Chapter 11 #2
“At first, it was because I was caring for my mother, but she passed a few years back. Then it was my job I couldn’t imagine leaving.
I’m a counselor at an elementary school.
” Sarah’s voice grew warm with obvious affection for her work.
“There’s something about helping kids navigate difficult times, being there when they need someone to listen .
. . It feels like the most important thing I could be doing with my life.
I’ve watched for openings at the schools near here, but nothing yet. Maybe one day.”
“Your work sounds incredibly rewarding,” Lila said, touched by the passion in Sarah’s voice.
“It is. These kids, some of them are dealing with things no child should have to face. Divorce, loss, feeling like they don’t belong anywhere.” Sarah’s expression grew tender. “When I can help even one child feel less alone in the world, then I feel less alone too.”
“How long have you been doing that kind of work?”
“Pretty much my whole career. I started in social work right after college, but I found my calling working directly with children a few years after David passed. There’s something about being able to make a difference in a young person’s life, to help them believe they’re worthy of love and care .
. .” Sarah trailed off, her voice thick with emotion.
Lila was struck by the intensity of Sarah’s commitment to her work with children. “It sounds like more than just a job for you.”
“It is,” Sarah said softly. “I suppose you could say it’s my way of trying to make the world a little better, one child at a time. Sometimes I think about all the children out there who need someone in their corner, and I can’t imagine walking away from that responsibility.”
They sat quietly for a moment, both lost in their own thoughts about purpose and duty and the complicated ways love shapes our choices. Lila found herself admiring Sarah’s dedication, the way she’d built her life around helping vulnerable children.
“Those kids are lucky to have you,” Lila said finally.
Sarah’s smile was warm but carried a hint of something deeper. “I hope so. I’ve made mistakes in my life, and I know I’m not perfect, but I hope my work with them has atoned for some of my shortcomings and mistakes.”
They walked in comfortable silence for a few minutes, their footsteps crunching softly in the snow. When they reached the last building on Main Street, Sarah paused before they turned to retrace their steps.
“You know,” Sarah said, “I’ve been thinking about what you said yesterday about losing your mother this past spring.”
Lila’s chest tightened slightly. “It’s still hard to believe she’s gone sometimes.”
“The first Christmas without someone you love is always the most difficult,” Sarah said gently. “What was she like? Your mother?”
“She was . . . everything to me,” Lila said, surprised by how easily the words came. “Patient, kind, always knew exactly what to say when I was struggling. She had this way of making even ordinary moments feel special. Christmas was her absolute favorite time of year.”
Sarah’s expression grew tender. “She sounds wonderful. I bet she would have loved seeing you here, experiencing a Pine Ridge Christmas.”
“She would have,” Lila agreed, feeling tears prick her eyes. “She always said the holidays were about making memories with people you love, not about fancy decorations or expensive gifts.”
“Wise woman,” Sarah said softly. “My mother was like that too. I still find myself wanting to call her whenever something beautiful happens, like last night’s tree lighting.”
As they walked quietly, Lila thought about mothers and how they shaped children into the people they became. Sometimes it was for the better, sometimes for the worse.
And, in her case, how they also shaped their children by the decisions they made.
Back at the inn, they found Brady in the lobby talking to Tom about something involving horses and saddles.
“Perfect timing,” Brady said when he saw Lila. “We were just talking about taking some of the horses out this afternoon to see some of the countryside around Pine Ridge.”
“Horseback riding?” Lila asked, surprised.
“Nothing too adventurous,” Brady assured her. “Sarah, what do you say?”
Sarah shook her head. “Not me. I just got to the good part of my book, so I want to sit by the fire and finish it today.”
“Sophie and Miles already passed,” Tom said, “but Carol went to see if Kimberly and Kendall want to join us.”
“I haven’t been horseback riding since I was a kid,” Lila admitted. She was nervous about embarrassing herself out there, but a horseback ride through the snow did sound magical.
“We’ll put you on Thunder.” He smiled when he saw the look on Lila’s face at the horse’s name. “Despite his name, Thunder is as gentle as a lamb,” he assured her.
“Thunder will take good care of you,” Tom said with a grin. “He’s been giving gentle trail rides for years. And Brady knows those trails better than anyone.”
Carol returned without Kimberly or Kendall. “The ladies are staying in to watch Christmas movies all day. Apparently, that’s a big tradition in their household.”
“I think it’s just the four of us then,” Tom said.
Carol looked between Brady and Lila. “You know what, we should probably stay back and start prepping our big dinner, so it’ll be ready when we all return from the Christmas Eve service.”
Tom started to protest, but Carol gave him a look and Lila realized Carol was intentionally sending her and Brady off alone. Apparently, Sarah wasn’t the only one who’d picked up on their growing connection.
“You’re right, dear,” Tom said. “Lead the way.”
“Guess it’s just the two of us,” Brady said. “It’ll be like getting your own private lesson.”
Lila debated staying back to confront Carol, but she wasn’t ready yet. Taking the horses out might be just what she needed to spend her nervous energy.
“When were you thinking?” Lila asked Brady.
“How about noon? I’ll pack some sandwiches. That should give us plenty of time before we need to be back for the Christmas Eve service.”
“It’s a date,” Lila said, then felt heat rise to her cheeks at her inadvertent choice of words.
Brady’s smile suggested he didn’t mind the slip. “It’s a date.”
Two hours later, Lila found herself following Brady toward a small stable behind the inn. She was bundled in her warmest clothes, her nervousness about both the horseback riding and the conversation she needed to have later with Carol making her stomach churn.
“Tom’s grandfather built this stable when horses were still the primary way to get around these mountains,” Brady explained as he led a gentle-looking chestnut horse out of one of the stalls. “We don’t keep many horses anymore, but Thunder and Buttercup both love a good trail ride.”
“Wait,” Lila teased, “you’re getting Buttercup and I’m getting Thunder? A horse named Buttercup sounds more my speed.”
Brady laughed. “You wouldn’t say that if you knew her. Trust me on this one. Let’s just say Buttercup has a mind of her own sometimes, but she seems to be partial to me.”
“So, you have a way with all the ladies then, even the four-legged ones?” Lila smiled at him.
“Yes, but I prefer the two-legged ones with blonde hair, brown eyes, and lots of suggestions about efficiency and organization,” he said, a twinkle of mischief in his eyes.
Lila felt her cheeks blush and hoped he didn’t notice because they were probably already pink from the cold air. Brady wasn’t even trying to hide his flirting anymore. Not that she minded. It was a pleasant distraction from her real mission in Pine Ridge.
Thunder was indeed gentle, standing patiently as Brady helped Lila into the saddle and adjusted her stirrups. When he held her hand to help her up, she tried to concentrate on swinging her leg over the saddle and not the way electricity shot up her arm from his touch.
Brady mounted Buttercup—which he told her was a palomino with its dark gold coat and white-blonde hair—with the easy confidence of someone who’d been riding his whole life.
“Just relax and let him do the work,” Brady said as they started down a trail that wound through the trees behind the inn. “Thunder knows this route by heart.”
The first few minutes were nerve-wracking as Lila adjusted to the rhythm of the horse’s gait, but gradually she began to relax and enjoy the experience.
The trail led them through snow-covered evergreens, the silence broken only by the soft sound of hoofbeats and the occasional call of a winter bird.
“This is incredible,” she said as they emerged from the trees onto a ridge that offered a spectacular view of the valley below.
Pine Ridge looked like a miniature Christmas village nestled among the mountains, smoke rising from chimneys and the distant sparkle of the big tree in the town square visible even in daylight.
“It’s my favorite place to come when I need to think,” Brady said, dismounting and moving to help her down from Thunder’s back. “There’s something about being up here that puts everything in perspective.”
They tied the horses to a sturdy pine tree and found a fallen log where Brady placed a thick blanket for them to sit. It offered a perfect seat overlooking the valley. Brady pulled drinks and sandwiches from the bag he’d brought along, handing one of each to her.
“So,” he said, settling beside her close enough that their shoulders touched, “how are you feeling about your decision to stay?”
“Terrified,” Lila admitted. “But also certain that it’s what I need to do. After last night, I knew I couldn’t leave without knowing the truth. But what if I’m wrong about them? What if I came all this way and built up all these hopes for nothing?”