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confusion;
there was no need for him to bring a bag. He’d be back before
nightfall, my father made sure that we would be leaving early
enough for that. After he turned his back to me and was just out of
earshot, Fred said, “He likes to be prepared … you know, for
survival. He knows the dangers of the wild. Perhaps better than any
of us.” Concern crossed his face for only a moment. I could tell
that he cared for Luke. The corner of my mouth raised as I thought
of how he also cared for me.
    “ Fred,” I said, putting my
hand on his arm, “we’ll be fine. It’s really not that far. I wish
you and Daddy wouldn’t worry.”
    “ Can’t help it, miss,” he
replied as he smiled, covering my hand with his own. “I will always
worry about ya.”
    “ I know,” I murmured,
returning his gesture. He kissed me softly on the cheek before
walking away. Luke rushed past him and climbed on the snowmobile.
He strapped his pack on the machine next to my luggage.
    “ You ready?” he
asked.
    I nodded and jumped on, wrapping my arms
around his tight chest. Even through the layers of our coats I
could feel his strong torso muscles rippling as he turned on the
snowmobile. Fred opened up the door, and within seconds we were
flying through the snow. It didn’t take long for my cheeks to start
to sting from the biting cold, but the heat that was radiating from
the body in front of me blocked some of the wind. After a while of
flying past trees and riding through the beautiful glistening
white, I snuggled my face down into the back of his jacket in order
to keep my skin from becoming raw. He smelled like the woods, a
piney scent that was hard for me to not be attracted to. I had
always been in love with the outdoors, and as Luke careened around
rocks and other obstacles I felt like he was in his natural
territory. He knew these woods well, which surprised me considering
he had only been with us for a short time and all of this was our
property. Suddenly, what Fred had said rang in my ears. What had he
meant about knowing the woods, about being prepared for survival? I
knew enough of how to get a fire going and even to skin a rabbit or
a squirrel if I needed to eat out here, but it was never something
I would have to do. Was it something he had done? Had he needed to,
in order to survive? I shook my head, trying to release the
thoughts of Luke out here in the cold by himself. It made me queasy
just thinking about it.
    After what seemed like hours, Luke stopped
to take a stretch break. “We’ll get going again in a few minutes.
My neck was starting to hurt, I hope that’s okay.” His eyes never
met mine when he spoke, almost like our moment of connection in the
barn was too much for him.
    “ It’s fine with me.” I
shrugged.
    He nodded and walked off into the woods. It
was only about ten feet from me and I could still see him pulling
his arms above his head and shaking out his legs. I took a moment
to look at the massive trees around me. Gorgeous limbs covered in
newly fallen snow. I could hear the soft song of birds chirping
nearby, possibly calling to their mates to return home. As I looked
through the trees I noticed it certainly wasn’t as sunny as it had
been before. The foreboding feeling I had earlier in the day crept
up into my mind again. Perhaps Linda had been right in that a storm
was brewing. I shocked myself when I realized my first thought was
of Luke’s safety. I would be fine in the hunting cabin and I would
have Collin to keep me safe, but Luke was alone. He would be
traveling back over this same path, which later today might be much
more treacherous than it was now.
    “ Luke!” I called. “We
should get going. I feel like the temperature’s dropping. I don’t
want to get stuck out here.”
    He trudged back to the snowmobile. “I’ll
make sure you get there safe, don’t worry. I wouldn’t let anything
happen to you.” He met my eyes this time and we lingered for a
moment. I watched our breath rise