Chapter 2
John glanced up from his book when the phone rang. He stared pointedly at the infernal machine for a moment. It was odd for anyone to call him on his landline this late in the evening, especially with an early-season winter storm raging outside.
Unless, of course, there was an emergency. The temptation to ignore it and go back to his story was tempting.
He sighed as he padded over to the kitchen. ”Yeah?” he asked, holding the old receiver to his ear.
”John?” Ranger Brooks” voice was urgent. This couldn”t be good.
So much for a peaceful evening.
“What is it, Stanley?”
”I”m afraid we have a missing person. A young lady arrived from England today from some environmental group in London. Her name is Frankie Evans. Have you seen her?”
”Why the hell would I have seen her?” John barked. There was a long pause from the other end. The hairs on the back of his neck began to stand up. ”Stanley, what”s going on?”
”Well, she asked for directions to your place. She said she really needed to speak with you, and it was why she traveled all the way here.”
At John”s groan, Stanley immediately rushed out, ”John, I warned her about the storm, against trying to make it tonight, but she didn”t listen. Maysie called a minute ago and asked if I had seen the young lady. Apparently, she”s staying at the inn and didn”t show up for dinner like she promised. Maysie”s calling the sheriff right now, but I was hoping maybe Ms. Evans was holed up at your place waiting out the weather.”
John’s gaze shot to the clock. It was nearly eight. His eyes closed as he huffed out a breath. The storm had been on top of them for several hours. By now, there would be a coating of ice and another four inches of snow predicted by the morning. ”So she”s missing…” His voice trailed off. It wasn”t a question.
”We”re afraid so. She was heading your way when she left the ranger station. Would you drive around and see if you can find anything? I have a couple of guys searching down on our end of the lake just in case.”
”Dammit,” John muttered. He looked toward the stove where his pot of chili had been simmering for several hours, slowly coming together until the flavors were just right. By the smell permeating the kitchen and living room, it was ready, but now it would have to wait. With a sigh, he asked, ”What time did she leave the station?”
”A quarter to four.”
”Shit. She”s been out there for four hours? It should have taken her no more than twenty minutes to get here.”
”That was our way of thinking, too. I just hope we don”t have to call water rescue.”
John grunted, considering everything that Stanley had said. ”That might be a real possibility at this point.” He pulled a large duffel bag from his closet. ”I”ll search around this part of the lake and let you know if I find her. Call my cell if you locate her down your way.”
He hung up and began to strip. He’d need at least a couple of layers before traipsing out in this storm on what was most likely a wild goose chase. The chances of an inexperienced woman surviving in this weather were slim.
A soft whine drew John”s gaze to the far corner of the living room. His ten-year-old chocolate lab lounged on the large foam bed John had splurged for last year after the dog had weathered a difficult hip surgery.
”It”s okay, Angus,” John soothed. ”I just need to run out for a bit, but I”ll be back soon.”
The thump of a tail against the wood-planked wall was his answer.
John released a rough breath and stepped outside. If he did find this woman, he”d make sure she was okay first and then wring her fool neck.
***
Frankie huddled in the front seat of her rental car, more miserable than she could ever remember, and blew on her hands trying desperately to stay warm. She”d run the heater for as long as she could, but the car eventually ran out of gas. It wasn’t long before the cold seeped through, chilling her straight to the bone. Now, all she could do was fantasize about a warm fire and hot bowl of soup as she struggled to stay awake.
She dropped her head back with a groan, thoroughly mortified at her current predicament. The ranger had warned her not to try to find Mr. Robbins right away, to wait until the storm was over.
Instead of heeding the advice, Frankie—who was known for having a stubborn streak a kilometer wide—charged out into the incoming weather. Right on cue, the rain had started the moment she”d clipped on her seatbelt. Within minutes it had become a complete deluge, making it nearly impossible to see anything as she drove north along the lake. Complicating the issue was the fact that the bloody steering wheel was on the wrong side of the car.
Instead, she”d pushed on, determined not to waste a single second of her time in America. Too many people at home depended on her success.
As expected, she’d gotten lost numerous times, turning onto logging roads that may or may not have led to a cabin that supposedly a person could not see until they were right upon it.
Very helpful, Ranger Brooks. Thank you.
And then to make matters worse, the sleet started, quickly covering the roads with a slick and dangerous glaze that couldn”t be seen with the naked eye. She was about to return to the inn when she decided to try one more road, hoping luck was finally with her.
But the road was sheathed with ice that she hadn”t noticed until it was too late. A quick pump of the brakes sent her rental car spinning dizzyingly into the trees where it was currently lodged, leaving her dazed and shivering, wondering how she”d ever get out of there.
She”d then compounded her mistake by stepping out of the car to investigate the damage. Within seconds, she was completely drenched by the iciest rain and sleet she”d ever felt in her entire life, Scotland included. She slipped several times and would have fallen flat if she hadn”t managed to grab the door handle.
Not your finest move, Frankie.
So here she sat, soaked to the bone with no way to dry off or warm up, out of gas, and with no food or water. To make matters worse, her need to pee was becoming urgent and her cell phone battery had died hours ago, not that the bloody thing had worked out here anyway.
Frankie’s gaze drifted to the paper map Ranger Brooks had given her. Draped across the passenger seat, it was streaked with mud and wilted with water stains.
As if that matters as I have no damned idea where I am, and I’m certainly not dressed to walk anywhere. This is officially a royal mess. Congratulations, Frankie. You”ve really outdone yourself with this one.
She sighed and shook her head.
How do I always get myself into these predicaments? It’s like I have a talent for it.
”I”m on a beach,” she assured herself, trying to ward off the shivers. ”It”s a lovely tropical island with a warm breeze, and I”m sipping a delicious pina colada as the sun is warming my legs.” She closed her eyes, visualizing her dream location. ”I”m so warm and content here. I could just drift off to sleep.”
Frankie could feel her body responding as her awareness began to float. ”That”s it. I”m warming up now…” Her voice tapered off, and she lost track of time as she drifted into unconsciousness.
She jolted, her eyes snapping open at a sudden bang to her left.
What the hell was that?
She wondered blankly if a tree limb was about to drop on top of her car. Her mind was so muddled and cloudy she couldn”t do much more than stare out the windshield. She had no idea how long she had been stranded, and oddly she didn’t seem to care anymore. She smiled when a light danced along the tree line in front of her car.
Pretty…
She always loved holiday lights. She frowned, staring dazedly out the window.
Isn”t it a tad early for that? Why do some people insist on pushing their holiday celebrations further and further out? And are holiday lights supposed to move like that?
Suddenly the light concentrated on her window and she shrank away from the brightness that was visible even through her eyelids.
”Wha—?” was all she got out before the driver”s door was yanked open. Ice pellets carried by a fierce wind rushed in and she gasped, trying to shield herself from the weather.
”Frankie Evans?” a deep, velvety voice asked.
Her teeth chattered as she tried to nod. ”Mmmhmmm…”
”Let”s get you in the truck and warmed up.” A deliciously rich, musky scent enveloped her as the man attached to the voice moved closer and scooped her up, one arm beneath her knees and the other under her back, as if she were light as a feather. ”Lean into my chest. The sleet is getting worse and I don”t want your eyes damaged.” His face was hidden by the hood of his jacket, but every instinct in her body told her that this man was there to help her.
Frankie tried to hold on, but she was exhausted and her arms refused to obey any messages from her brain. Thankfully the mountain of a man didn”t need her help.
She buried her face against his firm, broad chest as he swung her out of the car with little effort and placed her gently into the cab of his truck, where delectably warm air blasted from the vents. She moaned at the warmth and tried to reach for it, but her arms refused to obey the commands her brain sent.
Her rescuer leaned across her lap and grabbed a metallic blanket, tucking it around her. ”Here. This will warm you up quick.” He tucked it around her legs and torso, then buckled her into the seat. ”I”ll grab any bags you have in the car and be back here in a minute.” The door closed and Frankie”s eyelids sagged down. The effort to stay alive had drained her and her body was trying desperately to absorb heat as quickly as possible.
”You”re soaking wet.” She must have drifted off for a second because her eyes popped open at her rescuer”s resonant voice. ”How did that happen? You didn”t get out of your car, did you?” He climbed into the driver”s seat and dropped her backpack onto the floorboard. He began to navigate his truck on the icy road.
”I c… crashed into the trees and wanted to see if I could g… get the car out and back on the road.” She had to force the words out as her body clenched with tremors.
Her rescuer barked a rough laugh. ”That car isn”t going anywhere. It”s wedged in there pretty good and will have to be towed out. The front end has a lot of damage.”
”I know.” Frankie ducked her face into the blanket, hiding the bloom of humiliation that flushed up her neck. More than anything, she hated feeling incompetent, and that was all she felt at the moment. If this man hadn”t come along, her little adventure would have had a dark ending.
He maneuvered onto the main road, his truck holding steady on the insanely slick roads.
”How are we n… not slipping?” she asked slowly. ”I was all over the road and it”s worse now.”
”I have chains on the tires. It”s the only thing that works on ice.” He pressed a button on the steering wheel and the sound of ringing filled the cab.
”John?” a desperate voice answered. ”Any luck?”
Frankie blinked. John? As in John Robbins? She couldn”t have gotten that lucky.
”I found her,” he answered. ”She went off the road about four miles from my place. The car will need a tow when the storm is over. I have no idea how she got all the way out there, but we”re heading back to my cabin.” He glanced at her, his eyes scanning her in a quick inventory. ”She”s somewhat hypothermic but responding quickly to the survival blanket. I”ll get her in a warm bath when we get home and have her eat. I”ll radio you if there”s a problem.”
”That”s great, John. Good work.” Ranger Brooks” voice was flooded with relief. ”I”ll let the sheriff and Maysie know.”
John disconnected the call as they made a left down a path so narrow it couldn’t be considered a road. It was nearly impossible to spot from the road. Frankie rolled her eyes and scoffed softly. She had driven past that spot several times and never thought to try it. It was no wonder she’d missed it.
”What was that sound for?” John asked, the hood of his jacket shifting as he shot her another look. She realized she still hadn”t gotten a good glimpse of his face.
”You”re John Robbins, yeah? And this is the turnoff for your cabin? I drove past it at least a dozen times. I don”t know how anyone can get around in this bloody place.”
His deep chuckle filled the cab. She smiled despite herself. The sound was soothing and cozy, like a warm shepherd”s pie. ”Locals don”t even think about it. We just know where to turn.”
”Hmm. Or perhaps you do it deliberately to keep the riff raff away.”
”It wouldn”t be the first time.” The truck stopped. ”Here we are. You stay put. I”ll come around to get you.”
Frankie’s gaze rested on the charming cabin perched on a small rise. It resembled a picture-perfect Christmas card. Just as Ranger Brooks had described, it was nestled in a copse of dense pine trees, so protected it could easily be missed if you weren”t looking for it. The truck”s headlights illuminated a covered porch that ran along the front of the house, complete with several rocking chairs. It was an ideal place to enjoy a morning or afternoon tea.
Her door opened, and he reached over to unbuckle her seatbelt, again scooping her up as if she weighed nothing. He paused for a moment. ”Grab your bag.”
Frankie commanded her arms to respond and was pleasantly surprised when they moved. She reached down and snagged her backpack, hugging it to her midsection as he scaled the stairs, two at a time. He hunched slightly and muttered in her ear, ”Grab the doorknob for me, would you?” She turned the knob as he pushed the door open with his foot, and Frankie nearly moaned with delight at the decadent warmth that enveloped them. A soft woof greeted them from a large cushion in the far corner of the room.
”Oh, a dog! How cute.” The huge chocolate lab thumped its tail against the floor and lumbered to its feet, winding slowly toward them in greeting.
The entire room gave the impression of a luxury whiskey commercial or an exclusive resort in the Scottish Highlands—a roaring fire in a large stone fireplace, a rich, brown reclining chair with a sturdy wooden side table that held a book and a half-full whiskey glass, a huge umber couch with large fluffy blankets tossed over the back, and an open kitchen with a pot bubbling on the stove. Frankie didn”t care about the cliches inundating her, because in that moment it all looked like paradise.
John set Frankie on her feet. ”Are you steady enough?” he asked, his deep voice rumbling in her bones. ”Or do you need to sit?”
”I”m feeling much better now. But I should probably sit down.” She slumped into the closest leather chair, trying to keep the pressure off her screaming bladder. The last thing she wanted to reveal was that she desperately needed to use the loo.
The dog ambled over and gazed at her with adoration, its tail swinging back and forth in greeting. ”Good boy, Angus.” John gave the dog a rub of the ears before he disappeared down a hallway. ”You keep an eye on her for me. Okay, buddy?” he called out over his shoulder. “I’ll just be a minute.”
Frankie held her hand to the dog, who sniffed her fingers lightly then pushed his head into her hands. ”Oh, you”re a sweetie, aren”t you?” she crooned, running her fingers over his soft fur.
A few moments later, John strode back into the room. ”Come with me,” he urged. She still couldn”t see much of his face other than the dark, close-cropped beard covering a firm jaw.
”Let”s get you into the bathtub. Hopefully it’ll warm you up enough to ward off any hypothermia.” He drew her up from the chair and ushered her down the short hallway.
”Oh, that sounds lovely,” Frankie commented, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other as she swayed into first the doorframe and then the wall. She couldn”t remember the last time she’d been so clumsy.
John pushed open the door at the end of the hallway and stood aside ushering her into the room with a slight bow of his head. Frankie gasped softly at the contrasted opulence. It was the type of bathroom showcased in television shows of the rich and famous, not something she’d imagine in a Wisconsin backwoods cabin.
”This is incredible,” she breathed as she stared at the oversized, white, clawfoot tub in the corner juxtaposed against the dark slate stone floor and wood-planked walls. The sound of rushing water echoed in the cavernous space and steam curled above the tub like silken clouds. It felt like a misty dream given where she’d been just a short time ago.
John knelt and tapped her leg. ”Let”s get these shoes and socks off. You’ll probably have a tough time doing it yourself right now.”
A nervous bubble of laughter erupted from her as she braced her hands on his shoulders, noting the hard, bulging muscles beneath her fingertips. ”You”re right about that.” She was suddenly grateful she”d shaved her legs the night before as he slid off her shoe and rolled the soggy sock down until it slipped off and fell to the floor with a wet splat. She planted her foot and gasped at the heat radiating up from the floor. ”Oh my god, this is amazing! What is this?”
”Heated flooring.” He tapped her other leg, and she lifted the foot obediently. ”The water isn”t too hot, just enough to ward off the chill,” he said as he tipped his head toward the heavenly tub.
With both feet planted, she leaned her head back and hummed at the bliss as the warmth traveled up her body. ”Or I could just splay out on this floor. I bet that would take care of me.”
John”s deep chuckle rumbled through the room. ”I”ll leave the choice to you.” He stood and pointed toward a large cabinet near the bath. ”The towels and soap are in there.” His finger drifted toward a stool that held a stack of folded clothes. ”You can find something warm to wear in that pile when you”re done. Nothing will fit, but it”ll do until we can get your clothes clean and dried.”
He stepped away and started to pull the door closed. ”Yell out if you need me. I”ll just be down the hall.”
”Thank you,” she replied absently as he left. Her gaze was focused solely on the tub and she wanted nothing more than to sink neck deep into the decadent warm water. Her bladder, however, pulled the trump card, and she waddled over to the toilet. Her eyes rolled back in her head and she groaned softly as the pressure released.
With a sigh, she stumbled gracelessly toward the tub and stripped her wet, miserable clothes off with awkward, jerky motions. Her arms shook as she held onto the side and dipped her foot in. She moaned loudly as she haltingly raised her other leg and settled slowly into the water, feeling as if she”d submerged into heaven itself. As John had promised, the water wasn”t too hot, but just the right temperature for her numbed flesh and she warmed up quickly.
After several minutes of just soaking, she lathered every part of her body then rinsed off and stepped out carefully. She smiled again at the heat coming from the floor.
This was something she could easily get used to. After a miserable, freezing four hours, it was as if she was wrapped in a cocoon of blissful warmth. It was such an amazing turnaround.
Frankie toweled off and combed her hair out as best she could, then inspected the clothes John had set aside for her. She lifted one pair after another of cozy sweatpants that she knew she”d practically swim in. There were also several flannel button down shirts that she could probably wear as dresses. But the best was the pair of thick, woolen socks that traveled all the way to her knees. Definitely too big for her, but they were bliss.
With a contented sigh, she pulled on a pair of sweatpants, rolling up the legs several inches. It was the best she could do, and there was no way she could cinch up the waist. She slipped on a shirt, cuffing the sleeves to her hands.
A big guy, this John Robbins.
Although she hadn”t gotten more than a glimpse of his chiseled face under that rain hood, it was impossible to hide that he was an attractive man. But then again, what man wouldn”t be when they were built like a mountain at well over six feet tall, with shoulders nearly as wide. She had clearly been off on her earlier assertion that Mr. Robbins would be a gouty hunchback.
Frankie grinned. Aside from the car accident and nearly freezing to death, Sharon would be ecstatic if she knew.