“Where are you?” Honey grabbed her jacket off the island and slid her feet into her boots.
“At the coffee shop downtown. The one by the bank. But it’s closed. I’m just so cold, and I didn’t know who else to call.”
“I’m coming to get you.” Honey was out the door and took the stairs two at a time. “Just stay there. Don’t go anywhere, and I’ll be there as soon as I can. Might take a bit to clear the snow off my car.”
“Are you sure?”
“One hundred percent. I’m glad you called.” Honey’s throat was tight. She’d been where the girl was. She knew how hard it was to ask for help sometimes.
“Okay.” The young girl sounded so sad and defeated, it broke Honey’s heart.
Honey pocketed her cell and went out the back door that faced the employee parking lot. As soon as she got outside, she was hit with a bitter wind, a gust of snow, and a smattering of ice pellets. She turned in a full circle. The lot had been plowed hours ago, but with the steady snowfall and now the freezing rain, it was not good. She eyed her car in dismay.
If she could get through the snow and ice to actually open up her vehicle, she doubted she’d be able to navigate the snow. Nash had been bugging her since November to get snow tires, and she hadn’t listened. Hell, part of her was surprised she was still in Crystal Lake, and she didn’t need them where she was headed next.
Another blast of wintry weather hit her in the face and galvanized her into action. She yanked out her phone and called the one person she knew she could count on. One ring was all it took.
“Hey, what’s up?” Nash’s warm voice filled her ear, and in the background, she heard voices.
“I need help.”
He didn’t hesitate. “Where are you?”
14
“Where you off to?” Cam came up to him just as Nash was pulling on his winter boots.
“Got to step out for a bit. I’ll be back.” Behind him, Tink pounded down the hallway and didn’t stop until he slammed into Nash’s legs.
“Uncle Nash can I come?” The kid looked up at him, those eyes of his amplified by his glasses, and the yearning he saw there made his heart constrict. Tink hadn’t left Nash’s side since the day before, when his sister had arrived for Christmas. Without her husband. Again. It didn’t take long to find out the break was now permanent; the bastard was living with some other woman and hadn’t seen his kids in two weeks. Tink was a smart boy. He knew something was up, but because of his age, he had no tools to handle it. He’d been whiny, wasn’t listening to his mother, and was generally being a little shit.
Nash felt for the kid. He bent down. “Not this time, bud.”
Tink made a face and stomped his feet. “I don’t want to stay here. It’s boring.” He emphasized the boring part and pushed his glasses up his nose. He was dressed in the ugliest Christmas sweater imaginable, with matching pants. The kid was adorable, and normally, that quivering bottom lip would be enough, but this wasn’t a trip Nash could take him on.
“It’s nasty out there, Tink. I wouldn’t go unless I had to.”
“Then why are you going?”
“A friend needs help, and I said I’d come. You wouldn’t want me to disappoint her, would you?”
Slowly, Tink
shook his head. “No.”
“Friend?” Cam grinned and reached for Tink. “Come on, little man. How about we play another round of Crazy Eights?” The card game was enough. Tink’s face transformed, and he yanked on Cam’s arm.
“Okay. But I want to dealt the hand.”
“You mean deal.” Cam pointed toward the kitchen.
“That’s what I said, silly.” Tink scampered back the way he’d come, and Nash reached for the door.
“Tell Mom I had to step out.”
“And where do I say you’re going when she asks?” Cam shrugged. “You know she’s going to.”
Nash didn’t bother to answer. He pulled out his gloves, tugged on a knitted black hat, and headed out into the storm. It took at least twenty minutes to get to the Coach House—normally a five-minute drive from his parents’. Luckily, his Jeep was four-by-four, or it might have taken longer. When he arrived, he spied Honey waiting outside, and as she ran for his vehicle, he reached for his cell. He left a terse voice mail for Terry, the guy in charge of his snow removal. He paid premium dollars to have his place done first, and it was obvious they hadn’t been by since early morning.