I swallowed back bile and a curse. “It’s so cold, Zach… He can’t be out here alone.”
“I agree. Let me get you back to the truck, then I’ll load up the sled and leave him a note. Hopefully he’ll come back to check on things. Get the food and whatever. I’ll even leave him the sled.”
“We should put him up in the manor. There’s room…”
“He might not want to be that close to people, and even if there aren’t many around right now, classes restart in a few weeks. It means people in and out.” Zach turned an assessing gaze on me. “I’m worried too. But we don’t know where he is. Let’s leave the food and a note. I’ll talk to my guys. The trailer is beyond repair, but I know a guy who deals in trailers. Could probably get something reasonable. It’d cost more to bring a new one all the way through to here than to actually buy something elsewhere.” He sighed. “And install solar. He’d have to keep the panels clear, but that would be more reliable and less expensive than a wired line.”
“I have money saved,” I said. “I can help.”
Zach waved at the sled. “Let’s get you back to the truck.”
“I do want to help,” I said, carefully climbing back on the sled.
“Why?” Zach asked. Which I thought was a little rude. Didn’t people normally want to help others? “I mean, why Rio? Lots of people you can help through the food bank. Why Rio?”
I shrugged. “No one else seems to care. But he’s nice. Lost, it seems. He said he used to be a combat medic and an EMT but doesn’t handle blood well anymore.”
“That would make things difficult,” Zach muttered.
“But does that mean we should throw him away? That seems unfair. I didn’t serve my country or do anything to save people’s lives, but I sort of have a lot. Why not share it?”
Zach glanced my way, giving me a warm smile. “You’re a good kid. No wonder Sofia rescued you.”
“I’m twenty-two. Not a kid.”
“Mhmm,” Zach placated. “And your interest in Rio is completely social, right? Help the veteran? Feed the people? Or because he’s kind of attractive and pays attention to you.”
I gaped at him. “That’s rude.”
“Blunt, not rude,” Zach corrected. “You’re needy.”
“I prefer high maintenance,” I grumbled.
“I’m not sure about that. Think you mostly are lonely. And that’s okay. Life is that way sometimes. Just be sure those you give your interest to, deserve it, yeah?”
“Okay, Dad,” I snarked at him. “Tried to give you my interest. Didn’t know you had the pretty Asian boy waiting for you.”
Zach snorted. “Me neither, but fate surprises us sometimes.” We arrived back at the truck and he helped me get in. “Let me load up the sled.” He pulled a pad of paper and a pen out of the glove box. “Write him a note. Tell him to come to the manor if he has no place else to go. It’s still blizzard season. I hope he’s not in some tent out there.”
Now that was a horrific idea.
“Write,” Zach waved at the paper. “Hurry so I can tuck it in with the food.”
I wrote. Given more time, I’d have crafted something better, more convincing maybe. The trek to the manor wasn’t a short one. Not on foot. Though I knew as the crow could fly it was probably shorter than taking the winding roads. But I espoused the virtues of the manor, food, warmth, and lots of space, and hoped I sounded convincing enough without being whiny or needy. Zach did not read the letter, at least within my sight. He took it, tucked it in between a stack of cans, then tugged the sled toward the path.
“Turn on the truck,” he called back. “Blast the heat, I’ll be back in a few.”
I reached over to put the key in and turned on the truck, cranked up the heat and shut my door and window. Soon enough the heat began to fog the glass. Was there that much moisture in the air? Did that mean there was another storm coming? I glanced up to the sky, which was darkening already because that’s what happened in winter this far north. It could be full dark before five in the evening. But the cloud cover was heavy too. Which worried me.
I pulled out my phone and opened the weather app. The connection was crap, but enough that I got a glimpse of the week’s forecast. Cold, colder, and a couple possible snowstorms. I glanced up and stared toward where I knew the trailer would be. Please let Rio see the note and get to safety before another storm hit. How did anyone survive in this sort of weather without heat and warm clothes? Even the short time I’d spent outside had frozen me to the bone through my giant, down feather jacket, knit hat and gloves, and the scarf Ana had crocheted for me. I’d already ordered the Ugg boots I’d been eyeing. Their fur-lined insides looked to be a delightful cure to cold toes, especially since the fake fur didn’t stir my inner moral outrage.
Rio could probably use a pair of Uggs. I’d bought them for myself and only agonized about their cost for a few days. Having been a shelter kid for a while, brand names and fancy clothes were on my low value list. Though sometimes spending a bit more made sense. Warmth over pennies, I reminded myself. Unless I was moving to Florida soon, it was a wise investment in my opinion.
The sound of a wolf howl rose from the woods, goosebumps forming on my skin, and the hair on the back of my neck rose. Was Zach okay? He hadn’t run into the wolf, had he? I rubbed away the fog on the glass of my window and stared out into the trees, watching for movement, wolf or man. What would we do if we lost Zach? There would be no manor. Sean would probably be heartbroken, perhaps return overseas to his family instead of staying here where people still looked at him funny sometimes.
I’d have nothing… There wasn’t enough in my nest egg to buy a house in the New York City, or even rent an apartment near a restaurant where I might work for wages a quarter of what I was paid now.
I trembled, wrapping my arms around myself. How fast everything could be gone. Life was really terrifying sometimes.
Then Zach appeared on the path, slogging through the snow, and my heart flipped over in relief. He made his way to the driver’s side and opened the door. He had to shake off a lot of snow before getting in. “I left the sled of supplies close to the door so he’ll see it, but away from the normal wind direction. Hopefully it doesn’t get buried if we get another storm.”
“Did you hear the wolf?” I asked. “Was it close?”
Zach hesitated. “Not too close. Yes, I heard it. Let’s get you home and warm. Bet tonight would be a great soup night.”
I loved soups and stews and the freshly baked breads that went with them. “Bread is already made. I could do a pumpkin squash soup, or the bacon cheeseburger one you love.”
“Hmm, cheeseburger. Sean likes the pumpkin better.”
“I can make small batches of both.”
Zach nodded and steered the truck back toward the manor. “Let’s plan on that, with some of that sourdough Sean likes.”
“And pickles for you,” I added. Zach loved pickles in his hamburger soup. It was odd, but when I’d tried it, the vinegar touch had been excellent, though not everyone liked it. Zach didn’t eat a lot of carbs, part of him being a big guy I think, though he didn’t seem to have a weight problem. He was just naturally a bit rounder in the middle.