Page 107 of Not Your Average Vixen
She might not know it, but she was a force to be reckoned with.
And the two of them would move heaven and earth to find Cole.
“We’ll find him!” he answered, praying he was right.
“Cole!” Bridget shouted as they passed another red-capped post, but the child didn’t respond.
The wind whistled through the thick clusters of evergreens, a stark reminder of the harsh terrain.
As much as he and Bridget were hellbent on finding the boy, the dangers that lurked in the darkness couldn’t be discounted.
No, he could not let his mind go there.
He kept moving, straining his eyes to focus on the slim light cutting through the darkness. Bridget tightened her grip on his coat sleeve. Her audible breaths were the only sound he could hear over the wind until the faint hint of a child’s voice passed by like a thread drifting on a current of icy air.
“Is that you, Christmas fairy?”
He wrapped his arm around Bridget and forced her to stop. “I think that’s Cole!”
They stood stock-still, straining to listen above the rustle of the wind through the imposing foliage.
“Christmas fairy, where are you?” came Cole’s trembling voice.
Bridget wiped the swirling snow from her eyes, then shined the light over a wide swath of white drifts. “He has to be by the cabin. We’re not far. If I remember right, Pixie Rock is past the next post.”
He took the flashlight from her and shined it into the distance, catching the tip of a wooden pillar.
“Cole, it’s Uncle Scooter and Birdie! Can you hear me? Tell us where you are!” he called at the top of his lungs as they headed toward the cabin.
“I’m here! I’m here! I’m cold, and I’m scared!” the boy cried.
“We’re coming! Don’t move! Stay right where you are!” he shouted, working to keep the shake of frantic relief out of his voice while his heart shattered into a million pieces. He was damned grateful to hear Cole’s voice but terrified he’d be hurt or suffering from frostbite.
He shared a look with Bridget, and his fears were reflected in her worried gaze.
“He’s in one piece. He’ll be okay,” he said, more to himself than to her, but he had to say the words.
Then, as if out of thin air, the flashlight’s beam hit the side of a cabin. He waved it around carefully, taking in the structure, and paying special attention to a pair of windows framing a stone chimney.
They’d made it! Now, with the minutes ticking away and the temperature dropping, they had to find the boy.
“Cole!” he bellowed.
“I’m here, Uncle Scooter!”
“The porch. He’s on the porch,” Bridget exclaimed, taking off as they rounded the curve and arrived at the front of the cabin.
Cole sat on the bottom step—a tiny ball in the darkness, his arms clutching his knees.
Bridget sank to the ground and hugged the child. “We’re so glad we found you!”
He joined her and gathered the two of them into his strong embrace. “Are you okay, buddy? Did you get hurt?”
“My mommies are going to be so mad,” the boy whimpered, his little body shaking.
“No, you’re not in any trouble. I’m sure they’ll be so happy that you’re okay,” Bridget replied, stroking Cole’s cheek.
The child’s body swayed as the boy went limp. “I’m really cold and so, so sleepy.”
