The next morning Matt Casey's alarm rang waking him up, he groaned before turning over and pushing the off button. He thought about going back to sleep but looking at the time on his alarm he saw it read 7 am, knowing Dawson would be coming soon he reluctantly got up and headed for the bathroom to shower and get ready for the day.
While in the kitchen making coffee he heard a knock on the door.
"Hey it's open" he shouted, he heard the door open and then close and soon Dawson was standing in his kitchen
"Morning" she smiled
"Morning" he smiled back "Would you like some coffee?"
"Sure, that sounds good" Dawson said as Casey handed her a cup. Dawson took the cup and sipped some of the warm liquid. Casey doing the same with his
"So" Dawson began after a moment of silence "you ready to go"
"Uh yeah, let me just grab my coat" Casey said as he headed for the closet to grab his coat before following Dawson outside to her car they both got in and Gabby put the car in drive and pulled away from Matt's house.
On the road Matt turned to Gabby "so, Do your parents spend every Christmas at the cabin?" He asked
"Yeah they do, it's sort of like a tradition to them, been doing it since Antonio and I were little" She smiled
Matt nodded "what about you and Antonio, do you guys still go up there"
"Not as much as our parents but were hoping to start going back up soon." Gabby answered
The two made small talk for a while when Gabby announced they were here. She parked the car and they both got out. Matt starred at the log cabin in front of him before following Gabby inside. Once inside he looked around to check it out, the inside was a little modern there was a fireplace with a few photos sitting on the mantle Matt recognized Antonio and his family in one of the photos he assumed the other couple was her parents, in the corner was a kitchen not to big that it took up the whole cabin but also not to small that there was no room there was a table in the dining room, four bedrooms and a bathroom.
Gabby walked over to him. "I'm going to grab a few things out of the car" she told him.
"Do you want some help?" He asked
"no I got it, it's just a few bags but thanks anyways." Gabby said as she put on her coat and boots
Matt nodded as he watched Gabby walk outside and head for her car. before sitting down on the couch.
Gabby came in a few minutes later carrying a few bags and boxes Matt jumped up from the couch to help her.
"Thanks" Gabby said as Matt grabbed the boxes out of her hand.
"No problem. Where would you like them?" He asked
"You could just put them down over there" Gabby said pointing over to the couch
Matt did as he was told before walking back over to Gabby.
"What do we have to do?" He asked her
"Well" Gabby said as she took out a list that had everything they were suppose to do we have to clean up, put up lights and decorations, get the tree, cut wood for a fire, I have to run to the little market down the road to get a few things for Christmas dinner, plus a few things to make cookies and could you fix the stairs outside they are getting rusty and old and I don't want them to break when people walk on them?" Gabby asked Matt.
"Yeah sure no problem" Matt said
"Thank you, there is some wood and my dads tools in the shed out back" Gabby said
"Okay" Matt said as he put on his coat and boots then headed outside to fix the stairs.
The two got to work. Gabby cleaned the cabin sweeping the floors, cleaning the windows, dusting the fireplace, and cleaning the table, chairs and counter. Outside Matt was fixing the stairs. It didn't take him long to finish the stairs so once he was done he checked the porch to see if that needed to be fixed. Seeing that the stairs and porch were both goods he walked back inside. Not wanting to make another mess for Gabby to clean he took off his boots before walking further into the cabin.
"Gabby" he called out
"Yeah in here" she answered back. Matt made his way over to the bedroom walking in he saw Gabby fixing the bed.
"I finished the stairs" he said
"Thank you" Gabby said
"Your welcome do you have anything else you need done?
"Um not that I know of. I still have to put up the decorations and get the tree but I'd like to run to the market first. Would you like to take a ride with me?"
"Yeah sure" Matt said
"Okay" Gabby nodded "let me just finish up in here and then we could go"
"Sounds good"
It wasn't long before the two were back on the road on their way to the market.
"The cabin is really nice" Matt said
"Thanks" Gabby smiled "you did good fixing the stairs they look brand new."
"Thank you"
"Your welcome" Gabby pulled up to the market. Her and Matt got out and walked in.
"Hello Greg" she said to the cashier at the front of the store
A man turned around and smiled big when he saw who was standing there.
"Gabriella Dawson" he said as he pulled her into a hug "how are you doing"
"I'm doing good. I'd like you to meet my friend and coworker Matthew Casey"
"It's very nice to see you sir" Matt said shaking his hand
"Likewise" he said before turning to Gabby. "How long are you staying"
"Just tonight I told my parents that I'd get everything set up and ready for them by Christmas Eve"
"Oh! Well be careful driving home I heard were suppose to get a storm later today"
"Really?" Gabby asked "I didn't hear anything about a storm in the news"
"Oh yeah. Big one heard it was suppose to be are worse one ever"
"Well thanks for letting me know I have to pick up a few things before I go back to the cabin to finish setting up."
"Okay if you need any help you know where to find me"
"Thanks Greg"
"So Greg.." Matt began.
"He's a family friend has known my family for years"
"Ah I see"
"Yeah. Could you help me"
"Sure"
"Okay" gabby said as she took out a list and ripped it in half "you find this stuff and I'll find this stuff then we can meet back at the cash register
"Okay sounds good" Matt said as he took his list and headed to grabbed what he needed
Once they got what they needed they met at the cash register where Greg rang them up.
"That will be $27.50" he said.
Gabby handed him the money. "Thanks Greg have a nice day" she said as her and Matt grabbed the groceries and headed back to the car to go back to the cabin.
Back at the cabin Gabby put away the groceries before she joined Matt outside "you ready to go get the tree?" she asked
"Ready" he said.
"Okay let's go" Gabby said as she and Matt headed towards the woods to find a tree.
The two looked for two hours before Gabby found the perfect one.
"Matt over here" she said
Matt walked over to her.
"What do you think?" She asked him
"It's perfect. Just like you" he answered
Gabby turned to him and smiled her cheeks turning a light shade of pink. "Aww thanks"
Matt could feel his cheeks turning red with embarrassment. He couldn't believe he actually said that to Gabby yeah he meant it but wow.
"Okay let's cut it down and bring it back to the cabin." Gabby said breaking the silence
Matt took out the chain saw and got to work cutting the tree down. Once the tree was cut down it began to snow.
"Snows coming" Gabby said let's get this back to the cabin"
Matt nodded in agreement as he and Gabby headed back to the cabin with the tree in tow.
Once they got the tree back to the cabin and set up they started decorating both the tree and the cabin. Gabby and Matt didn't know how long it was that they were decorating until Gabby looked at her watch and it read quarter to seven.
"I think we should head out" Gabby said
"Okay" Matt said as he placed a few more stockings above the fireplace.
"The cabin looks good. I can't thank you enough for the help Matt."
"It was no problem I had fun" he smiled
"Well we should go" Gabby said as she put on her coat and boots Matt doing the same.
However when they walked outside it was a white out they couldn't see more than an inch in front of them. Snow was coming down and the wind was blowing Gabby pulled her coat tighter around her.
"The storms here" Matt said