Chapter 1
CHAPTER ONE
GIA
T he crisp mountain air nips at my cheeks as I push open the door to Evergreen Fuel & Mart, the cheerful jingle of bells a stark contrast to the knot in my stomach. I approach the counter, my fingers trembling slightly as I count out a handful of crumpled bills and coins.
"Just these," I say, sliding snacks and jerky for Bella across the counter.
The clerk rings up the items. "That'll be $12.47.”
Damn, not enough cash. I fumble for my card. The machine beeps INSUFFICIENT FUNDS. "I'm so sorry. Let me try again."
The clerk's brow furrows with concern. "Is everything alright, miss?"
I force a smile. "Machine's acting up." Another swipe, the same result. My mind races. Bella needs food, and I need supplies. But with no money and miles to go...
The clerk clears his throat gently. "Listen, I've been there before. Times can be tough, especially around the holidays."
I considered telling him about my struggles, but instead, I nodded gratefully. "Maybe I could just get the jerky for my dog? I can put the rest back." As I reach for the items, my sleeve rides up, revealing a splash of blue paint on my wrist.
The clerk's eyes light up. "Are you an artist?"
I nodded, a hint of pride breaking through my embarrassment. "I am. Or at least, I'm trying to be."
He smiles warmly. "You know, we could use a little more color around here... Tell you what, why don't you take what you need? Consider it my good deed for the day.”
My heart skips a beat. "Are you serious?" I ask, hardly daring to believe it.
He nods, already starting to bag up my items. "We all need a little help sometimes. I've been where you are, and someone once did the same for me. Just payin’ it forward."
I feel a lump form in my throat. “I don't know what to say.”
"You don't have to say anything," he replies, sliding the bag across the counter. "Just promise me you'll do the same for someone else someday."
“I promise, your kindness has inspired me.” I step toward the door and then pause. “Wait, I have a gift for you.”
His eyebrows lifted in surprise. "Oh?"
I dig through my bag and brush my fingers past sketchbooks and loose paper until I find a small canvas wrapped in tissue paper. "It's not much, but..." I placed it on the counter, suddenly feeling shy.
He carefully unwraps it, revealing a vibrant landscape of snow-capped mountains bathed in golden light. His eyes widen. "Did you paint this?”
I nodded. "It's how I see Evergreen. Beautiful, full of possibility."
"It's incredible," he breathes, tracing the brush strokes with his fingertip. "Are you sure you want to give this away?"
I smile, warmth blooming in my chest. "Art is meant to be shared. Besides, it's the least I can do to thank you."
He looks at me, really looks at me, and I feel seen in a way I haven't in a long time. "I'm Tom," he says, extending his hand.
"Gia," I reply, shaking it.
"Well, Gia," Tom says, carefully propping the painting against the register, "you've just made my day a whole lot brighter."
I laugh, surprised by how light I suddenly feel. "Funny, I was thinking the same thing about you."
As I open the gas station door, icy wind whips my hair. I squint through the snow and spot my hatchback. "Oh, Bella," I whisper, my heart melting. She sits quietly in the passenger seat, her soulful eyes fixed on the entrance, tail starts to wag. "Hey there, sweet girl," I coo, fumbling with my keys. "Sorry to keep you waiting." Bella's body seems to relax when I slide into the driver's seat. She leans in, resting her head on my lap, and I can't help but laugh. "You won't believe what just happened," I tell her, scratching her ears. "We met an angel disguised as a gas station clerk. Can you believe it?"
Bella's eyes flick up to mine, and I swear I see understanding there.
"I know, I know," I continue, my voice catching a little. "We've been through some rough patches, you and me. But moments like this... they remind me why we keep going."
I lean back, taking a deep breath. The car feels warmer already, Bella's steady presence grounding me.
"What do you say we find a cozy spot to hunker down for the night, huh?" I ask, giving her one last pat before starting the engine. "You and me against the world, Bella."
As we pull away from the pump, I catch a glimpse of Tom through the store window. He's carefully hanging my painting, and the sight fills me with a strange mix of hope and melancholy.
Just as I'm about to shift into drive, a sleek black SUV pulls into the station, its headlights cutting through the swirling snow. I pause my hand on the gear stick, watching as it glides to a stop at the pump opposite mine.
The driver's door swings open and out steps a tall, lean figure. Even in the dim light, I can't help but notice how he moves with a kind of quiet grace like he's calculating each step.
"Whoa," I whispered to Bella, who perked up at the sight of the newcomer. "Talk about making an entrance, right?"
Suddenly, his eyes locked with mine. For a moment, time seems to stretch, elastic and surreal. I feel a jolt, like I've touched a live wire, and my breath catches in my throat.
"Oh boy," I murmur, my fingers tightening on the steering wheel. "Bella, I think we just had a moment. A snow globe moment, you know? Like the world stopped spinning for a second."
Bella whines softly, nudging my arm with her nose.
"Yeah, yeah, I know," I laugh, shaking my head to clear it. "Time to go before I do something impulsive. Like ask him to model for a painting called 'Brooding Stranger in a Snowstorm.'"
With one last look at the mystery man, I drove away from the little gas station in the middle of nowhere, wondering what had brought him here on such a night. The windshield wipers battled the relentless snow, creating a hypnotic rhythm as I navigated the treacherous road. Bella's warm presence beside me was comforting, but my anxiety only grew. "We'll find somewhere, right?" I ask, glancing at Bella. Her soulful eyes meet mine, and I force a smile. "Of course we will. We always do."
The road ahead disappears into a swirling vortex of white, and I lean forward, squinting through the glass. My knuckles turn white as I grip the steering wheel tighter.
"This is getting dicey, Bells. I'm starting to think we should've stayed at that gas station. Maybe Mr. Tall, Dark, and Brooding would've shared his SUV."
A gust of wind rocks the car, and I let out a startled yelp. "Okay, universe! I get it. No more daydreaming about handsome strangers. Focus on the road, Gia."
As we crawl along, barely able to see more than a few feet ahead, my mind wanders to my dwindling funds. The kind gas station clerk's generosity was a lifeline, but it won't last forever.
"You know what, Bella? We're going to make it through this. We always do. And when we do, I'm going to paint the most incredible winter scene you've ever seen. All this snow, it's like... it's like the world is getting a fresh start. Maybe we are, too.”
I peer through the windshield, searching for any sign of shelter. "There's got to be something out here. A motel, a barn, heck, I'd settle for a cave at this point."
As if in response, Bella lets out a soft bark.
"You're right, girl. We've got each other. Everything else? It's just details we'll figure out along the way."
The car lurches slightly as we hit a patch of ice, but I manage to keep us steady. My heart races, but I take a deep breath, channeling the resilience that's gotten me this far.
As we push forward into the swirling snow, I feel a surge of determination. Whatever lies ahead, whatever challenges we face, I know we'll face them together. And somehow, someway, we'll find our way through this storm to somewhere safe and warm.