The Snow Leopard's Baby (Glacier Leopards 2)

“Cold,” Leah told her, and stood up. She let the snowball fall back to the ground.

Jeff had been half-expecting her to toss it at him, and was disappointed that the playful mood at the door had disappeared so quickly.

Instead, Leah brushed off her gloves and told Emily, “Okay, we have to go now. We’re all done with the cabin.” She looked back at the snow-covered little building, and then squared her shoulders and started forward. “Let’s make sure we get to the road in time to meet our new friends.”

“This way,” Jeff said, letting the playfulness fall away. After all, they did need to get to the road.

It wasn’t too far from the cabin to the road, but it took a little while because the snow was so deep. Jeff had Leah follow him so that she could use his footprints, and kept his strides short to make it easier on her. He checked over his shoulder regularly, and she was always walking doggedly on, her gaze shifting back and forth between the ground in front of her and Emily.

When they reached the road, there was an SUV waiting. Leaning against its door, arms crossed, was Grey Landin.

When he saw them, he pushed himself up to his feet and came forward. “Jeff,” he said. “You had us worried there for a bit.”

Grey was a man of very few words, and he kept his emotions pretty well locked down, so Jeff was flattered to hear even that much. “Was out checking the roads, unofficially,” he said, “and I found these two.”

Leah came up to his side and held out her hand. “Leah Sanders,” she said. “Thank you so much for coming up here in the snow to get us.”

“Grey Landin,” Grey said, shaking her hand. “It’s no trouble. This is our job.”

“That’s what Jeff said.” Leah glanced at him, a smile hinting at the corners of her mouth. “Still, I’m very grateful.”

“And what’s this little lady’s name?” Grey asked. His eyes were unexpectedly soft at the sight of the baby. He reached out to touch Emily’s little hand.

Jeff’s eyebrows went up. He wouldn’t have expected stony Grey Landin to get sappy over a baby.

“This is Emily,” Leah told Grey. “Jeff saved her life, and mine, last night.”

“It was my pleasure,” Jeff assured her. “Grey, her car’s a ways back on the road...”

“I saw it on the way up,” Grey said. “In fact, I stopped and grabbed the car seat out of it, set it up in the back of the SUV.” He looked at Leah. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“Mind? I’m very grateful,” Leah said, heartfelt. “I’m sure you’re a safe driver, but after what happened on the way up...I’ll be much happier knowing she’s in a car seat instead of just being held.”

“No problem at all,” Grey said easily, and opened the door for Leah to strap Emily in and climb in the backseat.

Jeff quashed his desire to get in the backseat with Leah and Emily. He’d have plenty of chances to spend time with them after they got back. “Thanks for coming up,” he told Grey. “Pop the trunk?”

Grey did, and Jeff loaded all of the stuff he had in the trunk, then came back for Leah’s backpack. “Should we stop by your car on the way back and clear it out?” he asked. “That way your things won’t get wet if the snow melts.”

“Oh—I wouldn’t want to inconvenience you.” Leah glanced from Jeff to Grey.

“This is our job,” Jeff reminded her. “It’s no trouble.”

“Well...thank you, then,” Leah said. “Thank you both so much.”

Jeff murmured a no problem along with Grey, but he couldn’t shake the feeling of discomfort. Leah shouldn’t be so formal, so...grateful. He missed the easy way they’d been talking to each other back at the cabin.

Soon. Soon he’d talk to her, and explain the situation, and she’d understand. And then they could relax again, because everything was going to be fine.

***

Leah sat in the back of the SUV with Emily, trying not to feel miserable.

It was hard. Her magical stay in the cabin with Jeff was over. It was time to get back to the real world. But somehow the real world seemed so much worse, now that she had that snowbound vacation to compare it to.

Her heart sank even further when they came to a stop next to her car. It was a snow-covered lump, with one door brushed off—the one with the broken window.

She hoped Grey hadn’t cut himself getting inside.