Page 49 of Falling Madly
The old man cocked his head. “I suppose you could use them for snow walking. With thick woolen socks. As long as the weather stays cold.”
“I don’t even care. I need these. My elf outfit is not complete without them!” I looked pleadingly at Trevor. “I’ll pay you back.”
He smiled at me, shaking his head. “That’s all good, aye. But should we still get you boots that are designed for outdoor use? It’s a bit like snow tires. Up here in the mountains you need the proper gear.”
“Sure, if Ilivedhere.”
Our gazes snagged, and we held still, silently finishing those sentences neither of us was ready to speak. He wanted me to think about the future in this town, but he didn’t know my past.
I pulled on the elf booties, posing in my full gear. His smile was warm, like he’d decided to push everything else aside. Just me and him, and the perfect moment.
“It’s a braw look. Let’s hope the weather disnae turn.”
“The cold front should hold for a few days,” said the shopkeeper helpfully, ringing up the purchase.
I slipped my ‘city slicker’ leather boots into the bag the shop provided, happily stomping out in my full elf outfit. “Maybe we could find one of those red and green elf hats. Did they have any at the laundromat?”
Trevor laughed. “Do we not have enough elf items?”
I hooked my arm around his. “Are you embarrassed to be seen with me? What if someone thinks you’re dating a real elf? Or that you have some kind of elf fetish?”
It was fun to mess with him. I wasn’t sure why it didn’t bother me more that I was dressed like a cartoon character in my old hometown. Maybe because I’d always felt like a freak here. Now I was just flying the flag. It felt liberating. Also, there was nobody from my real life within a one-hundred-mile radius, which granted its own sweet freedom. I’d needed a break, and it had come at the right time. Here in Cozy Creek, I didn’t have a reputation to uphold. At least not a good one.
“Are you okay with carrying all that back to the cabin?” I asked. “I only have a pair of shoes. I can take the other bag.”
I tried to grab the overnight bag off his shoulder, but he shrugged me off. “It’s too heavy for you.”
“I’m stronger than you think.”
I wrestled the smaller bag from him until he gave in, and we walked in silence, Trevor leading the way. Main Street turned into a smaller side road, then another one. The fresh snow glowed brightly, making everything look clean and white. Smoke rose from the chimneys, and the houses caked with snow looked like iced muffins.
“This is my road,” he said as we turned onto Mountain View Lane.
“Is it a two-mile road? Because we’ve only walked a few minutes.”
“No…” He drew a breath, looking a bit guilty.
“Did you lie to me about the distance?”
I wanted to ask “why”, but as he nodded, looking increasingly uncomfortable, I decided to hold back any follow-up questions. The house was probably a ramshackle shed with a roof missing, or something else atrocious. I’d find out soon enough.
The road sloped uphill, the houses fewer and further between than before, with patches of snow-covered spruces in between. And there, at the end of the road, by the small turning bay, stood a huge, beautiful log house with floor-to-ceiling feature windows.
“This is not a little cabin,” I said, turning to him. “This is… a chalet, or a lodge?”
He looked almost embarrassed. “Did I say little? Sorry, no. It’s… um… not little. I had some money.”
“From selling those tokens?”
He nodded. “I cashed out when they peaked. They’re not worth that much anymore. It was just good timing.”
I felt a pang of jealousy but pushed it aside. “Well, I’m glad you got something out of it.”
Was that why he was weird about the house? Because he’d bought it with the money he made from that job?
He opened his mouth a couple of times, but no words came out. Finally, he opened the gate and gestured for me to step in. The path to the door had been cleared of snow at some point, but more had fallen, creating an obstacle course of white stuff. My felt boots sunk in, making that crunching sound that brought back memories.
Trevor unlocked the door, and we dropped our bags on the floor. As I raised my gaze to examine the space, I gasped in shock.
