From within the cabin he heard the old style wall mount phone ringing, turning his attention away from the stars, he headed in to answer it. On the other end of the line was Dan, his old trusted friend down at the Rangers station. “Nick, I’ve got a situation down here with a woman who is trying to get the Wilson cabin out by the one you are renting and I was wondering if you could drive down here and give her a lift out to the lodging” asked the ranger?
“Where is your assistant Carl? Can he not give her, a ride to the Wilson’s”? I asked.
“No Carl’s got a touch of the flu and is not in tonight. The woman is not equipped with chains on her tires so I cannot let her pass” said Ranger Dan.

The snow continued to fall gently as Nick headed down the mountain to the Ranger station.
When he got there he went inside and began stomping the snow off of his boots. The woman just looked at him and said” I’m glad this is not my house you’re doing that in”.
Nick laughed as he looked up at the woman and said “You must be the lady looking for the Wilson’s cabin”? “Where are your things, so I can load them in the 4X4”?
“Out in the car” she said as she handed him the keys to the trunk of her car.
Nick turned to Dan and asked him for a weather update for the rest of the weekend while he gathered her things.

When Nick re-entered the Station he then again stomped his boots as though defying her first statement and politely introduced himself. “Hi, I’m Nick and I am staying at the cabin just a few hundred yards from the Wilson’s. Do you know the Wilson’s,” he asked?
“Yes, Mrs. Wilson is my neighbor and she has let me use the cabin for a while. By the way, my name is Sarah,” she continued.

“Hey Nick”, interrupted Dan, “it looks like as though a snow storm may be on its way. I think you guys should head out now before it gets here. “You are good man Dan and your right we should get a move on” Nick responded. He then turned to Sarah and asked “are you ready”? She simply nodded her head and said “let’s go then”. She then turned to Dan and thanked him for his help and quietly asked if it was safe to ride with the boot stomping cowboy to which Dan just laughed and shrugged his shoulders as though projecting the answer of probably not. “Great” Sarah thought to herself as she headed out the door.

They made their way up the dark and snow covered road. The sanders or plows had not been out and Sarah realized why Dan would not allow her to travel these roads in her car.
As they pulled up in front of the Wilson Cabin the wind began to pick up and the snow was now falling harder than before. “Looks like we got here just in time” said Nick.
“Let me get your things for you while you open the door” he instructed.
As she opened the door, the sweet smell of natural wood tickled her senses. She smiled, it was just the way her friend Diane had described it. Turning on the lights, she headed for the kitchen to put a few things away. Nick came up to the door with her belongings and stomped his feet outside on the porch this time. She laughed and told him to come in.
He took off his boots and left the luggage near the door. “Are you going to be O.K. here? I mean do you have everything you need. The phones do not work up here with any certainty and the storm may get worse” he said.

"Oh sure, I am going to be ok,” she said. “Please won't you stay a while and warm yourself?” The mere thought intrigued Nick as he silently wondered if she was just being kind or if she perhaps felt a spark as he did deep in the pit of his stomach.
They had a nice visit sitting by the fire warming up. Nick did not want to press his luck by seeming too forward, so he arose to depart from the beautiful glowing figure in front of him. He did not want to leave, but in his despair, he did not want to jeopardize future chance meetings. He then turned and put his hat atop his head, tilted it, and bid her farewell.

As she bid him goodnight, she felt a little despair herself. Had she just let this beautiful man escape without so much a hint that she was interested in him? How could she??? How could she not say anything; was she going to let him disappear into the cool night with the fading memory of how handsome he looked with his cowboy hat on?
As he reached the door he turned to her and said, "I make a pretty good breakfast...say around 8 am?"

Quickly she agreed, hoping she did not appear too desperate. As she watched Nick disappear into the night, Sarah could not help but wonder if he had the exciting anticipation for the next morning as she did.
As she closed the door, Sarah leaned against it as if to embrace the thought of the beautiful man one last time before she began the task of unpacking some things to prepare for bed.

A warm smile crept across her face as she closed her eyes and dreamed of their meeting in the morning. Morning could not come fast enough for her. As she slipped off to sleep, Sarah, for the first time in a very long time, had a smile upon her face as she slipped off into dreamland.

When she awoke in the morning she opened the front door to greet the new day. To her surprise she found a note pinned to the porch. She removed the paper and went inside to read it. “Good morning Sarah I hope you slept well? When you are ready just go out on the porch and call out “Jessie”. That’s the name of my dog and she will hear you and signal me that you are awake and dressed” read the note.

When she got dressed she called out from the porch “Jessie” and could hear a faint echo of a bark in the distance. She smiled and thought how odd was the phone system up here in the woods, a pager without batteries.

A few minutes later from behind the trees she could hear the footsteps of Nick and his dog. He was carrying a thermos and a small back pack. She smiled when she greeted him and his face lit up at the site of her.
“Good morning” he said with a smile. “Would you like some coffee”? He asked

With a grin she said “Yes please. It is actually not that cold this morning. It seems like a nice morning for a walk” she hinted.
As he poured her a coffee he told her of his walk with Jessie earlier and insisted that she join him down the trail as he wanted to show her around.

They headed down the trail through the woods and across a shallow stream partially covered in ice. As they approached a hill he asked her to be very quiet and then told her to get down on the ground and crawl forward towards the crest of the snow covered hill just as he was.

As they crested the hill she saw “Rats, you brought me out here to see rats” she laughed
“Those are Otters” he replied in his own defense. Again she laughed as she knew she got him with that one. She gazed on in amazement as the creatures frolicked on the snow, body surfing and then disappearing under the white blanket only to reemerge in a different location. “They are so cute” she said. “Are you trying to tell me that we all need to take time out for ourselves and play a little”?

The look on his face was all the confirmation she needed. She told him that was exactly why she was here. Sarah had a tough time of it with small town life, the mundane day to day routines. She felt as if the world was passing her by. She decided to go against all odds and take the time for herself. It is already proving to be a blessing in disguise she thought as she was losing herself in the moment as she watched the playful animals. She wondered what it would be like to live as carefree as the little critters.

Deep in her thought, she was brought back to reality with the gentle clearing of his throat. Sarah looked at Nick a little embarrassed as she realized Nick had been closely watching her as she slipped into the dark recesses of her mind. What did he notice about her? Did he look into her eyes she wondered? Did he see through the window that she keeps closely guarded for self protection and preservation? How could she be so careless she wondered…it was not like her to let herself deepen in the eyes of a stranger?

But then again, Nick felt like no stranger to Sarah, she felt something different, something she could not quite put her finger on. Perhaps it was the kind gentle way he let her slip into her own world for whatever reason she needed to. Perhaps it is the kind twinkle in his eyes when he looks at her. Whatever it is, Sarah feels so at ease with Nick. She feels that she can completely trust him…a total stranger, but yet so familiar. Now this pondering has Sarah yet again slipping into her being as she analyzes and questions her own feelings.

From his back pack Nick produced a small bag of peanuts. He opened the bag and placed a few at arm’s length in front of them. The Otters took notice and tentatively approached the two strangers lying down in the snow. One of the braver ones scurried up to them and snatched the nuts only to run back with the others. This got the attention of Jessie who tore off after them. The otters disappeared under the snow in a flash displaying their unparallel athleticism as they reemerged from the glistening blanket behind Jessie as though they were taunting and teasing the canine. Nick turned to Sarah and said “This is going to be funny. There is no way she is even going to come close to catching one. Natures answer to television”. He laughed.

They both looked back at the show unfolding before them like some real life Walt Disney cartoon. “Peanut”? Nick asked Sarah. Sarah laughed and replied “If this is your way of getting out of the breakfast you promised me then you are sadly mistaken”. They both smiled and got up from their vantage point where Jessie was still trying to outwit the creatures. “Come on you” Nick called out to the now tired dog. “I do not know which is worse; a cat is trying to chase a squirrel; or you trying to catch these little guys”? He said as he rubbed her head and ears.

As they headed back to Nick’s cabin they needed to traverse the stream one more time. Nick held out his hand for Sarah to take so that she could stable herself as she stepped over the creek. They did not let go of each other’s hands as they continued back. A peaceful silence had fallen upon them as they watched Jessie cross back and forth in front of them smelling every tree and every rock along the way. The sounds of the hustle and bustle of the wintering birds filled the ears of the two strolling souls lost in their own thoughts.

When they reached the cabin, Nick gathered a few pieces of cord wood to bring inside. Sarah opened the unlocked door for Nick as they went in. Nick placed the timber in a rack near the fire place and picked out some dry pieces to light a fire. She watched him bring the flames to life as she removed her boots and coat. “Is there anything I can do to help”? She asked.

He removed his wet boots and coat and said “What would you like for breakfast”? “A warm hot chocolate is a given” he added. He walked over to prepare the cocoa as she considered her options. She sat down on the bar style stool at the counter that divided the living room from the kitchen. He prepared the hot beverage with whipped cream and just a little sprinkle of the powder on top of that to which he used the spoon to swirl a pine tree like design into the topping.

“The pantry is full and anything can be done here,” He assured her.
“So, have you decided what you would like for breakfast”? He inquired once again.

"You" she paused for a moment then continued "have any fruit"? She inquired sheepishly.

He turned to the fridge and brought out a small basket of strawberries. He washed them in cold water and picked off the stems. He then turned to her and dipped one into her hot chocolate disfiguring the whipped cream and fed the piece to her of which she only bit off half. He then popped the remaining portion into his mouth and smiled.

At that moment, time stood still for Sarah even if for only a few seconds as she took in the sight of him plunging the half eaten strawberry into his mouth. Sarah’s lips couldn’t help but twist up with a quirky smile. She tried to imagine what it would be like to have Nick grab her and kiss her softly, but ever so passionately…she quickly blushed at the thought and came back to reality with the sudden bark from Jessie.

Sarah looked down at her and asked, “What do you want girl?” Sarah quickly got another bark that confirmed her suspicion. “Of course”, she said. “You want a bite too!” Jessie danced happily at the thought of so quickly persuading the total stranger to divulge in the delight of pampering the sweet, lovable pooch, Sarah said as she stroked the warm, furry head that was so eager to receive attention. Sarah was enjoying the attention from the dog. She is after all a huge animal lover. Nick just did not know the delight Sarah would receive from his thoughtful idea to show her the otters. It was a real wonderful sight to see!
One Sarah would not soon forget. After a few more strawberries and the last bit of hot chocolate warming her tummy, Sarah brazenly asked Nick, “What is on the agenda for today?” She jumped up from her seat and announced that she was eager to see the sights before the expected storm rolls in.

Nick refreshed the water in the bowl for Jessie before turning to Sarah who was now getting suited up for the outdoors. He watched her dress as though it were a slow motion reverse strip tease. He took in her form and grace as she playfully tossed her scarf around her neck more for decoration then for warmth. He smiled “We first need to go into town and get some supplies and I’ll show you around. I also want to fill the gas tank of the 4X4 in case we need to use it if things get bad,” he said as he put on his coat and hat. With boots in hand he called out to Jessie to watch the fort while they were gone.

Out at the truck, Nick began to clear the snow from the previous night that had accumulated and Sarah took the opportunity to bask in the scenery she could not see the night before. How different things looked in the daylight she thought. She drifted back in time to when she was here only once before visiting her with her neighbor’s family during the summer months. Her friend does not use the cabin much anymore and she thought she should talk to her about it. Sarah never expected to be here in the winter, figuring it to be too cold to enjoy, but she had to admit there was a certain appealing factor to this winter landscape.

“You ready?” Nick inquired. She hopped in the truck and they started up the trail. “Aren’t we going the wrong way?” she asked. “We are just taking a little detour past the Johnson’s place. You see up here we raise a flag to let people know we are in and we have an orange safety flag we raise if we are in trouble. These flags can be seen from the Ranger station,” he explained. “Everybody out here wants privacy but no one wants to end up stranded,” he chuckled, “So we are just driving by.”

When they rounded the turn Sarah noticed the flag pole jutting out just above the tree line and said, “I guess nobody is home with there being no flag flying”. With that out of the way the two made their way down the snow covered road and into town.