Page 9 of Christmas on Ice
“I’m fine. I got this.” She climbed up and settled in the seat. I closed the door and jogged back to her car to survey the scene. There wasn’t any visible damage, so I locked it up and shot off another text stating I was bringing her home and would be right back.
I called Brenna as I walked back to my truck. “I’ve got her. She slid off the road. I think she has a concussion. I’m bringing her home now.”
“Yikes. I’m so glad you found her.” Brenna breathed a sigh of relief. “Did you call a tow?”
“Nah. The guys and I are going to pull it up.”
“Okay. Um … I hate to ask, but Drew has a date tonight. I said I’d close up for him. Do you think you could hang out with Kami and Ryleigh until I can get back to stay with her? I don’t think she should be left alone if there’s a chance she has a concussion. It’ll be pretty late, but definitely before the snow starts. I can’t believe we’re getting hit again with another big storm!”
“Yeah, no problem.” That was a no-brainer. “We’ll be right there.”
Back at my truck, I climbed in and eased out onto the road. Driving extra cautiously, I drove around the next corner to her small cottage-style home nestled among trees. Trimmed with twinkle lights, it looked like something out of a storybook.
“Cute place,” I said, turning into the driveway. “I like the lights.”
“Thanks. I know it’s only October, but never too early for Christmas lights, right?”
“Nah. I love Christmas. Even here, with all the snow.” I smiled at her.
“Yeah. It’s magical, isn’t it? Like being lost in Narnia.” The wistful note to her voice made me want to ask more. I wanted to know everything about her.
“Even got a lamppost. So how did you find this place?” Not a very thought-provoking question, but I wanted to keep her talking and I was curious.
She shifted, and shadows danced across her face. “When we left Sutton—he’s my ex—I found the house through the vacation rental place on Main Street. It was only going to be temporary until I found an apartment. But then the owner died, and his daughter didn’t know what to do with it. She said we could stay here as long as we want as long as we take care of the property. She was a single mom, too, and gave me a more than fair deal.”
“That’s awesome. I think it’s perfect for you and Ryleigh.” I could picture the sweet three-year-old in one of her princess dresses skipping through the woods and throwing rocks in the little pond behind the house. I wondered if there were fish in it and if she’d ever been fishing.
“It really is.” She pulled at the door handle, and I was out my door and around to hers faster than a hot knife through butter.
“Let me help?” She nodded and placed her hand in mine.
“Thanks. I can walk on my own, though.” I stepped aside and followed her up the brick walkway, lit every few feet by tiny staked lanterns.
The door opened as Kami reached the stoop. Brenna was backlit by the warm glow of the interior lighting and visibly upset. She raised her index finger to her mouth.
“Ryleigh’s asleep on your bed,” she said to Kami and stepped back to let her inside. “I didn’t want to risk waking her if I moved her. She fell asleep watching the fairies.”
I stayed on the stoop but peeked inside. Across the room and three steps up, the little princess was sleeping on a daybed in a windowed alcove. My gut tightened. She reminded me so much of my niece, Mylee. But … different. Mylee was well taken care of; my brother-in-law was one of the best guys I’d ever known, and my sister Marsha was a supermom. Kami was, too, but from what I’d seen of her ex, he wasn’t a candidate for Dad of the Year.
“She’s fine, Bren,” Kami assured her, then handed me the keys to her car.
Brenna turned to me. “Go do what you need to do. I’ll get her settled while you’re gone. When you get back with her car, I’ll head out. And thanks for the rescue.”
“It’s no trouble.” I hesitated, but Brenna shooed me away.
After leaving Kami with Brenna, I hurried back to her car. By the time I got there, Jason, Brendan, Rurik, and Noel, our rookie, were already working to pull out the car, shouting commands at each other and grunting.
“What can I do?” I asked Jason. He and Rurik were dragging chains from his truck to Kami’s car. I winced, remembering my set of chains in my truck—which I’d left at her place.
“Give Noel the keys so he can steer. You can help Trotter push at the hood. Rury will direct us.”
“Got it.” I made my way down the slope and tossed Kami’s keys to Noel. “Thanks for coming,” I said to Brendan.
“Anytime. I was just sitting at the bar nursing a beer I didn’t really want, anyway.”
“Pull!” Rurik yelled. Brendan and I positioned ourselves at the hood and pushed at the car.
“Then why didn’t you leave?” I asked, breathing hard.
