Chapter 2
COOPER
The wind whipped down the street, sending snow flurries spinning in mini tornadoes. Ice had formed overnight on windshields, mailboxes, and sidewalks. No doubt the roads would be treacherous all day. Thankfully, my commute was short.
I trudged to my truck, pulling my beanie low over my ears and fishing my keys from my pocket along with my cell. I slid behind the wheel, turned on the engine, and defrosted the windows as I ran through my schedule at the mill.
We had a huge order to process for Fallbrook.
With any luck, we could deliver the treated timber by the end of the week…
if conditions improved. I squinted through the circular defrosted patches of glass.
Shit, you’d never know that yesterday had been sunny without a trace of snow.
It was really coming down now, and it was supposed to get worse.
I wondered if the roads would close. I wondered if Sarah had checked the weather report before she took the kids to school. I wondered if I should call her.
Nah, don’t do it. She’s a good mom. She knows what to do.
I tossed my cell onto the console and grabbed the ice scraper, ready as I’d ever be to brave the elements. Arctic gusts blasted me as I got to work peeling melting ice from the windshield. I didn’t have to get it all…just the thickest bits.
Satisfied with the results, I smacked the scraper against the front tire and was about to climb into the truck when the squeal of spinning tires on ice sliced through the quiet morning. That didn’t sound good.
The copse of tall pines made a natural boundary between properties, but since no one had ever lived in the house next door, I figured I should investigate.
I turned off the truck’s engine and picked a cautious path along the border of my driveway and a strip of snow covering dormant hydrangea bushes.
I skidded on ice a couple of times and finally reached the clearing through the trees where a white Lexus churned its wheels in a solid foot of snow. What the hell was this guy doing?
I glanced at my watch with a sigh, annoyed by the inconvenience yet too curious to leave this idiot to his own devices. Not an ideal way to meet the new neighbor, I grumbled to myself, trudging to the disabled car and knocking on the window.
The driver opened it halfway and dislodged a thin sheet of ice that teetered, then tipped inside the vehicle.
“Fucking fuckety fuck,” he growled, closing the window before I could get a good look at him.
I pursed my lips in amusement and stepped aside to give him room to get out. It took a minute of fumbling with the seat belt and the control panel—long enough to guesstimate that my neighbor didn’t have much experience driving in the snow.
I remembered hearing that the owner was a football player.
And the Lexus parked in front of a newly constructed home that had never been occupied indicated that he had fuck-you money in the bank.
Only Pinecrest folks drove luxury vehicles in the Four Forest area, but even those assholes were smart enough to go with their fancy SUVs in this weather.
Maybe he’d retired early. Must be nice. Probably my age or a little older. Probably had a wife, two or three kids, and was out here on a reconnaissance mission to check out his investments. Probably had a membership to an exclusive golf course too…and a paunch.
I could see through the frosted glass that he had short brown hair. That was it, though. My neighbor was a mystery.
The door swung open, and a designer boot crunched in the snow. I took a beat to commend my intuitive prowess. Decades worth of reading thrillers and watching Law and Order reruns had paid off.
But…not quite.
Okay, not at all.
This guy was about six four, lean but muscular, with a square chiseled jaw and stunning blue eyes. He looked like an athlete. No paunch whatsoever. And he was younger than I was—midthirties, I guessed.
I had a feeling I was still right about the West Coast part, though.
“Hi there, I’m Cooper. I live next door. I heard your car struggling and thought I’d stop by to introduce myself and offer some help…if you need it.” I pointed at the tires firmly imbedded in the snow. “And you do.”
“Yeah…I do.” He sighed, blowing out a stream of frustrated air as he pivoted, his hand outstretched. “Silas. Nice to meet you.”
The handshake was brief but sort of intense. Silas’s grip was firm and rough, like a logger’s. He was too slick-looking to be one of us—too fancy. But he definitely wasn’t a desk jockey.
Yep, still curious.
“If you’re trying to get out, you’re going to need to do some digging first. Got a shovel?”
“Um…” Silas swiped at falling snowflakes as he glanced toward the house. “There might be one in the garage, but I don’t want to impose.”
“I’m happy to help. Check to see if you’ve got a second shovel. If not, I’ll get one from home.”
He seemed ready to argue, but another peek at his trapped tires changed his mind. Silas strode to the house, fumbled with the lock, and disappeared inside. The garage door slid open and a short search yielded two brand-new, never-been-used shovels hooked on a peg against a wall.
I wordlessly grabbed one and tackled the rear wheels while Silas took the front.
He gave a self-deprecating half laugh, stabbing at the snow with a grunt. “I wish I’d put the car in the garage last night.”
“Rookie move,” I agreed.
“Bingo.” Silas shot a playful dirty look my way and continued working.
“Where are you from?” I asked, shoveling under the carriage.
“LA. Well, the Bay Area originally, but LA for the past ten years.”
Called it.
“Big move from Los Angeles to Wood Hollow.”
“This is—I’m not moving here.” He motioned to the beautiful modern-style log cabin behind him, shaking his head.
“The place belongs to a buddy of mine. I’m in town for a week, maybe less.
Got in last night, and the roads were totally clear.
Then…I woke up to this. No wonder the rental agent was trying to sell me on the SUV. ”
I moved to the other side of the car. “It’s not coming down too hard now, but we’re supposed to get another nine to twelve inches.”
“That’s what she said,” he muttered.
I snort-laughed. “If you got errands to run, I’d do it now, funny guy.”
Silas skirted the hood and took aim at the front tire, his head bent in concentration. “I was going to check out Main Street and get some groceries. I read somewhere that the coffee shop in town is amazing.”
“Yep. You’re gonna need chains, though.” I finished at my end, then gestured for him to step aside. My Good Samaritan deed of the day was cutting into my morning, and I really had to get to the office.
Silas straightened and leaned on the handle of the shovel. “Chains?”
“Mmhmm.”
“Isn’t Main Street like five blocks from here?” He scratched his head, his features sharp with comical desperation.
My gaze lingered on the hint of gold on his stubbled jaw and the thin scar at the top right corner of his full lips.
Silas was a handsome man. Very handsome.
The stylish haircut, Canada Goose jacket, designer boots, and Rolex on his wrist contrasted with the callouses and the bruising near his slightly crooked nose.
Shit. I was staring.
I kicked snow from the shovels and hung them back on the peg in the garage.
“Up the mountain pass on Belvedere. Nice scenic route, but the road twists and in these conditions, your Lexus might hydroplane into a tree or off a cliff.” I snickered at his groan. “Haven’t had a drop of caffeine yet, have you?”
Silas tilted his chin at the gray sky. “Is it obvious?”
“Just a guess.”
“Well, I have no idea where the chains are. I’ll have to take a chance.”
“You can’t do that, man. It’s dangerous, and trust me…you don’t want an accident on that road. The nearest hospital is twenty minutes away in Pinecrest, and it’ll take thirty in these conditions.”
He snorted. “What do you do in an actual emergency?”
“We have a clinic with good docs on staff. Anything serious gets heli-vacced to the hospital. Crappy ride in a snowstorm, I’d bet.”
His sigh was laced with irritation and resolve. “Great. I’ll walk.”
“In those boots?”
“What’s wrong with my boots?” Silas groused, looking at his feet.
“Nothing at all. They look brand-new and real nice. You’ll have blisters on your heels before you reach Belvedere.” I dug into my pocket and jingled my keys. “Lucky for you, I’m going that way. I can give you a ride if you want.”
“That’s nice of you, but I’m not sure how I’d get back.”
“We have a new taxi service. I’ll get you Jed’s number. Give him a call, and he’ll drop you off here with your groceries.”
Silas narrowed his eyes. “Are you sure you don’t mind?”
“Don’t overthink it. If you’re coming with me, you might want to stick your car in the garage and change into waterproof boots. Blister or no blister…those fancy ones you’ve got on aren’t gonna last an hour in Wood Hollow.”
I didn’t give him a chance to reply. I retraced my steps through the snow, hopped into my truck, and blasted the defroster and heater.
I drove to the bottom of the steep driveway next to mine and idled there.
The car was in the garage, which I assumed meant Silas had decided to take me up on the ride.
I scrolled through emails while I waited and checked my messages. Nothing new.
I hovered my thumb over our family group text, and hesitated.
Don’t ask. Don’t be a nag.
Nope. Had to do it.
I typed, Good morning, bozos. Big storm coming in. Did they cancel school today?
This is Dad, by the way.
Ivy responded immediately with a thumbs-up followed closely by an eye-roll emoji. No school! Yayyyyyyy. Ur name is on the text. We know it’s u.
Chase sent a waving emoji. Hi Dad!
My heart suddenly felt lighter. A whole week without them and I missed my kids like crazy. I sent a silly meme and wished them both a happy day, grinning at my cell, then tossing it into the center console. It was the little things.