Skin Deep

Two lost souls find themselves, and each other, in the Wisconsin Northwoods

After 12 years of virtual isolation, the last thing Matthew McBain expects to find in his cabin is LeeAnne Blake. And her story – that she got lost and ran out of gas – is entirely implausible. No one could accidentally turn onto a logging road. But then, he grudgingly admits, the signage at that corner could confuse someone from out of the area – especially someone from Chicago.

LeeAnne, a physical therapist at a Chicago hospital, forgot all about gas during her self-imposed detour as she drove to visit her parents – the first since they moved from Milwaukee to Superior. She had been too busy enjoying the wintery scenery of northern Wisconsin. Furthermore, she could drive around Chicago for weeks at a time on a tank since she lived only a few miles from the hospital. Only when the warning tone sounded did she realize she hadn’t filled the tank since early morning.

Entering the cabin, knowing it belongs to a man, requires all the courage she can muster. But what choice does she have? The road, to that point, had been completely deserted. And she is exhausted and half-frozen after walking at least a mile since her car died on her, and then flailing through the drifts between the road and the cabin.

Since it is another 7 miles cross-country to the nearest town, 15 by road, Matthew has no choice but to accommodate her, even though he knows a snowstorm is coming and it may be days before a plow comes to clear the deserted road. But his unexpected attraction to her confounds and angers him, since he’s done quite well without female companionship for years. Over the next three days, he finds himself opening up to her about his son; not even his co-workers know about Eric. However, she shuts him down completely when, sensing a deep emotional scar she has never dealt with, he tries to get her to reveal anything about herself. Tossing in the word husband or boyfriend only produces an angry, defiant response.

But, then,  since there’s no chance of any sort of relationship between them, does it really matter?

As LeeAnne returns home, she’s nagged by the strange sensation she has left something important at Matt’s cabin. But what could it be? She only had an over-night bag along with her and she has checked it three times.

Podcast Interview with Suzanne Harris