I silence her with a kiss, stopping only long enough to show her, to remind her just how much I love her.
How much she means to me.
“It’s over now, no more of that,” I tell her, wiping her tears away with my hand and making for our cabin. Huffing it through what feels like way more snow on the way up than there was coming down.
Once at the top looking back down, I can see where she must have slipped and gone over. The soft snow saved her from a heavier fall but she’s still hurt.
Something I’ll never forgive myself for.
I feel her hands pressing against my chest as I move, circling my neck as she collapses into me, and murmurs more apologies.
I’m worried for a second she’s hit her head too, but once we’re insight of the light of the cabin I can see she’s just exhausted.
Emotionally and physically.
I lay her out on the couch in front of the fire, which I bring to life in moments and set to work having a look at her ankle.
She winces as I take off her boot, but it’s just a sprain. No less painful I know, but I’m just grateful it’s not more serious.
I put her leg and foot up on pillows, ordering her to keep still while I have a good look at the rest of her.
Checking she hasn’t bumped her head and making sure she’s otherwise fine.
“Why did you leave without saying?” she asks, my face so close to hers I can feel the emotion in her voice as well as hear it.
I gently embrace her.
I didn’t want to go into it. It’s hardly worth it for such a person. But I guess she has to know sooner or later.
“That woman, Wendy your dad set me up with? I saw her leave the night I arrived. Didn’t think anything of it. Only remember because she took the same cab I hired to drive me up to take her back. I thought I was doing the driver a favor by asking reception if anyone needed a ride back down to town…”
I feel Serena relaxing under my arms and ease her back onto the pillows I set for her head and neck.
Like it or not, she’s my patient now and I’m not letting her out of my sight for a single minute.
“So why’s she here again?” she croaks, her voice sounding dry so I reach over for some water for her.
“Nothing good, that’s for sure. She got chummy with the guy at reception, got it out of him that your dad had left and must’ve seen us together… Or maybe she just used it as an excuse.”
“Excuse for what?” Serena asks, wincing as she tries to sit up.
“To blackmail me. Threatening to call your dad and tell him what we’ve done.” I tell her honestly.
“For money?” Serena asks in disbelief, and I nod. Not wanting her to know the whole story. It’s too ugly. I don’t ever want Serena to think I’d even consider a woman like that in that way.
In any way.
“What are we gonna do?” she asks, sounding more worried than ever.
I know she loves me, and she knows I love her. But hurting her dad is the last thing either of us wants.
“We’re gonna let you rest this ankle, I’ll get us something to eat, and then as soon as this snow clears we’re gonna get the hell outta here,” I hear myself tell her.
The determination in my voice reminds me just how much I want her away from this place at any cost.
She opens her mouth to protest, but I can see she agrees on so many levels.
I spoke my piece with Greg about him setting me up with his romantic matchmaking, I can’t blame him that the crazy cow came back for her own twisted reasons.
But there’s no way I want to spend another minute here unless we really have to.
“And no more going outside or into that damned lodge,” I tell her firmly, glancing at the door before lifting myself to go over and lock it.
The phone rings again, sounding more like a scream the closer I get to it.
Without even asking, I know who it is.
“Carter? What’s going on buddy? I rang earlier. Still can’t reach either of you on the cell phones… is everything alright? Put Serena on will ya, I never got a chance to say g’bye properly.”
Chapter Seventeen
Serena
I can tell by the look on Carter’s face.
I know it’s my dad on the phone.
The hands to hold me I missed once he left reaching out for me now.
Now that he’s had some time to come to terms with being suddenly called away from me and our holiday.
Realizing he’s left his only daughter alone with the one man he must know somehow, deep down loves her more than anything.