Snowed In for Christmas by Sarah Morgan

Author:Sarah Morgan
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HQN Books
Published: 2022-07-19T18:34:04+00:00

13

Clemmie

Clemmie trudged through the deep snow, her vision partially obscured by her fur-lined hood that kept falling over her eyes.

Her head ached from crying and lack of sleep.

Next to her, Hunter heaved himself valiantly through deep drifts, determined to stay as close to her side as possible.

Guilt engulfed her. “Sorry.” Clemmie bent to brush snow from his body. “I shouldn’t have brought you out in this, but I wanted nonjudgmental company and you’re the only one that fits that description.”

What she’d really wanted to do was head to the kitchen, make herself a hot cup of tea and sit quietly warming her feet on the range cooker. But she knew that if she’d stayed in the house then someone would have wanted to continue the conversation that had ended so abruptly the evening before. Which was why this morning, instead of relaxing, she’d grabbed every layer she could find and headed out into the bitter cold. A record amount of snow had fallen overnight, but for now it seemed to have stopped. Parts of the country had lost power, but fortunately they were still fine in the lodge.

And Clemmie wasn’t thinking about the snowstorm, because she was dealing with a storm of her own.

Why had she blurted it out like that? She should have told them her plans in a quiet, one-on-one conversation, but she hadn’t been able to find the right moment. And the right moment, whatever that looked like, didn’t always come, did it? Sometimes you could wait so long for the right moment that you never said anything at all, which was the reason Alice still hadn’t talked to Nico. At least Clemmie had said what she wanted to say, even if the response wasn’t what she’d hoped for.

Remembering the look of shock on her mother’s face made her want to cry again.

And then there were her words.

But, Clemmie, why would you do this? Are you sure?

Yes, she was sure, but having to defend her decision hadn’t been easy. She hated conflict and confrontation and it was clear they all thought her decision was a terrible one. Except for Nanna Jean. Nanna Jean hadn’t seemed shocked or upset but her reaction had been overshadowed by everyone else’s.

Was it really that terrible? Maybe her plan wasn’t exactly traditional, but it wasn’t as if she hadn’t thought it through carefully.

She’d felt excited, but now she just felt alone. She’d done the brave thing and said what needed to be said but doing so hadn’t made her feel proud. It had made her feel terrible.

She badly wanted to rewind the clock, but that wasn’t an option so instead she hugged Hunter. “I want to be a dog. Your life is so much simpler than mine.”

Hunter wagged his tail and licked her face.

“At least you still love me. You’re probably the only one who does.” She kept her arms round him and glanced around. The mountains and the forest were cloaked in white. “Are you okay? You like snow, don’t you? We won’t go far.

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