Page 14 of Snow Balled

“Maybe you could forget they’re there,” Kylie suggested. “Pretend you’re at a hotel and there are other guests there and you see them at the continental breakfast and passing in the hallways. Stay in your room a lot, and don’t think about them.”

A mental image filled my head—that of the tall one wearing just a towel. I doubted I had the mental discipline to keep from thinking about that, though I sure as hell wanted to.

“Focus on your screenplay,” Kylie said, perhaps sensing my hesitancy. “Let work keep you busy.”

“My laptop’s back at the cabin.” And likely crushed, frozen, or buried.

“Crap,” Kylie said. “You can take notes on your phone. Or dictate into it.” She paused. “I know this is hard for you, but… maybe if you keep busy, it won’t be so bad. They’ll have to clear the roads eventually.”

“I know.” An unexpected tear trailed down my cheek. Most people thought I was a stuck-up bitch when I didn’t want to spend time with my male costars, but Kylie seemed to understand and not judge me. Plus, her idea was a good one.

“Thanks—for listening and for the suggestion. One way or another, I’ll focus on the screenplay.”

“And we’ll talk lots, okay? So, you don’t just have to talk to strangers. You can call anytime, and if I’m not in class, I’ll pick up. And if I am in class, call Alyssa.”

I cocked my head to the side. “She might be busy.”

“With work?”

“With her men. They’re still kind of in the honeymoon stage.” Just because I wasn’t comfortable with the opposite sex didn’t mean I wasn’t happy for my friends’ relationships.

“Oh, right. She does kind of seem preoccupied lately, but I’m so glad things worked out for her.”

“Me too.”

“They will for you, too,” Kylie assured me. “You’ll finish your screenplay, you’ll get someone to produce it, and I’ll be the first person in line to see it.”

“Thanks,” I said automatically, but that seemed rather unlikely for a first attempt at writing. But still, it was something to focus on. Something to work toward.

And maybe it was enough to get me through however long I’d be stuck here.

7

SIERRA

After the phone call—and, okay, a few minutes of feeling sorry for myself—I gave myself a pep talk. Kylie was right; I needed to focus on my writing. That was why I’d come out here. And as long as my new roommates weren’t axe murderers, I’d probably be okay.

Tentatively, I exited the bedroom. The living room was empty, thankfully. I glanced toward the back door, wondering where everyone was, and didn’t know whether to laugh or cry when I spotted an axe propped up in a corner. Hopefully, that was for firewood.

I made a beeline for the bathroom, which I really needed to use. It was small but serviceable, with a shower but no tub. There was still a fresh pine scent in there, but I tried not to associate it with the man I’d seen earlier. He wasn’t the focus—my screenplay was.

After taking a quick shower, I redressed in the sweats Drew had left for me, this time rolling up the sleeves and the cuffs so they weren’t so big on me.

I felt better when I emerged from the bathroom, even after I heard someone in the kitchen. It was Tristan.

“Hi,” I said, hovering in the entrance.

“Hey there.” He was standing at the counter in front of a coffee maker. “Bet the shower felt good. The hot water helped my muscles this morning.”

For a moment, I visualized him emerging from the shower, also clad in a towel. Something told me that sight would be pretty arresting, too. Just because I wasn’t comfortable with men didn’t mean I couldn’t appreciate a good-looking one.

“Yeah, it felt good. Um, where are the others?”

“They went for a walk with Zeus.”

“Out there?” I said before realizing how stupid it sounded. “I mean, how can they walk on all that ice?”

“Well, it’s easier on level ground. None of us are in a hurry to try to tackle a mountainside again anytime soon. Plus, Carter’s got these metal spikes that attach to your boots. He’s wearing one and Drew’s wearing the other, so hopefully, they don’t slide all the way down to New Mexico. Coffee?”

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