Chapter One

Charlie

It was so cold.

My shivering must have woke me up. I shook as if I had epilepsy, my teeth clanked audibly in the tiny room. The fire has gone out hours ago and I cursed myself for falling asleep so early. I should have stoked it short after midnight, there would at least be embers in the empty hearth. Right now there was only ash, maybe still a little warm, but nothing that could heat the room.

I forced myself to untangle from the sheets and blankets, my frozen limbs move with difficulty. I thanked myself for having enough presence of mind to slip some woollen socks on my numb feet before I went to sleep. Shivering, I knelt down at the fireplace and tried to stoke the fire. I managed to do so after a fourth or so try and a small flame danced upon the gathered twigs. I blew at it softly, helping it become more confident and soon gentle light engulfed me with its warmth. I put some thicker branches inside the hearth and straightened up.

I filled the kettle with frigid water from the tap and put it on the stove. Good thing the pipes didn't freeze, I thought to myself, going to the bathroom. Water wouldn't be warm in the shower, but I could at least wash my face and teeth, and when it was cold, it made better work of waking me up. I glanced at myself in the mirror. A tired woman looked back at me, not a girl I remembered from two years ago, but someone else, with a couple of grey hairs, shadows under her eyes and almost constantly furrowed brow. I sighed. Last year wasn't easy and that showed— the death of my mom, the disappearance and presumed death of my fiancé, the fire at my home in New York— let's just say those weren't the best of my years.

The kettle whistled sharply and I went to switch the stove off. Pouring the boiling water into the cup with some crumbled tea leaves in it, I glanced at my tablet. I always checked the government's sites of missing soldiers with my tea in the morning. I needed to keep in track with whatever they did to find Colin, if there was anything at all. His handsome, smiling face looked up at me—I remember the day I took this photo— and a big red MIA flashed under the picture. I sighed. At least it wasn't confirmed KIA, I comforted myself.

Indifferently, I prepared my breakfast. It wasn't much, an omelette and a toast, but again, I didn't need much lately. Just something to keep me going for the rest of the day, week, month and eventually, life.

The tea was hot and it helped me feel better. That's a little ridiculous, but I remembered my mom's words when she first heard of Colin's disappearing. Oh, dear, she said and it sounded as if a breath was knocked out of her. Oh, honey. She hugged me close and later brewed tea for me, and now I associated the taste of tea with my mother's warmth and care and it somehow felt as if she still was with me, pouring litres of tea into my throat to make me better. I knew it was silly. I just didn't care anymore. I wished she was with me.

I glanced outside and saw the sky was getting brighter. It was still snowing, and the road would probably be shitty, but I had to be in coffee shop in an hour, so I got up from the table and went to my room to get dressed. The fire was going on nicely and I couldn't stop myself from standing in front of the fireplace for a while, warming my hands.

After securing the fire for the day, I left the tiny house, swiping a card and locking it. Couple months ago, just after I arrived, some local company decided to equip all the houses with digital locks. They forgot, however, most of the building had no central heating system or even warm water, and digital locks weren't a priority. The town's mayor thought it was a good idea, though, and convinced the city counsel to fund the locks for every building. And there we were, without hot water and with constantly freezing pipes, but with a little of modern luxury in our God forsaken town.

I didn't mind. Or care.

I got into my car, started it and waited until it stopped coughing and choking. The engine started eventually, and I was able to drive out of my backyard onto the road covered in fresh snow. Fortunately, the coffee shop was not too far away and I made it just in time. I didn't pass anyone while driving. Everyone had their mind in the right place and they chose to stay at home. I couldn't blame them. I would do so too, but I learned not to shirk from my duty, and my duty was to provide hot coffee if any weary traveller happened upon the coffee shop.

The short walk from my car to the coffee shop door had me covered in snow from head to toes. I dropped my keys when I fumbled with the opening.

"Shit", I muttered and squatted to search for them. The wind was picking up, and it snowed more and more as I finally grabbed the familiar shape of keys with my red fingers. I pushed the door to the café open and struggled to close them behind me.

I exhaled with relief and took my beanie off my head. I shook the snow of my jacket and stomped for a moment to get rid of the snow plastered to my shoes. I was going to have to wash the floor before the clients start to come, though on a day like that there weren't too many people in here. Hell, there were not too many people in Frozen Falls on a sunny day, either. The town was so far north most of the people didn't even know it exists. It's surprising it had enough money to survive through all these years.

I walked to the backroom to put my stuff in there and maybe change into some dry pants. I've been in the snowstorm for a total of five minutes and my jeans were almost completely soaked.

The bell over the door rang and I poked my head out of the staff room to check who just came in along the gust of snowy wind.

"Freckles? I saw you come in!"

"Oh, it's you", I said when I saw Michelle, the only person in town I called a friend. "Give me a sec, I need to change."

"Sure thing, babe."

I heard her stomping her boots, too, and I quickly pulled dry jeans on and slid my feet into my comfortable work shoes. Tying my hair into a messy knot on top of my head I emerged from the back room. Michelle walked to me, wrapped her arms around me and hugged me tightly.

"Hey there", she smiled at me. I couldn't help but return the smile and the hug.

"Hello, Michelle."

She was always so bubbly. When I met her, she struck me as a city girl. She was blonde, slim and pretty, had a great fashion sense and worked out five times a week. She did everything— she taught at preschool, led a dancing practice and a fitness group, was the owner of the coffee shop I worked at and, in her free time, she sold houses here in Frozen Falls. I had no idea where she was taking the energy from to do all these things, but the supply was absolutely unlimited. She truly was a perfect woman. I sometimes envied her, I thought to myself, getting behind the counter. And then most of the times I didn't. I wouldn't manage to be so popular all the time.

"Coffee?"

"Yes, please. Make it a big gingerbread one. And a take out."

I raised my brows in question as I prepared her drink. She usually drunk her first coffee of the day here, at the shop.

"In a hurry?"

She nodded eagerly.

"Actually, yes. I finally had a client, you know." She winked at me. I swear, she was the only person in the world capable of mastering a wink. "They want to buy a house. God, Charlie! I'm so happy I could burst!"

The estate agency led by Michelle wasn't too lucrative business in Frozen Falls. From what I remembered, I was her last client, and I bought a house almost a year ago. I understood her excitement.

"That's great, honey", I offered a beam, and it was a genuine one. "Which one are they buying?"

"The old one at the end of the road. By the forest."

I whistled through my teeth.

"Brave people. Not many would want to live there, I think the electricity was cut off when the river overflew last summer."

"Yeah. I told him so, but the client said it's all right and he'd have the power connected to the house on his own."

"Nice. So, who is it? Some happy family? Newlyweds? Or maybe some adventurers willing to try surviving in the harsh climate of Frozen Falls?"

Michelle took the coffee I offered her, took a sip and closed her eyes for a second.

"That's so good. Thanks, babe." She drank some more. "The client is actually a single guy. He's on his own." She frowned, sipping her coffee. "You may have heard of him, actually. There was some fishy business going on with him, and couple months ago he was publicly martial courted or so."

I stared at her blankly.

"Doesn't ring a bell."

She huffed.

"Oh well. Anyway, he was a big hero once, you know. One of them Spartans, I think? Wasn't listening too closely to the reporter." She winked at me again. "I saw him via video chat. He's kinda hot, you know, in a strange way. Your type, I'd say."

"Oh."

Michelle looked at me, uncertainty in her eyes, and I knew exactly what would her next words be. I felt a chill creeping up my spine and it was not from the weather. My lips tightened and I interrupted her before she said what she wanted to say.

"Three fifty", I muttered. I bit my lower lip, making my face look crooked. Michelle sighed and handed me a five.

"Keep the change, Freckles."

"I will."

I put the change into the tip jar.

Before she left, Michelle turned to me again, a wide grin back on her face. Oh, great. She was gonna invite me to her party again. Wasn't the last time fiasco enough of my torment?

"I'm having a party later tonight. Some friends will come there. There's this great guy, his name is Greg, and he'd really..."

This time I couldn't suppress my smirk when I interrupted her.

"It's the second time in two minutes you try to set me up with someone", I pointed out.

"Oh, come on, Freckles", she whined and run back to the counter, setting her coffee on the top so hard it almost spilled. "It's high time you started dating again. Colin's been gone for almost two years now, babe." She grabbed my hand and squeezed it, hard. "From what you've told me about him, I'm sure he'd want you to go on with your life. Stop grieving, Charlie. You're young. You're beautiful and resourceful. You've mourned long enough."

I was quiet for a long moment, because my throat was tight and I didn't want to tear up when Michelle was near. I disagreed with her completely, because I still refused to think that Colin might not be coming back from wherever he was right now. I didn't want to date again, I was not ready for that big of a step. I was going to have to talk with her, but now was not the time or the place to start a fight. I forced a smile.

"Thanks, Michelle. Go to your client. Shouldn't make him wait, he's the first one since forever."

She squeezed my hand and looked at me hopefully.

"Please come to my party tonight."

"Yeah. Great Guy Greg will be there. I have to go."

She snorted.

"Don't be like that. He's really nice."

"Okay, Michelle. See you later."

She smiled and soon the only thing left was a lingering scent of her expensive perfume.

I sat heavily on a stool behind the counter, feeling empty inside. I really loved Michelle, but she could finally learn I was not going to give up on Colin so easily.

I wiped a hand through my face. It was going to be a long day.