think again, buster!
So far she’d proved herself wrong, and she intended to keep doing so. She’d escaped from her abusive husband, high school-sweetheart Glenn Marshall, who was now serving eight years at the State Penitentiary in Canon City, Colorado, a maximum-security prison, for escaping the minimum-security prison he had been sent to when he’d originally been jailed for abuse. Stephanie cringed as she remembered how he’d managed to escape while being transported to another minimum-security facility.
It had been her first week at Hope House, just a few days before Christmas. She’d allowed Grace to take the girls to see The Nutcracker at Eagle Valley High School. On her way back to Hope House, Grace had to take another route because roadblocks had been set up along I-70 in an attempt to catch the escaped convict. She’d gotten lost with the girls, wound up searching for help at the first house she’d located, which just happened to be the home of Max Jorgenson, the famous gold medalist Olympic skier. Stephanie recalled the horror-filled night she’d spent when Grace did not return to Hope House with her girls. Fortunately, Grace and the girls had found Max’s log cabin on Blow Out Hill and remained there until the roads could be cleared, but not before Glenn, lost and on the run, also found Max’s cabin and the girls. When Max found Grace tied up and the girls frightened to death, he’d made quick work of returning Glenn to the deputies who’d lost him in the first place, but not before delivering a few choice knocks that shattered Glenn’s nose. Stephanie detested violence, but secretly she’d been delighted when she heard that Glenn had received what he’d dished out to her on a daily basis. And as they say, the rest is history. Almost two years later, Max and Grace were married and expecting their first child. Stephanie couldn’t think of a better gift for the couple. They were made for one another.
Unlike her and Glenn.
Two years ago had found her beaten down and afraid to do anything to change her life. With no immediate family, and no close friends to speak of, Stephanie had resigned herself to a life of misery until she’d read an article on battered women. She remembered the part that convinced her she had to make a change, and she’d best make it fast.
It wasn’t uncommon for the abuser to turn his anger on his children….
Stephanie knew then she had to get away from Glenn no matter how difficult it proved to be. Two police officers had escorted her and the girls to Hope House immediately after Glenn’s arrest. Since they’d been living with Glenn’s best friend and drinking buddy, Stephanie had nowhere to go. Shamed, hopeless, and frightened for her children, she’d swallowed what little pride she had and allowed the officers to whisk them away in the middle of the night. Grace had greeted her and the girls like old friends, made them feel welcome, made Stephanie feel as though she was more than just another woman who’d remained in a bad marriage for the sake of the kids. Grace had set Stephanie on a path that had changed her life, and the girls’ lives, too.
No longer did she feel worthless and afraid. The girls were resilient, just as Grace had predicted. Though Stephanie knew they were well aware of Glenn’s violent behavior, she didn’t allow them to dwell on it. Instead, with Grace’s effective therapy, they’d acknowledged that some men hit women, and those that did needed to be punished by the proper authorities. Though Glenn wasn’t eligible for early parole, Stephanie knew the day would come when he would be released. Until that day arrived, she would continue to work hard to provide a safe and happy home for Ashley and Amanda.
Melanie McLaughlin, her landlord’s daughter, had just finished her last year of college when she answered Stephanie’s ad for a sitter, explaining that she wanted to take a break before she headed out into the business world. Stephanie was delighted, and the girls adored her. Two mornings a week, Stephanie had to open the shop early for deliveries, so she’d needed someone to see the girls to the bus stop and be there when they returned. Melanie had been a godsend the past two years. She’d started a computer graphics business from her new apartment, which allowed her to continue caring for the girls. This week, they were out of school for Thanksgiving break. Melanie, ever the trouper, was bringing the girls to Maximum Glide later in the day to spend the afternoon on the slopes.
That night was the official lighting of the resort’s main Christmas tree. Stephanie had promised the girls they could attend. It would be a long day for all of them, but fun. And she would see Patrick. He’d asked her out several times when she first started working at the shop, but she’d always told him no, saying she wasn’t going to date until her divorce from Glenn was final. He’d said he respected that and would ask again. The day her divorce was final, she called to tell Grace, who informed Max, who then let Patrick know. That evening, he’d arrived on her doorstep with flowers for her, two Disney movies for the girls, and a piping-hot cheese pizza for all. She hadn’t the heart to turn him away. They’d been out three times since then.
On their last date, they’d gone to the movies. She remembered the movie was a romantic comedy about a couple who each had six kids and married in spite of the antics the kids pulled hoping to keep the couple apart. As expected, the movie ended happily. Stephanie had enjoyed the movie immensely and remarked to Patrick how wonderful it was that the children finally accepted their new stepparents in spite of their earlier misgivings. He hadn’t called since. Something was up with him, though she hadn’t known what it could be and didn’t ask. He was her boss, and she wasn’t going to jeopardize her job by asking him why he hadn’t called again. If she were completely honest with herself, she would admit it’d hurt her feelings when he hadn’t bothered to call or offer an explanation for his sudden lack of interest in her. Even worse, Amanda and Ashley continued to ask when Patrick was coming over again. She’d put them off, telling them it was the busy season at the resort. They’d accepted her answer, but Stephanie knew it was more than that.
Putting all thoughts of her personal life aside, she inspected the store one last time. Everything seemed to be in place. Last but not least, Stephanie plugged the extension cord into the outlet, filling the small shop with bright twinkling lights on the eight-foot blue spruce. Candy Lee Primrose, a bright and witty high school senior and part-time employee, had spent the day before Thanksgiving decorating the tree. Tiny sets of skis, tiny snowboards, miniature sets of ski poles, scarves, brightly colored mittens, and hats hung from its branches. Fresh pine perfumed the air, reminding Stephanie of the giant pines that flanked her favorite blue run, Gracie’s Way.
Glancing at her watch for the umpteenth time, Stephanie booted up the computer, clicked a few keys to record the time, then counted out the cash drawer. The credit card machine was up and running for a change. She replaced the white spool of paper with a brand-new one, then went to the alarm panel and punched in the security code to turn off the alarm.
Twenty minutes later, Candy Lee raced through the back door. “Smells wonderful in here,” she said as she removed her snow boots and replaced them with a pair of tan Uggs.
“It does, doesn’t it?” Stephanie said as she took in the shop, decorated in all its Christmas finery.
She took a deep, cleansing breath.
Here we go, she thought, let the season begin.
Chapter 2
Edward Patrick Joseph O’Brien, Patrick to his friends and family, placed a gloved hand on the dash of his most beloved possession, his bright shiny black Hummer. The love of his life. His passion, his reason for getting up in the morning.
Shit!
He was losing it. Too much cold weather had warped his brain, he figured, as he cranked the engine over. He’d become obsessed with Hummers ever since he purchased this baby two years ago. Couldn’t get enough of them. He knew just about everything there was to know about the vehicle. If asked, he could tell you there were six different
