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“Wonderful,” he sarcastically grumbled as he lifted the footrest on his recliner and settled in to watch the news. Yawning, he closed his eyes and listened to the weather updates before eventually drifting off to sleep.
****
Abbie lounged on her living room sofa, gazing out the window and observing the snowfall. She imagined that Spring City, Hartland, and Clifton were deserted at the moment; the towns usually came to a halt during major storms. The current one was hitting hard. Personally, she didn’t mind snow as long as she could stay indoors. She jumped in surprise when her cat jumped onto her lap.
“Goodness, Oakley, you startled me.” She smiled when she sat and stared up at her with a look of disdain. “Let me up and I’ll check your food. God knows, you won’t eat if you can see the bottom of the bowl.”
Entering the kitchen, she filled the food dish and got the cat fresh water. Once that was done, she was completely ignored as Oakley stuck her face in her dish.
Deciding she needed something to eat, too, Abbie went to the fridge, opened the freezer door, and scrutinized its contents.
“I’ll have to restock once this weather clears up.” She reached inside for a microwave dinner and followed the instructions on the back of the box. After pressing start, she threw away the box.
As she watched her meal rotate inside the microwave, she frowned in frustration. Muttering under her breath, she dug out the box from the trashcan to reread the instructions... only to throw it back in after realizing she had done everything correctly. Finally, when her dinner was ready, she sat at the table and ate.
She wondered if she would be able to make it to work tomorrow at the hospital. The weather was too treacherous for anyone to be outside, but she knew there would be accidents and emergencies that required her skills in the Emergency Department. Having been an ED nurse for fifteen years now, Abbie loved her job but also knew that some days were more chaotic than others.
Later that evening, Abbie curled up on her sofa with Oakley by her side watching a movie. She rarely left her alone, always by her side since she adopted her during a time when her heart was broken and needed something to distract her.
Abbie’s heart was shattered after Jeremy divorced her, leaving her unable to function. She had been completely in love with him, and the pain of his wanting someone else was overwhelming. For weeks, she could do nothing but cry and try to pick up the pieces of her broken heart. Even going to work seemed impossible, and it wasn’t until her boss forced her to take a break that she realized she needed to heal before moving on.
She remembered sitting in the diner with Lorna, who used to be an ICU nurse, the aroma of fresh coffee and burgers frying wafted through the air as Lorna’s words were like a soothing balm for Abbie’s wounded soul.
“You can get through this, Abbie.”
“I’m trying, Lorna.”
“I know you loved him deeply, but it’s clear he wasn’t right for you. He moved on and now it’s your turn.” Lorna let out a heavy sigh. “You will find someone else. He’s out there waiting for you.” She raised her hand when Abbie opened her mouth to protest. “I know it’s hard to hear right now but trust me. Love will find you again.”
Abbie fought back tears as she thought about falling in love once more. But the thought of opening up to someone new felt terrifyingly vulnerable.
“It’ll happen when you least expect it,” Lorna continued. “Someday, a man will catch your eye and make you forget all about Jeremy Wells.”
“I don’t even know how I feel about him anymore. He tore my heart apart.”
“I know he did, and I hope he gets what he deserves for hurting you. Look, I understand what it’s like to lose someone.” Lorna’s husband, Macauley ‘Mac’ Carter had been a livestock agent who was tragically killed while on duty. But now, she was with a wonderful man who loved her and her daughter Lily. Eli Hawkins had been Mac’s best friend, and was now her fiancé.
Abbie couldn’t help but feel happy for her friend, but the thought of finding someone new still felt daunting.
Creed McBride suddenly popped into her mind, but she quickly shook the thought away.
“No way,” she muttered to herself. “That man may be attractive, but he’s just too rude.”
He had made it clear that he had no interest in her, especially since he thought she was a city girl who didn’t know how to ride a horse. But Abbie refused to believe that riding horses was a requirement for living in Montana.
She nervously chewed on her bottom lip as Creed’s image lingered in her mind, and she wondered how he got that scar. She knew it was pointless to think about him, as they would probably never cross paths again.
Letting out a heavy sigh, Abbie got up from the sofa and headed upstairs to her bedroom. She decided to unwind with a hot bath before going to bed. After all, she didn’t have anything else to do anyway.
Chapter Two
The following Saturday, Creed cursed under his breath as the biting cold snow and ice pelted his face. He hunched his shoulders, pulling his hat down to shield himself, but the frigid wind still cut right through him like a sharp knife. He should be home, sitting in his recliner, enjoying a movie since he was usually off on Saturdays, but no one had been available today, so he was called in.
Finally reaching the house, he trudged up the steps and knocked on the door. Relief flooded over him when an older man answered and he could hopefully get out of this cold.
“Mr. Fields? I’m Agent Creed McBride with the Montana department of livestock. I understand you have some cattle missing?” He flashed his badge for verification.
“Yes, come inside son before you freeze your balls off.”
