“Totaled? What do you mean?” I demanded with horror.

Mitchell, who owned the garage in town, had followed us up in his tow truck to where my car was wedged in the trees.

He shrugged. “I mean this car is not worth the money it will cost you to fix it. It’s totaled.”

My heart was beating really fast in my chest. I did not need this expense. It would throw all my plans in jeopardy. “Well, how much are we talking here?”

“It’s difficult to say right now since I can’t even get under the hood until it’s out of the trees, but I’d venture a guess that since your front end is smashed to pieces it’s going to cost more than the car’s worth just to cover the body work. Not to mention whatever damage we find.”

“Just throw out a ball park figure.”

“It’s over a thousand for sure.”

“What? But I don’t have a thousand dollars. Well, not right now anyway. I’ve got a few thousand coming to me soon. Can’t you just fix it and then I’ll pay you as soon as I can?”

“You’re better off saving your money and buying another car when your money comes in,” Mitchell said.

“Tow the car away, Mitchell. I’ll sort some money out with you.”

I was too distressed to answer. I just stood next to Cade as Mitchell sawed away the skinny pines that held my car wedged in. Then he hooked my car up to his tow truck. We watched as Mitchell drove away with my sad little car.

A long time ago I learned to see every situation in a positive light. If I applied that life lesson to this tragic scenario, I suppose the car could be a symbol of my life. Like he was pulling away all the old crap I’d been putting up with and clearing the way for something totally new in my life. I’d been focusing my mind on what I wanted, what I wanted around me, and this was all part of me starting over and having the life I always dreamt of.

“Come on, don’t sweat it. You’ll find something else to drive. I’ll help you,” Cade said.

“Yeah, I know. It’s just a pain in the ass to have to deal with getting a new car. Ugh. Money problems make me so stressed.”

“Oh really? Huh, money makes everyone on the planet stressed no matter how much or how little you have. Get over it because it’s always going to be like that.”

“Ha, says the man who comes from money.”

His eyes narrowed, suddenly suspicious and dangerous. “How do you know I come from money?”

I stared at him in astonishment. With one sentence he had become a hostile stranger. It was almost as if I had never known him. I felt the color drain from my face even in the freezing cold. “I didn’t. I was just guessing because you know, you’re … not really a mountain man. Your accent, your education. The way you throw your art away. When Paul gave you the envelope you didn’t even open it. Actually, you looked like you didn’t even want it.”

Cade didn’t respond. He went back to that veiled expression he had before I made him smile. Worry clutched my belly like an iron grip. Had I made a huge mistake by saying that? God, this man sends me to extreme highs and lows with ease.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean anything by it. I’m just stressed about the money Having to shoulder this unexpected expenditure when everything is a financial mess for me right now.”

He nodded. “Forget it. I’m sorry I attacked you. Let’s just go back to the cabin.”

The journey back to the cabin was mostly silent. I had no idea what he thought about, but I focused on how much money I would have to fork out to replace my car and how I would go about replacing it while I was up on the mountain.

When we got back in the cabin, Cade pulled me towards him. He put a finger under my chin. “Look, I have more money than I need. I’ll buy you a car, all right. Obligation free. Call it a gift.”

I couldn’t speak. For some weird, totally crazy reason I wanted to burst into tears. I shook my head. I didn’t know why I was refusing his money, but it just made me feel like such a piece of shit to accept.

“I don’t need the money,” he said softly.

I placed my fingers on his lips. If I could have spoken I would have told him then. Told him everything, but I couldn’t speak and he scooped me into his arms and put me on the blankets in front of the stove where we’d made love before. Tears ran down my face. He looked surprised.

“Hey,” he said. “It’s not a big deal. I have no use for money here.”

That just made me cry even harder. The iceman had a heart of gold. And I felt like a whore. He kissed my eyes gently and began to take my clothes off. He kissed every inch of my naked body until I was writhing like a snake with desire.

When he finally entered me, smooth and thick, I screamed his name, and raked my fingernails down his back.

Afterwards, I cooked two pieces of steak and tossed the salad I bought from town. After our meal, Cade built a fire and we toasted marshmallows. I think it was then, sitting huddled up next to Cade that I really began to understand the terrible, terrible mistake I had made.