Christmas on 4th Street (Fool's Gold #12.5)(42)

“Lucky us.”

She ignored him and watched for the cabin. When she saw it and pointed, Gabriel nodded. He turned the truck so they were facing out, then they bundled into their coats, scarves and gloves and stepped out of the cab.

The first thing she noticed was the stillness. There was only the sound of their footsteps crunching in the snow. All around them was pristine wilderness. Bare trees, naked bushes and smooth, fresh snow. There weren’t even animal tracks. The cabin was dark and silent, with snow on the roof and drifts piled up nearly to the windows.

“It’s like we’re the only two living creatures in the world,” she said with a sigh. “It’s so beautiful.”

“Yes, it is.”

She turned to smile at him, only to find he was looking at her with anything but amusement. There was an intensity in his blue eyes, a flash of hunger that had her wanting to step toward him. But then he blinked and it was gone.

Tree first, she told herself, trying to sound mentally stern. Man-seduction later.

“Okay,” she said, pulling out her directions. “We go east.”

Gabriel pointed. “That way.”

She was going to ask how he knew, but figured she’d been enough of a pain, dragging him out here in the first place. Besides, it’s not as if she had some innate sense of direction.

“Lead on,” she told him when he’d collected the ax and some rope from the back of the truck.

They made slow progress through the deep snow. Noelle quickly realized there was no way she could have done this herself. Just getting out here would have been a challenge and it wasn’t as if she knew how to chop down a tree. Maybe she should have gone with one of the ones in town, she thought, then pressed her lips together. She must remember not to mention that to Gabriel.

“So, you and Mayor Marsha,” she said as she struggled to keep up with him. “That must have been interesting.”

“She wanted to talk to me about the new hospital in town.”

“New hospital? Oh, right. The one they’re building. I have a friend, Montana. She’s married to Simon Bradley. He’s a—”

“Famous plastic surgeon who specializes in people who have been burned. I was told. The mayor did her best on selling me the job.”

“Were you interested?”

“No.”

Disappointment weighed heavily in her belly. She wanted to say that Fool’s Gold was a great town and the people were really friendly and that if he stayed they could... What? Fall in love? Gabriel didn’t want that. He didn’t want a wife and a family. He believed the risk wasn’t worth the reward. If he stayed she would want to spend time with him and doing that would most likely lead to getting her heart broken. Better for them both that he disappear while she was still in emotional control.

“You’re going back into the army?” she asked.

“I haven’t decided.” He looked up as it began to snow again. “According to my dad, I don’t get to leave. I owe them until I’ve done my twenty.”

“He doesn’t want you to choose?”

“Sure. As long as I choose what he wants me to.” He pointed straight ahead. “Trees,” he said.

She wasn’t sure if he was excited about the find or simply wanted to get her to change the subject. Regardless, she kept moving her legs through the thick snow, and watching for the perfect tree.

Chapter 9

Noelle shook her head.

Gabriel wanted to complain that this was the fifth tree she’d rejected, but he couldn’t blame her. Trees that grew in nature had a lot more flaws than groomed trees grown specifically for the holidays. One had an entire side missing, while another’s branches were oddly twisted. She would have done better picking one from the lot. Not that he was about to say that. She was getting more dejected by the minute.

Even though she was wearing a thick coat and a scarf, he could see her shoulders were slumped. Her hat had lost its jaunty angle and now simply hung down by her ears. He wanted to tell her that they would find what she was looking for, but he wasn’t sure it was out there. The perfect Christmas tree had been elusive this year.

Snow fell harder as they waded through the heavy drifts. They’d both worn heavy boots, but were getting soaked from boot tops to knees. The temperature was dropping.

“Noelle,” he began, not wanting to disappoint her, but unwilling to risk their safety. “We need to go back.”

She nodded without speaking.

“Hey,” he said, reaching for her. “You don’t have to—”

The rest of his sentence was swallowed by a rumbling sound as the trees above them suddenly lost all their snow. Huge clumps fell on top of them without warning, nearly burying them. Noelle screamed, then slid to the ground where she disappeared completely. He managed to stay standing, but found himself in waist-high banks.

“Noelle!”

He dove into the snow, reaching for her with both hands. She’d landed on her butt but had already pushed up her arms and was digging her way out. As he dragged her up, she pushed against the ground and managed to stand.

“You okay?” he asked as he ripped off his gloves, then brushed snow from her face. “Are you hurt?”

She stared at him, wide-eyed. “I was attacked by snow.”

“Or trees. Either way, I’m thinking nature isn’t your friend.”