Page 94 of Snow River

“I think our regulars can run it perfectly well while we’re gone.It’s all about community, right?”

Which was truer than she’d ever imagined.Without Molly and Sam and Buster, who’d been at The Fang when Molly had gotten back with poor injured Grant, and Grant, who had backed up Molly’s story to Officer Cromwell, and even Cromwell, who had mobilized the convoy of helicopters…without the Firelight Ridge community, she and Bear might still be holed up in a snow shelter.

Not that the shelter was so bad.She’d treasure that wild snowy night to the end of her days.“Any more blizzards in the forecast?”she said hopefully.“So we can cuddle up in bed and listen to the wind?”

He laughed as he started up the truck.“Always.There’s always another blizzard coming.What would life be like without the occasional blizzard?”

She searched her heart and found nothing but certainty that she could handle those blizzards, whether made of snow or otherwise.A voice inside her whispered,It’s okay.You’re okay.Feel free to step into the future.

Free.

So different from the way she used to exist, from one panicked move to the next.She smiled at him as he started up the truck and thought about her dream of flying through the snow next to a bear who would always catch her.“Blizzards are much nicer when you have a bear with you.”

Bear might not talk a lot, but he knew how to make his words count.He took her hand in his, warm and strong.“That’s good, then.Because you always will.”