Part 1
I felt along the wall until I touched something that resembled a light switch. I flipped it in the upwards position. Nothing changed.
“Looks like we’ve got a power outage.”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
“Do you have any candles or flashlights?”
“Flashlight is in the drawer beside the ‘frigerator and extra batteries should be in there too, in case it doesn’t come on.”
I was in a cabin, in the woods with the man of my dreams and the power was out. Normally, this would be the most romantic thing ever. However, Dillan has no idea I’m wildly attracted to him, and he just got off the phone with his fiancé to assure her he was safe and would be headed home first thing in the morning.
I recently hired him as my contractor to remodel my new rental property in Tahoe. We were supposed to be walking through the plans when the power went out and everything went black.
“Just my luck that when I finally get a free weekend off to take care of some personal business, I lose the ability to actually do business.” I was using my cell phone light to search the house for possible candles or other light resources.
“You have been a hard one to get in touch with.” I heard Dillan open and close the drawer next to the refrigerator.
“I know. Work has been insane lately. With launching a plus-size line, I feel like I’m knee deep in data, customer comments and designs all day.”
“But you love your job, right?”
“I love making sure every woman, no matter her size, feels amazing.” Working as a Vice President of merchandising for one of the top retailers in the country had its perks. One of which was the ability to afford a vacation home in Tahoe that I planned to rent out for another stream of income. It would also serve as a perfect city getaway for me and my girlfriends.
“My momma was a plus-sized woman, so I know she would be proud of someone like you.”
“Awww! I appreciate my curves and get so frustrated when I can’t find the right sizes in some of the season’s top trends. I’m a big girl, that doesn’t mean I want to dress ugly. Big girls are sexy too.”
“True that.” Dillan clicked on the flashlight and it illuminated his face, showing a devilish grin. A grin that I had fallen in love with the second he walked into my home office.
He was referred by a co-worker who was actually the inspiration behind my purchase. She ranted and raved about how professional and efficient he was.
Tahoe had a hot real estate market and it was the perfect time to invest. I bought a two-bedroom fixer-upper that was perfectly situated on a quiet road where the next house wasn’t for another half-acre or so. It was the perfect getaway for someone looking to escape the city life and disconnect for a few days.
As soon as he walked in, I had mentally hired him without seeing his plans or cost estimates. He wore dark jeans that were a bit too baggy for his leaner build and a button-up shirt neatly tucked in. His black belt matched his black work boots which had a light dusting of dirt sitting on the top. He smelled of wood and sweat. His sunglasses were connected to one of those cord thingies and hung on his neck. He had immediately removed his hat upon entering my house, revealing a shiny brown bald head.
“Good thing my daddy taught me to always be prepared. I brought my flashlight and toolset as soon as I got the keys to the property.”
Dillan snorted. “Toolset? Is that what you call those three hammers and a screwdriver in that drawer?”
“Listen!” I laughed. “You would be surprised with what I can do with a hammer and a screwdriver.” I pulled the tools out of the drawer and twirled them around. “I could kill a man, fix the leg on a table and hang a picture all in one sitting.”
“Oh, really?” Dillan laughed and I found myself wanting to hear it more. “Well, could you also start a fire? It’s going to get cold in here real fast. Sounds like it’s really coming down out there.”
We both turned to look out the window but there was little to no light streaming through.
“I’m so sorry Dillan. First I have you coming out here late and then in the middle of a snowstorm.”
“No worries. I was already here for the night and you are abnormally busy. I wanted to get some plans started so we could get some things done before the winter starts. However, it looks like we might be too late.”
“I hope not. I got this place for such a good deal. The realtor said something about foreclosure and unexpected death.” I shrugged and checked my phone to see how much battery life I had left. “Hopefully, I’m not keeping you from anything immediate.”
“I just need to get back to Oakland first thing for my son’s soccer practice.”
He had a son? I wonder if he was engaged to his baby-momma.
“How old is your son?” I started rummaging through the kitchen drawers hoping to find some papers and matches we could use to get the fire started.
“He’s five, going on fifteen. If we’re not at soccer practice, it’s baseball. It’s it not baseball, it’s football season. The kid does more activities than I ever did.”
“That’s because kids don’t just play outside like we did. I was surrounded with cousins every evening and we played until our hearts were content – or the street lights came on. Whatever came first.”
“Woah, you took it way back on me. These kids don’t know nothing about that street light life.”
I held up a stack of papers and mail that had been delivered prior to me purchasing the home, “Looks like we might be in business for a bonafide fire.”
“Bet.” Dillan propped the flashlight up so it cast light directly on the fireplace. He used his phone light to check to make sure the chimney was open and the smoke would have an outlet. As he started arranging the logs, I started ripping up the paper.
I was about to tell him I had brought some snacks if he was hungry when there was a knock at the door.
Dillan looked at me and I looked back at him.
“Were you expecting anyone?” he asked.
“Nope, plus who would be out in this weather tonight?”
“My thoughts exactly.”
“Maybe it’s a neighbor checking in on me?”
“Probably so.” Dillan walked over to the door and peeked out the peephole. “All I can see is someone with a black-hooded sweatshirt on.”
I went and stood beside him. “Who is it?” I yelled trying to make my voice sound deeper. I looked out the peephole myself and the person turned and walked away. The wind and snow swallowed him before I could get a good look at him.
“That was odd,” I said shrugging and looking out the front window. “Looked like it was a man in a black puffy-coat but I couldn’t see anything else.”
“Yeah, I hope he gets where he’s going.”
Before Dillan could get back over to the fireplace, we heard the sound of a shattered glass coming from the back of the house.
I screamed and dropped my phone to the floor, shattering the screen.
