Snowed in With My Small Town Billionaire

Chapter 12 Gwen

12

C H A P T E R

Gwen

G wen stood by the window of the lodge, staring out at the snow-covered mountain. She rubbed her face. Everything seemed so surreal. They got here, they ran into Sawyer, she twisted her ankle, the avalanche, Zaid broke his leg, and to top it all off, Brent got lost.

She turned around and saw her father sitting on the couch next to Brent, staring off into space.

He looked at her and shook his head. “Why are you hanging out with that Johnson kid?”

Rage boiled up inside of her. She glared at him.

“You’re being a complete jerk,” she blurted out, her voice louder than she intended.

His head snapped up and he looked at her in disbelief. “What did you just say to me?”

“You heard me,” Gwen said standing in front of him with her hands on her hips. You’ve been nothing but a complete butt to Sawyer since the moment you saw him. Why? Even if the Johnsons had done something to hurt us, which they didn’t, Sawyer’s not even a part of the ranch. That is Lane, Colton, and Willow. He left the ranch to go to med school and become a doctor. He saved our lives by digging us out of the snow, even though we treated him awfully. If it had been me, I would have left us there. He went out tonight, risking his life to save your grandson, and you didn’t even have the decency to say thank you.”

Jerome’s face turned bright red and his eyes darkened with anger. “You don’t understand. I lost everything. I lost the farm that had been in our family for generations and I lost my son.”

Gwen took a step closer. “I do understand. We all lost something. I lost my home. I lost my brother, whom I adored. But that wasn’t the Johnsons’ fault.”

His jaw clenched and he growled, “You just don’t get it.”

“Yes, I do. We all lost Kyle, but it was he who made the decision to drink and he who decided to get into that car.”

Her father was quiet for a minute and for a split second, Gwen thought that she might have gotten through to him.

“You just don’t get it,” he repeated.

“You’re right, I don’t. I don’t understand why you insist on holding onto the hate. All you’re going to do is push everyone away and then you won’t have anyone.”

She walked away before she said something she would regret and couldn’t take back. Gwen knew that Sawyer had to be exhausted. It wasn’t easy carrying a heavy kid all the way back to the lodge. Before he took care of himself, he made sure that Brent was okay.

Gwen found Sawyer sitting in the library in front of the dying fire. His eyes were closed and he was absently massaging one of his biceps.

She sat in the chair across from him. “Hey. I just wanted to say thank you for saving Brent. He’s my nephew, but I couldn’t love him more than if he was my own child. I don’t know what I would have done if – if…” Her voice broke off in a near sob.

“It was my pleasure. Brent is an amazing young man. But even if he was a turkey, I would have gone after him anyway. I love kids – that’s why I became a pediatrician.” He ran his fingers through his dark brown hair and smiled. “Kids are the future. I’ve heard a lot of people say that they worry about the future because they think that today’s kids are out of control, they are out of touch with reality, and can’t think for themselves. I don’t see it that way. I think that all kids, no matter what they do, are just doing the best they know how.” He paused. “Except for maybe the killer kids. I’m not sure where the wiring in their head went wrong there.”

Gwen smiled. “That’s exactly why I became a teacher. I work with a lot of kids who have it rough and some of them have made some unfortunate forces, but they’re doing the very best they know how to do. They just need someone to believe in them and show them the right path to take.”

“That’s a good philosophy,” he said. “I bet you’re a great teacher.”

“I’d like to think so.”

Without even realizing it, Gwen’s hand reached across the small space between their chairs and lightly touched Sawyer’s hand. A surge of warmth coursed through her. Before she could pull her hand away, Sawyer gently held it.

She glanced down at their hands and then back at his face. A slight smile played around his lips. Their eyes met and for a moment, the world disappeared around them. It was just the two of them sitting together.

Sawyer yawned. “I’m sorry. I truly enjoy hanging out with you, but I’m pretty sure that if I don’t get to my cot soon, I’m probably going to pass out right here.” He stretched. “I would do anything for an hour in that hot tub we had in our cabin. Muscles I didn’t even know I had ache – even the ones in my toes.”

Gwen laughed. “I bet they do. You’ve been going nonstop since the avalanche. Brent isn’t a light weight and carrying him in your arms like you did had to have been hard.”

He nodded and they stood. He looked into her eyes for a moment and gently touched her face.

“Good night,” he said softly.

Gwen checked on Brent. He was breathing softly on the couch.

Audrey was stretched out in one of the recliners. “I’m staying with him tonight.”

“Call me if you need me.” Gwen kissed her mother’s cheek and headed to the room she shared with the three women. They were still talking so she knew her five-minute shower wouldn’t bother them.

She crawled into the warm sleeping bag on her cot, prayed, and closed her eyes. An image of Sawyer popped into her mind. She could almost still feel his hand on her face.

What would it be like if he kissed me – a deep passionate kiss?

She tingled at the thought of it.

I need to be careful. I don’t need to end up with some kind of hero-worship crush and end up getting my heart broken.

The next thing she knew, it was morning. She could hear coughing coming from the living room. Brent was lying on the couch coughing. His face was flushed and he was shivering uncontrollably even though he was wrapped in blankets in front of the fireplace. He looked at her and groaned.

“I don’t feel good, Aunt Gwen.”

She put her hand on his forehead. “You’re burning up.”

Just then he leaned over the couch and threw up.

Her heart dropped. “I’ll be right back.”

She ran to the men’s bedroom and knocked on the door. “Sawyer, you have to come. Brent’s sick. He’s coughing, shivering, really hot, and throwing up.”

He jumped out of bed and ran to the couch where Brent was trembling.

“We need to make sure that he stays hydrated. Go see if Millie has any Gatorade.”

Gwen ran into the kitchen and came back with a bottle.

“Get some washcloths and a bowl of cool water.”

Gwen rushed out and came back to see Sawyer telling Brent to take just a tiny sip of the Gatorade.

Millie came into the living room and looked at Sawyer. “What’s wrong? Gwen asked me for Gatorade and said her brother was sick.”

“He has a fever. I’d say at least a hundred and two. He threw up.”

“I can make him some peppermint tea.”

Sawyer nodded. “That sounds perfect.”

“Can I add a little honey to it?”

“Yes.”

They put the cool cloths on Brent’s head and wrists. Oliver came in with an acetaminophen to help decrease the fever.

“Hopefully, he can hold it down,” Gwen said.

Audrey, who was standing behind Sawyer, wrung her hands together. “Is he going to be okay?”

“I think so. He was hypothermic, so I’m not surprised that he’s sick. Hopefully, we’ll get it taken care of soon.”

Jerome stormed into the room. “What’s going on here?”

“Brent is sick,” Audrey said, worriedly.

“And of course, Sawyer is going to save the day.”

“Dad, he’s a doctor. What is wrong with you?”

Jerome growled and went back into his bedroom.

Gwen growled in the back of her throat. She had all she could take of her father’s rotten behavior. She looked at her mother and shook her head.

“There is something wrong with him. His behavior is ridiculous and bordering on fanatical.”

Audrey threw up her hands in defeat. “I know, but there’s nothing we can do. We’re all stuck here.”

Gwen grinned. “Do you think that Oliver has some duct tape we can use? We’ll just tape Dad to a chair, cover his mouth, and shove him in the closet. We’ll let him out to eat and potty and put him back.”

“That’s terrible,” Audrey said, laughing.

“It’s an idea.”

Gwen burst out laughing when Oliver handed her a roll of duct tape. Even Brent managed a chuckle.