Chapter Four
Jaxson
I may not have known Ariella that well, but it didn’t take a mind reader to see she was pissed. Her hands were balled up at her sides, her jaw tight and brow furrowed. She breathed heavily and loudly, although that could have been the fact it was cold in the cabin, and she was chilled.
While I needed to get home to Isabella, I also didn’t want to leave Ariella alone, in the cold and dark. If I’d have known earlier in the day that she was arriving, I’d have stopped by and started the fire in the stove. The cabin was frigid, and it would take hours to warm it up to a decent temperature.
“I can’t believe this,” she said, pacing the length of the room. Her feet heavy on the wooden floorboards. “I would never have moved here if I knew there wasn’t electricity. How am I supposed to survive without a refrigerator?”
I wanted to tell her to relax. Was that the wrong answer? I hated when the guys told me to chill out. “I’ll bring my generator over, and we can hook it up to a refrigerator. We’ll have to go into town in the morning and pick one out. I can drive it back and sent it up for you.”
She groaned.
“You didn’t notice the lack of a fridge in the pictures?”
Her lips pursed, and her eyes narrowed. “I may have been in a rush to buy considering the price. Now I see why it was affordable.” She rubbed at her forehead and slowly removed her gloves.
“Listen, why don’t you come back with me tonight. Stay over at my place for a few hours until your cabin gets toasty. Then I can drive you back, or you can walk home. It’s not far between our properties. There’s a bridge that goes over the river. I live just on the other side of it.”
She exhaled a heavy breath, and her tongue darted out, licking her lips. “We’re neighbors.”
“That’s right,” I said. “What do you say? I can bring by the generator in the morning, and we can go into town and pick up a new fridge.”
She stalled and shifted her weight on her feet. Was there another option that I wasn’t considering? I didn’t know of anyone giving away a free refrigerator, and the nearest thrift shop was hours away and never carried appliances. It was unlikely anyone had a spare refrigerator, though freezers were easier to come by since many of the townies were hunters and stored meat in the freezers.
“I’ll be fine tonight. It’s been a long day. I should probably just crawl up under the blankets and head to bed.”
“If you’re sure.” I didn’t want to push her. “There are extra blankets in the closet if you’re cold. Do you have a phone? I can give you my number in case you need anything.”
She slowly removed her gloves and unzipped her coat. “It’s dead. I need to charge it, but that seems an impossible task.” Ariella yawned and brought her hand up to her lips as if she could hide the gesture.
“I’ll bring you a solar charger in the morning. I have a spare.” I stepped back toward the door, not wanting to overstay my welcome. It was late. My daughter was at home and needed me.
“Thank you.”
I headed for the door. “If you need anything, I’m just over the bridge. It’s not too far a walk.”
“I’ll be fine, but I appreciate it.”
“Lock up after I leave. Most people don’t lock their doors in Breckenridge, but you shouldn’t make that a habit.” I’d seen too much in my day to leave a door unlocked.
She quirked an eyebrow. “Is there something I should know?” Her eyes were bright and wide, a deep olive that matched her sweater. I wanted to step closer, lean in to touch her shoulder, and reassure her she would be fine, but we barely knew one another, and I wasn’t one to make empty promises.
“It’s just better to be safe than sorry,” I said. It wasn’t anything specific or anyone who caused trouble. In the middle of nowhere, being in the woods led to a few individuals with dark pasts hiding out and keeping off-grid. While they never bothered me, I couldn’t say the same for a pretty young girl, all alone. I’d have to keep an eye on her and make sure she was safe. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” I headed outside and waited until I heard the click of the lock before hurrying down the porch stairs and to my truck.
Fresh snow fell, and I climbed into my truck and headed back the way I came, on the same narrow road that led to her house. I would have to travel back to the main road, then head another mile or so north before the next turnoff. While our houses were close, the distance and drive to get there was a lot longer than by foot.
The higher north I traveled, the more snow seemed to fall. It was blustery cold the moment I stepped out of the truck. I hurried inside my house, a two-story log cabin, and removed my coat and shoes. The hearth was lit, offering warmth and an ambient glow to the living room where Declan lay asleep. He snored softly. A checkered flannel blanket covered him. He had stretched out on the sofa, taking up the entire length.
I didn’t have the heart to wake him. Declan was a good friend, helping me out with Isabella. While he didn’t have any kids of his own, it was obvious he wanted them and would make a great father one day.
With the lights already off, I locked up the house and quietly headed up the stairs to check on Izzie. Curled up in her bed, she stirred as I entered the room. I held my breath, not wanting to awaken my baby girl. I watched over her for a long moment before finally tiptoeing out of her room and into mine.
Exhausted, I collapsed onto the mattress, not bothering to undress further. At least my shoes were downstairs by the front door. There was no way I could do much else.
I shut my eyes, prepared to let sleep win when a loud crash vibrated through the house. It came from downstairs.
“Declan?”