I was hoping that Teddy would visit me again soon. That wasn't the case though. Three weeks later and I still hadn't heard from him.

I knew, logically, that I didn't have any reason to be upset about this. He was just a stranger I helped out one night. We shared breakfast and talked for a bit. That was all. It's not like we had any kind of relationship. He didn't need to see me again.

As much as I knew this, I couldn't help feeling a little blue that I hadn't seen him. I missed having someone to talk to. Mrs. Harrison came by from time to time, but talking with her felt different than talking with Teddy. I wasn't sure why.

What really bothered me about this whole situation was the fact that I hadn't seen a trace of him since that day. Not in the forest, not along the road, not even in town. It was like he had vanished off the face of the Earth. Part of me wondered if he really did make it home safe that day. Part of me wondered how I would ever know if he didn't.

A familiar voice broke through my clouded brain. "Lin, did you get table three their check yet?"

"Ah, right. Getting it now, Tilly." I rushed to the register to cash out the table.

Tilly, a.k.a Matilda, a.k.a Mrs. Harrison, had come to my rescue yet again. I knew I couldn't survive too long on the money I had saved, but getting a job wasn't exactly easy. Thanks to Greg, I had a few years gap in my working experience. Aside from that, I didn't really have any technical skills or specialized training. Unfortunately, those were most of the jobs that were hiring in this area. I tried applying to a few places in town, but I never heard back. I was starting to get desperate. I needed a job, and fast. Miraculously, I got one.

Like she promised, Mrs. Harrison dropped by to check on me about a week after I moved in. We caught up on how I'd been adjusting to life out here and what had been going on. Minus the surprise guest I had.

Although she was the one who encouraged me to help others, I wasn't sure how she'd feel about me inviting strange men into the house. I also didn't want her to worry about my safety, or if strangers would always be coming to my door in the middle of the night. Besides, it's not like anything had happened.

When she asked me about job hunting, I confessed that I'd been having a hard time finding one. Her generosity shouldn't have surprised me by now, but it still did.

"Oh, why don't you come work at the diner then?" She asked. "Me and Harry were talking about getting some more help anyway."

My mouth dropped open. "Really?! Is that- I mean, are you sure it's okay?"

"Sure, why not?" She shrugged. "It's just a waitress job, mind you, but it'll put food on the table.

Speaking of which, we offer some good perks to our staff too. We'll provide your meal on your lunch break, plus you get to take a meal home each day you work. Also, if there's anything left over that we can't sell at the end of the day, the staff usually divides it up and takes it home. Just last week, Harry screwed up and ordered too much product. Everyone took home some chicken fingers."

"Wow." I was at a loss for words. "I-I just can't believe it. That's so generous of you."

"Hey, treat your staff like family and they'll work like it. Besides, I'd rather have it feed them than just get tossed. Can't stand to let things go to waste," she said, shaking her head. "So what do you say?"

Of course, with an offer that good, I could hardly turn her down. Tilly and Harry gave me a decent wage, plus I earned tips. The food they gave me helped cut grocery costs too. I didn't earn much, but it was more than enough for me to live comfortably, and it was all my money.

Luckily, I hadn't heard from Greg in all that time. True, I had blocked him on every form of media imaginable, but, knowing him, I still half-expected him to turn up somewhere by now. It seemed my luck was finally on the upswing. I just hoped it stayed that way.

I noticed another table leaving and went to go clear their plates. As I stacked the dishes, I glanced out the window. A dark, bushy beard caught my eye. A wave of hope ran through me. Then quickly crashed. No, not him, just another local. I sighed as I carried the plates to the kitchen.

"Something you want to talk about?" Tilly asked, coming up behind me.

"Huh?"

She nudged me gently. "Don't think I haven't noticed. You perk up at every beard in a five-mile radius nowadays. This isn't about that ex of yours, is it?"

"No, god no," I assured her. "It's...nothing."

"Lin," she said sternly.

"Alright, alright," I mumbled. "I... kind of met a guy the other day."

"Now that's more like it," she laughed, hitting my arm playfully. "Get back on that horse!"

"No, no, no. It's not like that," I explained. "We barely even talked. He's an acquaintance at most, and probably less than that, honestly. He mentioned meeting up again, but I haven't heard from him since. I haven't even seen him since then."

"Well, this town isn't too big. Who is it? Maybe I know where he's at."

"He goes by 'Teddy.' I don't have a last name to go with that. Don't bother yourself though, Til," I insisted. "I know where he is. He's my neighbor actually."

"Neighbor?" She asked skeptically. "That doesn't sound right. You sure he didn't give you a fake address or something? As far as I know, nobody lives out there."

"Really? I don't know why he'd do something like that. I never asked him for it or anything." I was starting to worry she was right when I remembered something. "Oh! He did mention he lived pretty far back in the woods though. No roads or anything. About half an hour over the hill I think he said."

"Huh, no houses out there that I know of. Is he one of those survivalists? They kind of set up wherever they like, so it's possible he's got a cabin or something out there I don't know about," she commented.

"I'm not sure, maybe. I don't really know too much about him," I admitted. "Based on the conversation we just had, I'm guessing you don't know any 'Teddy' though."

She shrugged. "Well, I know a 'Teddy,' but he's six years old, so I doubt it's him. More importantly, if you know where this guy's supposed to be, why not go visit him yourself? If he was lying, you'll know he's not worth the time, and if he's telling the truth, then you can see him again."

"Tilly, come on," I said, laughing her off. "How weird would it be if I dropped by all of the sudden? Like I said, we're not close or anything."

"If that was true, you wouldn't be hunting down beards every day." She nudged me in the ribs with her elbow. "All I'm saying is you might as well check."

I rolled my eyes. "If I tell you I'll think about it, will you drop the subject?"

"Nope, but you can drop these," she laughed, taking the dishes from me. "Your shift ended five minutes ago while we were gabbing away."

"Damn, is it six already?" I asked, glancing at the clock.

"Yup. Harry's probably got your food done by now. Grab it and head on home. I'll see you tomorrow, Lin."

"It's Saturday tomorrow, Til."

"Wait, is it?" I could see her counting off the days in her head. "Damn it, now I'm losing track of time. Never get old, Linny. It sucks. Anyway, I'll see you whenever you're in next."

"See you then."

I walked over to the serving window. Mr. Harrison silently handed me a carefully packed to-go container the same way he always did. I waved goodbye to him and headed to my car.

Now that I'd finally met him, I understood why he and Mrs. Harrison had been together so long. He didn't say much, but he was just as sweet and generous as she was. He always started my food right before my shift ended so it would be hot when I went home. On nights I closed, he came back to the diner, whether he was scheduled that day or not, just to make sure I was safe. I really couldn't have asked for better bosses or friends.

As I drove home, I glanced out my window at the scenery. It had been warm the last week or so. Well, warm for Alaska. The snow from the blizzard had all melted down to a reasonable level by now.

Mrs. Harrison warned me that it was a curse and a blessing. It was easier to get around now, but when the next cold day came all that water would become ice. Right now, I was just happy to be able to walk in my yard again.

For the last three weeks, I'd been forced into the snowy path I'd dug out. My entire route depended on that pathway. While it did the job it was supposed to, I felt a little trapped by it. Living away from everything and everyone got lonely at times. Going out and getting some fresh air would have done wonders for that cabin fever I'd been getting, but until now I didn't have the option. Today, I did.

I only went into my house long enough to put my food on the counter before I went out again. As I stepped onto the lawn, I felt my boot sink into the soft muck.

The other bad thing about melting snow? Everything was a slushy mess. It was difficult to move without sliding, and in the places that didn't slide, the mud sucked me in. Still, I'd take this over staring longingly out the window any day of the week.

Ohio may not have been as cold as Alaska, but it did its job preparing me for the snow. Icy sidewalks and mucky lawns? Been doing it for years. This was nothing.

Or so I thought. I made a wrong step somewhere and ended up sliding almost a foot across the field before catching my balance. I caught it for all of two seconds before misstepping again and falling on my hands and knees.

I sighed deeply. Alright, maybe that was enough outdoor time for today. I shifted my body, trying to get some leverage so I didn't land on my ass again. As I did, my hand bumped against something hard. I glanced down. Something black was sticking out of a small, half-melted snow pile. A stick? No, it looked like fabric. I brushed away the snow. My eyes went wide as I realized what it was. A hunting knife.

So this is where Teddy's knife landed when he tossed it. I picked it up and looked at it. The sheath was soaked and muddy, but it didn't look damaged. I pulled the knife out to inspect it. Sleek, sturdy, and razor-sharp. It seemed like it had stood up to the elements pretty well these past couple weeks. I put the knife back in the sheath and tucked it into my pocket.

I was kind of glad the knife was still undamaged. Looking back, I felt guilty that I made him get rid of it. Especially seeing the quality of it now. I'm sure he must have needed it a few times since then.

At the time, asking him to get rid of it made sense, but now I felt silly about it. Teddy was a good guy. I had nothing to worry about. What was done was done though. I could only hope I'd have the chance to return it in the future. Maybe I'd give the sheath a good cleaning later, just in case.

I spent the next couple minutes trying to get on my feet again before the slush finally let me stand. My steps were small and timid as I made my way back to the house. The last thing I wanted to do was fall again. My body finally relaxed when I reached the door.

As I grabbed the handle, I noticed how muddy my sleeve was. I glanced down at the rest of my clothes. They were a mucky, muddy mess. Great. Now, I'd have to change and I probably needed a shower.

Fortunately, Mr. and Mrs. Harrison had made several changes to the cottage since the time they lived there. Those changes mostly consisted of updates to the plumbing to make it more guest-friendly. One of those updates included a water heater. Hot showers in a place like this were a luxury that I had never taken for granted.

I loved the shower but leaving it was another story. Even if I lit the fireplace before going in, the rooms still felt freezing when I got out. I made the splurge of buying a hairdryer about a week ago in the hopes that drying my hair would somehow help with the cold, but it didn't do much. I guess, if nothing else, it helped me stay warm for a few minutes longer.

Today's shower was no exception. I'd redressed in my warmest, coziest clothes, but I still felt freezing. I held myself tightly as I walked into the living room and sat in front of the fire. It felt like an eternity, but eventually, I could feel the heat start to reach my frozen body. I sighed with relief.

A log popped suddenly and shifted a little too close to the edge of the firescreen for my comfort. I grabbed the fireplace poker and carefully moved it back into place. I glanced down at the poker in my hand. I couldn't believe I had once needed this thing as a weapon. Or thought I did, at least.

I remembered that night. How I said I'd look back on it a month later and laugh at how scared I'd been.

I was right. I couldn't help letting out a small chuckle as I tucked the poker back into its place. God, had I really threatened Teddy with this thing? Did I really lock my door because I was afraid he'd try to sneak into my room? Did I really think he was going to go psycho and stab me with a kitchen knife that next morning? I felt completely ridiculous. I might not have known Teddy well, but he definitely didn't seem like that kind of guy.

Apparently, he wasn't the kind of guy who followed through with plans either. I tried to shake off this thought, but I couldn't help feeling annoyed. Wasn't he the one who suggested coming back again? I even tried to insist it wasn't necessary, but he kept saying he wanted to. Well, here I was three weeks later without hearing a single word from him. At the very least, he could have come back to say he changed his mind or he wasn't interested.

Interested. The word echoed in my head. Interested in what exactly? It's not like I was expecting anything if I saw him again. Just the chili he said he'd bring. A friendly chat maybe. That was all.

I couldn't even convince myself that was true.

Alright, I had some interest in Teddy. I could admit that. I wasn't going to do anything about it though. I'd learned my lesson with Greg. Just because a guy acts nice and does a few thoughtful things for you doesn't mean he cares about you.

I wasn't going to jump into another relationship and get myself hurt again. I was going to spend some time alone. I was going to work on my relationship with myself. I was going to love me before I bothered loving anyone else. Once I loved myself, I wouldn't be so desperate for men to love me. I'd be able to make a calm, rational decision about who to date, and know exactly what I was looking for in a man. No more wasting my time with losers because "this might be as good as it gets." All I needed was me.

The speech sounded good in my head. Now, if only I could make myself believe it. I sighed loudly. I wonder how long it would take to 'love myself' exactly. Right now, all I wanted was a body to warm my bed at night and a couple of strong arms wrapped around me.

Despite this, I was going to wait. Some alone time had actually been good for me. Since cutting all ties with Greg, I'd started to recognize some of the unhealthy habits and red flags we'd had in our relationship. I was also starting to figure out what was really important to me in a relationship. Doing this may have been lonely, but it was healthy. That was much more important than having a hot pack at night.

I felt a little better thinking of this. My stomach growled at that moment. I guess it was dinner time.

Mr. and Mrs. Harrison really had been saving me a lot of trouble with all the food they gave me. I was grateful for the job, but a service job is a service job. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner rushes kept me busy serving tables usually. Not to mention clearing dishes, running bills, taking orders, and dealing with customers in general. It could get exhausting at times and I wasn't sure I'd have the energy to feed myself if they didn't do it for me.

My stomach growled again as if telling me to hurry. I sighed and stood up from my chair. I hoped my food was still warm at least. I wasn't sure I had the energy to reheat it.

Before I could even get to the kitchen, there was a knock at the door. I jumped a little at the sound. No one really visited me, so I wasn't expecting it. I pulled out my phone and checked the time. It wasn't even seven, and the diner didn't close until nine, so it wasn't Mrs. Harrison. Who else would come here?

A small hope filled me as I asked that question. I shook my head, trying to clear the thought from my mind. No way. Three weeks with no contact? He wasn't interested. He'd made that perfectly clear. Maybe it was the mailman with something important, or maybe the diner was slow and Mrs. Harrison had closed early.

I heard the knock again. My heart seemed to leap in time with the knocks. I took a deep breath to calm myself. It wasn't him. It wasn't. But whoever it was, I couldn't leave them standing there all day. I walked towards the door, trying to keep calm.

It's not him. It couldn't be. He isn't interested. It's not him. It's someone else. It's definitely not him. I repeated the words in my head over and over again as I opened the door.

Cold air rushed in. A familiar, bushy beard greeted me. So did the same warm smile. The same snow pants, the same scarf, the same jacket, the same everything. I could barely believe it. Teddy.