"You have got to be kidding me," I hissed. I eased down on the accelerator with control that I couldn't place over my temper. My calmness was not rewarded. There was nothing but spraying snow and spinning tires. Damn it, this is what I get for pulling over to let the school bus filled with kids. Now, after hellish storm we had I was never getting out this pile of snow that lined the side of the road. Even when I tried to put my car in reverse it rolled maybe three inches then spun again. I had made it over the icy city roads, along the treacherous highways, only to get stuck here. "No, no, no!" I wailed, slamming my hands against the steering wheel. Damn it, my first real job, one that could lead on to permanent placement, and I was stuck less than a kilometer away.

When I had gotten the call from Rush Energy Drinks I almost couldn't believe it. finally, someone other than a small magazine had recognized my talent. Finally, I could stick with a company and photograph their athletes. The stability I needed so badly and the money that would keep me afloat was so close yet so far. I knew that if I got through my three months with my snowboarders there was a healthy chance they would keep me on for good. Then it would be just like my hockey photography career. Sure, the pay would be less, but wherever my athletes went I would go. I would get to see the world through my camera lens again.

If I could make it up this damn hill.

Just as I slammed my car into reverse for the hundredth I saw the car behind me pull over. A good Samaritan to help this damsel in distress no doubt. My cheeks flamed instantly. This was so embarrassing. The only way this situation could get any worse is if an avalanche suddenly hit me and swept me off the mountain entirely.

But my face only got redder when I saw thick brown hair and soft brown eyes in my side mirror. Maybe an avalanche sweeping me off the side of the mountain wasn't the worst thing anymore. At least I wouldn't have to live through this that way. Still, I rolled down my window when he knocked on the glass and shot him the best smile I could.

"Is everything alright, Penelope?" he asked.

"Yes," I lied, then realized it was quite unlikely that I would be getting out of this situation alone. My pride wasn't worth losing this job. "Actually, I pulled over for a school bus and now I'm stuck in this god damn snow."

That contagious smile spread across his face, but the bitterness within me allowed me to be immune. He dipped his head down, staring at my tires that must've been buried in the snow.

"Here's your problem, princess," he mused. "You got all seasons on. You need winter tires, preferably studded to get up this road."

"They are winter rated and I'm not a princess," I bit back.

"Well they are winter rated," he agreed, pointing to the little snow flake on the side of the rubber. "But they aren't winter tires. These are designed to deal with all weather conditions, instead of being specific for one. Hate to be the one to tell you this but a winding road up a mountain covered in snow is not something these tires were made for."

"Then what do you propose I do?" I demanded.

"You just sit tight and I'm going to pull you out."

"With that?" I demanded, turning to stare at his little SUV. Could it even be considered an SUV or was it just a big car? I wasn't even sure. Surely it didn't have all the bells and whistles that my car did. This vehicle that my ex had bought for me had three different setting just for winter conditions.

"It's got great tires on, just trust me princess."

At that point I didn't feel like I had a choice. I rolled up my window to keep the cold out and only watched as he repositioned his car in front of mine. My eyes followed every movement as he unwound a cable, attached it to something underneath the front of my car and the back of his vehicle. Then he was back in the driver seat, accelerating ever so slowly.

My fully loaded cross over didn't even let out a complaint when I put it in neutral. He gradually increased his speed. The line went tight and my car started to move. We went slowly, giving me time to steer out of the pile of snow and onto the main road.

Without a word he climbed out of his car, disconnected the vehicles then continued on his way up the hill. I had no choice but to follow, embarrassed but thankful all at once.

When we hit the top of the hill I grabbed all of my gear as quickly as I could. I was only a couple minutes late. I tightened the belt around my waist, hoping that my designer coat would show that I was all business despite my tardiness. With any luck the representative from Rush would be like the snowboarders they worked with, laid back with no concept of time.

But when I saw the woman talking with Tyson and I knew that my hopes were not to be reality. Even on the mountainside she was wearing high heels and snapping bubble gum. The jacket that she had on more expensive than my own.

"You are late," she bit out as I extended my hand towards her with a bright smile.

My hand dropped away to my side limply. So this was it then? My one true chance at redemption was already ruined. I could feel all of the hope draining out of my body.

"Sorry Shawna, we had a little lesson about snow tires on the way up," Hudson said, stepping forward. With the way his body was positioned it was almost like he was protecting me.

"Right, let's not have this happen again, okay?" she growled, still watching me with a calculating gaze.

But her hostility was only for me. When she spoke to the men she was kind and her eyes sparkled while they told her about the tricks they were working on and the progress they made. She always nodded encouragingly and told them to start their day so she could watch. The men disperse to get ready for their shoot and I was left with the ice queen herself. She made a couple snippy comments but mostly just informed me of what I would be doing. My job was to get the best shots possible and to essentially do whatever the guys wanted. If they decided that they would be working on technical, small jumps then I would be there. They wanted big air and massive tricks then my lens would be pointed at them. Whatever was approved would be used on their social media accounts.

And it was very clear that if I ever crossed one of the guys or was late again that would be the end of my job. my pictures were important, but there were thousands of aspiring photographers that would kill for this position. The only thing that would allow me to maintain it was a bright smile and a flexible personality.

So when they picked a location on the mountain that required a ton of walking with dozens of pounds of gear I didn't complain and I bit my tongue when I had to trudge back down the mountain, my skinny jeans soaked to my legs and my thin blouse soaked with sweat.

At the end of the day I was just thankful that I hadn't opted for my sweet satin shirt that I loved so dearly. Sure, it was a confidence boost, but it was starting to get tainted by all these unpleasant moments. Once again I was so thankful when I was able to just pack my gear up and get out of the cold.

"Hey, if you make it down on the mountain on those tires I would love to take you out," Hudson said, coming up behind me as I shoved my gear into the back of my car.

"Take me out like shoot me or take me out like dinner?" I grunted stupidly. "I know which one I would prefer."

Hudson surprised me by laughing. Not a polite, required chuckle, but a loud, bellowing laugh that made the corner of my mouth quirk upwards despite myself. "Damn princess, I didn't realize that we were that bad. Come on, how about some filet mignon to go with that Mercedes and those now ruined shoes?"

And, at the princess comment, I stiffened. I suppose it was the only reasonable image my fancy car and upscale clothing could portray. And I might've been something of a diva at one point. that's what being a hockey wife did to women like me.

But that's not who I was anymore.

"Thanks for the help on the hill, Hudson," I dismissed. "I'll see you in a couple days." 

***Hello everyone. For those of you who don't know I'm getting a book published very soon. The Princess And The Alpha will be available on Amazon on Sunday Feb 23rd. To celebrate I will be posting one chapter every day until the release date!***