but to inch along. As we round a corner, I see a car off the road with its hazards on.
“They hit a tree,” Tash says.
“That’s the only thing that kept them from going down the side of the mountain,” I reply grimly and ease the truck to a stop on the other side of the road so I’m sure it won’t follow the car and slide down the embankment. “I’m going to make sure no one is in that car.”
“Be careful,” Tash says before I climb out of the truck and fight my way against the fierce wind and snowfall to the driver’s side of the car.
I knock on the window. When the driver rolls it down, I’m shocked to see Beth, the bakery owner, looking up at me with terrified eyes.
“Oh, Sam.” She swallows hard. “Thank God. My phone is dead, and I can’t get the car out of this ditch.”
“It’s not a ditch. It’s the side of the fucking mountain, Beth. Are you hurt?”
“No, just scared.”
“Okay, roll this up and grab your bag. You can ride down with us. We’ll call a tow for the car, but it’ll probably be stuck here until after the storm blows through.”
She nods and does as I say, and then we’re both fighting against the wind back to my truck.
“We’re going to squeeze in,” I say to Tash when she rolls down her window.
Natasha immediately turns to the kids in the back and tells them to lift their legs so Beth can squeeze between them to the middle seat in the back.
Once she’s in, I shut the door and hurry around to the driver’s side.
“Thanks so much,” Beth says. “That was maybe the scariest thing that’s ever happened to me. I appreciate the ride home. Oh, you must be Tasha. I’m Beth. Sam talked about you nonstop last night when he came to the shop to get the extras I had there.”
She’s a ball of nervous energy, talking like crazy, but I block out the chatter and focus on getting us all down the damn mountain in one piece.
When I reach the bottom where this road meets the one that leads into town, I breathe a big sigh of relief. The snow is just as intense down here, but it’s not as cold, so I shouldn’t have to fight the ice on the roads.
“What’s your address, Beth?”
“Oh, I’m in the apartments just up the road here. Just before you get to the first stoplight.”
I nod. I know the apartments very well.
I just moved out of them.
“I love the building,” Beth continues. “And I have the cutest neighbor. I don’t know his name, but he just moved in. He looks like he might be in the military. He doesn’t say much, but he seems really nice.”
Tash and I share an amused glance.
“I wish I knew who his friend is,” Beth continues. “The one who helped him move in. Holy sexy, Batman. I mean, they’re both something to write home about. It’s a pity that he didn’t move in during the summer when he could have washed his car with his shirt off. And his friend could have helped.”
Natasha laughs out loud now and glances back at Beth. “Actually, the guy who lives there now is my brother, Gage. And you’re right, he just got out of the Army and moved back to town. He’s definitely nice, and if you need anything, he’ll help you out.
“His best friend is Seth King. If you want, I can introduce you to him. He’s single.”
“No.” I look into the rearview and see Beth shaking her head adamantly. “No, definitely not.”
“Seth’s awesome,” Tash points out.
“Trust me. Hot guys and I don’t mix well. Been there, done that, have the baggage to prove it. But he sure is nice to look at. That’s me, on the end.” She points to the end of the building. “Thanks again for the ride.”
“Do you want me to call the tow for you, or do you have it?”
“Oh, I can do it.” She eases her way out of the truck and then smiles when I roll my window down. “It was nice to meet you, Natasha. Come into the bakery anytime. My treat.”
“Thank you,” Tash says. “Happy Thanksgiving.”
“You, too. Bye.” She waves, and I wait while she climbs the steps to her apartment. When she lets herself inside, I put the truck in gear to head home.
“Okay, so she probably wasn’t flirting with you,” Tash admits.
“She’s nice,” I reply.
“Yeah, I like her. She’s