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

saved up. I’ll help you out.”
    “Two hundred and fifty thousand.”
    Kayla laughed. “No, seriously. I want to help.”
    “I am being serious,” I said balling the towel up and throwing it across the room. I opened my makeup drawer and began patting my skin with powder. “And I don’t need help paying it back. I have the money.” I looked myself in the eye. “I just don’t agree with the repayment terms.”
    Her mouth hung open. “How? Why?” she stammered. “I had no idea you had that kind of money. You don’t act like you’re—”
    “Rich?” I said with an edge to my voice. Kayla looked at me with wide eyes. To her, showing you had wealth was almost more important than actually being wealthy. “It’s not for me.” I replaced the lid on the powder and sighed. “It’s for my dad.”
    “So...what then? What’s the problem? That’s why he’s been after you, because of the money?” Kayla shook her head. “I know he can be a real asshole sometimes, but it just doesn’t sound like him. If you want, I can try and talk to him about it?”
    I avoided her eye, trying to appear embarrassed when in fact, this was exactly what I’d hoped she’d say. She and Rick had a different relationship, one almost of equals. If she was able to convince him to back off, then all the better. Plus, their conversation would reveal the truth and I’d get to see what she’d do with that information. Two birds, one juicy stone.
    “If you don’t mind. I know borrowing money from people gets complicated, I just...” I sighed, resting my hands on the counter and looked up at the ceiling. “I never thought he’d come after me so hard.”
    Kayla rubbed my shoulder and nodded. “Let me see what I can do, alright?” After a moment of comfort, she jumped off the counter with a loud clack. “Now! Let’s get you fixed up and back out to that party. If we get a few drinks in everyone, I think I’ll be able to work my magic. New Year’s is coming!”
     
    ____________
    We slipped and slid our way back down the mountain. All I wanted was to find Bryan, ignore Rick, and ring in the new year right. With the seedlings planted in Kayla’s brain, I felt as though I’d done enough for one night. I could control baby steps and with enough, I’d eventually fix things.
    Scanning the people scattered across the snow and ice, it wasn’t difficult to spot the tall figures of Bryan and Rick standing to the side of the small shed. Kayla was babbling on about something, but as we drew closer, I put my hand on her arm and held a finger to my mouth to indicate quiet. I motioned that we should move around back, unnoticed. Approaching the opposite side of the shed, it was easy to hear their conversation. We couldn’t see them from this vantage, but Rick’s voice came in loud and clear.
    “So what, you’re loaded or something?” I heard Rick ask.
    “You could say that,” Bryan chuckled. The arrogance in his voice sounded so foreign. I’d never heard him act so cocky. “Between my career and the accident, I have a fair amount in the bank.”
    I furrowed my brow. His career? With everything that’d been going on with Rick chasing me, the whirlwind way I’d started to fall for him, I realized with a shock that I didn’t know that much about him. I knew a bit about the accident, that his father died, but nothing deeper. I didn’t actually think he was just a guy who worked in a ski shop, did I? And he had money? This whole thing was odd. Why hadn’t he said anything about this?
    Rick laughed this time. “You’re saying you want to buy Beth’s virginity from me?” My eyes flew to Kayla who looked at me with surprise. I didn’t have time for embarrassment. My heart froze. Is this what they were actually talking about? Had Bryan seriously said that before I’d walked down the hill? I couldn’t move. I barely heard the words, my ears were ringing so loudly. My neck and chest prickled with heat as my temper rose.
    I closed my