Chapter 44: Rivals, Part 2

Michael

James stares at her, wide-eyed. I think I'm doing the same.

"We have food and drinks to keep us going." she continues, "Blankets.... there's three of us. I bet we can think of a way of keeping warm, eh?"

Unbelievably, she winks at us; James and I burst into laughter.

Babe, you're a gem.…

But our situation, whilst not desperate, needs to be dealt with. The temperature is still falling fast and, with the engine turned off, the cab is becoming icy. Already, our condensed breath on the windows is glazing over to filigreed tentacles of frost and my fingers are turning numb. Charlotte is rubbing her hands together, blowing through her fingers.

"Let's get the blankets out and snuggle up together in the back," she suggests.

I find the flasks of hot drinks among the provisions, leaving Charlotte to serve up in the cab, whilst James and I wrestle down the back seat, spreading out blankets to accommodate three.

"Most women would be scared useless. She's no shrinking viole