Page 94 of Snowed In with Four Firemen
For a moment, there’s only the sound of the wind, but then we hear it again—louder this time. A groan, a desperate sound that cuts through the storm.
“He’s close,” I say, urgency gripping my chest. “Move, now!”
We sprint toward the sound, our feet pounding against the snow, slipping and sliding as we move through the trees. My heart hammers in my chest, adrenaline surging as we close in on the source of the noise.
And then I see him.
Whit is half-buried in the snow, lying motionless at the base of a steep incline. His jacket is torn, and his face is pale, his body shivering uncontrollably. He looks barely conscious, his eyes half-closed, his breathing shallow.
“Whit!” I drop to my knees beside him, shaking him roughly. “Can you hear me?”
He doesn’t respond at first, his eyes fluttering as if he’s on the verge of passing out. His skin is ice-cold to the touch, and I can feel the panic rising in my chest.
“Get the thermal blankets!” I bark
“He’s hypothermic,” Jace mutters, his jaw tight. “We need to get him down, fast.”
“Can he walk?” I ask, my eyes never leaving Whit’s face.
Jace shakes his head. “No way. He’s too far gone. We’ll have to carry him.”
I curse under my breath, glancing up at the mountain.
“Ben, you and Tanner take his legs,” I order, moving to lift Whit’s upper body. “Jace and I will take the lead. We need to get him back to the lodge before he crashes completely.”
The guys don’t hesitate. We lift Whit carefully, his body limp in our arms, and start moving down the mountain. We find Sam, sitting where we left him. Jace lets go of the lodge’s emergency stretcher to help him walk, keeping his body close to his.
Whit groans softly as we move, his head lolling to the side. I grit my teeth, my muscles burning as we carry him.
After what feels like an eternity, we finally reach the trail leading back to the lodge. The building's lights are barely visible through the storm, a faint glow in the distance. Relief floods through me, but I don’t let myself relax—not yet.
“We’re almost there,” I say, more to myself than to the others. “Just a little further.”
The trek back feels longer than it should, but we don’t dare stop. Finally, we reach the lodge. The doors swing open, anda group of staff rush out to help us, pulling Whit inside and wrapping him in more blankets, and a few of them take care of Sam, who looks more shaken than anything. The warmth of the lobby hits me like a wave, but I barely notice.
I just need to find Emily.
CHAPTER 27
EMILY
I sitbeside Hailey on the plush couch in the lounge, the fire crackling nearby, casting a soft, warm glow on her worried face. She’s biting her lip, her knee bouncing up and down as she stares blankly into the flames. I can see the tension radiating off her, the anxiety she’s been holding in since Sam and Whit went missing.
Her eyes flicker to the window every few seconds as if she’s expecting to see Sam and the guys come marching through the door any minute. But we both know it’s not that simple.
“Hailey, they’re going to find him,” I say softly, resting my hand on her arm. “Sam’s tough, and the guys know what they’re doing. They’ve been through worse, and they’ll bring him back.”
Hailey doesn’t look convinced. Her eyes flicker toward me, wide and glassy with fear. “I know you’re trying to help, but it’s hard not to panic. I keep thinking about all the things that could go wrong out there. It’s freezing, Emily. What if?—”
“Stop,” I interrupt gently but firmly. “You can’t think like that. Sam is going to be fine. He’s got a whole team of badass firefighters going after him. They’ve already saved me once, remember? They’ll bring him back, just like they brought me back.”
Her brow furrows. “You mean Jace.”
I pause for a moment, knowing what she’s getting at, but I shake my head. “Not just Jace. All of them, Hailey. Axel, Tanner, Ben—they all risked their lives to make sure I got out of that storm. They work together like a well-oiled machine. They’re going to find Sam and Whit and bring them back safely.”
Hailey hugs her knees to her chest, her body rigid with stress. “I want to believe that, Em. I do. But it’s hard. I’ve never felt so helpless in my life.”
I squeeze her arm a little tighter, leaning in closer to her. “You’re not helpless. You’re the strongest person I know. And tomorrow, you’re marrying the man of your dreams. You and Sam have been through so much already. This is just one more thing to get through together. You’ve got this.”
