Snow Going Back

Chapter 20

TWENTY

After a few hours spent sorting through another stack of basement boxes, Kate took a well-earned break and drove back out to Walmart to stock up on milk and a few other supplies. She rolled back up to the spot she’d claimed as her own on the road, just before the slope she couldn’t conquer, and turned off the engine. More practically prepared this time, at least, she zipped up her warm winter coat, pulled down today’s fuchsia-pink bobble hat then shrugged the backpack full of her purchases up over her shoulders.

Tramping up the slope through the snow, Kate breathed in the fresh air and looked around at the pretty street with a cheerful smile. A few of the houses had already begun to put up their Christmas lights, and those that hadn’t still looked wonderfully festive next to them, with every pitched roof, cosy porch and picket fence already decorated with the fluffy white blanket and glistening crystals of Mother Nature. Surrounded by all of this, it really was impossible not to be filled with a warm cheery feeling of anticipation for Christmas.

She reached the house and paused outside for a moment to catch her breath.

Two people two doors down were busy covering their roof with Christmas lights, and as the woman holding the ladder saw Kate there, she let go of one side to wave hello. Kate waved back with a smile as she opened the front door, but this swiftly turned to an alarmed grimace as the ladder wobbled and the man at the top grabbed the gutter with a yelp. The woman quickly righted it as he called out in panic, and Kate ducked inside with a cringe.

After closing the door, she quickly turned to check on them through the side window. The man had luckily not fallen to his death due to her distracting his wife and had returned to decorating his roof.

She let out a sigh of relief. ‘ Phew . I do not need that kind of guilt right now.’

‘No?’

The sharp question caught Kate off guard, and she jumped as she turned around.

Sam stared at her with a hard, accusatory glare. ‘Already got enough guilt weighing you down?’

Kate suddenly remembered Sam’s wallet, and she shook her head slowly, twisting her lips to one side as if thinking it over.

‘Mm, nope,’ she said breezily. ‘Can’t really think of anything.’

Sam stood in the walkway through to the rest of the house, his feet planted squarely apart and arms crossed tightly over his chest as he continued to stare at her. Kate squirmed, feeling a mixture of deep guilt at being caught out and gleeful amusement that she’d finally got to him.

‘Really?’ he queried flatly, his disbelief obvious.

‘Nope.’ She held his gaze and smiled, raising her eyebrows smugly.

Sam nodded, narrowing his eyes. ‘Nice. Well, you’ll be pleased to know my plans tonight are now cancelled, because after driving nearly thirty miles out and realising I couldn’t actually pay for the things I needed, and driving all the way back to discover my wallet’s suddenly missing , I’ve had to waste time getting cash out of the bank so that I can start off all over again. Four hours later ,’ he told her with only barely contained anger.

‘Oh no !’ she replied, feigning surprise. ‘How terrible . What happened?’

Sam gave her a withering look before grabbing his jacket off the hook and walking past her to the front door.

‘You know, you really should be more mindful of things like your wallet, Sam,’ she said with fake concern. ‘I guess today really taught you that lesson, huh?’

Sam glared at her and opened his mouth as if to reply, then promptly shut it again with a small growl of frustration before walking out without a word.

Kate leaned over to peep through the window as the front door slammed shut, a wide satisfied smile on her face. ‘You’ll think twice before taking my milk again, won’t you, Sam Langston?’ she said quietly.

As he backed off the drive, she turned and walked through to the kitchen, then hopped onto the counter and reached up to the space above the cupboards, retrieving the wallet she’d gone back and stashed there earlier. She hadn’t been able to leave it in the bin, with the risk it might actually be thrown out. She wanted revenge, but she wasn’t that cruel.

Kate took the wallet upstairs and made a beeline for Sam’s bedroom. She could just leave it in the kitchen, but he’d banned her from entering his room, so the extra dig of leaving it on his bed was just too tempting. Walking in, she looked around with fresh eyes.

It was the room next to hers, the one she’d taken the bat from. But she’d paid it little attention then, assuming it was just another spare room. Now though, she saw the small details that told the tale of its inhabitant. For the most part, Sam kept it pretty minimalist. The bedsheets and curtains were white and navy. A small wooden wardrobe and matching drawers lined one edge of the room, along with a small desk. This had nothing much on it, other than a small lamp and a toiletry bag. The only personal items on show were a flannel shirt hanging off the back of the chair and a bottle of aftershave on the bedside table.

Kate picked this up and took the lid off, raising it to her nose to breathe in the scent. It was musky and woody, with a hint of sweetness and a warmth running through it. Though she hated to admit it to herself, she’d found herself admiring the scent on Sam when he’d walked close by. It was impossible to ignore things like that, living, as they were, in such close quarters. Now though, up close, the smell was utterly intoxicating. She closed her eyes, feeling an inviting heady sense of it pulling her in. To what, exactly, she wasn’t sure. Just in.

Opening her eyes again sharply, she quickly put it down and backed away, feeling unnerved. What on earth was she doing? That was the smell of him . Of Sam . What was wrong with her? Thoughts of Lance filled her mind, and a deep feeling of guilt swiftly followed.

No, she wasn’t doing anything wrong, she quickly told herself. She was simply admiring an aftershave, that was all. There were lots of nice aftershaves. Though they were probably best tested in shops, she reasoned, rather than the bedrooms of men who weren’t her fiancé. She wasn’t even supposed to be in here.

She stared at the aftershave for a moment longer, then slowly turned and walked out of the room with a troubled frown. Maybe she would leave the wallet in the kitchen, after all.