Snowed In

Boone laughed dismissively. “Okay, fine. While you’ve been catnapping through the morning, Shaggy, Scooby and I have come up with a sort of a plan.”

“We have?” Jeremy piped in. I couldn’t tell if he was being funny or serious.

“Oh yeah.”

Shane grunted as I scraped the rest of the bowl clean. A plan sure sounded good to me. Almost even as good as eating breakfast.

“We’re going out there today, Shane and I,” said Boone. “For a few hours at least.”

My body stiffened. I didn’t like that at all.

“Maybe we’ll run into a rescue effort. Maybe not. Either way we’ll be shouting our balls off, and gathering firewood so at least we’re accomplishing something. The treeline’s not far from here, and I saw a lot of deadfall and broken branches on my way in.”

“But—”

Boone silenced me with a finger. “Don’t worry, we’ll be sticking close to home so we don’t lose our way back.”

Jeremy scratched at his goatee. “And what am I doing?”

“You’ll be helping the professor here fix the radio.”

I sneered back at him smugly. “The professor?”

“Yeah. That’s you. The prof—”

“I know it’s me,” I sighed. “But really?”

Shane stepped up, and he was grinning too. I was glad they were still getting along at least, even if the latest joke was at my expense.

“He’s right,” Shane said to Jeremy. “You’re a bigger dork than she is. You should definitely be the one helping with the radio.”

“For the record, he is not a bigger dork than I am,” I said proudly.

“You sure about that? We’re talking about a guy who plays Pokemon cards at the kitchen table during frat parties.”

“Yugioh,” Jeremy corrected.

“See? My point is made!”

“Alright, alright, he can help me with the radio.” I looked over at Jeremy and winked. He smiled back at me and dropped all further protest.

Together we dressed the others as warmly as possible, Jeremy giving up extra layers of his own clothing for the cause. With the opening cleared, they were finally ready. Or at least, as ready as they’d ever be.

“Hey,” I said again sternly. “You’d better both be careful.”

Almost out of nowhere, Shane’s arm slid around my waist. He pulled me tight against him and planted a big, unexpected kiss right on my lips.

“For good luck,” he grinned, before stepping out into the snow.

I was flustered, dizzy, taken aback — all three things at once. Then Boone kissed me too, even more deeply and passionately. When our lips finally came apart, my legs practically gave way.

“Even better luck,” he said with a nod.

Still in a trance, I nodded back.

Together Jeremy and I watched them disappear through the opening, marching out into the wind and snow. They were swallowed almost immediately by the swirling white. Only a few meager footprints remained to show they’d been there at all.

“Ahem. What about my kiss?”