As he exited the thick stand of trees, the sight in front of him almost stopped him in his tracks. The deep mocha-colored wood of the cabin’s exterior stood out in stark contrast to the surrounding forest. A thin chimney piped out a few wisps of smoke from a fire he’d left unattended hours ago, but he could still smell the faint odor of burning logs.
He started up the path again, stopping only when he reached the front door. He set the wheelbarrow down on its mounts and stacked the wood in careful lines on both sides of the door. As he worked, he tried to calculate the fruits of the day’s labor. Half a cord, maybe more.
Not enough, but not bad either, considering how slow he’d been lately thanks to his healing foot.
Finally finished with the wheelbarrow, he leaned it up against the wall of the cabin and reached for the door handle.
It opened before he got a grip on it.
“Took you long enough — it’s getting a little chilly in here.”
He smiled as he tried to think of a witty response.
“You know what? Think about it over dinner. You’ll freeze if you stand there and try to get that brain of yours working again.”
He walked into the cabin, immediately struck by the warmth of the dry air, and shut the door behind him.
Julie just watched. “Slowing down a little in your old age? Yesterday you got more than that, and you were done by four.”
This time he wasn’t caught off guard. “At least I’m doing something useful. What was that slop you tried to feed me last night?”
Julie’s eyes grew wide as she grinned back at him. “Oh, really? Good thing you’re cooking tonight, then. We’ll see how you do.”
He had removed his gloves and scarf and was now working on his boots as Julie came over and sat down on the bench next to him. He’d removed one shoe when he felt her arm slide underneath his.
She leaned her head on his shoulder, and he sat back against the wall. Ben felt her squeeze his hand, somehow causing the room to grow even warmer. He smiled and closed his eyes.
Do me a favor…
If you liked this book (or even if you hated it…) write a review or rate it. You might not think it makes a difference, but it does.
Besides actual currency (money), the currency of today’s writing world is reviews. Reviews, good or bad, tell other people that an author is worth reading.
As an “indie” author, I need all the help I can get. I’m hoping that since you made it this far into my book, you have some sort of opinion on it.
Would you mind sharing that opinion? It only takes a second.
In exchange, I’ll give you three free books. No joke — completely free, full-length thrillers. Head over to my website and grab them: nickthacker.com/free-books.
Thanks,
Nick Thacker
P.S. You should connect with me on Twitter: @NickThacker or on my website: www.nickthacker.com.
About the Author
Nick Thacker is an author from Texas who lives in a cabin on a mountain in Colorado, because Colorado has mountains, microbreweries, and fantastic weather. In his free time, he enjoys reading, brewing beer (and whisky), skiing, golfing, and hanging out with his beautiful wife, tortoise, and three dogs.
In addition to his fiction work, Nick is the author of several nonfiction books on marketing, publishing, writing, and building online platforms.
Visit Nick’s website at www.nickthacker.com to find updates about upcoming releases and grab three FREE thrillers!