t recall ever meeting you.”
“Aren’t you one of the grounds keepers at the college?”
Forrest turned and eyed her suspiciously. “Yes. I also take night classes there.”
“I’m sorry. I’m just paranoid.” Sasha shook her head.
Forrest pulled out the chair next to her and faced it towards her before taking a seat. “Let me see that head of yours.”
When she hesitated, he prompted her further. “My name’s Forrest. What’s yours?”
Sasha watched his mouth quirk as he talked. Blue eyes stared back at her, almost hypnotizing her. She fought to keep control. The last thing she wanted to do was let her guard down. Forrest was a stranger and she couldn’t trust him. In defiance, she tossed her long blonde hair over her shoulder and looked around. “If you have a bathroom, I can take care of myself.”
“Under normal circumstances, I don’t doubt that, but you’ve been swaying since the moment I met you.” His arched eyebrows dared her to challenge him.
Sasha’s hands fell to her lap. Forrest dabbed her wound with a damp cloth. She winced. “You never did tell me your name?”
“No.”
He laughed. “Does that mean you’re not going to tell me your name?”
“Sasha. Sasha Steinfeld.”
Forrest gazed into her green eyes and noticed the tiny flecks of gold that radiated from her pupils. Thankfully, they didn't look dilated. Forrest smiled. “See, now that wasn’t so bad.”
The look on her face still registered distrust. For goodness sake, she was the one who broke into his house. If anyone shouldn’t trust someone, it was him. She still looked pale and shivered slightly, reminding him of a frightened animal. “You want to talk about it?”
“Talk about what?”
“Are you running from someone? You look scared.”
“I’m not scared. I’m fine. It’s just… I don’t know you.”
“And that makes you uncomfortable?” When she nodded, he relaxed his shoulders and tried to put her at ease. Forrest didn’t know why, but something in him told him it was important. “I’m Forrest Tucker. By day, I work taking care of the grounds at the college. By night, I’m a part time student. I’m single, drive a truck, and attend the church near the university. Anything more personal than that, you’ll have to marry me to find out.”
Now why would he go and say something stupid like that? He knew why, it was the only whimsical thing he could think of to make her smile. The problem was, she still wasn’t smiling. If anything, she looked more alarmed. “I’m teasing. Look, you don’t have to worry. I’m not going to bite. I’ve already had my rabies shots, so you’re safe
if I change my mind.”
Sasha gasped.
“What’s got you so spooked?”
“I don’t want to talk about me. Do you think I could use your phone and call someone to come get me?” Marriage? How could she even think about such a thing when she could hardly stand sitting next to a man? He seemed to be trying to put her at ease, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't force herself to relax.
“Sasha.” Forrest waited till she looked at him to say anything else. “Look. I don’t know what’s bothering you, but for now, you’re stuck here. The roads are too dangerous for anyone to get in or out of here. Do you understand?”
When she nodded, he smiled. “Good. Now, why don’t I make us something to eat? Are you hungry?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“Okay. If you want, go lie down on the couch and I’ll let you know when it’s time to eat. You’re looking pale. I don’t think you lost too much blood. Are you feeling nauseated?”
Her eyes widened.
“I know you don’t trust me, but I’m concerned about you.” He watched her eyebrows arch, forming tiny creases around her brow. “Look, for all I know you may have a concussion. I don’t need you passing out on me. A simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer will do.”
“No. I’m fine.” Sasha stood and moved slowly to the living room, pausing briefly. “Thank you.”
Sasha tossed a pillow out of her way and sat down on the couch. For a few moments she stared at the lamp she had observed when she was outside earlier, then took in the rest of the room's interior. Her eyes grew wide as she felt the chair across the room loom closer, along with the coffee table, and TV. She felt as if they were inching closer and closer. Loosening her coat, she tried to breathe.
Seasons of the Heart Page 8
