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One side of his mouth curled into a smirk. “Baby, I’m whatever you need me to be.”

He let his words linger in the air around us, and I didn’t like his implication one bit. Finally, he spoke again.

“So, tell me. Your ex?”

I knew I needed to talk to someone about it, and he was right- I felt more comfortable telling a stranger than my best friend. I was never going to see this man again. I could sort through my emotions once with him, and never have it brought up again.

My appetite soured as I nodded. I stared at the food I was almost finished with, and then down at my thick thighs.

“The end of my relationship with Reggie was a sign. Nothing in life has ever worked out for me, and I’m sick of trying.”

Derek snorted into his cup of coffee. “You think life is fair to anyone? Life is a never-ending battle, and no one wins or loses. The end-result is always the same, but that doesn’t mean you can clock out early. There has to be something in your life that’s good.”

“Like what?”

“You seem financially stable. Otherwise how could you afford to pay for this cabin?”

Reggie paid for the trip- a wedding gift to me. But he didn’t need to- I could have easily paid for it myself.

“Yeah, but I hate my job.”

“Well, it’s a good thing you didn’t get married to the guy, right? Otherwise, you would’ve found out he was no good too late. Divorces are harder than a broken engagement.”

“But the past
six
years have all been for nothing.”

I sighed, staring up at the bright overhead lights to try to prevent the tears from escaping my eyes.

“Don’t think of it like that. Just think about the potential for a better future now that your past is over and done with.”

I shook my head. I understood what he was trying to do, but it still didn’t make me feel any better. “Your pep talk is doing nothing for me. I don’t see anything positive about my future.”

“You don’t see it because it hasn’t happened yet. There will be more bad times, but there will also be good ones. You can’t give up with so much potential. Why did your fiancé end the relationship?”

I chewed on my lower lip. “I’ve gained a bit of weight over the last year. Well, I’ve never been skinny, but I’m the heaviest I’ve ever been. I promised to lose weight for the wedding, but no matter what I’ve tried, nothing worked.”

His mouth dropped. “Is that why he left you?”

My shoulders slumped. “Yes.”

“Do
you
think you’re too heavy?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. I mean, maybe a little. Losing an inch or two would be nice; I’d be back to my original weight. But essentially, this has always been me. I’ve never had a problem with how I looked. But I wanted to be attractive for him, obviously. He’s the one who had to look at me.”

He took a sip of coffee, peering at me over the mug. “If you don’t mind me saying, I think you’re gorgeous. Seems like he just used that as an excuse.”

I shook my head, pushing my plate away. “You’re only saying that because you haven’t seen what I used to look like.”

I pulled out my cell phone and scrolled for a picture of me fifteen pounds lighter.

“What’s this?” Derek asked once I shoved the phone in his face.

“Me at my prime.”

He grabbed my wrist and pushed the phone away from his line of vision. His bright blue eyes blazed as he darted up and down my form. I blushed under the quick gaze, surprised I wasn’t offended at his ogling.

“I don’t need to see it. I see you now, and I’m
telling
you you’re fucking gorgeous.”

I didn’t know if I should’ve scolded him for his language, or thanked him for the praise. I looked down at my plate, unsure of how to react. It had been so long since I’d been complimented.

It felt good, but I wasn’t sure if I believed his words completely. He was super fit, and obviously into maintaining a healthy weight. How could he approve of my body type?

“I did everything for him, you know. I helped him finish college and got him his first job, helped him get out of debt, and even mended his relationship with his family. He wouldn’t be who he was without me. And this is how I get repaid.”

“You sound like an incredible woman. Don’t let one man ruin your giving personality.”

The alarm on his cell phone rang, and he frowned. “I have to go. Are you… going to be alright? You have my number; will you call me if you feel like...”

I nodded, cutting him off. “I will.”

“Please do.”

He shifted his weight, and I could tell he wasn’t comfortable leaving me alone. I smiled.

“Mr. Anderson, I may be slightly irrational and
stubborn
- at least by your standards- but I am never a liar. I promise to call if I need to. I’ll be alright. Thank you. For everything.”

My appreciation was sincere. I was as confused as ever, but I couldn’t deny how much his concern meant to me, even if he annoyed me in the process.

He went into the family room and put his clothes back on, a frown on my lips as I realized I would miss the pleasant sight of his abs. Once dressed, he came back over to me.

“Look, I can’t stop you from going back out to that lake; you have to
want
to be here. I just hope you don’t. If there’s one thing I know is that you will bounce back. You’ll find love again, and even though you’re not happy now, that will pass. Your broken engagement isn’t the end of your life, it’s the beginning of something new.”

I smiled at his words, surprised that a stranger could make me feel better than I’d been able to do myself.

“Thank you, Derek.”

The feeling was temporary, though. He only had such an upbeat outlook on my life because he didn’t know anything about it.

3

At lunch, I decided to take the fifteen-minute walk into town. There was a system of trails on the edge of the property and as Derek mentioned, they had signs pointing to wherever I could think of to go- the slopes, fishing, hiking, and Main Street among others.

I followed the signs until I saw a long street come into view, stacked with rows of buildings on either side. I remembered it from when I arrived the day before. It was full of old, but well-maintained shops and attractions.

I felt like I was in a movie as I walked the street, in a world without constant hustle and bustle, and surrounded by friendly faces.

I smiled at a middle-aged woman walking down the street in her snow gear. The apples of her cheeks were bright red. I was sure the color wasn’t from the cool air, but from pure bliss. Telluride was a charming little town; I didn’t blame her.

It was colder than the day before, and light snow floated around me. The biting air felt refreshing in my lungs as I walked. I found a cute little coffee shop on Main Street and stopped in.

The smell of freshly baked dough, cinnamon, and strong coffee hit my nostrils, and I instantly felt relaxed in the shop. An elderly man smiled at me as I approached the counter.

“Getting a little air before the storm hits?” he asked.

“I actually forgot all about the storm, but yes, getting some much-needed air.” I looked at the menu of drinks and then down at the large display case holding the selection of pastries. I wasn’t incredibly hungry- one of the pastries would hold me over until dinner.

“What do you recommend?”

“Everyone loves our caramel cappuccino, and the apple fritters came out good today.”

I smiled. “I’ll have that then.”

I sat at a small table in the corner of the store, right next to the window overlooking the street. I watched people walking by, their speed faster than normal once the snow picked up.

I didn’t get a good look at the town when I arrived the day before. It was so adorable. The view was spectacular, the atmosphere was absolute bliss, and the people were so relaxed.

My cell phone rang. My mother was calling me for the millionth time. And for the millionth time, I pressed the ignore button. I loved her, and I knew she was worried sick, but I just wasn’t ready to speak to anyone yet.

I took a bite of the apple fritter to distract myself from the wave of depression fighting to overcome me, and it was without a doubt the best fritter I’d ever tasted.

Derek’s earlier words rang in my mind: in life, there’s good and bad. Sitting in the shop, eating a delicious pastry and watching the flurries of snow, no matter how simple, felt good.

Was it going to help me in the long run? No. But I was at a point in my life where maybe I needed to focus on one moment at a time instead of worrying about the entire picture.

I looked at my plate with guilt. If I’d been successful the evening before, I never would’ve had the chance to taste it. Was ending it all still the best action?

If I’d been successful the evening before, how long would my mom, best friend, and loved ones be calling me before they realized they would never get a call back? What would their reactions be?

I’d made the decision to kill myself so quickly, I didn’t have time to think about how it would affect the people around me. All I could focus on was the love and future I’d lost with Reggie; I didn’t consider the love that would be lost from the other people in my life when I ended it. Yes, they would heal, but why take my personal burden and force it upon others?

My life was in shambles, and although I felt like I didn’t have much worth living for, I knew Derek was right- eventually I would find something. And I had to be thankful whenever I got those moments, no matter how simple- even if they came in fritter form.

I shuddered; what if I had been successful? The question kept assaulting my train of thought. I blew out a sharp breath. What once seemed like the best and only choice now seemed like nothing but my greatest act of stupidity.

I didn’t spend my post-breakup days thinking about the pros and cons; I’d spent the time trying to talk myself
into
it, eventually deciding the best course of action would be to just do it. Don’t think about it, just do it. But I was so wrong…

I wiped a tear, the idea of not being alive terrifying me. Thank God for that man. It’s so rare to encounter someone who cares about something other than their own lives. He was a blessing in disguise. Sometimes blessings come in unexpected forms, and Derek was that and more.

I sat in the shop for a long time, just enjoying the serenity. Enjoying the smiling people walking by and the white flurries of snow dusting the air. The man behind the counter walked up to me.

“Hey, little lady, I’m closing up shop. The storm is getting bad out. We’ll be buried by nightfall.” He looked at my plate; I’d only taken two bites. “Didn’t like the fritter?”

“Oh, no. It’s the best one I’ve ever tasted. I just got wrapped up in my thoughts.”

“Do you need a ride back to where you’re staying? It’s getting nasty out there.”

I shook my head, amazed. Can’t get that type of hospitality in the city. Maybe moving to a small town was what I needed to do.

“Thank you, but I’m just a little bit away.”

“Alright. You get home safely.”

About three minutes into my walk, I realized just how nasty it was outside. I should have accepted the ride.

Halfway through my walk, I looked up the steep hill that led to my cabin. I took a few steps on the incline, and slipped on a patch of ice as a flash of lightning lit the sky. The wind slapped a cluster of heavy snow in my face as I fought my way up the hill. I jumped when a boom of thunder clapped in the air.

I approached a newly overturned tree blocking the path. It wasn’t there when I left. I couldn’t get a solid grip with my gloves on, so I removed them. I sucked in a breath before attempting to climb over it, the bark cutting into my numb hands on my first try.

“Darn it!”

My foot slipped as I attempted to climb, and I landed on one of my knees. I dusted the wet snow off my jeans. My eyes narrowed into slits as the snow picked up, ice pellets stinging my face as I inspected the trees surrounding the trails, wondering if it would be easier to go through the woods.

Carefully, I took a few steps into the woods. Half of my boots were already covered as I walked- I’d never seen snow accumulate so quickly before. The only thing I could see in front of me were swirls of white dust, but I figured if I walked in a straight line, I’d make it back to the cabin.

A hand wrapped around me before I could get too far. I turned around as Derek pulled me back to the trail.

“You trying to get lost?” He yelled over the howling wind. “Come with me.”

I looked at the fallen tree, which was covered even more than before. Tears fell down my cheeks from the wind and froze on my skin from the cold. All I wanted to do was be somewhere warm.

He held onto my waist tightly as he led me down the trail and through a small grouping of trees. The discomfort I had about him touching me wasn’t bothering me like it was the day before.

In my real life, a man like him would quickly get put in his place. But like he’d said earlier, he was a stranger and I wouldn’t have to worry about him ever again once I got back home. That lingering thought helped me relax around him. He was proving to be helpful in more ways than one- whether I liked him for it or not.

Within minutes, we approached a cabin even larger than mine. He opened the door and shut us in just as another loud crack of thunder echoed through the woods.

“What were you doing out in that mess?” he said, shaking snow off his clothes.

I took my gloves off, briskly rubbing my hands together to warm them up. My cheeks stung as the warm cabin air melted the icicles on my skin.

“I went into town to get out of the cabin and got caught in the storm. Thank you for helping, but I can make it back to my cabin if you just show me the way.”

He removed his hat and gloves before hanging up his jacket. “No, you can’t. It’s a complete white-out. You don’t know where you are. You can just ride out the storm here.”

My lips formed a hard line. After such a relaxing afternoon at the cafe on Main Street, all I wanted was to continue my alone time in front of the fireplace in my cabin. For the first time in days, my thoughts were starting to clear up, and I wanted to sort through my emotions as soon as possible.