Pawliday Love

Winter Paws

A wet and warm tongue woke up Asher. For a moment, he was confused, unsure who belonged to the tongue. There was a body curled up between him and the back of the large leather couch.

He tried to make logistical sense of the body vs tongue and his place in between. The room was dark, the wind still whipped around the house, but not nearly as bad as it had when the blizzard basically shut the town down.

The warm tongue was relentless, and Asher stuck his hand out, feeling the soft hair and soft fur of a puppy. He opened his eyes and Ellie was looking at him all lolling tongue, happy eyes, and wagging tail. That woke him up. Slowly everything came back to him. He swung his legs off the couch and sat, looking behind him while Ellie laid her chin on his knee.

Tess, who he met the other day, thanks to the blizzard of the century, had stayed on at the house after the rest of the stranded guests had been able to make it back to town. He was glad and it gave them a chance to get to know each other a little better.

She was fast asleep. They must’ve dozed off on the couch last night after having drinks and snacks with Amos and Holly.

Ellie gave a quiet whine.

“Shh, Ellie, you're gonna wake your mom." He stroked her and she sat at his feet, tail sweeping the floor. The fire was low in the fireplace, but he decided not to stoke it until he came back. “Do you have to go out girl? Give me a minute.”

Asher rubbed his eyes and the lingering grogginess from sleep slowly faded as he pieced together the events of the past few days. He had Tess to thank for that warmth he felt—not just from the cozy fireplace and the heavy quilt she’d pulled over them, but the kind of warmth that seeped into his heart. Meeting her had been unexpected, and a magical gift wrapped up in the chaos of a Christmas blizzard and stranded tourists at the family farm. And now, her puppy, Ellie, was eagerly nudging him to go outside.

Everyone left the day after Christmas once the roads were plowed and their farm lane dug out. Asher listened to the sounds of the house. Amos and Holly were upstairs in their room likely still asleep. It was early and dark outside the great room windows. Snow had started to fall again, but this time in a much lazier way than when the blizzard that raged over Christmas. A calm quiet blanketed the house.

Ellie nudged him again. “All right, I’m coming.”

Asher stood and stretched, then pulled the quilt over Tess's shoulders.

She was curled up on the couch, her hair spilling over her face. She looked so peaceful, a stark contrast to the wild energy she'd exuded over the past few days a she buzzed around the house helping Holly.

The blizzard had shut down the town, leaving them and about 20 tourists stranded at Winter Farm—a situation that could have been frustrating, but instead turned into something else entirely. Holly managed the chaos efficiently and expertly, he and Tess did what they could to assist, as did Amos. Even the stranded folks had stepped up. All in all, it had definitely been a very different Christmas for everyone. The change he saw in his brother was incredible and he knew it had to do with Holly.

For the first time in years Christmas spirit and magic filled the house. Like it had years ago, before their parents had been killed in a snowplow crash. The inner joy, peace that filled him had been absent and mostly why he avoided coming home for the holidays. The same with his sister Alana. His heart hurt for Amos, realizing how he’d been alone on the holidays all these years. Asher was determined to make it up to him, and was happy Amos and Holly had finally accepted they were meant to be.

“Come on, let’s go out,” he said to Ellie.

He carefully stepped over the mess of blankets and pillows scattered on the floor. In the mud room Asher tugged on his boots, coat, hat and gloves then opened the back door. He was met with a cold winter air rush in as Ellie bounded outside into the snow. He followed her, shivering he hunched his shoulders and watched Ellie bound about and sniff happily.

The early morning light was just starting to creep over the tree tops, pushing dark of night into a watery grey that promised to hang on to the day.

Asher’s mind drifted back to Tess. They hadn’t known each other long, but somehow, the time they’d spent together felt like it was worth more than all the times he’d spent with others over the years. Tess was different. She had a spark in her, an undeniable passion for life—whether she was talking about her work with the animal rescue — Dogs on a Plane — her love of flying, or simply laughing at one of his jokes, she had this way of drawing him in. Her fire and passion for all things was infectious.

The blizzard had given them time. Time they wouldn’t have had otherwise to get to know each other beyond polite conversation, and the usual surface-level pleasantries. Stranded together at Winter Farm, they’d shared stories, dreams, and maybe more than just a few heated looks across the dinner table, and stolen a number of torrid kisses when alone. It felt like the beginning of something that could be significant.

He decided to go to the barn and feed the horses. They would appreciate an early morning snack. He pushed open the barn door and Ellie rocketed in. He’d have to keep an eye on her since she’d was not used to being around horses.

The lights were on and the horses already munching away.

“Hey, Asher. Morning.” Caleb came from the feed room and greeted him. Ellie snuggled into his arms.

“Morning. Thought I’d come and feed, but I see you beat me to it.”

Caleb nodded. He was a solemn fellow and didn’t say much, but he was a godsend and Asher hoped he’d stick around a while. He liked the guy. “Will you come up to the house for breakfast?”

Caleb nodded slowly. “I might, I just might. I’ll see what I get done around here first.”

“You know you’re always welcome at the house.” Asher felt bad for Caleb. He didn’t know his story, but Amos had told him how he’d just turned up one day months ago, started pitching in and was impressed with his work ethic and knowledge. He had a way with horses and animals so Amos offered him a job and place to stay. Now, he was like a family member.

“Thank you.” He put Ellie down.

“Right, we’ll see you in a bit then. Make sure you come up to the house.” Asher called to Caleb then stepped back out into the cold making sure the barn door was closed firmly behind him.

On his way back to the house Asher’s mind was moving fast. Tess would be leaving soon—flying back to Ontario, to her job, her life, her responsibilities. And Asher would be here, at Winter Farm, where a new rhythm of farm life would begin. After the decision they’d made to refuse the offer on the farm and to keep the family legacy alive, there was much to manage with his siblings. How Tess would fit in he had no idea.

He wasn’t sure what would happen after Tess left, but for the first time in a long time, Asher felt a flicker of hope. Maybe this wasn’t just a fleeting holiday romance. Maybe the connection they had was strong enough to endure the distance, the logistics, and the complications of their separate lives.

Ellie didn’t mind the cold at all. She jumped around, barked and led the way back toward porch her tail wagging happily. Asher followed, shaking off the chill as he stepped back into the warmth of the mudroom. He closed the door softly behind him, careful not to wake anyone, which really wasn’t an issue because the house was large and sprawling. He hung up his coat, and put his boots on the mat. The house was still quiet, save for the wind blowing around the eaves and the soft crackling of the dying embers in the fireplace.

Tess stirred as he walked back into the living room, blinking awake, she pushed herself up on the couch. “Morning,” she mumbled, her voice thick with sleep.

She looked enticingly sexy with her sleep mussed hair.

“Morning,” Asher replied with a soft smile, settling back into the armchair across from her. “Ellie needed to go out,” he told her.

Tess smiled back, rubbing her eyes as she stretched. “That dog has a sixth sense for knowing exactly when to wake someone up,” she said and fell back on the pillows. “I don’t wanna get up, it’s too cozy and warm here snuggled in the blankets.”

Asher chuckled, his gaze lingering on her. He wanted to say something that could express what he was feeling. But the words stuck in his throat, tangled up with the uncertainty of what came next.

“Looks like the weather’s finally beginning to clear up. It’s still grey out, but I have hope,” he said when what he wanted to say was they could go up to his bedroom and snuggle in a warm bed. He glanced out the window wondering if the sun would poke its nose out between the scudding clouds.

Tess followed his gaze, her expression softening. “Yeah… I guess that means I’ll be heading out soon.”

Asher heard a tone in her voice and her words hung on the air, heavy with the reality they had both been trying to avoid. As much as they’d enjoyed their time together, the clock had always been ticking. Tess had responsibilities, animals to rescue, planes to fly. And Asher… well, he had the farm.

“I’m so gonna miss this place,” Tess added after a moment, her voice quieter. Their gaze met. “And you.”

Asher’s heart skipped a beat, his eyes locking with hers. “I’ll miss you too, Tess.”

There was an openness in her expression that he hadn’t seen before, and a hesitation that made him wonder if she was feeling the same mix of emotions he was. He stood, walked over to her, and sat on the edge of the couch.

“You know,” he began, his voice low and steady, “we don’t have to figure it all out right now. But I want you to know that I’m serious about this… about us. I don’t want this to just be a Christmas fling.”

Tess smiled, her eyes glistening with emotion. “I don’t want that either, Asher. I really don’t.”

He reached for her hand, threading his fingers through hers. “So what do we do?”

Tess let out a small, thoughtful sigh, her thumb gently brushing over his knuckles. “Well… I guess we start with staying in touch. I’ll be flying back and forth between Ontario and the U.S., so I’m sure we’ll manage to carve out time to see each other.”

Asher nodded, pleased she was on the same wavelength as him. It wasn’t a perfect solution, but it was a start. They could figure out the rest as they went. “I’d like that. And if you ever need a co-pilot for one of those rescue missions, you know where to find me.”

Tess laughed softly, her smile brightening. “You’d be great at it. I’ll definitely keep that in mind.”

Asher pulled her to him and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, dragging the quilt over them. She rested her head on his shoulder, the silence between them comfortable.

Asher should’ve put more logs on the fire before he sat down, but he didn’t want to get up now because it would disturb their quiet moment. It wasn’t chilly in the room, but there was no doubt the warmth under the quilt came from the closeness of their bodies. With a little help from Ellie who was tucked up at their legs.

They weren’t ready for grand promises or declarations—just a simple understanding that the connection that had that surprised them both was worth holding onto and building.

Eventually, Tess pulled away and stood. “I should get my stuff together,” she said reluctantly. “I want to get in the air by noon.”

Asher nodded and rose, the thought of her leaving tugged at him. “I’ll help.”

Together, they gathered her things, she didn’t have much since the original plan didn’t include this long of a stay. But as they zipped up her duffel bag and loaded everything into the truck, Asher knew this wasn’t the end. It was just the beginning.

Shortly after, Amos and Holly were awake making breakfast in the kitchen. The house was bustling again, although not nearly as full as it was over Christmas. The house was full with the easy camaraderie, much like it had when their parents were alive. But beneath the surface, Asher’s thoughts were focused on the moment that was quickly approaching—the moment Tess would leave.

He was driving her to the airfield and waited while she said goodbye to Amos and Holly at the door, the cold winter air swirling around them.

At the airport he helped her get her bags, Ellie and walked her to the building.

Tess faced him, her smile soft and sincere. “I’ll see you soon, Asher.”

He wrapped her in his arms, savoring the feel of her close to him. “I’m counting on it,” he whispered against her hair.

They stood there for a long moment, neither wanting to let go. But eventually, Tess pulled back, her eyes shining. “This isn’t goodbye.”

“No,” Asher agreed, his heart swelling with hope. “It’s just see you later.”

“Right. But, I hope you don’t mind, it would be easier if you didn’t come inside because if you did I may not leave. I don’t like goodbyes.”

“Maybe I should come in.” His face close to hears.

She shook her head. “No?—

Then he pulled her into him and covered her mouth with his. He couldn’t let her go without a goodbye kiss. It quickly became deeper that left them breathless and wanting more. Ellie whined at their legs and they reluctantly parted.

“That should hold both of us,” Asher’s voice was low and tight with his emotion.

“Yes, it should. At least I hope so.” She gave him a cheeky smile and he laughed. She picked up her bags.

With one last lingering look, Tess walked through the door he held open for her, Ellie wagging her tail beside her. He watched the woman that had burst into his life only days ago and changed everything, then spun and walked back to his truck. Which seemed so much emptier, but his heart was full.

No matter how many miles lay between them, Asher was positive they had a future together and it wouldn’t be long until they found their way back to each other. Because some things were simply meant to be.

Shana Gray writes contemporary romance and women’s fiction that just might make you laugh. With over 35 books behind her, some translated into multiple languages, she’s always eyeing the next storyline. She lives in a small town in Ontario, Canada, is a proud mom and grandma, and human to Hiro, her golden retriever rescue dog. When she’s not writing, she can be found feeding crow friends, gardening, daydreaming about life, and making travel plans to far-off lands to feed her wanderlust.