Snowed In With The Prince (Forest Grove Series Book 1) Read online

  Mae arrived, bundled up head-to-toe in a huge red sweater and matching red hat, but she was glad to be called in. Mae had retired from teaching a few years back and enjoyed getting to see former students and past coworkers at the library. Around ten that morning, the library got busy, as people came in to check out free entertainment to help ride out the storm. They checked out tons of books, along with DVDs and audiobooks. Before she knew it, it was noon, and she and Mae had shut the place down.

  Grabbing her purse and her own stack of books, she hopped into her SUV and drove to Moore’s Pharmacy. After purchasing Tilly's medicine and making a quick trip to the hardware store and supermarket, she had her car loaded down with groceries and other essentials for the storm.

  Genevieve called Nana. It took several rings before she finally picked up.

  “Hello?” Genevieve could hear the television in the background. Nana was watching her soap opera, a staple in her life for as long as Genevieve could remember.

  “Nana? It’s Gen.” She focused on keeping her car away from the shoulder of the road. The mountains got steeper the further she got from town. Genevieve explained the situation to Nana and that she was going to Tilly’s house.

  “What if the weather gets bad before you get back? It’s so dangerous up on that road.” Nana huffed. “I don’t know why any young lady would want to live that high up in the mountains by herself.”

  “She likes the peacefulness of it, Nana.” Genevieve let out a deep breath. “You know Tilly. She isn’t scared of anything.” She paused. “If it even remotely looks like it’s going to start storming, I will just stay with Tilly. She has plenty of room for me to quarantine myself off from her.” Tilly’s house was way too big for just one person. Her family passed the house down generation to generation, and Genevieve hoped that one day Tilly would raise her family in that home.

  Nana was silent for a moment. “I guess that will be okay, as long as she has plenty of supplies.”

  “I’ve got the car loaded down. She doesn’t have the best cellphone service at her house because of all the trees, so if you don’t hear from me, I will be at her house.” She paused. “Don’t worry, Nana. We will be fine.”

  “Are you sure you girls don’t want to come to my house? I’ve got plenty of food and can help take care of Tilly.”

  Genevieve smiled at her grandmother’s kindness. “Thanks, Nana, but I don’t want you exposed to the flu. I will run in and run out. I’ll see you tonight or stay with her, but we will both be fine.” They said their goodbyes after Genevieve reassured Nana one more time. As she drove up the winding road up to Tilly's house, she couldn’t seem to shake an uneasy feeling in her stomach. Secretly, she agreed with Nana. Who wants to live this far up the mountain? Usually Tilly came to her house, since she lived in town and close to the library. She passed Bramblewood cottage and thought about Gabe. Wonder what he’s doing right now... Maybe he's reading up on fishing or woodworking. She smiled at the memory of him asking for book recommendations. Cute guy, but way out of my league. Ever since Jeffrey had played her, she knew her place. And a guy like Gabe would never be interested in her. Or at least not the way she wanted a man to be interested. Plus, he cut me off when I asked more about his job. Like he didn’t really want to talk to me about anything personal. She forced herself to focus on driving. No sense in worrying about him. She had sworn off men after Jeffrey and that was that. She let out a deep breath when she spotted Tilly’s cheerful blue mailbox at the end of her drive. Finally. She wheeled the SUV in, carefully pulling as close to the house as she could get.

  Genevieve grabbed all the bags filled with medicine and groceries and hauled them in the house. Tilly had left the door unlocked for her. She peeked in Tilly’s room to see her friend sleeping soundly.

  Genevieve went back to the kitchen and scrounged around in the cabinets until she found a large dutch oven. She filled the pot with beef broth, crushed tomatoes, onions, potatoes, green beans, corn, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. She quickly scrambled hamburger meat and drained the grease off. She dumped the hamburger meat in to pot and set it to simmer. She made sure Tilly had plenty of wood for her fireplace in case the electricity went out and the heat went out. She was relieved to see that Tilly had already stacked several piles of wood inside the house. She nuked a cup of Campbell’s tomato soup, filled a large glass with water, and made a grilled cheese sandwich. She went back to Tilly’s room and turned on the bedside lamp.

  Genevieve set the plate on the bedside table, then placed a hand on Tilly’s forehead. Her hand burned against Tilly’s skin. “Til, wake up. It’s me.”

  Tilly opened her eyes, squinting against the light of the lamp. “Gen, thanks for coming over.” She coughed then smiled weakly. “I feel terrible, but I’m glad to see you.”

  Genevieve helped her sit up and handed her the glass of water. She handed her the medicine that the pharmacist had given her. “Drink, and take this.” Tilly swallowed the medicine, then gulped down the water. Once she’d finished, Genevieve handed her the cup of tomato soup. “You need to eat this.” She paused. “I bought plenty of cans of soup and put them in the pantry, but I’ve got you a pot of homemade vegetable beef soup simmering on the stove.”

  Tilly looked over the cup at her gratefully. “You’re the best.”

  “Are you sure you don’t want to go back to Nana’s with me?” Genevieve didn’t want them to get the flu either, but she worried about Tilly being here alone sick and in the storm.

  Tilly waved her hand. “No, but thank you.” She sighed and set the cup down. “I’m going to just rest.” Genevieve went to the linen closet in the hall and pulled out several blankets. She placed them at the foot of Tilly’s bed. “I’m putting these blankets here in case you need them. There is plenty of wood in the living room for the fireplace, so I think you should be in good shape. Just make sure you drink plenty of fluids.”

  Tilly smiled. “I will, doctor.” She coughed. “But really, thank you so much. Now get back home before this storm comes in.”

  Genevieve mimed hugging her. “Hugs from afar. Call me later if you can so I know you are all right.”

  Tilly nodded. “I will.” Genevieve turned the lamp off and pulled the bedroom door shut. She made sure the door was locked and said a quick prayer of healing for Tilly.

  It was only four o’clock when she climbed back into her car, but it had gotten colder and darker than when she arrived at Tilly’s. The last weather report said the storm wouldn’t arrive until around seven tonight, so I should be fine. As she started down the mountain, the wind blew harder. Her chest felt tight. She took a deep breath. Maybe I should turn around and stay with Tilly. She loved her friend but the thought of being stuck inside with her flu-ridden friend was not appealing. What if we both got sick? Plus, I really want to spend the next few days with Nana if we get snowed in. Genevieve crept slowly down the mountain. Snow started blowing as if it were coming out of a machine. The road seemed to twist even more going downhill. At the rate I’m going, I’ll be lucky to get home by seven. Out of the corner of her eye, something darted into the road. Genevieve slammed on her breaks. The SUV’s tires shimmied for a moment. Her hands tightened on the steering wheel, bracing for impact. A large deer was only inches away from her vehicle. Its dark eyes glinted against the lights from the SUV before it ran off to the side of the wooded forest. Genevieve’s breath hitched. I almost hit it. She looked behind her to make sure no one was coming. She didn’t want to get rear-ended but needed just a moment. Once she caught her breath, she slowed her descent again. She thought she had plenty of time, but now she was getting scared. She leaned forward, trying to see. Her tires crunched against the cold, hard ground, as she ran off the road. Thank goodness she was driving against the shoulder and not the edge of the mountain. Tears pricked her eyes. Breathe, just breathe. The snow was piling up before her eyes. I'm not going to make it back down the mountain. And I can't stay up here. There's no one up here, except for a few houses tucked
away in the woods. It will be days, if not weeks, before anyone drives up this way, if the storm is as bad as predicted. Her heart raced. I’ll freeze to death. Maybe I could walk back to Tilly’s if I can’t drive? She shook her head, forcing herself to breathe. No, it’s too far. Breathe, just breathe. She forced herself to concentrate. I’ve got to keep going. She inched her way down the mountain, driving at a snail’s pace. The snow seemed to fall heavier by the second. Out of the corner of her eye, a tiny red sign swayed in the strong wind. Bramblewood Cottage. She sighed. Thank God. She eased her car in the driveway. Snow was already piling up so much that her tires shimmied as she turned to angle with the driveway. She hopped out of the SUV with nothing but her purse in her hand. By the time she reached the front door, her pants and shoes were soaked from the snow. She rang the doorbell, praying Gabe was home. After a few minutes, a shirtless man, dripping wet with nothing but a towel slung across his hip, opened the door.

  Gabe grinned devilishly. “I was just thinking about you.”

  Chapter 5

  Gabe couldn’t believe his eyes. The cute librarian shivering in a red parka and bulky navy sweater looked at him with pleading eyes.

  "I'm so sorry for barging in like this." She sighed. “I got stuck in the storm coming down the mountain.”

  He waved her inside. "Come in, come in.” He took her coat, holding one hand on the top of his towel. His impeccable manners took over. “Is there anything I need to get for you out of your car?"

  She looked him up and down, taking in his bare chest. "I think I'm the one who needs to go back out to the car, don't you think?"

  He smirked. "I guess so. I’ll go throw on some clothes.” He went to his room and pulled on a pair of jeans and a dark green shirt.

  When he returned to the living room, Genevieve had returned with another jacket, a sweater, a small duffel bag, a blanket, three bags of groceries, and a flashlight. She told him about Tilly and her scary trip down this mountain.

  “I’m so glad you found the cottage.” Gabe glanced outside. “The snow is really piling up out there.” She shivered. “Thank goodness you were here. I've got a few more things to get out of the backseat.” Genevieve glanced at the bags of groceries she’d set down on the couch. “I picked up a few things at Drew’s for me and Nana while I was getting Tilly’s stuff.” She stopped. “Nana! I’ve got to call, so she isn’t worried sick.” She picked up her cellphone. “I told her I might stay with Tilly, but I don’t want her worried...”

  Gabe held up his hand. “I’ll get the stuff in your car. You call Nana.” He returned with several books, an emergency kit, and two cases of water. He set everything down, then placed another log on the fire. He’d taught himself how to start a fire. It was the little things that he never even thought about that someone else always did for him. At his father's palace, he never had to worry about being cold or starting a fire, and Gabe’s residence had gas logs. Gabe gathered up the groceries and started to put them in the pantry. Genevieve had walked over to the large window in the kitchen while he was outside, and he heard her telling her grandmother goodbye.

  Gabe glanced at her over his shoulder. “Everything okay?”

  Genevieve nodded. “Yes, she feels better having talked to me.” She looked down at her phone. “The cell reception was cutting in and out, but she got the message that I’m safe and sound here.”

  “Yeah, the reception started cutting in and out today. I assume it’s from the storm?”

  Genevieve shrugged. “I guess so. I didn’t have any reception up at Tilly’s.”

  Gabe pointed to the fully stocked pantry. “I went to Brock’s and Drew’s, so I’ve got plenty of supplies and food for us.”

  Genevieve sighed. “I can’t believe this. I’m so sorry, Gabe. The weather report said it wouldn’t come in until at least seven tonight. I thought I had plenty of time.” She sat down on the large overstuffed sofa in front of the fire. “The fire feels amazing.” She rubbed her hands together. “You must hate me intruding like this.”

  Gabe sat down beside her. “You aren’t intruding. It will be nice to have some company.” He hated to admit that he’d already started feeling lonely. “I don’t really know anyone around here.”

  “I’m a little embarrassed. I’m usually not gallivanting around when a major storm is brewing. It’s just that Tilly...”

  Gabe squeezed her hand. The warmth of her hand under his sent tiny sparks up his arm. “That’s what friends do.” He smiled. “Shows good character, if you ask me.” It takes a very kind and brave heart to go out in a storm for a friend.

  Genevieve looked up at him through dark lashes. “Thanks,” she muttered. Her dark eyes pierced his heart. She looked sad and unsure of herself. Who hurt her?

  Gabe stood up. “Look, we’ve got a storm to prepare for. You know more about this than me. What do we need to be doing right now?” He glanced outside. The snow was coming down even harder, and the sky was transitioning from gray to almost black.

  Genevieve perked up. “Okay, I can help with that.” She looked at the large flatscreen above the fireplace. “First, let’s turn on the tv to see what the meteorologist is saying.” Gabe grabbed the remote, flipping to the local channel. “Also, do you have a weather radio?”

  “Yeah, Haywood made sure I bought one.” Gabe smiled. “I’m pretty proud of it.”

  Genevieve grinned. “Good ole Haywood. He’ll take care of you.”

  The commercial ended, and Matt Lamar, the local weatherman, appeared. He looked somber. “Good evening, folks. We hate to interrupt your regularly scheduled program, but we need to alert you to the dangers of this storm. Our winter storm is officially being termed a blizzard now. As many of you know, this storm has moved in much more quickly than expected.”

  Genevieve rolled her eyes. “No joke.” Gabe laughed, but both grew quiet, as the camera zoomed in on Matt’s face.

  “This storm is serious, folks. We didn’t realize how much so, but the way these winds are picking up, it’s not safe to go anywhere. Seek shelter and stay put. Fill up any available bottles with water, cook up some food while you still have power. Gather all the firewood you have and get all your supplies in an easy-to-access area. Collect any coats, blankets, and warm clothes you have and make sure you can get to them.”

  Genevieve bit her nails. “Thank goodness I didn’t get that dog yet.”

  Gabe glanced over at her. “A dog?”

  She shrugged. “I’ve been thinking about rescuing a dog from the shelter, but I wanted to wait until I had time to fence in my backyard. I’m glad I didn’t get one yet or the poor thing would have been stuck at home without me.”

  Without thinking, Gabe reached over and squeezed her arm. Even through the thick sweater, he could feel the heat of her skin. She looked shocked at his touch. He jerked his hand away. “Sorry, I just know the feeling. I love dogs. I have two Corgis, George and Leo.” He smiled at the memory of his sweet dog babies.

  “You do?” She glanced around. “Where are they?”

  “They’re in England with my family.” He cleared his throat, hating to lie. “I guess you can say they like the royal treatment.” He looked down. “I wasn’t sure how much time I could spend with them while I was here, so Mother and Father are keeping them for me.”

  Genevieve’s eyes lit up. “I love dogs. We always had one growing up, and my parents have a twelve-year-old pointer named Millie.” She smiled, changing her whole countenance. She looked softer and even more inviting than before. Gabe’s heart beat faster. Maybe being snowed in with her isn’t such a good idea. I didn’t come here to get involved. Then, he remembered how she’d so easily dismissed him at the library. She’s not interested in me like that. He started to say something else, but Matt appeared back on the television again.

  “Looks like we are predicting an even heavier snowfall coming in tonight and tomorrow.” Matt sat down his notes and looked deeply into the camera, willing his viewers to listen. “Again, stay inside. Take
precautions. Do not go out in this storm.”

  Genevieve paced around the living room. “Okay, let’s get a plan together.” She picked up her cellphone. “No service now. I sure hope Tilly is all right.” She rubbed her hands on her pants. “Thank goodness I bought her all that extra food and water. And her medicine.” Genevieve paused. “She has plenty of firewood stacked up inside, and I made sure I loaded up her fireplace before I left.” She shivered. “People die from the flu. Do you think she will be okay?”

  “Sure, she will.” He grabbed her knee, looking deep into those velvety brown eyes. “You made her eat and drink when you were there. She’s warm and safe. She will take this better than anyone. Between the flu and all that medicine, she’ll sleep through the whole thing.” He winked, hoping he was right. “And maybe once the winds die down, we will have better cellphone service, and you can call. In the meantime, why don’t you email her on my computer? That way if she’s checking email at all, she will get it.”

  Genevieve nodded. “Good idea.” She looked around. “Okay, we need to pick a central location to stay that’s easy to keep warm, when the power goes out.” She glanced around the large living room that led into the kitchen. It had a spectacular view of the mountains out of the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, but the big open space and huge windows would make it an icebox if the power went out. “Is this the only room with a fireplace?”

  “No, my bedroom has one.” He pointed to a door off from the kitchen. Genevieve got up and walked to the closed door. “Okay if I check it out?”