Chapter 23
ON SUNDAY MORNING, Dex waited in the parking lot of the hospital for Hunter. It was hard to stop smiling, considering how he’d spent the last three days with Allie. Besides making love, they had talked … about their childhoods and their friends. His time in the army and her failed attempt to appear on some reality singing competition when she was eighteen. Who knew being snowed in could be the most fun he’d had in … well, his whole life.
It was the second day since the snow had stopped and he needed to be back at work, especially since the avalanche danger level was high. He’d snuck out from under Allie’s soft body, resisted her sleepy attempts to lure him back to bed, and stopped off in town for two coffees. One would be a peace offering for Hunter. Dex was hoping he’d get to keep his friend, but he wasn’t counting his chickens yet.
Hunter pulled up next to him, and when he climbed out of his car, he gave Dex a nod.
“What’s this?” Hunter asked.
“Coffee, with a side of ‘We need to talk.’”
Hunter came around the front and took the proffered cup. “Aw, are you breaking up with me?”
The joke didn’t have the same tone to it, not after the last five weeks. There was a definite edge to it, and Dex wasn’t going to bullshit his friend. Not anymore.
“Look, I know that I’ve screwed up, especially with things between us, but I gotta be honest—”
“You slept with Allie.”
Hunter didn’t sound ready to throw the scalding coffee in his face, so he took that as a good sign.
“It’s not like that. I … ” Ah, hell, spit it out. “I care about her, Hunt. I didn’t know it, or at the very least, wasn’t ready to admit it, but I do. A lot.”
Hunter took a drink from the coffee cup before saying, “Well, that’s it, then.”
“If you want to take a swing at me … wait, what does that mean?”
“It means I knew after you kissed her I had lost. I just figured you’d lost, too, when you acted like a total prick. But she gave you another chance?”
“Not at first. Her battery died and her power was out, so she stayed at my place—”
“I don’t need details, really. Good for you, though. It seems like she makes you happy.”
“She does, I’m not gonna lie. I’m really lucky.” Dex was at a loss. Of all the ways he’d expected Hunter to react, cool and collected hadn’t been among them. “Well, thanks, man. I appreciate it.”
“I’m not going to do cartwheels, at least not anytime soon, but I also am not going to hold a grudge against you for falling for someone.” Then Hunter grinned as he added, “Besides, with you off the market, the next hot, single woman that rolls into town will be all mine. No contest.”
Holding his coffee cup out to his friend, he gave a toast. “Here’s to love.”
Hunter’s eyebrows shot up his forehead. “Love, huh?”
Dex shrugged with a sheepish smile. “What can I say? She had me the first time she glared at me.”
While Hunter laughed, Dex’s cell phone rang. “Belmont.”
“Dex, we got a couple of snowmobiles at the base of Bear Mountain. You think you can catch up and tell them they gotta call it for the day? At least until we can get some of the snow packed and adjusted? I’m afraid all that noise is gonna bring down the whole top.”
“Yeah, I’ll take care of it.”
Fifteen minutes later, Dex and Bluebell had parked on the side of the road, just under the mountain, when a thunderous sound made his blood run cold.
He looked up and watched as a tidal wave of snow slid down the steep, rocky peak toward the bottom. Dex pulled out his binoculars, but he didn’t need them to see the two machines racing away from the base, trying to beat the avalanche.
They disappeared into the snow and Dex sprang into action. As long as they had an air pocket, Dex had fifteen, twenty minutes to find them before they suffocated.
He called 911 and gave them the location as he pulled his snowmobile and sled out of his truck. Arming his own beacon, he secured Bluebell on the snowmobile, her vest and beacon activated as well.
“All right, girl, let’s save some lives.”
Allie had overslept a little, and used up all of Dex’s hot water during her shower, but since he wasn’t home, she figured it was fine. Besides, her cabin’s power was still out, so he was kind of stuck with her.
Allie didn’t really think he minded, especially given the things she had planned to do to him tonight after she got home from the hospital.
It was going to be her first day back and she figured she was about to have at least one heavy conversation with Hunter. She wasn’t going to explain or make excuses, she was just going to be honest about her feelings for Dex. Considering she’d made no romantic moves toward Hunter for weeks, she didn’t think he’d care, but still … she was a little stressed about the whole thing.
It took her longer than usual to get to the hospital, because she had to wait for Penny to show up to watch Kermit. She’d agreed to let Allie borrow her car for the day, but insisted they go shopping for a four-wheel drive for her this week.
Allie didn’t have a problem with that at all.
She walked into her office and had barely shrugged out of her coat when Rebecca knocked on her door.
“Allie, prepare for incoming. We’ve got two snowmobilers who got buried in an avalanche at the base of the mountain.”
“Thanks, Rebecca, glad to be back. Do they have it covered?”
“Yep, Dr. Gracin is standing by. Just wanted to let you know.”
“Thanks. Did you have a good weekend?” Allie asked.
“I did, actually. Just normal family stuff. Hey, what happened to your hand?”
Allie had almost forgotten about the cut. “Oh, I sliced my thumb while cutting vegetables. No big deal.”
“That’s exactly why I don’t cook. Well, I’ll let you get back to it. I’m sure you’ve got lots to catch up on.”
She did, and now it looked like she’d have to wait until Hunter wasn’t knee deep in avalanche survivors to deal with one of those things.
The first kid had managed to break the surface of the snow by the time Dex reached him, although he was holding his left arm limply against his chest.
“You okay? What’s your name?”
“I’m Graham, and I think I broke my arm. But my brother, Chris, I can’t find him.”
All right, time for Bluebell to earn her kibble. “Bluebell, find.”
Bluebell jumped from the back of the snowmobile and sank into the snow. Dex used the snowshoes he’d strapped on to make a path less deep. In the distance, he could hear the sirens signaling help was coming.
Before too long, Bluebell gave an excited howl and started digging, diving headfirst into the snow.
An EMT on another snowmobile pulled up, and Dex waved, pointing to Graham. “Possible broken arm. The other rider is buried. If you get him out of here, we’ll work on this.”
Dex grabbed his snow shovel and started digging with Bluebell, yelling for Chris. After what felt like hours of work, he heard a voice hollering from below and Dex started using his hands. “Chris, start moving toward the sound of my voice. You’re getting closer, man, just a little farther.”
Finally, Chris broke through the snow, gasping, his arms flaying. “Get me the hell out of here!”
Taking the guy’s arms, Dex pulled, dragging him out. Chris lay on the ground, breathing heavily. “Thank God, I thought I was going to die down there.”
“Are you hurt?”
“Just my head. I think I flipped a couple of times.”
“Okay, I’m going to strap you to the sled. Can you walk?”
Chris stood a little unsteadily, and Dex helped him to the sled before strapping him in. He waved toward a couple of EMTs headed back out.
“Let’s go, Bluebell.”
Dex took off, heading toward the road. He saw the EMTs spin around and kick up snow. Other people were jumping up and down excitedly, and at first, Dex thought it was in celebration.
And then he felt it. The handlebars were shaking in his grip.
Because the ground was trembling.
Glancing briefly over his shoulder, he saw the second avalanche descending the mountain, gaining on their tail. His heart dropped out of his chest and hit the bottom of his stomach with a sickening thud.
“Shit. Hang on,” he shouted, knowing Chris probably couldn’t hear him. He pushed the speed, silently chanting, Come on … come on.
He was so close to safety, but he could feel the cold air at his back, the leaden snow reaching out for him. So he took a deep breath.
And waited for impact.