Chapter Two
Jaxson
I turned the satellite radio up. It was the only channels that came in within a hundred miles of Breckenridge. We were literally in the middle of nowhere. Just the way I liked it. I lived in Montana all my life, grew up in a small town a few hours from Breckenridge.
I cranked the music. Letting it blare and taking a few minutes to myself after a long day visiting the next town over, I drove the main pass through to Breckenridge. It was late. The road was not well-traveled, let alone between storms. While it wasn’t currently snowing, there were a few inches from the most recent storm. I had no trouble with my truck getting up the mountain, and I had chains for my tires when the weather gave off a real bite.
I slowed on the main road, the mountain pass. Catching sight of a small car tinkering on the edge of the ravine, I put my truck in park and left the engine idle and the lights on. I reached for a flashlight and stepped out. Pulling my coat on and zipping it up, the night air was chilly. If someone needed my help, I wanted to be prepared.
“Hello? Anyone in there?” I called out toward the vehicle. The windows were smashed, and the lights were off. There weren’t any hazards flashing. I shined my flashlight into the car. There was no sign of anyone inside. It was likely someone stopped by and picked up the driver.
Who in their right mind would drive that car up the mountain in winter? It didn’t have to be a snowstorm to know that you needed four-wheel drive and chains to make it through the snow. That didn’t even consider when the rain washed out the road or the ice storms made the road impassable.
I pointed my flashlight toward the ground. There was a set of tracks, female footprints based on the heels and shoe size, and they headed for the main road. I shined the light farther down, the impressions continued, but my flashlight couldn’t be seen after the turn in the road, a switchback.
Sighing, I headed to the truck, climbed back in, and was grateful for the warmth of shelter. Hopefully, whoever broke down was already picked up on their way to town.
I put the truck in drive and shined my brights. With my foot on the gas, I crept my vehicle up the mountain pass, my eyes on the main road, and on the footprints buried in the snow, following them up the mountain. I didn’t want to get distracted and miss if the person went off-trail.
Thankfully, she was smart enough to stay in the middle of the road. I picked up speed a little, both antsy and worried. The last thing I wanted was someone to freeze to death because I took my time.
Another mile north and a figure lay in the road, dark, curled up, and not moving. I left the car running. It was a person, though I couldn’t tell from the distance if she was alive. I assumed it was a woman based on the shoes. I stepped closer. She lay shivering on the snow-packed road. The woman lay curled up, a gray-green knapsack, and her purple coat blocked any evidence of an actual person as she attempted to bury herself to keep warm.
I cleared my throat, not wanting to startle the woman. She didn’t budge on my approach. That wasn’t a good sign. “Hello,” I said and bent down, resting a hand on her back. At least she was alive. Her body trembled against my hand. She was as cold as ice, and it was no wonder why.
I heard her try to speak, but I couldn’t make out her words. “I’m Jaxson,” I said to her, trying to reassure the young woman that I didn’t intend to cause her any harm. “Can you stand up?”
Her words were mumbled and incomprehensible.
“I’m going to pick you up and carry you to my truck,” I said.
She nodded slightly, and I breathed a sigh of relief that she was at least responsive, even if she was too cold to speak. I scooped her up into my arms and carried her to my truck. It only took a minute for me to open the passenger side door while holding her. I maneuvered her inside and hurried around to the driver’s side door. I climbed into the truck and blasted even more heat on her. I cranked the temperature up to thaw the poor woman.
She shivered in the front of my truck. She’d been careless abandoning her car, walking at night in the cold, alone. I reached into the backseat for an extra blanket I kept on hand for emergencies. This qualified as an emergency. I unfolded the thick blanket and covered her body to help her get warm. We were too far from the nearest hospital for her to be evaluated for frostbite. That was a solid two-hour drive in pleasant weather, and it meant passing the other side of the mountain where the weather was unpredictable.
“How long were you out there?” I asked. I unzipped my coat and pulled it off my shoulders. The car was already warm and too hot for me. She didn’t seem to be overheated, so I left the thermostat alone and tried my best to make myself comfortable.
“Awhile,” she said.
It was the first time I could understand the words coming past her lips. The tremble in her voice had vanished. She was quiet, and her hands shook as she held them in front of the heater.
I was afraid to suggest for her to remove her gloves, concerned about frostbite.
“I’m Jaxson Monroe,” I said as I introduced myself to her again. She may not have heard me outside, or she did but didn’t respond.
“Ariella Cole.”
She smiled a bright and wide grin. Her cheeks were red, but at least they weren’t bruised or discolored from the cold. It could have been colder outside had it been the thick of winter. She was lucky.
“How are you feeling?” I asked. I had a million questions, and the longer I stared at her, the more I realized how beautiful she was, in a very much girl next door kind of way. Except there were no girls’ next door, and the number of women in Breckenridge was too few for my liking.
Honestly, I only needed one woman to care for, cherish, and take care of for the rest of my life. Of course, it wasn’t that simple, nothing ever was. Was it that I’d saved her made me want to protect her? No, I needed to protect her. I couldn’t explain the all-encompassing feeling.
“A little warmer,” she said as she glanced at me and gave me a faint smile. Her cheeks red flame appeared to be from a soft blush instead of the cold this time. I couldn’t help but wonder why.
“Good. I’m glad I can get you a little warmer. If you can buckle yourself in, I’ll get us back on the road and to town in no time.” I wasn’t going anywhere without both of us being belted into the truck. Even with only a few inches of snow on the road, it was still dangerous. There were wild animals that could tear across the road at a moment’s notice.
Ariella nodded, and her hands trembled, but she secured the seatbelt. I did the same and put the truck in drive. We headed up toward Breckenridge. I didn’t ask her if that’s where she was heading. If she stayed anywhere else, I’d find her a room for the night and deal with her situation tomorrow.