Snow had a way of softening the world, Lauren thought, even when her chest felt tight and restless. Outside the cottage windows, flakes drifted sideways in the wind, blurring the line between forest and sky. She almost missed the sound at first, a gentle tapping swallowed by the storm.
And then she saw it—her front door knob was turning as if someone was trying to step in from outside. Lauren thought of burglars, taking advantage of the snowstorm. She gripped the poker lying near her fireplace. Heart hammering, breath shallow, Lauren knew she was prepared for the worst!
Lauren’s fingers tightened on the doorframe, a small, unconscious brace against the cold and the unexpected. Inside, behind her, the fire crackled. When she turned the handle in one sudden motion, the person outside, bundled up against the cold, looked up suddenly. It made Lauren’s heartbeat stumble…