Snow Falls by Gerri Hill Read Free Book Online Page A

some reason, she didn’t think that would be the case. She folded her arms around herself, glancing at the clock that hung near the kitchen.
    She had found that Ryan normally returned by eight so she’d taken on the chore of making breakfast, starting it just a few minutes before Ryan was due back. Breakfast choices were limited as there were no eggs. Ryan had jotted down an easy recipe for biscuits which Jen had made yesterday. She had to admit, they were very good. Ryan’s freezer was stocked and today Jen had browned sausage and fried potato slices. If she were in Santa Fe, she’d have fresh, hot tortillas. She had not expected that here, so she was pleasantly surprised to find several packages in the freezer. So, breakfast tacos it was.
    As the clock ticked closer to eight thirty, she began to worry. She turned from the window, pacing slowly, her eyes darting between the clock and the door. Should she go out to look for them? No . They would be fine. They hiked every morning, regardless of the temperature. Besides, she wouldn’t know where to start looking. Ryan had mentioned that they liked to mix up their routes. In the afternoons, Jen had joined them three times so far. Yesterday, it was up the ridge to catch the sunset. It was beautiful, and she wished she’d had her camera. Unfortunately, that too was buried in the avalanche.
    She looked again at the clock. Ryan was forty-five minutes late. She felt a touch of panic but pushed it back. What if something had happened to Ryan? What would she do? They had Internet back, but who would she e-mail? And the phone? She assumed Ryan carried her cell with her.
    Just as she was about to jump into a full-blown panic attack, the door opened. Her eyes flew to Ryan’s, then down her body; she appeared to be unharmed. The dogs ran inside ahead of Ryan, their tongues hanging out as they rushed up to her, nudging her legs. She let out a heavy, relieved breath, smiling at them as they vied for her attention.
    “I’m sorry,” Ryan said.
    Jen raised her eyebrows.
    “You looked worried,” Ryan explained. “I’m later than normal.”
    “Oh. Yeah.” Jen felt embarrassed now. “I was starting to panic,” she admitted.
    “We went downhill a little too far. Coming back up took longer than expected,” she said as she hung her coat by the door. “Thanks for keeping the stove going.”
    “I added a log about an hour ago.”
    Ryan glanced into the kitchen. “Smells good. I hope I haven’t ruined it.”
    “No. I’m sure it’s fine. Are you ready to eat?”
    Ryan nodded as she held her hands out over the fire. Jen went into the kitchen, surprised by the relief she felt. She hated feeling so dependent on someone, but up here, she was just that. She busied herself with breakfast, feeling Ryan watching her. She finally stopped and looked up, meeting her gaze.
    “If there was an emergency, what would you do?” Jen asked her.
    “Like what?”
    “I mean, what if you got sick or something?”
    Ryan shook her head. “I don’t get sick. But my first-aid kit is pretty extensive.”
    “Okay. What if one of the dogs broke her leg?”
    “I would set it and she would walk with a limp the rest of her life.”
    “But what if something major happened? Something life threatening,” she said. “What would we do?”
    Ryan smiled. “Rule number one—don’t panic.”
    Jen laughed. “If you’re the one in danger and you’re counting on me to rescue you, you better panic.” She placed a plate with a stuffed tortilla on the bar. “Coffee? I made another pot.”
    “Yes. Please.”
    Jen filled both of their cups. She knew Ryan liked hers black and she brought it over. To her own, she added a little sugar, then walked around the bar to join her.
    “You know, we’re not entirely cut off from the world,” Ryan reminded her.
    “I know. Having e-mail makes me feel a little bit connected, at least.”
    “Not just that. If there really was a medical emergency, I could call Reese and