Page 4 of All Snowed Gin

Holy fuuuuck…

“H-h-hi!” I squeak, trying to control myself. Clearly, I’m failing. “I’m Rose Adler. I was driving through and made a detour, then got caught in this storm. And then, I somehow managed to get a flat. Which, you know, really shouldn’t be possible in snow. But, here we are!”

Not moving a muscle, he continues to stare at me. I mean, not even a quirk of an eyebrow or tilt of a mouth corner. It’s unnerving, but still, I press on.

“Anyway, I don’t get phone reception up here, it seems, so I was wondering if I could borrow your phone to call for some assistance.”

“Why,” he barks. It’s not a question, but a statement, rendering me confused. Didn’t he just hear me?

“Because I have a flat?”

“How did you get here?”

“I walked up the driveway. I broke down not far from here, or well, not far from the end of the drive, and the gate was open, so I hoofed it up here. I was thinking you probably have a landline, since-”

Bam!

The solid wooden door slams shut, right in my face, once again knocking me back. This time, I manage to stay on my feet. But…did he really…he did, didn’t he? He just slammed the door in my face.

What a jackass.

2

PIERCE

Fuuuuuuuck…

So much for my quiet afternoon.

Walking back toward the kitchen, I rub my chest just above my heart. The damn organ is still racing, thanks to the use of the front door knocker. The harsh, heavy sound echoed through the house, startling me. For a moment, I thought I was losing my mind. That I was hearing things. It must have just been a tree coming down outside. Because no one ever uses that knocker.

Then it happened again. And again.

That’s when panic set in. Something had to be really wrong for someone to be knocking at my door. No one I know knocks. Hell, no one I know comes to visit. Just the way I like it.

The only exception is my best friend, Lou Meaire. There’s no escaping him—trust me, I’ve tried. But he knows better than to use that knocker. No reason for him to; he just uses his key. Again, just the way I like it.

I let out a sigh, slumping back down in my chair, lifting my laptop back onto my legs. But I don’t get a chance to breathe. Because there’s that noise again.

Fucking seriously?!

That girl cannot still be standing out there. Not after I slammed the door. More knocking tells me she is though.

Apparently, she cannot take a hint.

Fuck.

Pushing myself up from my chair again, I storm toward the front door. Anything to make that sound stop. I yank open the door and am greeted with the same sight as before. The most adorable brunette I’ve ever seen. Shivering.

“What?” I roar, tamping down the niggling feeling that I should be kind. I don’t want to be kind. I want to be left alone.

“Hi. I need to use your phone…?”

Her tone rises ever so slightly on the last syllable, leaving me unsure if she is asking or telling me that she needs my phone. I let my eyes scan her up and down. Her chestnut hair is wet, sodden down from the snow, white flakes disappearing into the locks as if by magic. She’s in nothing more than a sweatshirt and leggings—both of which are also soaked—and a pair of sneakers that look like they aren’t good enough for any kind of activity, much less this weather.

“Let her in, Pierce, she’s freezing…” my grandmother’s voice echoes in my ear. My insides soften at the familiar voice, wishing it were more than my mind playing tricks on me. Gram is right though. Just like always.

“Fine.”