Number four: Packing. God and heavens above, he hated packing.
Guy huffed and settled his gaze on the clock hanging on his wall. It was late in the day, but he still had time to mark a couple of those things off the list. So, he stood from the couch he had planted his ass on and got ready to go visit his job. Then he could stop at his bank to get a few cashier’s checks taken care of. He was sure Weylan and Gemma could handle the rest for him. If not, he will work something else out.
* * *
The day the storms were set to shut down the passes, Guy headed out. He tossed everything he figured he would need—strictly the essentials like hygiene things and clothes—into a large duffle bag and set it in the passenger’s side seat of his pickup. From there, he started the two to three-hour drive toward the Cabin.
He hated that he was leaving with some unresolved issues, but he couldn’t postpone his trip any longer. Especially with the storms coming. And according to the news, they were going to be a doozy.
Still, it bothered him that Cassidy was pretty much MIA. He hated to think she would ghost him. Especially after building a solid friendship with him. And it wasn’t like her to avoid him. What was worse was Gemma hadn’t heard from her either.
He was so tired of not having a mate. His bear was growing restless. Of course, he wanted more from Cassidy. He was willing to go all in. Even if things wound up exploding in their faces in the end. But she wouldn’t have it.
He was essentially friend-zoned. Like he had been with many of his exes. A few of them, however, he would never form a friendship with if they were the last people on earth.
Men might be known notoriously as assholes, but he’s met and dated several women who trumped the worst of men. No joke.
His phone rang. He clicked the answer button and then held it up to his ear. “Yeah?”
“How’s the drive?” Ezra asked.
“As expected,” he said. Though he had gotten started on the drive, he wasn’t very far… and he didn’t necessarily lie. Everything was going according to plan… so far. “What can I do you for?”
Ezra chuckled. “Please don’t say that to me again. It sounds dirty.”
Guy chuckled half-heartedly. “Yeah, yeah… what do you want? Is that a better question?”
“Yes,” Ezra said. “Have you made it to Gypsum yet?”
“No. I got a late start,” Guy admitted and hoped Ezra wouldn’t ask any further questions.
“I hope you make it over the passes before they close,” Ezra said.
Guy stared out the windshield. “It hasn’t started snowing yet, but the clouds are a lovely shade of purple.”
“Well, safe trip,” he said. “Let me know when you get in.”
“Yeah. Will do.”
Guy ended the call and gripped the steering wheel tighter. A few flakes of snow fell onto his windshield. He huffed.
Several hours later, and a few close calls on the pass, Guy’s nerves were shot. Top it all off, he was tired. Thankfully, he made it to the gas station where he was supposed to meet Luke’s sister and get the key to the cabin. He pulled up to a pump and killed the engine of his pickup.
He settled his eyes on the woman shoveling snow and forgot how to breathe.
He leaned against the steering wheel, resting his head on the hard plastic. He had taken one look at Luke’s sister, assuming she was the one he was supposed to meet and wanted to cancel the trip altogether.
She was gorgeous. And Guy had a weakness for beautiful women.
But he was too exhausted to turn back. The passes were probably already closed, and he had come all this way and had made all the arrangements. It was too late to go back on his word.
With a lot less energy, he left the fading warmth of his truck’s cabin to step inside the store.
The woman smiled at him, buried beneath layers of cloth from shoveling snow from the sidewalk outside. She asked how he was doing. Guy nodded at her and tried to keep his growing hopelessness from making it through his words.
“I’ve been better,” he said.
She was polite. Her voice was like honey. His blood warmed a little. “I’m sorry to hear that. Anything I can do for you?”