*****164:

There was snow in the air, and ice on the ground. The small paved runway, looked slick and dangerous.

"I don't know about this." Tracy whispered, looking out the window of her little Cessna. Blaze was looking out the other side.

"I do, it's not that bad. Let's set her down. They're obviously working today, see the trucks?" Indeed she could see heavy equipment running, a huge crane was moving tresses. Guys like that must not think it was bad. How the heck had they got all that equipment back in here if air was the only means of...

A voice came over their radio, asking for identification and Blaze, startled, but ready for it, gave their numbers, and they were told they were cleared to approach. Now there was commitment, and Tracy, still not altogether sure of herself, realized she had to do it now, there was no turning back.

It had been a surprise to her when she found out that Blaze was a pilot. The fact that he had logged more hours even than her teacher was comforting, but she still doubted his wisdom right now in landing on that piece of dirt and grass.

"It is paved." She told herself.

"Which makes it a little less dangerous, but watch the ice." He could see she was nervous, and at first was going to let her suffer through, but then thought better of it, and talked her through it until they were safely careening across pavement and bumpy wet slush.

When they stopped, Danny was all for getting out immediately, but Tracy, having just spent two weeks in the blazing hot sun, reminded him to bundle up.

"Mom, I know how to bundle." He grouched impatiently but had left layers off, and his jacket unzipped in his anxious drop to the icy ground. His squeal was one of delight, though.

"They're all going to get colds." She mumbled feeling the onslaught of frigid air as he left the cabin and the door wide open. Megan began to wail.

Blaze was already out. He shook out his jeans and was looking around as Danny ran off toward the most movement just over the closest rise. How could air be so different? He wondered, sniffing. It cut. This air literally cut into his nostrils with a searing stickiness as soon as it hit his face, and twitched the nose hairs into stiff crystallized icicles.

Tracy was bundling the girls, mumbling to herself about her decision to move to Montana. She shouldn't have made a decision like that in the fall, when it was leafy brilliant and warmer. And then to come from the Caribbean.... What was she thinking?

Blaze came up behind her, both hands on her hips, he leaned in close to her left side to see if he could reach past her for his other jacket, and pressed his nose into the exposed skin at her side. Tracy pushed his face away without a word; he'd been doing it good-naturedly for days. She reached past him and retrieved the jacket and shoved it toward him, at the same time zipping Melia's heavy snowsuit up and securing her hat and gloves.

"You're chilled." He observed, sniffing her side again. Tracy squirmed, impatient to go see her house and get warm again.

"Take Megan, she's ready." She said.

"Not my job." He replied and moved away suddenly. She was ready for that reaction as well. He'd been a little flippant about his reasons for being there, and since she was annoyed with him somewhat for coming, and staying.... She used his slight aversion to being bossed around daddy-style to keep him at a distance.

She backed out of the compartment door, lowered Megan to the ground and slid Melia down next to her. They didn't run off as Danny had, in fact, they stood, uncharacteristically exactly where they were. Tracy pulled her shirt down, from where it had ridden up, turned to squint into the rather harsh coldness, feeling her eyelashes stiffen as the breeze hit her.

As soon as she was suitably bundled, she grabbed both little girls' hands, and began to trudge up the runway. At exactly that moment a pickup truck came over the rise and a friendly face waved in her direction.

A tall, spare man, in his late twenties, jumped out of the truck as it slid to a stop on the ice. His brown hair was uncovered and thinning, his mustache was curled slightly, his dark eyes were warm and friendly. He had a hand out to shake hers.

"You must be Tracy. It's really good to meet you finally." She was immediately impressed with his twinkly eyes, his square chin and foxy dimples. He was tall, real tall, and wore boots.

"Are you Chris?" she asked and felt his warm hand encompass hers.

"I am. Are you here for a tour?" he led her toward the pickup, swinging Megan off the ground and lifting her casually to his side. "How are you, little lady? I've got two at home just like ya. I bet you're two. Is that right?"

"Almost." Tracy laughed. "Not quite one and a half, really."

Chris pulled back the hood on Megan's face and looked into her crystal green eyes. "It's the hair, then. I've never seen so much hair on such a little kid, mine were all baldies. Well, aren't you a pretty little thing. What's your name?"

Tracy felt immediately at ease. If all Montana guys were like Chris, then she was definitely moving here. The pickup was warm, they passed Danny and Blaze over the rise, shivering, and Chris pulled over to let them hop into the bed of his truck and then moved on. He was quick, showing her with a pointed finger the area designated for her school, her studio, her home and Julian's. The guest cottages were off in the distance, already started, and Julian's place, on the island was well under way. The valley was covered in snow and trees, its main muddy roads were easily visible from the rise. So she did ask how all the equipment got back in there, since they'd had to fly in and were told no roads actually came out this far.

Chris's eyes really sparkled now. "We-ll." He drawled. "That's kind of a misnomer. Fact is, yeah, there's a road out here now. Have to be, with everything you're doing out here. And we had to cut it over the last six months. It's not real good, not paved. You won't use it."

She nodded. "So, no matter what, we will still have to fly in?"

He chuckled. "You will definitely be safe from prying eyes. There ain't no paparazzi coming out this far, not ever." His wink was reassuring. "So, that your boyfriend?" He jerked his head in Blaze's direction.

Tracy shook her head. "No, an inconvenient tag-along." She readjusted Megan against her side.

"He looks like somebody." He mused, glancing in the rearview mirror.

"Blaze Phelps." She said. "He's been in quite a few movies recently."

"Oh, yeah." He laughed good-naturedly. "My wife thinks he's so hot." And that was uproariously funny, he slapped the steering wheel in mirth and the twins chuckled along for good measure, liking Chris's easy going manner. He pulled up to the house, and Tracy just sat and stared. She'd never seen anything so.... Huge in all her life. She must be planning to have ten kids..... at least.

*****