Page 27 of Married to Her Yeti
Once inside, he found the pizzas ready and awaiting pickup. Nima didn’t see another soul as he collected their holiday dinner. He paused afterexiting the building, taking in the view from the second-floor landing while he filled his lungs with cold winter air. Rosy alpenglow colored the snowy mountains around Wildwood. While the surrounding peaks remained a permanent fixture, it seemed everyone—he glanced down to Mari—and everything had changed since he’d been gone. That shouldn’t have surprised or unsettled him. Change was the only constant. He knew this and yet couldn’t help feeling like he didn’t belong here anymore. But then, where did he belong?
Nima shook off the melancholy and descended the stairs. It was Christmas Eve, and he was spending it with Mari. They’d soon be feasting on the best pizza on the planet. He’d hopefully sleep in her bed again tonight. Life was good right now. There was no room for doubt.
While Nima stackedpizza boxes on the kitchen counter, Mari sat by the front door wiping melted snow off the bottom of her air cast. At least it wasn’t dirt. Thank goodness she only needed the thing for a few days.
Their trip into town had been short, but cozy.She enjoyed riding around with Nima and reacquainting him with Wildwood. “Let’s reheat the pizza so it’s crispy and hot,” she suggested.
He turned on the oven and opened the boxes. “Which one should we heat first?”
She grinned at him. “Your favorite, of course.” When he grinned in return, her stomach fluttered, like it had when they were young and in love.
He slid the pizza into the oven. Then they both stilled when the purr of an engine sounded from the driveway. Nima peered out the small window by the door, careful to stay hidden. She couldn’t blame him. Not all Mari’s friends were yeti-friendly. “Do you know anyone who drives a silver Subaru?” He turned on the porch light, illuminating the door and the vehicles outside.
“My sister, but she’s in Hawaii.” Nima helped Mari stand. They watched Kat slide out of the car, then eye the piles of sawdust and stacked wood before walking around her vehicle and opening the hatchback.
Nima glanced at Mari. “I thought she wasn’t due back until after the New Year?”
Mari was equally confused. “She wasn’t.” Kat slung a bag over her shoulder, then walked toward the cabin.
“Did she call or message you?”
Heat flamed Mari’s cheeks. She grabbed her crutches and swung herself over to the table. When Nima had shown up the night before last, she’d ended her call with Tseten and tossed her phone on her table. “I haven’t checked my messages since the accident,” she sheepishly admitted as she picked her phone up. It was dead, as expected. “I didn’t want to worry my family. I would have called them tonight since it’s Christmas Eve.” She flashed him a grimace as Kat approached the door. “Given the earthquake, perhaps I should have done that already.” Truth was, aside from recovering, she’d been too focused on Nima to think about anyone else.
Nima opened the door for Kat. He smiled and raised his hand in greeting, but Kat, tanned from the tropical sun, stopped dead in her tracks. Cold air billowed into the small cabin as she took him in and muttered, “The fuck...?”
“Come in, Kat,” Mari motioned. “I can’t afford to heat the outdoors.” She sounded exactly like their father and inwardly rolled her eyes.
Mari’s holiday cheer began to melt like an icicle in the sun. As her wide-eyed sister gave Nima a judgmental look, weariness replaced cheer, the real world settling heavily on Mari’s shoulders. Kat didn’t evenknow she was giving the stink eye to herbrother-in-law. Mari had told no one what had happened in Nevada. And she never needed to. Mari and Nima’s marriage would soon be over, even as their new friendship developed. But without knowing the details of their breakup, her sister had assumed it was Nima’s fault, regardless. She protected her own. This could get ugly.
Mari motioned to the bench, and Nima helped her sit down. As he did, he said, “Good to see you, Kat,” like the polite, mature adult he was.
Mari made room for her sister, but Kat simply dropped her bag and stood with her fists on her hips glaring at Nima. “No wonder Tseten was so vague when I asked about you, Mari.”
Of course Tseten was behind this. Mari asked Kat, “Did he tell you about my accident? I apologize for not messaging sooner.”
Kat turned her piercing gaze on Mari, and it softened a fraction as she took in the air cast and crutches. “No, Tseten didn’t tell me. Isaac did.”
Ah, right. Mari had seen him at the clinic. Isaac and Kat were the same age and had several mutual friends. This town was so small. It was a wonder yeti remained a secret to anyone.
Kat continued, her tone accusatory. “Wildwoodwas near the epicenter of a large earthquake, and you stopped answering your phone, Mari. We were worried sick, so we contacted everyone. Mom and Dad were ready to fly home immediately. Then Tseten responded, telling us you’d been in an accident but were okay. He said you had a caregiver, not that we knew what the fuck that meant or what kind of accident you’d been in.” She waved a hand at Nima. “Apparently, he’s yourcaregiver?” She didn’t hide the disdain in her voice.
Mari raised her hands in what she hoped was a placating manner. “I’m sorry,” she said. “It’s been an eventful two days. I didn’t mean to worry everyone. I should have checked my messages and called.”
Kat let out an exasperated sigh as she pulled out her phone, her thumbs flying over her screen as she presumably tapped out a message to their parents. “I’m here now. My suitcase is in the car, so I can stay with you. Nima is free to go.”
Go? Mari blinked at Kat’s bag, realization dawning. With her sister here, Nima didn’t have to be Mari’s caregiver. She glanced between Nima and Kat, anxiety rising. She wasn’t ready for Nima to leave. She’d assumed they’d fall asleep—naked—in her bed again tonight. But she also wanted a divorce. Ugh. She couldn’t make sense of her wants andneeds right now. She blamed the damned spruce tree.
As Mari warred with herself, Nima cleared his throat. “Ah, finally someone with actual caregiving abilities.”
Mari raised an eyebrow. What the hell was he talking about? He’d taken such good care of her. And Kat? Well, her strength lay in going to battle for loved ones, not in tending their wounds afterward.
Nima continued, “I’m sorry the accident happened, but I’m glad I was in the right place at the right time.” He turned to Kat and said, “I can go over Mari’s care plan with you, although now that she’s more alert today, she can explain everything herself.”
Kat didn’t look up from her phone screen. “My sister can fill me in.”
Mari tried to stand, a mild panic setting in. “Nima, you don’t have to go. You can...” What? Sleep on the floor? Mari didn’t have a guest bed. Kat would be on the couch. After cutting her trip short from Hawaii, and especially with it being Christmas Eve, Mari couldn’t turn her sister away. And with Kat in the house, Nima couldn’t warm Mari’s bed like she wanted him to. At least not without Kat, and then all their friends and family, questioning Nima’s role in Mari’s life. And shereally didn’t want that to happen since she didn’t have the answers herself. She didn’t regret having sex with Nima last night, but the friendship she hoped for didn’t include orgasms or sleeping together.
The smile Nima turned on Mari appeared gracious, but it didn’t meet his eyes. “I really appreciate the time we spent together, Mari. I won’t forget it.”
