“Well?” Jackson’s weary voice greeted her.
“Do you want the bad news? Or the bad news?”
He arched a dark brow. “Is that a trick question?”
“Not at all. So which shall it be?”
Was that the beginning of a smile pulling at his lips? Serena couldn’t quite be sure. And then she conjured up the image of him smiling like he did each morning on television when he greeted the viewers. He was so devastatingly sexy when he smiled—
“Did you hear me?” Jackson sent her a funny look.
She’d lost track of the conversation, but she knew that he was waiting on her news. “The bad news is that there’s no phone service whatsoever.”
“And the other bad news?”
“We’re stuck here. Together.”
His handsome face creased with frown lines. “And exactly how long do you think we’ll be snowbound?”
She shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine. They did warn me when I rented this place that should there be a snowstorm, it would be quite a while until they dug me out considering I’m off the beaten path.”
“Just great.” He raked his fingers through his thick brown hair. “I can’t be stuck here. I have a job to do.”
Did he mean reporting that he’d found her? Serena didn’t want to believe he was like the paparazzi. She wanted to believe that Jackson Bennett had integrity and honor. But she couldn’t trust him. She couldn’t trust anyone—including her own judgment. She always wanted to see the best in people. And that had gotten her into trouble more times than she cared to admit.
Still, she didn’t want him to worry. “I promise you that as soon as possible, I’ll get you medical attention. And I’m sure soon people will be looking for you.”
His eyes widened. “Do you know who I am?”
What was the point in keeping it a secret? “You are Jackson Bennett. You’re the face of Hello America.”
A pleased look came over his face. “And I’m here on assignment. I have a camera crew flying in to help me film some Christmas segments.”
It was on the tip of her tongue to ask him if she was to be included in one of those segments, but she caught herself just in time. If he could be believed, he didn’t recognize her. “I can promise you, they are
n’t getting through the storm.”
“Is it getting worse?”
She nodded.
He muttered under his breath. “I can’t just sit here.”
He went to stand up. As soon as his injured foot touched the ground, his face reflected the pain he felt.
“Sit back down. First, I think I should bandage your ankle and then you can sleep. When you wake up, help should be here.” She sincerely hoped so, for both of their sakes.
This luxury cabin may come with a fully stocked pantry and fridge, but something told her it would be lacking on first-aid items. She’d have to be inventive.
CHAPTER FIVE
JACKSON BLINKED.
It took him a moment to gain his bearings. That hike had taken more out of him than he’d expected. After Mae had bandaged his ankle, she’d helped him into a pair of sweatpants and a long-sleeved T-shirt he’d packed in his bag, her cheeks pinking prettily all the while, and settled him on the couch with pillows and blankets. She’d then insisted that he get some rest.
As time went by, there were very few spots on his body that didn’t hurt. He didn’t want to think of what would have happened to him if it wasn’t for Mae. The mental image of his car going up in flames sent cold fingers of apprehension trailing down his spine.
Mae tried to act tough, but he’d watched how she fussed over her dog. She was a softy on the inside. In fact, he was willing to bet there was a whole lot more to Mae than being an angel of mercy. So what exactly was her story?