Auren stared longingly down the cliff at the forest surrounding the cabin. Her self imposed exile from civilization had helped her breathe again. Now when she woke up, she didn’t see work piling up and an endless to do list needing to be done, she saw the sunrise. Her painting sessions had become less austere and structured, less of a homework assignment being completed.
Glancing in at the half finished self portrait she was currently attempting, she smiled. Her skills and range as an artist were growing. Of course, being surrounded by all the natural beauty of her grandfather’s cabin helped. It sparked her imagination. She found herself dreaming of frothy churning ocean waves and rippling sandy desert hills with a clarity and detail that bespoke of her traveling the world. All while she was surrounded by snow-covered peaks, towering evergreens, and clear blue sky.
She wasn’t a great traveller but she wanted to be. Her last great expedition into the unknown world outside her hometown had been to the big city of Casper for art school.
School had been good. Life outside school wasn’t.
When grandpa had offered his cabin in the mountains she leapt at the offer. The trek into the nearest town was nearly an entire day ordeal so she had stocked up as much as she could when she had first come in. Unfortunately those supplies were dwindling and she would have to make her way back down into town soon.
“Gotta go sometime.” She groaned to the wind. A few minutes later she was still standing there smiling out at the view. “Tomorrow sounds good.”
She was halfway through her afternoon paint session when she heard noises that sounded oddly like a horse and crunching snow. And since she didn’t have any horses she quickly cleaned off her brush and headed outside.
Sure enough, a horse stood just inside the nearby treeline off to the side of the house with a trailer-like sled filled with something attached and covered with a pretty quilt.
“Hello?” She called from the doorstep. Someone had to have brought the horse and sled but she couldn’t see who.
Seconds passed and nothing.
“Hello?” She said again.
“Hey. Sorry.” The man who walked out from around the horse was covered head to toe in winter gear. “I was just checking on a few straps.”
Auren chuckled. “Is it really that cold? You look ready to take on the bitterest of cold.”
He shrugged. “I was warned that the trip up the mountain would be cold and I didn’t know how cold they meant.”
Nodding, Auren looked back at the pile on the sled. “So who sent you up here? Are you sure you have the right cabin? I didn’t order anything.”
“This is the Cartwright cabin right?” The man started unwrapping his scarf and pulling off his hat and gloves.
“Yes.” It was her turn to shrug. “I still didn’t order anything from anywhere.”
“Someone did. I can check on the order to see who it was if you’d like.”
Auren couldn’t stop staring at the man who had emerged from beneath the layers. He was a scruffy sort of handsome. She had definitely missed seeing him on her last stop through town.
“Who are you?” Auren pulled her jacket tighter. Maybe it was cold enough to bundle up.
He almost dropped the papers he was shuffling through at the question. He did lose a few when he quickly stuck his hand out. “I’m so sorry. That should have been the first thing out of my mouth. I’m Dan Gibbons. My mom is the owner of the market.”
“I didn’t see you last month.” She smiled at her audacity. She never was good at talking to guys when she was at school.
“Last month?” He looked confused. “No I suppose not.” He paused and looked at her with more pointed attention. “Were you in Phoenix? Have we met before?”
“I…no.” Auren blushed, wishing she hadn’t said anything. “I meant here.”
He chuckled and shook his head. “I’ve never been to your cabin before.”
“Not what I meant Mr. Gibbons. I meant at your mother’s market. I stopped there on my way up here but if you were in Phoenix then it makes sense that I didn’t see you. Did you have that order receipt for me to see?”
“Call me Dan.” His smile lightened his whole face. “And I’m sad I missed you when you came by. I would have remembered you.”
“Thanks.”
Pulling out the paper he thrust it toward her. “Here’s the right one. It says it’s from a Miranda Cartwright? That you?”
Auren’s hand went to her face. “My mom. If that is food under that blanket of yours then she is probably assuming that I am starving.”
Dan moved back over to where the sled was. “Food it is. If you show me where you want it I’ll get it inside for you.”
“Oh I wouldn’t want you to waste your time.” Auren hurried to stop him.
His chuckle quickly turned to laugh. “So you want me to dump all your food in the snow right here? Or is this your way of saying that you want to keep the sled?”
“When you put it like that, I’ll show you where the kitchen is.” The blush returned and she was sure it was more red and blotchy than a cute little flirty pink blush.
“Lead the way.” Dan unlatched the straps and threw off the blanket to reveal several crates full of cans, produce, and meat.
It took several trips to get it all inside even with her helping and once it was, Auren glanced outside.
“Do you have time for some hot chocolate before your trek back down?”
“I think I will have to make time. How can I say no to an offer of chocolate from a beautiful woman?” He winked.
“Is that all it takes?” Auren stepped into the kitchen again to grab mugs, chocolate and milk.
His laugh filled the cabin as he plopped onto the couch next to the fire. “No. I’d say I would also need to be very very interested in getting to know that woman as well.”
“Does that mean me or do you really really want hot chocolate so that you don’t freeze on your way home?” Auren knelt next to the fire and the pot hanging over it to pour in the milk and plop in the chocolate.
“You. Even if you didn’t have the hot chocolate I’d have found a way of finding some excuse to stay longer…or to come back up. Do you mind?”
She flashed a smile back at him. “Not yet.”
