Stone finally fell into a restless sleep, but woke up to Abi snoring softly against his chest and his arm tingling from being completely asleep. He automatically shifted to try to get his arm to wake up. Abi groaned and rolled off of him, and he regretted moving at all. What was a dead arm if he could have her close?

Stone flexed and released his fingers until sensation came back with the pinprick feeling. Abi hadn’t said anything, which completely surprised him.

“You awake?” he whispered, in case she was still resting.

“Unfortunately.” She shot back.

He smiled. “Let’s see if we can get out of here.” He was still surprisingly warm in the little cave, but he wanted to move, and he didn’t want to “talk” about what had happened between them.

He rolled onto his stomach, trying to avoid touching her too much. That was dumb seeing as how he couldn’t stop touching her last night, but even without the light of day creeping in to shed light on his idiocy, he knew he’d had his one heavenly experience with Abi. Now, he had to be strong enough to let her go.

He made it to his stomach and wriggled forward, dislodging the tree branches he’d used to create a door. The branches were heavy with snow built up around them. He hoped the storm was over. No way could he be stuck in here with Abi while they were both awake and he was thinking about how he’d kissed her repeatedly. She would dig until she pried the truth out of him—that he’d always loved her and that he’d hidden secrets from her for the past seven years. Nope. Not happening.

Pushing harder, he finally moved the boughs and snow out of the way. A rush of cold air came in. Fortunately, it looked like the snow had stopped falling. It was pre-dawn, and a faint trace of light filtered in. Stone continued to shimmy out. The wind was still blowing, but the storm had calmed. Hopefully, he could find the trail and get them back to his cabin. With any luck, the road would still be passable so Abi could get home. He’d created the biggest nightmare imaginable by kissing her last night. He paused, remembering the kiss, actually a long string of kisses. He couldn’t find it in himself to regret one second of the exchange, which only proved how unworthy he was of Abi. She was like sunshine, and he had to stay in the dark.

He turned around and offered Abi a hand out. She glared up at him and pushed his gloves and backpack into his hand. Stone arched an eyebrow and clutched his gloves in his left hand, setting his backpack to the side. He offered his hand again.

Abi ignored him and army-crawled out of the little space. Stone tugged on his gloves, sad that their time here was over. His first and only kisses with his dream woman. He’d come back up here by himself soon. At least, he could relive it in his mind.

Abi stood, zipped her coat up, put her backpack on, and tugged on her gloves. She stomped around him. Stone wondered how she knew he wasn’t going to talk like she wanted. He’d evaded it last night while trying to reassure her it would happen sometime, but Abi knew him too well. He zipped his own coat, swung his backpack back on, and dug through the snow for a bit before finding both of their snowshoes. He offered Abi’s to her, and they set off through the clearing, neither saying a word. This sucked.

He skirted the clearing until he found the trail that would take them down the mountain. They stomped through the thick snow in the pre-morning light. It was beautiful with the pine trees covered with a fresh layer of snow. It felt like they were in their own world. Unfortunately, it was a cold world with Abi upset with him, his heart feeling colder and more withdrawn than ever. The wind biting at his cheeks was just the icing on the cake.

They plowed down the trail for what felt like hours but was probably shorter. When he saw his cabin up through the trees, he should’ve felt relief, but he didn’t know what Abi was going to say or how he was going to keep her at a safe distance after last night.

Her red Cherokee and his black Chevy truck were both almost pure white with mounds of snow on them. It was going to be a while before they could dig out. He wondered if he could even get her Cherokee out or if he would have to run her home in his truck. Removing his snowshoes and leaving them on the porch, he grabbed the shovel he always kept by the door and shoved snow out of the way then pried the door open. He waited for Abi to walk through in front of him, but she didn’t come.

Turning to look at her, the vulnerable and almost scared expression on her face tore at him. For the thousandth time, he questioned why he had to keep Virginia’s secret and never have a relationship with Abi. He couldn’t have both, but he loved Abi too much to not be the kind of man she deserved. A man with integrity. It was a vicious cycle in his head, and the only way he ever saw out of it was if someone else shared the secret, but the only other person who knew the truth wasn’t showing his face around Stone anytime soon.

“Let’s get inside. I’ll make you some breakfast,” he said. His stomach was eating its own lining at this point.

“Then we’re going to talk about what happened between us last night.” She tilted her head, and the vulnerability was still there but combined with a challenge he didn’t know how to escape from.

“Abi.” He stopped. How to talk her down?

“Don’t you ‘Abi’ me!” she hollered. Stomping up the steps, she pulled her gloves off and threw them on the porch like a hockey player getting ready to throw some punches. “I am not putting up with it this time, you got me?”

Stone hid his smile. “Let’s get some breakfast. Okay?”

She folded her arms across her chest. “Then we’ll talk? Like real adults discussing serious stuff?”

“Yes, Abi.” He sighed, dreading this talk like he’d never dreaded anything. “Then we’ll talk.”

Abi nodded as if satisfied, slipped off her snowshoes, and stomped through the door. Stone picked up her gloves and followed. He had to tell Abi they couldn’t have a relationship. He couldn’t ever allow himself to kiss her again or admit how much he loved her. This was going to be almost as hard as burying his wife and baby.

* * *

Stone started a fire. Then they worked together to cook breakfast. Abi was aware of every movement Stone made and all the little things about him that she’d always noticed—how courteous he was, how he had that little scar above his lip that he’d gotten when he and Jace had ridden scooters down a steep Park City road and crashed back in middle school, the way his hair curled slightly at his neck and around his face. What would he do if she stepped up close and kissed that scar? He’d promised they’d talk. She had to calm down and take it as it came before she silenced him completely. She’d seen that happen far too often.

They ate the French toast, bacon, and fruit without saying anything. Abi hated silence. Usually, she’d be chattering on about something, but her mind was spinning, wondering what he would say. Already, she was formulating arguments against him saying they shouldn’t be together. Was she brave enough to reveal how much she loved him? What if the kiss was just some spontaneous thing that had happened? Maybe he’d been caught up in the passion of the moment, trying to shut her up, or just delirious from the snowstorm, long hike, and lack of sustenance.

They cleaned up breakfast with even less talking. Everything felt sticky and in the wrong place like the syrup she’d spilled on the table. She finished wiping up said table, dropped the rag in the sink, and pinned him with a look. “You ready to talk?”

Stone’s eyes were a deeper blue than she’d ever seen them. It should’ve given her hope to see them not their usual cold grayish color, but it was almost scarier to see that he seemed to be thinking and feeling something very deeply. “Sure.”

He gestured for her to go first. She wanted him to reach out and take her hand, but this was Stone. He wasn’t going to change overnight. “Maybe you could take your girlfriend’s hand.” she bit her lip, knowing immediately that had been the wrong tactic.

“G-girlfriend?” He seemed to choke on the word.

Abi closed her eyes. Why? Why had she fallen in love with a man who was never going to commit to her? She took a deep breath and walked to the living room, sinking into the couch next to the fire. Fear, and the realization she was about to be rejected, made even the air feel heavy and dank.

Stone walked over too, but he didn’t sit down. He paced back and forth in front of the fire for long enough she wanted to jump up and grab his arm and drag him to a stop. Finally, he stopped and turned, but he didn’t look directly at her. He focused on the couch next to her, and her stomach tightened.

“Abi, you and I have been friends our entire lives.”

“Well, duh. Was that a light bulb thought for you?”

He let out a little laugh. “Oh, Abi.” He pushed a hand through his hair. Then he moved quickly. He hurried to her, dropped to his knees in front of her, and looked her straight in the eye. “I can’t lose your friendship, Abi. You’re all I’ve got.”

Emotion rose in her throat. She reached out and touched his shoulder. Stone was her best friend, and she loved him desperately. He would have to be the one to call their relationship quits because she couldn’t. “You aren’t going to lose me.”

He released a pent-up breath. “We can’t do this, Abi. We crossed a boundary last night that we shouldn’t have, and I promise you it will never happen again.”

She jumped to her feet, and her knee knocked into his chin. Stone rocked back.

“Sorry,” Abi cried out, bending down to examine his chin.

“I’m fine,” he said, standing and rubbing at his jaw.

They were inches apart, but miles seemed to be between them.

“You are not fine, and neither are we.” Abi hurled the words at him. “If we’re just ‘friends,’” she said, making air quotes with her fingers, “then why did you kiss me last night? Was it just convenient because I was lying there? Did you need to fulfill some manly desires? Why, Stone? Why?”

Stone stepped back, and Abi deflated. She hated him right now, hated that he would never let her in, but she would always love him.

“We have to be friends.” He insisted. “The kiss didn’t mean anything. It was impulsive and stupid. Please forgive me, Abi. Please, just be my friend.”

Abi’s neck tightened, and she felt like fire was leaping from her head. She was so stinking mad at him. “That kiss was not impulsive. You are never impulsive, Stone, never. I’m the impulsive one, and I’ve got news for you. You kissed me, and you liked it! If it meant nothing to you, that’s your issue because it meant a whole heck of a lot to me. The only thing stupid here is you, you dim-witted, thick-skulled, cold-hearted jerk!” She whirled, grabbed her coat, and strode to the door.

“Abi, stop, please.”

The please got her. She’d just called him awful names, and as always, Stone was patient and courteous. She stopped with her hand on the door handle. She prayed that something she’d said, or him remembering the feelings in the cave last night, would break through his freezing armor.

Stone took a long breath before saying, “You can’t go right now. There’s too much snow out there.”

“Too much snow.” She whirled and glared at him. “That is what you’re going with?”

His eyes were deep blue like a summer night. He searched her face for a few seconds, his lips pressed in a thin line and his jaw clenched. Finally, he gave her a short nod.

“Watch me.” She yanked open the door, hurried through, and slammed it shut. She didn’t bother retrieving her snowshoes or her other gear, didn’t really care. Stone would probably bring them to her later. Tears formed in her eyes as she thought about him. He was a dedicated, wonderful friend to her, but unfortunately, that was all they were ever going to be. He couldn’t lose her friendship? He was going to lose a lot more than that!

She pulled her coat on and pushed through the deep snow, blinded by the sunlight streaming through the trees and reflecting off the snow. When would she ever learn? Seven years, no her whole life, praying Stone would learn to love her. It was never going to happen.

She squared her shoulders. Today. She was finally giving up on Stone. She was going to say yes to every date that came her way, and she was going to actually give another man a chance. She was going to look at someone and not let herself compare him to Stone.

She yanked at the frozen door handle of her Cherokee, immediately regretting leaving her gloves, but there was no way she was going back in his cabin. The door gave, and snow from the roof of the Jeep fell down onto the leather seat. She brushed it away, climbed in, pushed the brake, and hit the start button. Luckily, it fired up. Turning on all the heat and defrost buttons she could find, she grabbed the scraper, scrambled back out, and slammed the door shut. Some snow came off the side window and roof, but not near enough.

The cabin door opened and closed, but she refused to look at him. One glance and she’d probably forget her resolutions and beg him to let her stay in his life. Turning her back, she started shoving snow off the vehicle.

Stone came up right behind her. “Let me drive you home in my truck. I’ll get your Cherokee to you later.”

“No.” She stayed facing her vehicle and shoving at the snow, blinking quickly to keep the tears from coming. They were just tears of anger. She’d invested so many years in him. That was why she was upset, not because he was the love of her life and he would never see that. Never give them a chance.

“Abi.” His warm hand came over hers, and his voice was so tender she couldn’t help but glance at him. He stared at her. His eyes were full of emotion, and they were true blue. “I’m sorry. Let me take you home.”

“You’re sorry?”

He nodded.

“Sorry about what? That you kissed me? That you don’t love me?” Her temper and her voice escalated. “That you married my best friend, we both lost her, and you’ll never heal from it? That I’ve spent my entire life trying to get you to see me and you never will? What exactly are you sorry about, Stone?”

He looked away at the pine trees and shook his head. “All of it.”

“Argh!” Abi let out a frustrated yelp and slugged him right in the abdomen. Her hand connected with solid muscle, and it hurt. He grunted but didn’t move. Her hand throbbed like the dickens. She covered it with her other hand, wondering if she’d broken it. “Well, I’m sorry I ever called myself your friend in the first place,” she yelled.

She couldn’t let herself look at him. If he was all sad and dejected looking, she might break down. She almost laughed at herself through the anger and frustration. This was Stone Cold. He didn’t know how to feel. Pushing past him, she yanked her door open and flung herself inside. The interior was warm, her steering wheel and seat heaters had both done their job. She flipped on the wipers and they didn’t move. Dang it! She needed to go back out there and try to move some snow off. She laid her head back against the headrest. She couldn’t do it. She could not face him again. Was she truly done with their friendship? Had she really just admitted to him that she loved him? Had loved him for as long as she could remember? What a nightmare. Her heart ached for Stone, and he was on the other side of her door but completely out of her reach.

The snow on her side window cleared, and she started. Stone had a broom and was sweeping off her vehicle. He cleared off the front windshield and proceeded to clear all the side and rear windows. Abi just sat there. It was so Stone. Even though she’d just yelled at him and hit him, he still took care of her. He always had. Why would he stop now?

He stepped back and met her gaze through the window. His eyes were somber but not as cold as they usually were. She held them until she couldn’t handle it anymore. Then she dropped the Jeep into gear. He stepped out of her way as she pulled forward around the parking area, not daring to back up and get stuck. She cleared his driveway and couldn’t resist glancing back. She kind of hoped he would be watching her go, but no, he was clearing off his truck. He was probably relieved she was gone and not bugging him to “talk.”

Slowly driving down the road, she’d only gone a half a mile when his big black truck appeared in her rearview mirror. He lifted his hand and sort of saluted her. Fresh tears formed and rolled down her cheeks. Was he agreeing with her? Was this goodbye? She forced herself to concentrate on the road. He’d followed her to make sure she got home safe. He was a good guy. Unfortunately, he would never be her good guy.