Chapter 12
CHAPTER TWELVE
S arah woke to the sound of the wind howling against the cabin walls. She buried her face deeper into the blankets, trying to remember why she wasn’t in her own bed, in her own apartment. It hit her at once—the snowstorm. The lake house. Travis. In her bed. She gasped and pulled the covers over her head.
Her eyes blinked open slowly, adjusting to the soft morning light filtering through the frost-covered windows. The old wooden beams of the cabin’s ceiling stretched above her, the air inside thick with the comforting scent of woodsmoke and hot cocoa.
Hot cocoa.
The thought alone was enough to get her moving.
She swung her feet over the edge of the bed and shivered as they touched the cold floor. She regretted that they didn’t turn the heat up past ‘rugged mountain man survival mode’ last night.
Grabbing a thick pair of socks, she padded her way toward the kitchen, pulling her sweater tighter around her.
Travis was already up, leaning against the counter, stirring a pot on the stove. His hair was still messy from sleep, and he was wearing an old hoodie and sweats, looking infuriatingly cozy.
“Mornin’,” he said, flashing her a lopsided grin.
Sarah grinned back, trying to ignore that face that he had been snuggling in her bed only hours before. “Did you make hot cocoa?”
He gestured to the steaming pot beside him. “Freshly brewed. Extra cinnamon, because I’m thoughtful like that.”
Her eyes narrowed. “You are thoughtful.” She stepped closer and grabbed a mug. “Which means you want something.”
Travis chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “Guilty. But it’s not too bad.”
Sarah blew into her mug, eyeing him over the rim. “Let’s hear it.”
His grin widened. “I want to go outside.”
She groaned dramatically. “Travis. It’s like negative a billion degrees out there. Like freeze your nose hairs cold.”
“But it’s perfect!” He gestured toward the window, where a fresh layer of snow covered everything, untouched and pristine. “We are completely snowed in. Flights cancelled. Roads closed. When’s the last time we had a real snow day? No work, no responsibilities—just us, out in the world, doing nothing?”
Sarah took a long sip of the warm brew, pretending to consider. “And what exactly would we be doing in this ‘perfect’ winter wonderland?”
Travis’s eyes gleamed. “Oh, you know. Classic activities.”
Sarah couldn’t keep up her suspicion much longer. “Define ‘classic.’”
He shrugged, far too nonchalant. “Snowball fights. Sledding. Maybe checking out the ice huts on the lake.”
She snorted. “You just want an excuse to throw snow at me, don’t you?”
He grinned. “Absolutely.”
Sarah sighed, setting down her mug. “Fine. But if I freeze to death, I’m haunting you.”
“Deal.”
They bundled up in thick coats, scarves, and gloves, stepping outside into a world transformed. The snow-covered trees sparkled in the morning light, the entire lake house property blanketed in untouched white.
Sarah took a deep breath, letting the cold air wake her up fully.
Travis turned to her. “Alright, ground rules.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Oh, we need rules?”
He smirked. “Of course. One, no throwing snowballs at my face.”
She immediately scooped up a handful of snow. “Got it. Face only.”
He dodged as she lobbed it at him, laughing. “Two, no teaming up with imaginary forces to win the battle.”
Sarah gasped. “How dare you? That was one time!”
“Once was enough,” Travis said, brushing snow off his sleeve. “You literally convinced me the trees were on your side.”
Sarah smirked. “What can I say? I’m persuasive.”
He rolled his eyes. “Alright, last rule: winner gets hot cocoa first.”
She grinned. “Oh, you’re going down, Jenkins.”
And with that, she launched the first attack.
Snowballs flew back and forth, laughing, dodging, and ridiculous battle cries filling the air. Travis tried to sneak up on her, but Sarah was too quick, pelting him before he could get close.
“You’re evil!” he shouted, ducking behind a tree.
Sarah cackled. “And undefeated!”
But then Travis tackled her.
Not hard, just enough to send them tumbling backward into the snow, a tangled mess of coats and laughter.
She gasped as the cold hit her, wriggling under him. “Travis! That’s cheating!”
He grinned down at her. “We have no rule against tackling. And I prefer to think of it as… adapting.”
Sarah’s breath caught slightly. “I can see adapting being a thing.”
The way he was looking at her—soft, warm, like she was the best part of this entire snow-covered world—made something inside her melt faster than the snow on her gloves.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Then Travis’s lips twitched. “You’ve got something…”
She blinked. “What?”
He leaned closer, brushing a snowflake from her cheek with his thumb.
Sarah swallowed. “Oh.”
His gaze flickered to her lips and then lingered there, message clear.
She almost licked her lips. Was she hoping for a kiss?
Instead, he grinned mischievously—and dumped a handful of snow onto her stomach.
Sarah shrieked. “Travis!”
He bolted, laughing, as she scrambled up, chasing him through the trees.
And just like that, the moment passed—but not entirely.
Not when her heart was still racing.
Not when his touch still lingered on her skin.
Later, after declaring a truce, they found an old wooden sled behind the cabin.
Sarah eyed it skeptically. “This thing looks like it came from a museum.”
Travis smirked. “You scared?”
“Of course not.”
A few minutes later, they were barreling down the hill, screaming and laughing, the sled barely holding together beneath them.
They hit a bump near the bottom, sending them tumbling into the snow—again.
His weight on her legs kept her pinned.
Sarah groaned, flat on her back. “I hate you.”
Travis heaved himself up, laughing, then he held out a mittened hand. “Worth it?”
She smacked it away—but couldn’t stop herself from laughing too.
After warming up with cocoa, they trekked onto the frozen lake, where a few local ice huts were set up for fishing.
One older man, a longtime friend of their families, waved them over.
“Travis Jenkins, is that you?” the man chuckled.
Travis grinned. “Hey, Mr. Avery. I’ve got Sarah here with me too.”
Mr. Avery nodded approvingly. “Heard you’re finally dating this one.” He gestured at Sarah. “Took you long enough.”
Sarah nearly choked on air.
Travis coughed. “Uh—well?—”
“See?” Mr. Avery continued. “Told your mother years ago you two would end up together.”
Sarah widened her eyes at Travis, who just shrugged helplessly. But he noticed she didn’t deny him.
“Welp,” Mr. Avery said, handing them a fishing rod. “Better catch something, or she might change her mind.”
Sarah covered her face with her scarf to hide her blush.
Travis chuckled, leaning close. “Guess it’s official, then?”
She elbowed him, but she was smiling.
By the time they returned inside, exhausted but happy, they were ready for some warmth. Travis immediately got the fire roaring again.
Sarah curled up on the couch, her body pleasantly sore from the day’s adventures.
Travis sat beside her, stretching his arm along the back of the couch.
She let herself lean into him.
It felt…right.
Like something she hadn’t realized she was missing.
“Best snow day ever?” Travis murmured.
She smiled, closing her eyes. “Easily.”
He pressed a soft kiss to the top of her head.
Sarah’s heart skipped.
She didn’t say anything.
But she didn’t move away, either.
And in the warmth of the cabin, wrapped in blankets and Travis’s quiet presence, she let herself think—maybe, just maybe, they were exactly where they were meant to be.