“Wow, Gramps. I had no idea.”
“We didn’t talk about it much after the fact. I remained close to my cousin until the day he died, and I went out of my way to make sure there was never any bad blood between us.”
“Did he ever get married?”
“Yep. Married a great gal a couple years later, and the four of us ran around together for the rest of his life.”
“I’m glad he ended up happy, too.”
“Believe me—so was I. Second-happiest day of my young life was standing up for him at his wedding.” After a pause, Elmer said, “You never really know what people go through before they end up with a happily ever after, son. It’s not always rainbows and unicorns or straight lines that lead from point A to point B. A lot of times, it’s hard and messy and painful.”
“Yeah,” Lucas said, marveling at how Elmer had homed right in on everything Lucas was feeling.
“But the most important thing is family. Your brother is your closest friend, your soul mate, if you believe in such things. The two of you have been like two peas in a pod from the word go. I’d hate to see anything come between you.”
“Me, too.”
“Then don’t let it, Luc. Amanda seems like a nice gal with a good head on her shoulders. If she’s taken a shine to Landon, well, then, there’s nothing you can really do about that. But being angry with him over it isn’t going to make it better for you. It’ll only make everything worse.”
Elmer was right. Of course he was. He was always right. “Very true.”
“I’m glad you agree. Amanda is only here for a short time. Brothers are forever.”
“Especially identical twin brothers.”
Elmer laughed. “Especially that. You okay, pal?”
“Yeah, Gramps, I’m good. This helped a lot. I’m going up to Stowe for a couple of days to ski and clear my head.”
“That’s a great idea. Have a wonderful time.”
“Thanks for calling.”
“Happy birthday, Lucas. I think this is going to be your best year yet.”
“I hope so.”
“Love you, son.”
“Love you, too, Gramps.”
Lucas put down the phone, feeling thankful for the unconditional love of his grandfather, who had always been a steady presence in his life. Elmer had made an excellent point. It would be foolish to allow a woman he barely knew to come between him and the twin brother who was also his closest friend. He wasn’t going to let that happen and would use the time away to get his head back on straight.
Amanda was a great person, and he really liked her. However, she certainly wasn’t the only woman in the world. If she had decided Landon was the one for her, Lucas would find someone else. Stepping aside was the right thing to do. He had no doubt about that after talking to his grandfather.
He couldn’t believe the story Elmer had told him about the early days of his relationship with Lucas’s grandmother. He’d never thought too much about how his grandparents might’ve gotten together, but he hadn’t pictured anything like the story Elmer had relayed.
The next day, after putting in a ten-hour shift at the firehouse that had included calls to a couple of snow-related fender benders and one elderly resident who’d needed transport to the hospital, Lucas set out for Stowe. Normally a ninety-minute drive, tonight it was slow going due to the snow that continued to fall. Lucas took his time, keeping the speedometer around forty and following in the tracks left by an eighteen-wheeler that was a mile or so ahead of him.
Driving in snow was second nature to him after growing up in northern Vermont. If Vermonters stayed home every time it snowed, they’d go weeks without leaving the house some years.
He’d called his friend Craig, who’d told him to use the house while he was out of town on business. Lucas had the security code to the house and was eager for some time alone on the slopes. Physical activity always helped to clear his mind, and he hoped it would have the usual effect on him this time.
He hated being out of sorts like this and needed to shake it off and get back to normal. Moping around wasn’t his style. At the peak of ski season in Stowe, he could also count on some good nightlife. Perhaps a night with a snow bunny would fix what ailed him. One thing he knew for certain was that getting out of Butler had already made him feel better than he had in days.
Two hours into the ride, he was yawning and guzzling the coffee he’d brewed at the firehouse to keep himself awake. His eyes were tired from staring into the snow that had seemed to intensify as he got closer to Stowe. Finally, he took the exit onto the local road that led to Craig’s place and found that it hadn’t been plowed.
“Awesome…”
He slowed the truck to a crawl, inching along while hoping he was still on the actual road. As he rounded a bend, he watched with horror as the car in front of him fishtailed wildly before pitching off an embankment into a ditch.
Chapter 3
“A baby is God's opinion that life should go on.” —Carl Sandburg
Lucas put on the emergency lights that were wired into his truck and pulled over next to the place where the car had left the road. The road was completely deserted except for him and whoever was in the car. Grabbing his parka and the badge he’d stashed in the glove box after his shift as well as the high-powered flashlight he carried with him at all times, Lucas got out of the truck and zipped his coat as he jogged toward the car.
He carefully navigated his way down the small hill that led to the ditch where the car had landed, illuminated by the red glow of taillights. Even through the closed window, he could hear the driver crying hysterically as she tried to open the door that was jammed against the slope. First order of business would be to calm her.
When he knocked on the window, she startled.
“I’m a firefighter and paramedic.” He spoke loudly, hoping she could hear him through the closed window, as he withdrew the leather billfold from his pocket and showed her his badge. “I can help. Put down the window.”
She lowered the window about halfway.
“I’m Lieutenant Lucas Abbott from the Butler Volunteer Fire Department. What’s your name?”
“Danielle,” she said between sobs. “Danielle Rowson.”
“Are you hurt, Danielle?”
“I… I don’t think so.”
A squeak from the backseat got his attention, and that’s when he realized there was a baby in a car seat.
He was relieved to see the baby’s arms and legs moving.
“I don’t have a cell phone,” he said. “Do you?” It wasn’t unusual for people in Vermont not to have them, since the reception was spotty in the mountains.
“I have one, but it lost service a while ago.”
“That’s pretty common up here. Okay, then, I guess we’re it. If you’re sure you’re not hurt, I can help you out and then get the baby out. I can drive you wherever you need to go.”
As he handed her the billfold containing his badge, he could tell she was trying to decide whether she should allow him to help her. “I know I’m a stranger, but I swear you and your baby are safe with me. I’m the eighth of ten kids. My brothers and I are all certified in cold-weather rescue, and like I said, I’m a lieutenant with the Butler fire department.”