Chapter 1
Bethany Winston was so tired. She was trying not to yawn as she squinted through the windshield. It had started snowing this morning and it had gotten worse as the day had worn on. She was bundled up in her new coat that her kids had all used their allowance savings to get her. It was her favorite color a bright red that always made her think of Christmas and happy times. Her brown hair was tucked under a hat she'd borrowed from her oldest son Jethro. It smelled like motor oil and possibly weed but it had been all she could find as she left this morning. Her fingerless gloves were okay for the light snow that had been predicted but they wouldn't work if she needed to dig herself out if she hit some ice under the constant snow.
She was going home from a long day at the Green Valley library. She'd been working there for so long that she did still love it but sometimes she wondered if this was it for her. She was all but divorced from that no good Darrell Winston. She was raising her kids on her own although some of them were pretty well grown. She knew that if she was late the older ones would make sure that the twins and Roscoe were fed so she knew that her kids were okay.
She just needed to find the turn off. It was hard driving these roads on a clear night. The winding roads and quick turns had gotten lesser people stuck but Bethany had been raised here. Knew her way around or at least that's what she thought but as she turned down the lane, she realized that this wasn't her drive but Dan Flemming. He was a local firefighter who also liked to check out anime quite often. She knew that her road was about 95 feet back. She put the car in reverse and then felt the tires start to slide. "Welp I'm not getting out that way." she said out loud. She often talked to herself. It was her way of having a conversation that she could control. Bethany had found that with seven children that no matter who was talking someone was always going to have the opposite opinion and sometimes she just needed someone to just agree with her.
Bethany realized that she had to just go forward and hope that Dan could help get her turned back around. Heck maybe he could give her a ride home and she'd have one of her boys come and get the car when the roads were better.
Dan saw lights out of his window and was stunned. No one came around here. The locals knew that he liked to be alone. Not lonely but he just didn't need a lot of talking and people and neediness. He pulled on his boots and coat and started for the door. Whoever it was he'd tell them where to go and then get back to his book.
He walked out and saw the one woman in the whole town who could make him not be a jerk. Bethany Winston was a goddess. She always smiled at him. She always put aside the books that he liked and was willing to talk about them too. She was gorgeous too. Brown hair that shined in the library lights and her brown eyes always sparkled with happiness. Even with the bullshit she'd been put through she always seemed to be positive. She was just a bright light in his days when he got to see her around town and now she was stuck in his driveway.
"Hello" she called. "I'm sorry but I turned down the wrong lane." "Yeah hi Bethany. It's me. Dan. Dan Flemming. From the library." "Yes of course. Hi again. Sorry to bother you but I need help backing out or maybe you could give me a ride to my house? I can come back later and get my car."
Dan knew that she wasn't going anywhere. The car looked as if it had been well taken care but the snow was just coming down too fast and too hard to really get her home and his car? He'd barely made it home even though he had four wheel drive and knew these roads like the back of his hand.
He walked over to the car and put a hand out to help her. "I'm sorry but I think you are stuck here for the night at least. There's way too much snow to get you home tonight."
Bethany looked up at the man. She had seen him so often at the library or at Daisy's Nut House. She remembered a summer two years ago when he had been doing a fundraiser for the firehouse. She seemed to remember a shirtless Dan and several women who had driven through the wash and then back around again just to see him.
She realized that he was standing there holding out his hand and she reached for it. As soon as their fingers touched it was like a bolt of electricity was going through both of them. Bethany looked up into his eyes and thought about how she hadn't been with anyone in a very long time.
Dan felt like he'd been struck by a truck. He didn't know what it meant but he sure wanted to find out. He led her into the house.
Immediately the both of them felt like something magical happened the minute they crossed the threshold.
"What was that?" Bethany asked. "I have no idea. You felt it too?" "Yeah. It's not something I've ever felt before." Dan chuckled. He gestured to the hall. "You can take your coat and boots off here and down that way is the bathroom if you need it. I'm going to start some popcorn and we can watch a movie. Hopefully the power won't go out."
Dan took off his boots and coat and walked down the hall hoping that she would follow. Bethany watched him walk away appreciating the view. His jeans fit him well. Along with his henley that was pushed up showing his forearms, he was definitely attractive. His short blonde hair had a little snow in it and as he ran his finger through it, she felt that electricity again.
It was as if there was a magic in the air.
