Nothing could be worse than the feel of your car’s tires spinning and sliding when you hit the brakes. Noelle Conroy eased off the accelerator and waited for the tires to grab on the snow and ice.

I got this.

She turned the wheel into the slide by a few degrees, and away from the sloping bank to the river.

Come on. Turn!

The brakes pulsed under her foot again and again. The car slid around the corner. With the mountain on her right and a drop-off on the left, she had very little wiggle room. The car picked up speed on the downward slope.

Turn, darn it.

Panic rippled in waves. Snow streaked like bullets through the headlights toward the car. Seeing a mound of snow ahead, she again tried to turn.

No. No. No!!!

The car bounced and jiggled and came to a final rest on top of a pile of snow.

Her orange tabby, Cheddar, who was curled in a tight ball on the passenger seat, stared at her wide-eyed.

“Don’t you dare glare at me like this is my fault. You try to drive on black ice and see how well you do.” The snow swirled in the beams of her headlights. “I’ll back up, and we’ll be on our way.” The perky positivity in her voice didn’t sound convincing, even to her.

Putting the car in reverse, she rotated the wheels left and right to clear the snow away from the tire path, then straightened the wheels and pressed on the accelerator. The whirl of wheels caused her stomach to churn.

Stinking-singing-monkeys-on-a-stinking-pogo-stick.

She closed her eyes and continued her colorful cursing.

Her prior all-wheel drive stick shift would have come in handy about now. She pumped the accelerator slowly, and rocked her body along with the car, as if by some miracle the extra bit of oomph from her body would help her little car roll itself off the pile of snow.

Nope. Totally stuck. She rested her head on the steering wheel. A breath she didn’t even know she was holding whooshed from her lungs.

She peeked at her cell phone.

No signal.

Just perfect.

Stuck in a snowstorm. Late at night. On an icy, rarely traveled road.

“I’ll dig the car out. That’s what I’ll do.” She added a heaping load of positive energy to convince herself the idea wasn’t entirely insane.

Her orange-striped tabby nuzzled further into the quilted throw but maintained his pointed stare.

“Okay, so maybe surprising Mom for Christmas was a bad idea, but I know she’ll be happy to have me home for the holidays. No one else will be there.” Thank goodness. She could only take so much of her siblings’ whiny negativity. “It’ll be great. You’ll have a place by the fire. Mom and I will set up the tree, and we’ll do singing and baking. You’ll love Mom. She’ll give you treats. You’ll see.”

She grabbed her winter jacket out of the back seat of her happy blue Yaris, then paused to tuck the edges of the blanket around Cheddar. Her teeth chattered as fast as a woodpecker pounding on a dead tree.

She stared into the moonless sky. The mountain ridges towered above the car like black skyscrapers, and made her feel small.

What was it she read about being stranded? Should she walk for help? Stay put? And what was she supposed to do if someone offered help? The rules were changing so often, she couldn’t keep track of them anymore.

She should never have read C. J. Box’s novel about two girls who vanished on a remote stretch of highway. Every time a semi truck passed her during the long drive from Nashville, she wondered if the driver was a serial killer. Just thinking about the book gave her the heebie-jeebies.

“I don’t have to worry. I’m going to get this car unstuck and be on my way in a few minutes—

“What?” She glared at Cheddar, trying to guilt the cat into changing the are-you-kidding-me expression on his fuzzy face. “I will, too. Just you watch.”

She was reaching for the car manual in her glove box when headlights lit the interior of her car. The possibility of help spawned a relief-terror tug-of-war.

Stay calm.

But what if he’s a murderer?

The driver had to be a he. Who else would stop in this kind of weather? Couldn’t he just slide on by?

Maybe I should hide.

Find a weapon. Yeah, that’s it!

She wrapped her fingers around a plastic fork, pointy end up, then discarded the flimsy object, then checked to make sure the doors were locked.

In the side mirror she watched the tall man’s slow approach along the icy road. The blinking of his amber SUV’s hazard lights spelled caution in more ways than one. Her hands tightened on the door handle. Her fingers shook with a shot of adrenaline.

When he knocked on the window, a sharp panic wedged in her throat.

“Ma’am, is everything okay?” He bent to shine a flashlight inside the car.

Blinded for an instant, she sputtered, “I'm all right.”

“What?” He turned his head to listen.

The stranger’s face cast in shadow seemed for a moment to match a menacing serial killer’s profile. Dread scraped a pathway up her spine and expanded across her chest. She rolled the window down a quarter of an inch.

“I said I’m fine. Just a little stuck, and I can’t get a phone signal.” She held up her cell phone.

He tucked his chin in his jacket to ward off the cold, revealing a nice-looking, regular guy. “Yeah,” he said. “This is a dead zone.”

She wished he hadn’t used the word dead, and she wished she hadn’t told him her phone wasn’t working. Totally a dumb move.

Fear jammed in the back of her throat, and played havoc with her can-do attitude.

He straightened and scanned the area. “We need to get you off the highway. That black ice is nasty, and we might get hit by the next car coming through.”

At least you didn’t hit me.

His exhaled breath wisped away like a ghost into the night. “I’ll get my shovel and a bag of Ice Melt. We’ll see if we can’t get you going again.”

His confidence allowed her to take a full breath, one she hadn’t been able to take since the snow started to fall in an impenetrable sheet of white. “Thank you.”

“I’ll be right back.”

The beam from his flashlight bounced on the black sheen of ice as he made his way back to his car. She zipped up her jacket, got out of the car, and studied the snow packed around the front tire. She dug in a heel and pulled a heavy wad of slush away from the tire.

“Let me help.” The nearness of his voice made her jump. “Front wheel drive, right?” She took a step back and studied the bag he’d thrust in her direction.

“You know your cars.”

“Mostly,” he nodded. “I’ll shovel while you toss down the snowmelt.”

She yanked her gloves out of her coat pocket, jammed her fingers in, and accepted the small bag while she observed the man.

He seemed nice enough.

And he was trying to help. Not that she was good at accepting help. Never had been. Independent was how she was raised.

“I’m Noelle, Noelle Conroy.”

“Conroy?” He studied her for the first time, seeing her, not a stranded driver on the side of the road. “As in Maggie Conroy?”

“She’s my mother. Do you know her?”

He leaned back and murmured something she couldn’t hear. Then he said, so she could hear, “Everyone within a hundred miles of this place knows Maggie. Those who don’t aren’t worth much.” He blew hot air into his hands and rubbed his fingers together and then extended his arm. “Ethan Brennan.”

Brennan? She shook his hand. The name sounded familiar. Her mind tumbled back in time. “There’s a doctor in Elkridge with the last name Brennan.” And you’re not him.

Ethan puffed out a hey-neighbor kind of chuckle. “Tom Brennan. He’s my uncle.”

“Small world.”

“Yes it is. Now let’s see if we can get you on your way. The road is narrow here, and those snow plows might not see us in time to stop.” He shoved the short shovel under the front of the car and pulled away a massive heap of snow.

She’d known Doc B for years. He always carried a supply of cherry lollipops in his pocket, and had treated her strep throat and stitched up her arm when she fell off her bike. She’d never met her biological father, but she wished he would be just like the kind, rural doctor who knew everyone in the county, and took his job seriously.

Ethan reminded her of Doc B, at least physically. He was a little over six feet tall, definitely on the cross-fit side, with a face that, if aged thirty years, would look a lot like her favorite, lollipop-dispensing Doctor B.

For the next five minutes, he dug while she tossed, trying to keep ahead of the snow pelting down.

“Why don’t you get behind the wheel? Time to find out whether we can get you unstuck.” He jammed the shovel into a two-feet-deep pile of snow, the black handle now barely visible.

She set the half-empty bag beside the shovel, then put a hand on the car’s frame to maneuver around to the driver’s side safely.

“I think we’re good, Cheddar,” she said, then closed the driver’s side door and rubbed a circle on the windshield so she could see out. “We’re going to get unstuck. Just you wait and see.”

A face with intense features appeared in the windshield circle. “Straighten your wheels.” Ethan placed his hands on the hood of the car and settled his feet into a better pushing position. “That’s it. Take it slow.”

As if she didn’t know how to get a car out of the snow.

Resentment welled up, but she swatted the negativity back down. He didn’t know her, and he was just being a guy. Besides, she wasn’t going to get stuck in the muck of skepticism like her brother and sister. Nope, life was full of the good stuff, and she would cherish the moments filled with cat snuggles and bubble baths.

As for digging out during snowstorms, she had done it often enough living in the mountain town. Preparing for winter was part of life, especially since Elkridge was so isolated from the populated ski resorts and larger towns in the area.

She pressed on the accelerator, then let the car rock. When the tires caught, she increased the pressure slightly, backing out onto the highway. When she was in a good position, she pulled forward and out of the way of oncoming traffic and flipped on her hazards.

Ethan was already on his way back to his car, as if helping a stranded driver was an everyday occurrence. It wasn’t for her. Accepting help was hard, and she was grateful for his no-fuss kindness. “Hey, Ethan?”

He glanced over his shoulder, then turned to face her as she walked his direction. “Is there a problem?”

“You could say that.”

She liked the way he took a ready stance, preparing to help with whatever she needed. “If I get to my mom’s place and she finds out I didn’t invite you by for some hot soup or a piece of pie as a way of saying thank-you, I’m going to hear about it.”

“I’m good.” His shoulders dropped and his stance relaxed. “I’ve got protein drinks in my car.”

Her tongue curled just thinking about seaweed and soy and sandy grit rolled into a single swallow. Yuck. “Please tell me you don’t prefer a cold protein drink to homemade chicken noodle soup with rich, buttery broth and tender, white pieces of chicken breast.”

She chuckled when he licked his lips.

“Since you put it that way.”

“Great.” She walked backward with a little more pep in her step. “I’ll meet you at the café?”

“Lead the way,” he said, with a slow cadence that reminded her she wasn’t in a big city anymore.

The sudden urge to swing her arms and skip came out of nowhere. She didn’t, of course. Landing on her butt in front of a stranger would make her look like a dork.

She made it back to her car in time to see him roll up behind her, keeping enough distance to be safe in icy, low-visibility conditions. She adjusted the rearview mirror. Sure enough, there he sat, waiting for her like a gentleman.

It had been a long while since she’d run into his type. She usually fell for the gregarious kind. The life of the party, flashy neon, party-hat type of guy. Ethan didn’t appear to be a partier. Much too serious. However, he didn’t quite fit any one checkbox. There was something about his guarded way that intrigued her. He was different. Strong, and quietly confident.

Cheddar cried to get her attention. “Yes, I know.” She glanced at the rearview mirror again. “It’s your dinnertime, and you probably need to use the litter box.” The orange furball stretched a paw in her direction. “Hang in there. Just a few more minutes and I’ll get you out of the car. Here, eat these.” She dumped out a few treats from the plastic dispenser by Cheddar. He sniffed at the treats, then turned and curled in the opposite direction.

“Suit yourself.”

Noelle put the car in gear and skidded her way toward home.

Elkridge sat nestled in the valley between two ridges, and reminded her of an old-fashioned Christmas card, untouched by time. Random lights sparkled across the hillsides, and the cluster of lights in the center warmed her soul.

I’m home, whispered her heart, but she wasn’t staying. She still had a dream to fulfill.

She pulled up in front of the café, parked, then popped her trunk. Ethan drove into the space next to her.

“Can I help with something?”

Her breath hitched. In the beam of the café’s lights, she saw what she couldn’t see before. Below his knit cap was a sculpted face as stunning as any artist could sketch. She loved his chin dimple. His high cheekbones and strong jawline completed the Mountaineer Magazine cover model look.

“I need to get Cheddar.”

He tossed the backpack she had in her hand over his shoulder. “I’m sure you can get some cheese or whatever else you want to eat inside.”

“Cheddar is my cat.”

He pointed an accusing finger at her car. “You drove here with a cat out of its kennel? That’s not safe.”

“It’s not safe to have a scared and pissed off cat, either. How would you like to be locked in a cage for thirteen hours with no way to go to the bathroom or get a drink of water?”

“Good point.” As she lifted the cat carrier out of the back of the car, he took it and said, “I’ll wait while you get your cat.”

Noelle held onto the side of her car and maneuvered to the passenger door. “Come on, Cheddar. Let’s get you inside where it’s warm,” she said, loudly enough for Mr. Self-Assured to hear.

Keys in hand, she slipped her purse over her arm, gathered Cheddar and his bed, and cuddled the cat to her chest. She beeped the car locked, then shuffled-slid her way to the café’s front door.

“Not many people would have stopped on a night like this. Thank you again, Ethan.”

“You’re welcome.” For the first time, he smiled. Not the passive kind people gave while offering a generic greeting, but the real deal. He shifted her backpack on his shoulder. “How long will you be in town?”

“Not long. I’m just stopping through on my way to LA. I’m headed there after the New Year.”

He held open the café’s door, and she walked into the place where she’d spent more time than anywhere else she’d ever been. An inner lever released the tension holding her body hostage, and she stretched stiff muscles as the rich smells of home-cooked meals and fresh-baked bread soothed her weary body and soul.

“I hope you like LA better than I did,” Ethan interrupted her reverie. “The smog is bad. The traffic is worse. The hospital I was working at wasn’t a good fit. I was looking for something else when Tom offered me a position. It also helped that he found me a place to stay.”

“Elkridge sure isn’t LA. Nothing happens here.”

“I used to think I needed to be in a metropolis so I could find a cure for malaria, cancer, AIDS—or any major disease. Some way to make a difference.”

“And now?”

“Tom’s convinced me I only need to help one person at a time.”

The look he gave her could melt all the ice on the ridge.

Cheddar struggled to escape her hold, and she pulled him closer, thankful for the distraction. She didn’t need to get involved with some doctor. In fact, she didn’t need to get attached to anyone. She had plans and dreams to pursue. “Helping one person at a time. That sounds like Doc B.”

“How long have you been away from Elkridge? I noticed the Tennessee license plates.”

“Eight...no, almost nine years.” She brushed a hand down Cheddar’s back. “After I graduated from high school, I got restless. There was nothing to do but work in the café. My boyfriend at the time was heading to Nashville, so I hopped a ride, accepted the first job I could find, and started auditioning. The boyfriend thing fell apart pretty quickly once I discovered singing was the only real thing we had in common.”

“You’re a singer.”

He sounded so intrigued, she hurried to correct his mistaken impression that she might be someone famous. “I like to write songs. The singing part I’m still working on. I’m in between gigs at the moment,” because my leech and liar of a manager/boyfriend didn’t keep his promises.

Ethan let the conversation end as the door to the kitchen swung open.

“Sorry, we’re about to close…Noelle?” the familiar boom of her mother's voice came from the doorway. “Honey, what are you doing here?” Maggie came rushing forward with a half-smile. “Is everything okay?”

“Hi, Mom. I thought I’d surprise you for Christmas.” She shifted the bundle in her arms as her mother wrapped her in an embrace.

“Where’s Jon? I thought you were spending the holidays with him.”

“That sleazebag.” She squirmed under her mother’s scrutiny. “You warned me, and I didn’t listen. I did my research. He looked legit. Introduced me to a few good industry people. Got me some gigs. Then all of a sudden he needed fee money to secure me slots in some upcoming shows. Then needed money for marketing. I can’t believe I trusted that jerk.”

Maggie brushed Noelle’s long, shaggy bangs out of her eyes. “Oh, honey. I’m sorry.”

“Well? Aren’t you going to say I told you so?”

“Now why would I do a thing like that when you need room to make some mistakes of your own? You never listened to me when you were young. Now you’re all grown up, it’s up to you what choices you make.”

“I listened.” Her voice dwindled into a contrite tone. “I just didn't always agree.” But she should have listened. Besides being the best home-style cook in the county, Maggie had a sixth sense that was usually right—about everything.

“Let’s be honest, hon.” Maggie gave her a direct stare. “If I said something was blue, you’d insist it was green.” Her mother’s gaze softened. “But, let’s not argue. I’m glad to see you. You must be cold. Com’on let's get you some hot soup.” Maggie glanced over her shoulder. “Hi, Ethan. What are you doing with that kennel?”

“Your daughter can answer that question.”

Noelle looked at her mom. “I skidded on black ice and slid into a snowbank. Ethan helped get me out, and I promised him something to eat as a thank-you.”

“Of course. He can have anything on the menu.” Maggie pulled back the edge of the blanket. “What a beautiful kitty.”

Noelle’s mellow boy blinked up at her mother. “Mom, meet Cheddar.”

The cheery greeting in Maggie’s expression fluctuated and turned murky. “I take it you’re not home for a visit.”

“I’m meeting a friend in LA. We’re trying out for a girl band together. You might remember me talking about Jade. “

“Jade. Wasn’t she one of your roommates?”

“No. She’s another creative like me.” Jade Green towered above six feet. Neon green covered her nails and the tips of her black hair, and cat-eye-like contacts enhanced her don’t-mess-with-me attitude.

Jade made everyone take a second look, but no one would dare mess with her. Why she had taken a liking to her, Noelle didn’t have a clue. They were as opposite as sociable and aloof. In fact, Noelle wasn’t even sure Jade Green was the woman’s real name.

“She plays the base guitar in a couple of bands,” Noelle added while she checked on Cheddar, to avoid meeting her mother’s intense stare. “We met a couple of years ago. She knows the organizer of the group, so there’s a good chance of getting the gig. I’ll be heading out the first of January.” If I can make enough money to get there.

The lines of Maggie’s face deepened as she scanned her daughter’s face. Seconds passed before Noelle’s mom put an arm around her shoulders, and guided her to a booth. “Sit. I’ll get you something to eat.” Maggie gestured to the doctor to sit anywhere. “Turkey club with sweet potato fries?”

He nodded with a grin. “And a Coke.”

“Coming right up. Ted?” Maggie’s voice blasted through the restaurant like a microphone on steroids. “Turkey stacked with sweets.”

“Got it.” Ted leaned through the kitchen window and winked. The big, burly man dressed in all black with a white apron could have starred in films as a prison inmate. His scarred face and the snake tattoo circling around his thick neck could make a woman pee her pants if she discovered him next to her in a dark alley. But Noelle had known Ted most of her life. He was a lot like his barbeque sauce—sweet, with a spicy-hot kick. His dark brown eyes softened. “Mighty glad to see you, Miss Noelle.”

“Hi, Ted.” Feeling a pang of regret for not keeping in touch, she smiled at him and asked, “Are you going to make your famous elk meatballs for Christmas?”

“You know I will.”

Maggie continued to roll through the café like a tricked-out Harley—loud and in command of her space. She disappeared through the swinging metal doorway.

The doctor took a seat at the counter and pushed the napkin-wrapped silverware aside and propped his elbows on the laminated top to thumb through his email messages. Now he’d taken off his coat, she could confirm her previous impression. The doc was one chiseled man—broad shoulders, narrow waist, long, lean legs. She bet he’d look good on one of those marathon running posters.

But she couldn’t let herself be distracted. She had plans.

Noelle settled Cheddar and his blanket on the vinyl seat beside her, then gazed past her reflection in the window. “Did you see the look on Mom’s face?” she asked her fuzzy orange companion. “I don’t think she’s happy about me going to LA.”

Nine years hadn’t diminished her insecurities about never being able to please her mother. She hated being compared to her father—the man who left her mom pregnant and penniless. What kind of upstanding guy does that?—a jerk.

She plastered a smile on her face, the one she often practiced in front of a mirror, then glanced back at the manly hunk sitting at the counter doing his best to ignore her, although he wasn’t doing a very good job.

“Here you go.” Her mother set a steaming cup of chicken noodle soup on the table, along with a wheat roll with real, creamery butter, then slid into the booth across from Noelle. Steam from the rich, fragrant broth swirled into the air before dissipating. “Eat up.”

“I was hoping to make it here before dark, but I got stuck on I-70 behind a big accident. Where is everyone?”

“We closed a little while ago. I kicked the locals out to make sure everyone gets home safely. The snow is starting to stick.” Maggie pushed a napkin in Noelle’s direction. “We’re going to need to find you a place to stay for the night.”

“What do you mean?” The rejection stung. “I thought you’d let me stay at the house.”

“I’m not even staying at the house. Since all you kids said you had other plans for Christmas, I decided it was time to get my floors re-sanded and my kitchen remodeled. I’ll be out of the house until the middle of January, and I’m staying in one of the rental cabins out back. All the hotels and rentals have been booked for months, since the usual hordes of vacationers have arrived to ski for the holiday.”

“Maybe I can stay with you tonight, then look for a place in the morning.”

“You know how small those cabins are. There’s little enough room for me, much less you and a cat.” She glanced out the window. “Is that your car? It looks so small.”

Noelle shifted in the booth and glanced toward the counter, once again distracted for a second or two by a pair of nice, broad shoulders. “It gets good mileage.”

“I’m sure it does, but it’s not going to get you around safely in this snow. It’s expected to snow all week.”

Wow. Good thing she wasn’t planning to drive straight to California. She’d never make it over the pass with no snow chains for her car and a tank running on fumes.

Maggie’s eyes narrowed. Did she spot Noelle’s dried hair ends that hadn’t been cut in over six months, or her tired eyes, or her coffee-stained T-shirt. She hoped none of the above. She stirred her soup, watching golden broth swirl in a circle so she could avoid looking at her mom.

“Harold has that old trailer, but it’s no good in the wintertime. It’s got no heat.” Her mother spoke the words aloud while her concern lines deepened.

“It’s okay, Mom,” Noelle reached over and squeezed her mother’s hands. “I’ll think of something.”

“No, we’ll think of something.” The stern words were so comforting. “If I had known you were coming home, I wouldn’t have started on those repairs.” She drummed her fingers on the table. “I have an idea.” She shifted in the booth. “Hey, Ethan. Are you still looking for a roommate?”

Ethan slowly rotated on his stool, looking at her mother over his shoulder. His eyes narrowed, but he didn’t respond.

“I overheard you saying you needed to find a roommate, someone to help look after Trapper during the day while you work.”

“Well, I…”

Maggie slapped the table. “It’s a perfect solution. No one will be looking for a long-term lease this time of year, and I’m sure Noelle wouldn’t mind taking care of Trapper while you’re at work. It sounds like it will only be a couple of weeks.”

Ethan flashed a glance at Noelle as if she’d sprouted antlers.

“Don’t look at me,” she said. “It wasn’t my idea.” Noelle tugged on her mom’s arm to get her attention. “Mom, this isn’t a good idea.”

“Why is that?”

“I’m not very good at taking care of people. I can barely take care of myself. You of all people know that.” She opened her eyes wider, hoping her mom would get the hint that she didn’t want to stay with this guy.

“Hon, that’s not true. Everyone you meet loves you.”

Everyone except music producers.

“Trapper is a dog.” Ethan chimed in.

“Oh…a dog.” Noelle's leg bounced under the table, outpacing her thoughts. “Cheddar has never been around a dog—or another cat, for that matter. He might not get along with another animal.”

“It will have to work for tonight,” Maggie announced, putting the kibosh on further debate.

“Wait a minute.” The doctor’s eyes clouded. “She can’t stay with me.” He pointed to Noelle.

Maggie spun around and looked at Ethan. “Why not?”

“Yeah, why not?” Noelle crossed her arms.

“You’re okay with this? Letting your daughter stay with some random guy?”

“Oh, hush. You bet I trust the guy who’s poked around at my doo-dads.”

“You’ve touched my mom’s boobs?” Her head swung back and forth between the doctor and her mom like a Newton’s cradle. Her jaw dropped. Eyes narrowed.

He pointed an accusing finger in her mother’s direction. “She had a lump. I sent her for X-rays.”

Now Noelle glared at her mom. “Lump? What lump?”

Maggie glared at Ethan and shoved up from the booth. “Isn’t there something about doctor-patient privilege?” She adjusted her black apron back into place.

“What lump?” Noelle looked at Ethan for answers.

“Ask your mom.”

My mother never tells me anything—especially about her health. What was up with her? Was she sick? Dying? A numbing daze crept over Noelle.

Ethan studied her with a stone-blank expression.

Frustration curled her fingers into a ball. Obviously I’m not going to get any answers from you.

First things first. A place to stay.

Mr. Self-Assured couldn’t be happy about the prospect of having a female and cat invade his space. Then again, she wasn’t quite sure how he felt. He sat motionless, so calm his expression was almost blank.

Unlike her. She wore every thought plastered to her forehead like a billboard display saying, “read my mind here.”

The current sign read: Danger. Slippery road. Proceed with caution.