Snowbound - Harlequin.com

174 SNOWBOUND
to pull into a slot, set the emergency brake and turn off
the engine.
The principal, middle-aged and balding, broke away
from the group of parents and came around to Fiona’s
side of the van as the kids flung open the side sliding
door and bounded out. He looked so relieved to see her,
she realized how much pressure he’d been under as the
responsible school official here.
As they talked, Fiona was vaguely aware of excited
voices and parents embracing their offspring. The only
ones whose parents hadn’t come were Troy and Erin,
who had both left their own cars in the lot. She’d noticed
them—with snow still piled atop roofs, hoods and
trunks—as she’d pulled in. Her own in the faculty
parking lot would look the same. Scraping the windshield
was just what she felt like doing.
Fiona handed over the keys to the principal, who
nodded toward the group of students and parents. “Doesn’t
sound like any of you suffered too much at this lodge.”
“No, I think the kids actually had a really good time.
We were lucky,” she admitted. “If we hadn’t been able
to reach the lodge…” An involuntary shudder ran
through her.
“It was a bad decision on both our parts,” he said
frankly. “I’m as responsible as you are. I looked at a
map, too. It seemed logical.”
“What I didn’t see on the map is that the pass closes
for the winter.”
He grimaced. “I did notice. But it’s only November.
I never dreamed…”
“Apparently it often closes in late November.”