“The face? Really?” I abandoned my snowball and ran towards Laiken—or waded quickly. The snow was deep. And the snow gear we’d borrowed from the stash in the mudroom didn’t make moving any easier.
Laiken let out a shriek as I dove for her, rolling so that I took the impact. We landed in a deep drift of snow. “Boden! It’s freezing.”
I shifted on top of her, sprinkling a little snow onto her face. “Shouldn’t have played with fire.”
She tugged off my hat and dumped snow on my head.
“You minx.”
“Shouldn’t have played with the Ice Queen.”
I went for her sides, tickling her the best I could through her thick jacket.
It did the trick. Laiken squealed and squirmed. “Don’t you dare. Boden…” She maneuvered so that she fully sat atop me, straddling my waist. “Victory is mine!”
I gazed up at her, the sun hitting her face and snowflakes glistening in her dark hair. “I don’t know. I feel pretty damn victorious right now.” Even with the snow seeping into the back of my coat, I wouldn’t move for anything.
A smile stretched across Laiken’s face. She bent, brushing her lips across mine in the barest of touches. “Thank you for this. It’s been the perfect escape.”
I fought against the urge to lean in for more, knowing Laiken needed to be the one to make that choice. Instead, I tucked her hair behind her ear. “I’ll run away with you anytime.”
“Maybe next time we go for somewhere a little warmer.”
“I’m down for margaritas and you in a bikini.”
She laughed but then straightened.
“What is it?” I sat up with her. That was when I heard the faint sound of an engine.
Laiken moved to her feet, pulling me up with her. “Might be the plow.”
It didn’t sound quite loud enough. I squinted in the direction of the noise. “Look. I think it’s someone on a snowmobile.”
Laiken lifted her hand in a wave to whoever it was. “I bet Hayes had someone come check on us and let us know when the plow will get up this way.”
Small-town life was so different than anything I’d ever experienced. This neighborly, care-for-everyone-in-your-orbit and making sure everyone had what they needed. It was a breath of fresh air.
The snowmobile slowed and then stopped altogether.
“That’s weird,” Laiken said.
Something glinted in the bright sun. Metal. Everything slowed to heartbeats.
“Get down!”
A crack sounded as I threw myself onto Laiken, burying us in the snow. Pain bloomed. Then there was nothing but deafening silence.
26
Laiken
My heart thuddedagainst my ribs, a chaotic rhythm as I struggled to breathe. The sound of an engine broke through my consciousness. Panic flared. “Boden!”
“Are you hurt? Are you hit?” His hands skimmed over me, checking for injuries.
The sound of the engine moved farther away.
“I-I’m okay.” Pain flared in my back from the tackle, but it wasn’t horrible. More than livable. “We need to get inside in case they come back.” My voice sounded so calm, almost emotionless.