SNOWBOUND HEARTS: Chapter Three

Yet, he couldn't disregard the instinctive response of his body to the appeal of her soft feminine curves. He hadn’t been this close to a woman in years.

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

Oh, Chapter Three. This is where the heart of Snowbound Hearts truly starts to beat, and for me, it’s one of the most poignant parts of the story. In this chapter, we meet Lael, Dwight’s mother-in-law and one of my favorite secondary characters I’ve ever written. Lael’s presence at the Sweet Surrender Ranch adds such a rich layer of emotion and complexity to the story.

I know what you’re thinking—why bring Tamara’s mother into a story? Wouldn’t that make things more complicated? Exactly. I wanted readers to feel Dwight’s grief and the reality of his situation. Lael’s grief mirrors his, but in a way that’s uniquely hers: the pain of losing a child, the joy and heartbreak of helping raise her grandson, Liam, and the quiet strength she draws on to keep going. Lael sees Dwight as more than just her late daughter’s husband—she sees him as a son, a man she loves deeply for all he’s endured, for the wonderful, loving husband he was to Tamara and for the father he is to Liam. Their bond is steadfast, and it shines through in every interaction they have.

One of my favorite things about this chapter is how it highlights Dwight’s tenderness, his masculinity, and above all, his honorability. He’s a man carrying the crushing weight of grief while doing his best to care for the people he loves. There’s a scene with Tamara’s rugs in this chapter, and to me, it encapsulates so much about Dwight’s journey. Tamara is gone, but her presence is woven into the fabric of his life—literally and figuratively. Her memory pushes him forward, even when he’s unsure of how to keep going.

And yet, as strong as Dwight is, he’s also human. He’s uncomfortable, struggling to find his footing as he takes care of Anna, a woman who isn’t his wife, all while Tamara lingers in his mind, guiding him in ways that are both painful and beautiful. It’s in these small, deeply human moments that Dwight’s grief begins to shift. It’s heavy and hard to bear now, but the cracks are starting to show—the ones that Anna will eventually fill with her love.

Lael is such a crucial part of this chapter because she brings a nurturing balance to Dwight’s inner turmoil. Through her, we see a reflection of the kind of love and support Dwight lost when Tamara passed away, but also the kind of love he deserves to find again. Lael is a woman of strength, wisdom, and compassion, and it’s evident from the start that her relationship with Dwight is special. Her grief is her own, but her care for Dwight and Liam adds another layer of hope and healing to the story.

Lael also keeps Dwight grounded with her no-nonsense way of caring for Anna. She doesn’t let him wallow in excuses or tiptoe around what needs to be done—she pushes him. And while her rough-around-the-edges attitude shines through here, she’s a deeply complex character. Later in the story, we’ll see the softer side of Lael.

This chapter is a turning point. It introduces not just new characters and a bit of mystery, but new dynamics that remind us that love, even when it’s buried under layers of pain, can still find its way through. Every rug, every quiet conversation, every moment of hesitation for Dwight is a step toward something new, something beautiful, even if he doesn’t know it yet.

As I wrote this chapter, I found myself rooting for Dwight even more, but also for Lael. She’s proof that love—whether it’s romantic, maternal, or simply human—can be a powerful force for healing.

Chapter Three

Dwight had dressed sensibly in layers to protect against the cold — thermal underwear under his insulated jeans, wool socks, a thick flannel shirt, and a parka under his heavy coat. But even all those layers couldn't completely defend against the brutal cold inching its way deeper into his skin. He knew his core body temperature was dropping.

He knew he had to hold on, to cling to consciousness for Liam’s sake. The boy had already suffered the loss of his mother. He wouldn’t make his son an orphan. Liam wasn't going to be left alone in this world. Not on this frigid night, not as long as Dwight still had life in him.

Then there was this waif -like woman in his arms, small, cold and completely relying on him to navigate them through the blinding snowstorm and back to the safety of the ranch.

If he passed out or slipped off the horse, Anna would have no chance of finding her way on her own. Her life and Hogue’s depended on him staying alert and Bane’s sense of direction, guiding them home.

Gritting his teeth against the cold, Dwight tightened his numb fingers around the reins. He urged the horse onward, squinting ahead for any glimpse of the ranch through the swirling snow.

Before long, the snow turned into tiny pellets of ice, bouncing off of rocks and evergreen branches before coating the ground with a slick layer. It was only a matter of time before the ranch's electricity would go out and the backup generators would kick in.

He adjusted his Stetson to a more stable position on his head and pulled up the collar of his jacket to protect his neck from the biting sting of the elements.

Every second seemed like an eternity as he peered into the blustering whiteout, barely able to see more than a few yards ahead. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, faint lights appeared. The multicolored Christmas lights from the ranch house roof began twinkling through the blizzard. Light’s that he’d put up at Liam’s request so his mother could see them from heaven.

It'd been a heartbreaking request for Dwight and Lael, his mother-in-law, but he’d done it because a little piece of him hoped his son was right. That Tamara was looking down on them.

And if she was?

What would his wife think of him, her husband, a man who’d vowed to love her and only her, holding another woman in his arms?

A wave of guilt surged within him, causing a bitter taste to rise in his throat.