Love Means_. Freedom - Andrew Grey

the house quieted to the sounds of cleanup, and Preston heard Adelle shooing everyone out of her kitchen.
    Preston bundled himself up to go outside, wishing everyone a Merry Christmas before managing to make it to the car. Snow was now coming down hard and the wind was blowing, swirling the snow around the car. Stone started the car, turning on the radio, and Christmas music filled the car: "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow."
    "Drive carefully and call before you start back."

    Stone said he would and rolled up the window, pulling away and out onto the street, flashes of white coming at them through the headlights like tiny, white bullets. Preston didn't talk, watching the road and letting Stone concentrate. Turning the corner, heading south, the snow began blowing across them. "Shit, shit!!"
    Preston snapped his head around to Stone, wondering what was wrong.
"I forgot to give you your present."
    Preston's hand went to his own coat pocket and the wrapped box that was still there. He'd give it to Stone when they reached the house. "You got me a present?" Preston found himself inordinately pleased that Stone had thought of him.
    The car swerved, and Stone's attention focused back on the road. "Damn, I can't see a thing,"
he murmured as he got the car back under control.
"I know, and it seems to be getting worse." The gifts were forgotten as they both concentrated on the road and the flakes filling the headlight beams.
    The music ended on the radio. "The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning for Mason, Osceola, and Manistee counties. Heavy lake effect snow combined with high winds has reduced visibility and is causing extreme whiteout conditions. Officials warn that road conditions are deteriorating fast and that only emergency travel should be attempted." The announcement ended and The First Noel began to play.
    "This came up fast." Stone glanced at Preston and then back at the road. "And I thought storms came up fast in Petoskey." He slowed the car to a crawl. "What should we do?"
    "Turn around and go back to the farm." They'd only gone a few miles, and even if they made it to the house, Stone would never make it back. His parents were probably stuck as well, and while being alone in the house with Stone was a very pleasant thought, he didn't want to take any chances. "We've only gone a few miles."
    "But it's Christmas. Your family...."
    Preston's first and only thought was of Stone. "We need to go back. The roads are getting worse, and you won't make it back. Remember, it's going to be worse the closer we get to the lake." The car stopped, and Stone turned right in the street. "Be careful of the shoulder on this side." The wind had already drifted across parts of both lanes, narrowing the roadway considerably, and it took awhile to get the car turned around and moving forward again in the sea of white.
    "I feel bad that you'll miss Christmas."

    Preston wasn't particularly worried. "I'm not missing Christmas. I'll just be spending it with you." He looked across the seat. "I mean... if that's okay." They continued moving through the whipping snow, barely able to see the street at all. "Is it foggy too?"
    "No, that's more blowing snow." Stone's phone rang, and he handed it to Preston and continued their slow crawl back to the farm. "Stone." He heard Geoff's voice. "Where are you?"
"It's Preston. We're on our way back. I think we're coming up on the turn to the farm."
    "We'll look for you. I've got all the lights on." Geoff hung up, and it seemed like forever until they made the corner and then the short distance to the drive. Turning in, Stone pulled as close as he could and turned off the engine, breathing an audible sigh of relief. The back door opened, and Geoff, Eli, and Adelle came rushing out. The car had barely stopped when doors were opened. Eli took out Preston's chair and headed for the house. Before he could complain--and he wanted to--Geoff had his door open and an arm under his legs and behind his back, lifting him out of the car.
    "I...." Preston started to protest, but the wind blew right through his coat and clothes to his skin. It was much stronger than it had been when they'd left not half an hour earlier. Geoff got him inside and into a chair at the table, and his phone began to ring.
    "Preston, where are you? Are you okay?" His mother sounded frantic.
"I'm at the farm. We tried to make it home, but turned around," he explained, watching Adelle shrug off her coat and start