Chapter 17
MAE
Jonah tidied up the kitchen and washed the dishes while I got dressed in the bathroom and quickly blow-dried my hair.
I didn’t bother with it for most of the year – my waves dried nicer in the air and I wore it up for work most of the time anyway – but in winter, going outside with a head full of wet hair was a surefire way to get a chill.
Jonah looked me up and down as I emerged, nodding his approval.
I was wearing fleece-lined, outdoor leggings, with a black vest on top, warm sweater and my Patagonia parka.
It was a lovely, thick, long one, which reached down to my mid-thigh for extra warmth.
I felt a bit like a marshmallow in it, but at least I’d be warm.
‘That’s better,’ he said. ‘As cute as the reindeer pajamas were, we wouldn’t want a hunter to mistake you for a real one in the wild.’
‘Why would we be anywhere near hunters?’
‘You’ll see.’
‘Jonah.’
‘It’s OK.’ He paused from wiping the bench to give me a reassuring smile. ‘I’d never take you anywhere or do anything to put you in harm’s way, I promise.’
I felt my heart stop when he smiled at me like that, his words washing over me like a warm blanket. I didn’t need protecting, but he made me feel safe all the same.
He rinsed the cloth and draped it over the tap to dry, taking a step back to make sure he hadn’t missed anything. He hadn’t. The kitchen looked exactly the same as it had before he’d cooked us the delicious breakfast.
‘Thanks for breakfast, and for cleaning up.’
‘You’re welcome. I had a feeling you wouldn’t be able to go anywhere and relax if the dishes weren’t done.’
‘You felt correctly.’
‘Ready?’
I nodded. ‘Almost. Just need to get my sneakers on.’
After lacing up my faithful black and white Nike shoes, I found my keys and wallet and tucked them into one of my pockets, zipping it up to make sure they didn’t fall out, then nodded.
At the last second, I grabbed my hat and scarf from the hook by the door.
‘Is there anything else I need to bring on our mystery adventure?’
‘No.’
‘Then yes, I’m ready.’
Outside, he reached for my hand to help me down the porch steps.
‘Careful,’ he said. ‘The steps are slippery.’
I didn’t have the heart to point out that I’d managed the steps perfectly fine all by myself the last few days, mostly because I liked how his hand felt around mine.
His touch made my stomach flutter, and I felt like a giddy teenager again.
He led me over to his truck and opened the passenger door for me with a flourish.
‘You really do take this gentlemanly stuff quite seriously, don’t you?’ I commented, as I climbed inside and he passed me my seatbelt.
‘I’m not making any more effort than every man should make for a woman. Buckle up.’
I gave him a salute. ‘Yes, sir.’
He winked. ‘Ooh, I like it when you call me that.’
Even though I’d done a fair bit of travelling around Pine Harbor over the last few days, visiting five different households and patients, I hadn’t taken in much of the view because I’d been concentrating so hard on driving on the snowy roads and following directions.
While Jonah drove, I stared out the passenger window, feeling more and more like I really was in a holiday movie.
The streets were freshly ploughed, with piles of crisp, white snow on the sides of the road around the lampposts and trees.
The harbor, when we drove past it, was still and calm today, the water mirroring the snowy pines that lined the hills around town.
The surface of the water ripped gently. A large sailboat was moored just offshore, its sails packed away, its rigging tall and black against the colorless sky behind it.
As we drove out of town the houses thinned out, the driveways becoming further and further apart.
‘Is that an actual, real-life Christmas tree farm?’ I squealed, craning to look back over my shoulder out the rear window after passing a sign that said ‘Welcome to Merry Mistletoe Christmas Farm’.
He nodded. ‘It sure is. It’s owned by a friend of mine, Lucas.
He’s Norwegian, but has been here in the States for a few years now.
’ He craned to look out the window and whistled.
‘That parking lot is pretty full. He’ll be looking forward to putting his feet up in front of the fire in January, putting his phone on silent and taking a well-deserved break after the mayhem of December. ’
‘I always thought that would be a dream job,’ I sighed wistfully.
He snorted. ‘Based on what? Hollywood movies?’
I sniffed defensively. ‘Maybe.’
‘It’s not quite as glamorous as they make out.
I’ve listened to Lucas moan plenty of times over a beer, believe me.
It’s isolated, hard, physical work, while exposed to the elements, and all your income comes in just one month of the year.
The rest of the year it’s just money going out.
And God forbid your trees get a disease that stunts their growth, or a fungal infection. ’
‘Trees can get fungal infections?’
‘They sure can. The needles turn brown and die off. You get that, you risk losing your whole crop if you can’t get it under control. That’s your main source of income gone for a year.’
‘Main source?’
‘He has a small shop and café onsite too. The shop sells decorations, trinkets and baubles et cetera. It’s only open seasonally from the end of November until Christmas Eve.
I don’t know how profitable it is, but I guess most people who go to buy a tree probably end up buying something, even if it’s just a cup of hot cocoa. ’
‘Dammit,’ I sighed. ‘You’re really doing a good job of crushing my dreams here. I guess owning a Christmas tree farm might not be as adorable as it sounds.’
‘Sorry. I’m just a realist. I’m sure it has its good moments too.’
The road had narrowed, the corners closer together and sharper. The pines overhead leaned in towards each other, their shadows darkening the road. With their light dusting of snow, it felt like I was smack bang in the middle of a winter wonderland.
‘You’re not taking me to some old cabin in the middle of nowhere, like in some horror movie, are you?’ I asked.
‘Nope.’
‘Not that I have anything against cabins. I’ve seen some amazing ones on Instagram.
There’s this gorgeous page that posts photos of cabins and treehouses and idyllic tiny homes all over the world.
’ I sighed wistfully. ‘I had to unfollow it in the end because it just made me always long to be somewhere else.’
He shot me a sideways glance. ‘I think we all feel like that at times, don’t we? With or without the help of social media.’
‘Sure, I guess that’s why I’m here,’ I admitted. ‘The appeal of starting somewhere afresh. What about you? Have you ever left Pine Harbor?’
‘Briefly, for university. Wasn’t for me. And a few trips abroad.’
I waited to see if he would be more forthcoming, but the subject appeared to be closed.
‘We’re here,’ he said, pulling the truck over to the side of the road into a small rest area. As with most of the journey until now, there was nothing to see apart from trees and snow.
‘Here where, exactly?’ I asked, craning my head to look out all the truck’s windows in case I’d missed something.
He grinned at me as he pulled the keys out of the ignition and opened his door. ‘You’ll see.’
I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned back against the seat. ‘I’m not getting out until you tell me why we’re here.’
He shrugged. ‘OK. Have it your way. I’ll see you back here in a couple of hours. Try not to freeze to death.’ Then he tossed me the keys and closed his door, heading towards the back of the truck.
‘Wait,’ I squealed, opening my door and jumping out, immediately sinking up to my ankles in the snow.
‘I thought you weren’t coming?’
‘I didn’t think you were going to call my bluff,’ I retorted, attempting to pull myself out of the snow by hanging on to the side of the truck.
He lifted the cover off the truck bed. ‘You alright there?’
‘I’m fine.’
‘Great. Fancy a hike?’
‘A hike?’
‘Yeah. You know, a walk in nature.’
‘I know what a hike is, Jonah, but have you not noticed the snow everywhere? I don’t think we’ll be able to make it very far.’
‘That…’ he said, lifting something out of the truck bed with a flourish ‘…is what these are for.’
‘Snowshoes.’
‘Exactly.’
‘They look like mini snowboards.’
‘I can see why you’d think that, but they’re very different. These are designed to help you walk on snow, whereas a snowboard is purely for thrill seekers looking to have some downhill fun.’
‘Let me guess, you’re one of those thrill seekers.’
‘Guilty.’
He walked around to where I was still hanging on to the truck and knelt with the snowshoes and another box. ‘Those shoes aren’t going to work,’ he tutted, eyeing up my already saturated sneakers. ‘Luckily for you, I came prepared.’
He opened the box to reveal a pair of hiking boots. Feminine ones. That somehow looked to be about my size. He started to undo my laces.
‘I can do that myself,’ I told him.
‘I should hope so. It’s a basic life skill that most five-year-olds can manage.’
I nudged his chest lightly with the toe of my shoe. ‘You know what I mean.’
He gave me an exasperated look. ‘If you sit down to change your shoes, you’ll get a wet butt to go with your wet feet. Is that what you want?’
‘Not really.’
‘Exactly. So let me do this for you.’
He rolled off my socks, and I yelped when the cold air hit my toes. He cupped them with his hands and blew warm air on them.
‘Better?’
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. It wasn’t the gesture itself that made me feel choked up, it was the intention behind it.
Everything Jonah did was aimed at taking care of me.
Not that I needed taking care of, because I didn’t.
Fiercely proud independent woman and all that.
But God it felt nice to have someone give a damn, even if it was just about whether my feet were wet and cold.
‘I hope you don’t mind,’ he said, ‘but you’re about the same height and size as my sister, so I took a gamble and hoped your foot size was similar too. Size seven?’
‘Spot on,’ I replied, impressed.
‘Knew it.’ He looked smug. ‘I went up half a size, to allow for the thick, woolen socks I also got you.’
‘I can’t believe you bought me socks and boots. How much were they? I’ll pay you back.’
‘They’re my treat.’
‘Jonah.’
‘What? I brought you out here, it’s the least I can do to make sure you have the right gear.’
‘Gear for what?’
‘Hiking. On snowshoes.’
‘I don’t know.’ I eyed the snowshoes dubiously. ‘This seems like something that people need training in.’
‘Nah.’ He rolled the sock over my ankle and tucked it underneath my leggings. ‘You know how to walk, right?’
‘Since I was one.’
‘There you go. You’ll be fine.’
‘I admire your optimism. Or is it blind faith? Either way, I hope it’s not misguided.’
He looked up at me, his expression suddenly serious. ‘You need to have a little bit more faith in yourself.’ He looked down again and finished tying my laces. ‘Right. You’re good to go. Obviously new boots need a bit of breaking in, so we’ll just take it easy today.’
‘Sounds good.’ I lifted one foot at a time and rolled the ankle, getting a feel for the boots. They were snug but not too tight. Supportive. ‘I can handle a short stroll.’
‘Good. We won’t go too far today. Maybe five miles or so.’
‘I’m sorry, did you just say five miles?’
‘Yeah.’
‘I wouldn’t exactly call that short.’
‘It’s shorter than the ten-mile hike I originally planned on taking you on.’
‘And I am grateful for that. It’s just not exactly how I planned on spending my first day off.’
‘How did you plan on spending it?’
‘In bed.’
‘Ah.’ He looked mildly crestfallen. ‘Not with me, then.’
‘Not unless you were in bed with me,’ I said without thinking.
‘Hey, I’m keen. But maybe it’s a bit too soon for that.’
I replayed the last minute of conversation in my head and caught on to what I’d said. ‘I did it again didn’t I?’
‘At this stage, I’d be worried if you didn’t.’
He lifted a backpack out of the truck and put it on his shoulders.
‘We can turn back at any time you want,’ he said. ‘Just say the word.’
‘What’s the word?’
He adjusted the shoulder straps on his backpack. ‘I didn’t mean a specific one.’
‘I know. I was kidding. You know, like a safe word.’
‘A safe word?’
‘Yeah. For when people are… you know.’
‘Robbing a bank?’
‘Uh, no.’ My face crinkled up, and I could feel my cheeks flushing. ‘Not quite. It’s more for when people are… doing it, and if something makes them uncomfortable, or is going too far, they have a safe word they agree on in advance that means stop.’
As I explained I watched his smirk grow larger.
‘You already know what a safe word is, don’t you,’ I said.
He nodded. ‘Uh-huh. But I enjoy watching you squirm.’
‘Jerk.’
He laughed, and put the snowshoes down in front of me. ‘Pop your feet inside these and I’ll tighten the straps.’
I did as he instructed. ‘That was quick,’ I said, when he stood up again a few seconds later.
‘Some have more straps and are more complicated, but with these ones all the hard work is done for you. You just have to tighten the one strap and away you go. OK, let’s see how you go. Take a step.’
I took a deep breath. ‘Don’t watch.’
‘Why not.’
‘I’ll either fall flat on my face or be a complete natural.’
‘Or maybe somewhere in between?’
I pulled a face. ‘I doubt it. I tend to be an all or nothing kind of gal.’
‘Don’t worry,’ he reassured me. ‘If you fall, I’ll catch you.’
‘Bad idea. I’ll probably take you down with me.’
He laughed. ‘It would be an honorable way to go.’
‘OK, here goes nothing.’ I took a step, then another. ‘Hey, this isn’t so bad,’ I declared with glee, then promptly almost fell over. Jonah caught me before I did, steadying me with his strong arms.
‘Hang on,’ he said, letting me go and reaching into the back of the truck again. ‘I forgot to give you these.’ He fished out a pair of poles. ‘These will help you balance.’
I took the poles and tried walking again, going around the truck first, then widening my circle and doing a lap of the rest area.
‘You were right,’ he said, watching me with an unreadable expression, but one that made me feel like I glowed from within. ‘You’re a natural.’