The Coltons of Roaring Springs. Lara Lacombe

And they both knew it.

      They held each other, watching in silent horror as the avalanche barreled toward them. It passed underneath the carriage, seemingly with only inches to spare. Molly let out a deep breath, but Max knew they weren’t out of the woods just yet.

      The gondola cables were secured by a series of posts at the bottom of the mountain. If the avalanche destroyed them, well...

      As though his thought had triggered it, the carriage suddenly dropped. It jerked to a hard stop, sending them both to the floor. The force of the impact wrenched Molly from his arms.

      Max landed hard on his shoulder, sending a bolt of pain through the joint. There was a thump from somewhere to his left, and Molly let out a faint cry.

      The sound sent his heart into his throat. “Molly?” He pushed onto his knees, searching for her amid the tangle of chairs and tables strewn across the floor.

      The carriage swung back and forth on its tether in a sickening lurch. “Molly?” he practically yelled her name this time.

      “I’m okay,” she said, though she sounded anything but. He saw movement on the other side of the carriage and began to crawl toward her.

      He found her on her hands and knees, trying to stand. “Stay down,” he commanded, reaching for her. He eased her into a sitting position, ignoring the protests of his shoulder every time he moved.

      Molly touched her head with a grimace. When she lowered her hand, Max saw an angry red mark on her forehead. The area had already begun to swell.

      “You’re not okay,” he said, moving to sit next to her. “Something knocked you on the head.”

      She grabbed his arm, her knuckles going white against the brown of his sweater. “I don’t want to die here, Max.”

      “We won’t.”

      Molly searched his face, her gaze pleading. “You can’t say that for certain.”

      She was right, but he was feeling better about their chances with every second that passed. “We don’t know if the main cable is down, but even if it is, the emergency cable will catch us.” The backup line should be tethered to another set of poles, to maximize the chances it would still continue to function if the main line was compromised. So even if the avalanche had taken out one set of supports, hopefully the other set would remain standing. The fact that they continued to hang in the air made him think the system was working as it should.

      “I hope you’re right,” she said.

      So do I, he thought wryly.

      The rocking motion gradually slowed and Max let out a sigh of relief. It was hard to think when the world was constantly moving. Once the carriage was still, he slowly got to his feet.

      Visibility outside the gondola was bad. The air was filled with a fine powder from all the snow—it was like they were in the middle of a cloud. Gradually, though, some structures could be seen through the haze.

      “The Lodge is still there,” Molly said, her relief plain.

      Max squeezed her hand as he looked down the mountain. “And I can see The Chateau,” he added, referring to the French-inspired luxury hotel at the bottom of the mountain. “The path of the avalanche seems to have angled just enough that the place was spared.” Which hopefully meant the gondola cable supports were safe, as well.

      But just as he began to relax, a sharp crack filled the air. The carriage dropped again, only to jerk to a sudden stop once more. Molly’s cry sounded like a sob, and Max reached for her as the gondola began another stomach-lurching parabola.

      “It’s okay. We’re okay,” he muttered, repeating the words in the hopes of convincing himself as much as Molly.

      “Max, there’s something I need to tell you.”

      The cables groaned under the weight of the carriage as it swung back and forth. Fear gripped Max’s heart in a cold fist, and he fought the urge to panic. He took a deep breath, drawing on his Special Forces training to remain calm.

      Even though there was nothing he could do.

      Or was there? He glanced up, wondering if there was some way they could climb out the top of the carriage. Maybe they could hold on to the cables until rescuers arrived? No, not likely, he thought, dismissing the possibility as he turned his gaze down. Just how far of a drop was it? It looked like soft snow underneath—could they try to jump for it? What were the odds of a safe landing?

      “Max.” Molly’s voice was insistent. He looked back at her, surprised to find her blue eyes full of determination.

      “What is it?” His thoughts continued to whirl. How long until the rescuers would arrive? How much damage had been done by the avalanche, and would the rescuers even be able to reach them soon?

      “I’m pregnant.”

      It took several seconds for her words to sink in. But when he finally registered what she was saying, his heart skipped a beat.

       “What?”

      She smiled nervously. “I’m pregnant,” she repeated. “And it’s yours.”