Chapter 1
CHAPTER ONE
EMMARIE
T hirteen years ago…
The cold wind sliced through Emmarie Garrison, biting at her exposed cheeks, leaving them a flushed crimson. She hunched her shoulders, head bowed against the sharp gusts whipping her light brown hair across her face despite the cream colored beanie she wore. Her pink puffer jacket offered some warmth, but the wind still found its way inside, chilling her to the core. Shoving her hands deeper in her pockets, she walked across campus, determined to outrun the storm gathering overhead.
A quick glance upward revealed the sky had darkened further, the clouds swollen with the promise of sleet. She could feel the weight of it, sense the icy precipitation in the air. Any minute now, the combination of snow and rain would start. She prayed it came with a vengeance. Being trapped in her dorm due to a winter storm was preferable to the Christmas party her father had planned. Her heart clenched painfully as she mentally replayed the message from her mother. ‘Your father invited Pete Wilson and his family for Christmas. I tried to talk him out of it, but you know how he is.’ Emmarie knew exactly how her father was. Public appearance and maintaining beneficial connections were his priority. Never mind that Pete’s son Kyle had broken Emmarie’s heart. It was fine that the little coward had schmoozed her, taken her virginity, and then had his mother dump her via text message. The ache in her chest swelled. Who chose a business acquaintance and their creepy, crappy family over their own daughter? Her father, that’s who! ‘These things happen’ was his response.
A wet slap of sleet against her cheek startled her. She blinked up, the sky now spitting ice. With a muttered curse, she quickened her pace, almost running as the sleet began to pelt her in earnest. By the time she reached the dorm, her clothes were damp, and a shiver had lodged itself deep in her bones. She clambered up the steps of the old brick building, fumbled her keycard from her pocket, and swiped it.
Nothing.
She swiped again. Still, the light stayed red.
A frustrated groan slipped past her lips, and she glanced up at the heavy clouds, willing them to cut her some slack. Taylor, her roommate, had gone home hours ago, along with anyone else she might have called for help. Her breath fogged in front of her as she tried the card one more time, muttering under her breath.
A large arm appeared from behind her, reaching around to swipe a different card. The door clicked open. She turned and looked up to find Miles Randolph, his sandy blonde hair tousled by the wind. His dimples flashed as he smiled down at her. The sharp contrast between his broad, muscular frame and gentle expression momentarily disarmed her. He wasn’t like the other football players Emmarie had seen around campus. He didn’t have that loud, swaggering energy or the constant stream of girls in and out of his room. Quiet, steady, and kind were how people usually described Miles, and she was inclined to agree.
“Thanks,” Emmarie murmured, stepping past him into the warmth of the dorm, her voice barely louder than the howling wind outside.
Miles smiled, his dimples flashing again. “No problem,” he said easily, his broad frame casting a shadow as he leaned in slightly. “You planning on heading out before this storm gets too crazy?”
His tone was casual, but there was something comforting about it. His presence, solid and calm, helped her shake off the lingering cold that clung to her bones. Emmarie shrugged, tucking a damp strand of hair behind her ear. “I’ll probably wait it out.” ‘And pray that it gets worse.’ A storm meant an excuse, one she needed more than she cared to admit. The last thing she wanted was to face Kyle, his mother, and the awkwardness that would be Christmas with them. She wasn’t too keen to see her father either.
Miles nodded. “Yeah, same here. Better to play it safe.” They climbed the stairs, his footsteps heavy but measured, like he had all the time in the world. As they reached the third floor, where her room was located, he gave her a small wave. “Holler if you need anything.”
Emmarie returned the wave with a small smile of her own. “Will do,” she said with a small smile, though she doubted she would.
Inside her room, the silence was deafening. She peeled off her soaked jeans and jacket, tossing them in the general direction of her laundry basket. The leggings and oversized Barrett University sweatshirt she pulled on felt soft and comforting against her clammy skin. Her bed beckoned, a small haven in her coziness of the tiny room she shared with her best friend Taylor. With a sigh, she sank into it, phone in hand. She tapped out a message to her mother. ‘The weather is getting bad. I’m not sure when I’ll be able to leave.’
She hit send, glancing out the window as more sleet began to streak down. Please, snow, she thought, curling into her blankets’