Then the door opened and a gust of cold wind blew in with it. Thea shivered and looked over her shoulder. A man walked in, tall and bundled completely from head to toe in winter gear. He pushed back the hood of his parka and lifted his goggles. Thea blinked and found her breath catching in her throat as she locked gazes with the most incredible green eyes she had ever seen, ringed with thick, dark lashes she would give her eyeteeth for. His face was sculpted with hard planes and angles as if he rarely, if ever, smiled.
Like all the other men in River Ice, he sported a closely cropped beard and mustache. His hair was the color of pitch, so black in the overhead lighting that it rippled with a blue sheen. His shoulders were wide, his waist narrow, and if they were back home in LA, he could have graced the cover of GQ magazine, sheepskin boots and all.
He neither smiled nor acknowledged her.
She shook her head to make sure he wasn’t a figment of her imagination, and that’s when she realized she was staring. She blushed and turned back to her empty cup.
“You gonna be back tomorrow to keep me company?” Miki asked her, jolting her back to her senses.
“I’d love to. How much do I owe you for lunch and the pot of coffee, Miki?”
Miki waved the offer away. “It was nice to have a girl in here to talk to.”
Thea smiled. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure.”
Thea hopped off the bar stool. “Then I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, but I insist on paying.”
“Very well. If you hold on for a minute, let me take care of Paden and then I’ll walk you to the hotel,” she said as she wiped her hands on a towel and then poured a cup of black coffee.
“You don’t have to escort me,” Thea protested. “It’s not that far.”
“Yeah, but it’s dark and there’s a storm starting. Just wait.”
She tapped Thea’s hand before walking to the back corner where the man, Paden, sat. Thea watched Miki place a mug of coffee before him and then nodded as he gave his order.
“Hello,” she said after Miki had walked into the kitchen, turning toward him.
There was a long moment before he turned toward her. “Hello.”
His gaze perused her up and down, pausing on her Ugg boots. A mocking sort of smile twisted his lips and he took a drink of his coffee.
“Is there something wrong?”
“Let me guess. You saw the word boot and thought they seemed appropriate for minus thirty degree weather.”
“It’s not that cold out,” she protested, stung by the disdain in his tone.
“It will be. Didn’t you read your Alaskan Frommers Guide, Princess?” he taunted.
Thea frowned at his derision, wondering why such a handsome man was so rude. He made her extremely uncomfortable, and not at all in a good way. Deciding she didn’t like him, she jumped off her seat to head for the door where she grabbed her coat. Hurrying out of the diner and into the icy wind, Thea struggled to put on her coat, scarf and hat before she froze. Unused to such frigid wind, it soon became crystal clear she should have waited for Miki.
“You little fool,” came a harsh voice. Gloved hands came out of nowhere to bundle her up. “You can freeze to death in minutes out here!”
Thea’s teeth were chattering too much to say anything. She looked up through her lashes at Paden, very aware that the strange reaction she had at looking at him in the diner didn’t dissipate with the cold.
“Come on,” he growled and took her arm.
Through the blinding swirling snow, he led her back to the hotel. Though it wasn’t far, it seemed like forever as she took step after step in the glacial wind, glad that she had Paden leading the way even if his presence threw her equilibrium off balance.
Truth be told, Thea had no idea how she would have made it back to the hotel if this man hadn’t come out to rescue her, even though the hotel was only a five minute walk away.
Paden marched her up to the hotel and into the lobby. Warmth engulfed her immediately, and she moved instinctively toward the fireplace where a roaring fire generated life-saving heat. She stretched out her hands and closed her eyes in bliss. Little by little, her shivering body calmed as dizziness swirled through her mind.
Paden came to stand next to her. She opened her eyes and looked up at him, smiling her thanks languidly.
“You little fool,” he said again, contempt dripping from each syllable. Her smile disappeared in an instant. “Don’t you realize how dangerous this weather can be?”
“No,” she said. “I mean, yes. I mean, not until now.”
He snorted. “It only takes moments for hypothermia to set in and if you get disoriented and wander off the road we wouldn’t find you ‘till it was too late.”
“I’m sorry,” she whispered.
“It’s September, winter is settling in fast,” he told her. “I suggest you high-tail it back to where you belong.”
He went to leave but for some inexplicable reason, she grabbed his arm, halting his retreat. She must have a masochistic streak she had no idea about. Those intense green eyes looked first at her small hand resting against his large arm before piercing her with his grim stare.
“Yes?”
She cleared her throat, yanking her hand back like he scorched her. “I have nowhere else to go.”
“Well, you don’t belong here.”
That stung. Thea lifted her chin, refusing to let him intimidate her. “My name is Panthea Snow. Thank you.”
He didn’t say anything; he just stared at her as if she were a bug he found disgusting. Then he abruptly turned and stomped out of the hotel.
He hadn’t even introduced himself.
******
After a hot bath, Thea took her medicine and settled into bed. Though exhaustion tugged relentlessly at her eyes, her mind couldn’t relax. The events of the past two days replayed through her mind. She could almost laugh at the adventure so far, until she remembered Paden’s words telling her to go back.
Go back to what? The horrible memories? The emptiness?
Friends had tried to help and she knew they had meant well, but their sorrow wasn’t something she could deal with. She had been hanging by a thread for a long time.
Perhaps this adventure had been enough of a shock to her system to shake loose the threads of misery and suicidal thoughts, but it didn’t answer the question of what she would do if she went back. If she returned to California, back to the world she came from full of memories, would she go back to being heart-sick?
For some reason, the man named Paden flashed through her mind. It didn’t escape her notice he was the one person she’d met in a long time that didn’t look at her with pity.
Chapter Five
When she woke the next morning, the world was white. Snow had fallen heavily, coating everything in a pristine blanket that actually hurt to look at it. Thea took out a pair of sunglasses from a suitcase and donned them because the landscape was blinding bright.
Though the snow had stopped falling, the settled drifts where too high to walk through. Thea didn’t leave until the massive plows moved the snow off the main road and walk-ways. She arrived at the Suinnak during the brief few hours of daylight. Miki waved at her enthusiastically, summoning her over to the spot she had sat in yesterday.
“I didn’t think you were going to make it,” Miki said, setting down a cup of coffee.
“I don’t know how you made it here before the snow was cleared.”
Miki pointed with her finger. “I live upstairs.”
“You must have an excellent work record.”
“It’s a blessing and a curse.”
Thea smiled as Miki moved off to wait on some patrons who had just sat down. For the rest of the day she hardly spoke to Miki, who was constantly running for food or drinks as the people came in and out. It seemed the woman had no time to breathe. Even with the snow higher than her waist, and the wind bitterly cold outside, the restaurant was packed. Finally, toward the end of the day, p
atrons slowly trickled away. Miki came to sit next to Thea on a bar stool, her face looking haggard.
“My feet are killing me.”
“You don’t have any help, Miki?”
The older woman shook her head. “Sometimes Hank when he’s in town…oh, almost forgot to tell you about Hank.”
“What about Hank? Is he okay?”
“He’s fine,” Miki said as she gave a wave with her hand. “But he’s snowed in right now.”
Thea blinked as the words settled into her brain. “Oh. Snowed in. Okay. What does that mean?”
“That means he’s stuck in Nome. He can’t fly over the mountain pass because there’s a huge storm front sweeping over it.”
There was a buzzing in Thea’s ears.
“And how long do these storm fronts usually last?”
Miki’s mouth twisted. “Depends on how much snow is dumped. Usually, it clears up in a few weeks.”
“Weeks!” Thea exclaimed as her stomach bottomed out. “Wow. That’s a bigger vacation than I anticipated.”
Miki gave her shoulder a pat before rising to clean up around the fire stove, giving Thea a much needed private moment.
Thea took a deep breath and let it out slowly. All right, several weeks wouldn’t be so bad. Wasn’t she dreading going back last night? Perhaps she could build up enough adventures to replace all the memories from before. She would look at this as one grand adventure.
“Miki,” she called out. “Do you have a piece of paper and a pen?”
“Sure, hon,” Miki replied. A second later she sat the items in front of Thea on the bar. “What’s going on?”
“I need to make a list and perhaps you can help me with a few things.” Thea started writing. “I take it River Ice has a pharmacy?”
“Yes. It’s in the medical building one block over. Whatever you need Doc Wilson usually has.”
“Good, that’s my medication taken care of. I suppose I could stay at the hotel and live?”
Miki’s mouth twisted. “Actually, I think it’s closing end of next week for the season.”
“Crap. Know a place I can rent for a few weeks?”
“Let me work on that for you.”
Thea nodded and consulted her list. “Then money. I…I have a trust fund I can use but I’ll need a bank, I suppose.”
“The bank is one street over, near the medical building. River Ice isn’t that big. But I also have a solution for money if you’re interested,” Miki said.
“Oh?”
“Work here, with me.”
“Are you serious?”
Miki smiled. “I really could use the help and I think you could use some help too. Besides, I like you.”
“I have to warn you that I have zero experience working in a restaurant.”
“If this was a restaurant then I’d be worried, but most of the people who come in here want coffee and company. Believe me, it’s the easiest job on the planet.”
“How can I possibly say no to the easiest job on the planet? With one condition.”
Miki cocked her head, waiting.
“No paycheck.”
“I can’t be called a slave driver!” Miki laughed.
“Pay me with lunch and dinner. And coffee.”
Thea held Miki’s gaze and the other woman held out her hand. They shook firmly.
At that moment the door opened and Thea knew instantly who had come in, even though she didn’t turn to look. A shiver sluiced down her back. Dear lord, just being in the same room with him made her palms sweaty.
“Hey Paden!” Miki called out. “Thea just agreed to work here, isn’t that great?”
“Yeah, great,” his voice rumbled, his tone not sounding pleased at all.
Thea’s brow crinkled. How did he manage to sound irritated and condescending with just two words?
“We got stew tonight. Good?”
He nodded and Miki hopped off the stool to go into the kitchen.
Thea sat there, her shoulders stiff and her back ramrod straight. She could feel his eyes boring into her so she took a deep breath and turned to face him.
“You have a problem with me?” she asked, surprised when her voice didn’t crack.
His green eyes gave her a once over, from the top of her head to the tips of her toes. Had it been any other man Thea would have marched over and smacked him, but Paden wasn’t just any man. He was the man who made her feel things again and that put him into a unique category.
“No,” he replied. “I just have a problem with people who don’t have common sense.”
“I do have common sense!” For some strange reason she wanted to stamp her foot.
“Then find a different babysitter, Princess.”
She pursed her lips but could not think of a suitable come back. Why did that always happen to her?
“I’m not used someone so rude,” she muttered.
He raised one eyebrow. “I saved your life and you call me rude.”
“I’m not used to Alaskan weather. There was no need to call me a fool.”
“Are you going to walk out that door without bundling up first?”
“No.”
“Then me calling you a fool taught you a lesson and thus I’ve saved your life. Again.”
Thea opened her mouth and then shut it when she couldn’t think of a comeback. At that moment Miki walked out with a plate of food in one hand and a mug of coffee in the other. She sat them down in front of Paden. When she noticed he was looking at Thea her eyes went back and forth between the two.
“Am I interrupting something?” she asked hesitantly.
“No,” Paden said smoothly and turned his attention to his food.
Thea spun back around on her stool. “When would you like me to start tomorrow?”
Miki, still looking back and forth between them both, shrugged. “I usually open at seven in the morning, but for your first day why don’t you just get here whenever you can.”
“Sounds good to me.” Thea rose from her chair and headed over to the hook where her coat and scarf hung. “I think I’ll head back to the hotel now. Thanks for everything, Miki.”
“Let me walk you back,” Miki said.
Thea darted a look at Paden who was steadily ignoring her as he ate his beef stew. “That’s okay. I know my way now.”
Miki’s forehead creased in concern. “All right. If you’re sure?”
Thea smiled and nodded. First she put on her scarf, wrapping it around her neck before slipping into her coat. Last she put on her wool hat and gloves, all set to brave the short walk back to the hotel.
She gave a wave to Miki and ignored Paden as she walked out the door. Like the night before there was a stiff wind blowing, kicking up small swirls of snow and making the trek back to the hotel difficult. Plows had come out earlier and shoved away most of the snow banks but walking was still a bit tricky. She saw the hotel’s lights and followed them, thoughts of a hot shower fueling her onward.
Minutes later she stomped up to the hotel’s entrance and banged her boots against the side of the building, loosening the caked-on snow. She could feel her feet were wet, the Ugg boots doing nothing for water protection. Right before she opened the door to go into the hotel, she looked back the way she had come and saw a bulky figure in the drifting snow walking back toward town. She narrowed her eyes and just knew it was Paden. She watched him until he disappeared within the churning flurry.
Did he follow her? Why? The answer hit her right between the eyes.
To make sure she got back safely, of course, because he thought she was a total idiot.
Annoyance coursed through her. After feeling empty and broken for so long, she was finally experiencing emotion again. She would relish the feeling except it came from such an obstinate man that irritated the crap out of her.
Damn it!
Chapter Six
The next morning the wind had died down, leaving the snow settled. The world seemed still as she walked the short distance into
the town. The coldness stung her eyes, her nose, and burned her lungs, but it wasn’t unpleasant. Rather, it made her feel exhilarated. She had felt so alone for so long, that it was hard to process feeling something more, something other than apathy.
Miki’s surprised, yet delighted, expression greeted her as she walked into the Suinnak the next morning. Two people were already eating breakfast, a roaring fire blasted heat from the stove and two pots of coffee were brewed.
“Good morning!” Miki called out. “You’re certainly up early.”
Thea gave a weary shrug as she hung her coat and scarf on a hook. She pulled her sleeves down over her hands as she shivered and hurried over to the warm fire. “I don’t like sleeping that much.”
“Have you met Perry and Frank?” Miki said, introducing the two men shoveling eggs into their mouths. The two men waved a fork in greeting and Thea smiled back. “Why don’t I show you around in the kitchen?”
Thea followed after her, going around the bar area into the back. The kitchen was nothing special. A stove, a very large refrigerator, a generator, a sink, microwave and lots of counter space to work.
“I’ve been making things with beef,” Miki said, pointing to a dry erase board that had a menu on it. “Usually I try to have two dinner items to choose from, but I ran out of caribou so beef it is. Caribou is really popular and I’m hoping to have another supply soon.”
Thea tried to suppress a smile.
“What’s so funny?”
“Caribou,” Thea said. “That’s just funny to me.”
“Come on, Malibu girl,” Miki said and proceed to explain the kitchen set up. Thea had no problem scrambling up eggs or frying some burgers; she used to do a lot of cooking at home.
Immediately she put a halt on her thoughts. There was no way she was going to think of her family now, not today. It was bad enough they haunted her dreams, she refused to let them stalk her day hours.
The morning kept her busy. A steady flow of people walked in, all wanting coffee or refills on their coffee so Thea squeezed in between chairs all day long. Her taking care of the men around the stove freed Miki up to take care of the food orders and the day flowed very nicely.
Love Story for a Snow Princess Page 3
