SNOWBOUND HEARTS: Chapter Four

Why did this cowboy, who had yanked her away from the jaws of death, cause her heart to flutter in a way she thought it had forgotten?

Snowbound Hearts is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the author, except in the case of brief quotations, reviews, and articles.

Copyright © 2024 by Mina Beckett

Ebook ISBN: 978-1-7375127-6-9

Print ISBN: 978-1-7375127-7-6

Published by: CurtissLynn Publishing

Cover design: Shiver Shot Design

All rights reserved.

BEHIND THE WORDS

Chapter Four of Snowbound Hearts brings a shift—a moment where grief, resilience, and unexpected companionship begin to weave together in a way that sets the stage for the emotional depth of the story.

This chapter continues to highlight Dwight’s internal battle. He’s a man who carries the weight of loss like an old coat he doesn’t know how to take off. And yet, in this chapter, we start to see those cracks in his armor—subtle moments where his grief isn’t as suffocating, where something, or rather someone, begins to offer him a glimpse of something beyond the pain.

And then there’s Anna.

If Dwight’s grief is a storm, Anna is the steadying force. But not in a way that erases his pain or fixes him overnight. She’s dealing with her own struggles, and in Chapter Four, we get more insight into what’s driving her. For the first time, we see her past start to surface—hints of a childhood that shaped her into the guarded, resourceful woman she is today. Hogue’s presence in her life isn’t just a passing relationship—it’s deeply rooted in shared history, in loyalty, and in something that binds them tighter than friendship. This chapter offers glimpses into how they ended up at the Sweet Surrender Ranch and, more importantly, why they had no other choice.

Hogue is more than just an injured companion—he’s a link to Anna’s past and a key piece of the mystery unfolding around her. The clues start to build about how he was injured and why Anna is so fiercely protective of him. She’s not just on the run—she’s running toward something as much as she’s running away.

And then, there’s the shift between Anna and Dwight.

Up until now, their interactions have been tense, edged with survival and necessity. But in this chapter, that tension starts to take on a new form—one neither of them is entirely ready for. Through Anna’s point of view, we see her become aware of Dwight in a different way. There’s an undeniable physical pull between them, something neither of them wanted or expected, but it’s there, simmering beneath the surface.

I loved writing this shift because it’s so real—attraction doesn’t come at convenient times, and it certainly doesn’t wait until you’re emotionally ready for it. Anna’s reaction to Dwight isn’t just about his rugged strength or quiet protectiveness—it’s about the way he sees her, the way he challenges her without even meaning to, the way he stirs something in her that she’s long kept buried.

As I wrote Chapter Four, I wanted readers to feel that tension—the push and pull between grief and healing, loneliness and connection, hesitation and undeniable attraction. This is a slow-burn romance, one that builds on trust, timing, and the delicate unraveling of two people who never expected to find each other.

So, as you read this chapter, I hope you feel that slow shift—that stirring of something new, something neither of them were looking for but just might need more than they realize.

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CHAPTER FOUR

The living room was quiet, except for the intermittent crackling of the fire and the palpable pounding of Dwight’s heart, resonating loud and clear in his own ears.

He stared down at Anna. The color was returning to her face and lips and she hadn’t made a sound in over an hour. He re-situated the blankets with the same care as he had before.

You did good.

“Think so?” he whispered, wishing he had more than a voice to hold on to tonight.

Oh, yes. I’m so proud of you, Dwight.

Tamara had always been an advocate for helping others. Knowing he had acted in a way that would have earned her approval provided a small measure of consolation on a night when he was feeling lonelier than normal.

He took one last glance at Anna before heading to his room to change. There, he shrugged off his wet clothes, replacing them with a dry, warm set of pajamas. He was too exhausted to shower.

Once dressed, Dwight made his way back down the hall, his steps resonating softly in the quiet house. He stopped at the guest bedroom, the sight of the injured man causing a twinge of concern. "How is he?"

Lael, now nearing her sixties, was a stunning woman. She carried the same distinctive beauty that was so apparent in her daughter. Her expressive blue eyes, often lively and vibrant, were now filled with worry as she tended to Hogue's wound.

Her hair, once a rich chestnut hue, now bore streaks of graceful gray. The soft curves of her face were more pronounced, framed by the subtle lines etched near the edges of her eyes — signs of a life well-lived and a heart that had loved deeply.

Her face was drawn in a mask of concern, her lips pressed into a thin line as she concentrated on her task. Her hands, though steady, betrayed her anxiety with the occasional tremor. The sight of her so worried only added to Dwight's own unease.