Saved by the Blizzard: A romantic winter thriller (Tellure Hollow Book 2) by Adele Huxley

wouldn’t come if I knew he’d be here too.” I didn’t have it in me to be angry, especially considering all that I was keeping from her, but it was still irritating. I wouldn’t have had that third beer if I’d known I needed to keep my wits about me.
    Liz studied my face for a moment before relaxing a little. “Alright, fine. Yeah, I knew he was going to be here but I figured of all places and times, this would be the safest.” She plucked at the hem of the long jacket, looking so much like a little girl caught in a fib. “I want to talk to him, with people around, and get a feel for how serious this is.”
    “After everything he’s done, you aren’t convinced at how serious this is? He had a gun...” I hissed, my eyes locked on his movements. He’d spotted us. While he hadn’t outwardly reacted, I could tell he wasn’t too pleased with the way Liz was draped all over me.
    “You had a gun too, but you weren’t planning on using it,” she countered quickly.
    She had a point but it was pedantic. We both knew Rick was dangerous, with or without a gun. We sat in silence, at an impasse, until I finally patted her on the knee.
    “Go on. Just promise me you’ll stay in sight. Don’t go anywhere with him and if—”
    “Okay, okay. I’ll be fine.” The tone in her voice made me grit my teeth. She spoke to me as if I hadn’t been there at the gas station, as if I didn’t know what he was hanging over her head.
    “ If he makes you uncomfortable in any way, signal to me and I’ll come over.”
    Liz heard the edge to my voice and nodded. “Okay, sorry. It’ll be alright. I don’t plan on giving him much air time.” She paused and chewed on the inside of her cheek. “I’m glad you’re keeping an eye on me,” she said before climbing up from my lap.
    Morgan and Spencer had gotten into their own private conversation which was just as well. I had to pin my concentration on Liz and Rick. My eyes darted between them as she picked her way around the pond. As she drew closer, Noah slinked away with a grin on his face, looking like a jackal giving way to the lion. He returned to the blonde’s side but watched the scene unfold. Their position put them directly opposite with the fire between us, blinding my line of sight.
    I tried to move casually, standing and stretching with a brief nod to Morgan as I left the circle. Even if Rick didn’t see me as a threat, I’m sure my presence made an already volatile situation more combustible. If he knew I was watching, he made no indication.
    While they were too far away to read their lips, I tried to read their body language. He towered over her but she didn’t seem to be frightened by his imposing size. She stood facing him straight on, arms crossed, weight back on one leg. I knew she must’ve been terrified but no one would’ve ever guessed it by looking at her. Despite my apprehension, I felt proud of the way she was handling herself. After a few minutes, she began gesturing in frustration. The smile on his face grew wider. At one point, he held out his hands as if to say, “What can I do?”
    From this distance, I couldn’t see her expression but it was obvious their conversation was growing more heated. My stomach knotted and I resisted the urge to rush over there. Although he was keeping his cool, I was afraid Liz would push him too far and he’d lash out. Rick was the sort of guy who didn’t need to be pushed to turn to violence. For him, brutality was always right at the surface. It made me sick, but I had to trust she knew him well enough to avoid a full confrontation.
    Suddenly, she threw her beer bottle at him, narrowly missing his head. He dodged away at the last second, the bottle falling harmlessly in the snow behind him. I moved quickly, heading around the pond to break it up, but Liz threw her hands in the air and screamed. “You’re such an asshole!” Everyone stopped to look as she spun on her heel and stormed away, leaving Rick looking