Page 40 of Love Under Snowfall

“Did you get water in your boots?” she asked, her voice quivering.

“Yes.”

“Great.” Francesca blew out an aggressive breath. She grabbed the walkie-talkie from her shoulder. “Miguel? Hey, Miguel?”

“I’m here,” came the crackle scrambling through the speaker.

“Benjamin stepped through the ice. His feet are wet.”

“Did either of you pack extra socks?”

He shook his head as Francesca raised her eyebrows in question.

“No,” she huffed. Then her face lit up. “I can give him my dry socks; my boots have an extra fuzzy lining.”

“Yes. Do that.”

“Francesca, be reasonable,” Benjamin practically scolded. He wasn’t going to take her socks and leave her at an increased risk of frostbite or hypothermia or whatever could happen. Did he have cold feet? Sure. The pins and needles were rapidly becoming more aggressive, but it wasn’t unbearable. Yet.

“I’m not the one being unreasonable here,” she harped, laces already untied. “Now sit your ass down and do as you’re told.” He could see her determination in the set of her brow and fire swirling in her amber eyes. She wasn’t going to accept no for an answer.

Benjamin huffed but sat down and fumbled with the triple knot he’d fashioned earlier that morning to ensure his boots would stay on. His fingers were frigid and battled clumsily with the knot. Impatience won out and Francesca scootched closer. But when she swatted his icy hands away, she gasped.

“What happened to your gloves?” She admonished, already tugging hers from her small hands.

“I didn’t think to put them back on before following you into this frozen void of misery.”

Francesca rolled her eyes as she thrust his hands into her warm gloves. They barely extended past his knuckles, but at least his fingers had some reprieve. Nimbly, she managed to reverse the chaotic entanglement and loosen his laces. She then dug into her backpack and pulled out two gallon-sized food storage bags filled with snacks. She emptied the contents in the main compartment and thrust the empty clear baggies at Benajmin.

“After you put the dry socks on, put one of these on each foot. Otherwise, the water in your boots will immediately soak into the wool.”

“Thank you,” he conceded, accepting the dry socks and plastic bags from her. He slipped the frozen shoes back on, and then Frankie secured a more reasonable double knot.

“Pride won’t do either of us any good if we freeze to death,” she chided lightly. “Zip up your coat. And drink some more cider.”

“I don’t remember you being so demanding back in Seattle,” Benjamin joked, shivering from the wind picking up around them. The snow came down in buckets and managed to fully obscure their line of sight to the top of the ravine.

“That’s because a certain Professor Prick used up the bossy allotment all on his own.” Her perturbed scowl was cloyingly adorable with her tattered golden braids and pink nose. She’dregained a bit of color since her fall, and Benjamin rejoiced in her improved state.

He hated that he’d been such a hard-ass to her throughout the quarter.

He hated that he’d intentionally tried to get her to drop the class.

He hated that she was so startled by his advancements up on the trail that she felt compelled to retreat from his reach and fell down the valley and hit her head.

Benjamin glanced at her forehead, noting that the gauze seemed to be holding beneath his navy blue beanie. Blood hadn’t seeped through, but a few dried, rusty bits remained along her temple and cheekbone. Unease and nausea crept up his spine and clung to his shoulders like an over-cinched backpack.

“Jeeze, relax.” Francesca huffed. She laid a hand on his arm and squeezed. “You just went white as a sheet. Are you feeling all right?”

“A little lightheaded, but that’s probably the adrenaline.”

“You’re probably starving too.” She rummaged in her pack and pulled out a fistful of snacks. “I’ve got energy gels, jerky, GORP, stroopwafel. Pick your poison.”

His sweet tooth perked up and nearly barked like a dog.

“Definitely a stroopwafel.” His stomach growled, reminding him of his manners. “Please.”

She fished out a couple packets, handing one to him, then stuffed her goodies back into her backpack.

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