I opened the front door and a blast of dank air hit my face. I sighed as I took in the large space. There was a large booth in front of the kitchen island, a wooden dining table fit for six or more people, a large couch encompassed the living area and faced the fireplace. I set my bags down and started opening windows and doors and letting the fresh air in. We hadn’t been up here in years and my father had covered every piece of furniture up. Legend, my golden retriever, started jumping and running around like a madman.

“Legend, behave!” I yelled as I made my way up the stairs. There were six rooms in total, and the bedroom was a huge space that overlooked the frozen lake. I wandered down the hallway, opening doors and windows. I made my way down to the first floor and wandered to my grandfather’s office in the back. It was a nice spot, a perfect working space. A dark mahogany desk stood by the large window facing the lake and a chaise lounge sat at the corner. Smiling, I couldn’t wait to lie on it with a good book and a glass of wine. The sight of the snow covered mountains was spectacular. It literally took my breath away.

My grandparent’s cabin was the perfect hideaway for the next few weeks. I had been looking for a quiet space to escape to, a place to forget and maybe finish writing my novel. My Mom knew I needed my space and had suggested I take the trip up to the property. It was a secluded cabin tucked up in the mountains, only a few miles away from Bethel, a small quiet town in Maine. The lakefront property had a history in my family. My grandfather built to win over my grandmother, he’d proposed right by the lake. I could see why she said yes, it was gorgeous.

Growing up, we spent every summer up here swimming in the lake and fishing. I smiled as I remembered how I’d sneak out the back to go skinny dipping. Floating in the lake at midnight I’d stare up at the stars and close my eyes as I drifted into the most peaceful state of mind. I’d never been up here in the winter, but my mother had assured me it was the loveliest place when covered by snow, and she wasn’t lying. The majestic snow-covered mountains were a sight to see. It was definitely the perfect spot for inspiration. I was only planning on staying for the next three weeks since I wanted to be home on Christmas Morning. My mom had mentioned the roads would get closed if there was a storm, but they seemed pretty clear to me. There weren’t even any ice warnings.

I took out the list my Dad had written out for me. First item on the agenda was to get food, the second item was to head out to Henry Garland’s hardware store. He told me Henry was a good friend of the family’s and he would help me get everything I needed. My Dad had wanted to come out and help me get settled in, but I refused. I wanted to do this all on my own, and I knew if I let him, he’d stay the full three weeks. I stared at the list of supplies and smiled. On the bottom he’d scribbled the emergency codes for my grandfather’s old CB radio in case something happened or I got snowed in.

I tucked the list in my back pocket and got to work. I went to my car and took out the cleaning supplies and a few extra items I knew I would need. I spent the next few hours sweeping the floors, airing out the rooms and clearing the fireplace making sure I had extra dry logs set up for later tonight. The kitchen and bathroom were glistening by the time I was done. As I looked at the shiny white bathtub, I couldn’t wait to get into it later that evening. By three o’clock I plopped down on the couch and leaned my head back in complete exhaustion. A cold wind came in through the living room’s open window and swept through the house. I shivered slightly, but enjoyed the fresh air it brought with it. I looked up at the ceiling and grunted as Legend hopped onto the couch. He sighed as he plopped down on my lap.

Stroking his soft fur I closed my eyes. Thoughts of my ex flew into my head and I fought back the tears. I didn’t know why I kept crying. It was more like angry tears now. A year had passed already since I left him, a year since I ran across the country, leaving him in Los Angeles without a second thought. He had called and called for weeks on end, but I wanted nothing else to do with him.

There was a time I thought about marrying Michael. We’d met in my last year of college. He was perfect in every way. Smart, handsome, charming even. He’d told me he wanted to take care of me and I believed in him blindly. I wanted the whole dream, the white picket fence, two kids, perfect husband. But that all changed quickly when he got his job at the law firm. He started sneaking around behind my back. Night after night he’d come home smelling of strange perfumes, always with the excuse that he had a business dinner. It all ended when I confronted him. At some point during our argument that night I called him a loser, and he just lost control. His hand just came down on me, hitting me across the cheek and sending me sprawling onto the floor. He just stood there, staring down at his hand in shock. In that moment, I felt completely heartbroken.

He had begged for my forgiveness and I was so naïve I believed him again. Several times after that I thought to myself, why not just leave. But how could I tell my parents, my mother who had always taught me to be a strong woman and my father who had taught me that if a man ever put his hands on me he didn’t respect me, and he wasn’t worthy of my love.

But I stayed with him, because I loved him. Because when he was in a good mood he’d make me feel so cared for. Yet, I was afraid. I was afraid of him. He always found some excuse to blame me and beat me. He even took it to the bedroom, forcing himself on me when I begged him not to. I was there only for his satisfaction. When he had finally beaten badly enough that I was sent to the hospital, that’s when I called my Mother.

Without any reproach, she sent me money and I didn’t even think twice about it. I packed everything of value in my small suitcase and left. In that instant, I was so hurt and angry at myself that there was nothing stopping me from leaving. He’d called those first few months, texted, even had the audacity to dial my father’s number. I don’t know what my father told him, but it immediately put a halt to everything, making him aware that I wasn’t alone.

When I got home I didn’t eat, lost a ton of weight and I spent months in bed, crying my eyes out. My mother was always a huge support to me and when she suggested I start writing, a small light of hope glimmered in my life, the first one in a long time. I managed to get myself back together. I needed to figure what I wanted to do. I’d been working as an editor at a card company in Los Angeles, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to go into that once again. I liked my job, but it wasn’t something I wanted to do forever.

Two months ago, I started to lose hope again, when he showed up at my door. He stood there all tall and perfect, wearing a perfect tie and a perfect charcoal suit, not a blonde hair out of place. If I had been young and naïve, I would have fallen for him all over again, the golden boy. He had wanted to talk, to apologize for what happened, for what he had done to me. He told me he’d never do it again and that I was the love of his life. I listened to him without saying a word, seeking the closure I needed, and then I asked him to leave.

He looked so mad right then, I could literally feel the anger emanating from him. He grabbed me suddenly by the wrist and tried to force himself on me. I screamed, and he slapped me, breaking my lip. He warned me that he wasn’t going to let this go and continued his assault. I just shut my eyes and prayed it would be over soon, but seconds later he was literally hauled off me and slammed against the hallway wall. My father stood there seething in anger. His six-foot five frame made Michael look like a rag doll. I’d never seen my father so angry before.

After that night, my father bought me Legend. He said I needed protection, and he was better than nothing. The golden retriever had quickly become my everything and he never left my side, as if he knew that I needed him. After thinking about it, I decided it was best to be alone to figure things out. My grandparent’s cabin was the perfect place to get lost and get myself back together again, even if it was only for a few short weeks.

My thoughts drifted to the unfinished romance novel saved on my laptop. I had tried plugging it in, but there was no electricity. I only had the first five chapters written and I still couldn’t figure out where the story was going. My situation had become somewhat hopeless. I knew was going to have to get started on it eventually. As I sat there in silence, stroking Legend’s soft head, I realized I had no clue how to continue, and the thought worried me. I’d been reading romances since I could remember and I’d always wanted to be an author. I wanted to make those stories come to life and be read by everyone. This is what I had come here to do, and God help me if I even thought of giving up. I decided to take a quick shower and head into town. Maybe taking a walk and seeing people would enlighten me.