Chapter 12 #2
“The sleigh only holds two at a time,” Tom announced, “so we’ll do four trips. Just a quick ride up and down Main Street since it’s so cold. Who wants to go first?”
“We will, if that’s okay,” Ali said immediately, taking Mike’s arm. “I want to get back and call my mom for an update on my sister.”
Lila watched as they settled into the sleigh under thick wool blankets, and Tom guided the horses away into the snowy night.
“We can go next,” Sophie said when Tom returned, and Miles helped her down the porch steps toward the sleigh.
When the older couple returned from their trip down Main Street, the sisters claimed the third ride.
“I guess that just leaves us,” Lila said to Sarah, who had just returned from cleaning up the dining room with Carol.
Sarah shook her head with an apologetic smile.
“Actually, I think it’s too cold for me, and I’ve done it so many times before.
Would you mind if I stayed back and helped Carol get the breakfast casseroles ready?
” She looked to Brady with a knowing look.
“I bet Brady here would take a ride with you.”
“Sure. We can let Tom come in and warm up, and I’ll drive the sleigh for our ride.”
“Yes,” Sarah said, nodding. “You two go have a romantic little sleigh ride, just the two of you.”
Lila felt her cheeks flush at the idea. “I’d love that,” she said to Brady.
Outside, Brady helped Lila climb aboard the bench where Tom had been sitting and tucked the heavy blankets around their legs. They sat with their shoulders touching as Brady guided the horse out onto Main Street.
“This is incredible,” Lila whispered as they glided down the deserted Main Street.
The only sounds were the soft jingle of harness bells and the whisper of sleigh runners over snow.
Above them, stars glittered in the clear winter sky, and the quarter moon cast everything in silver light.
All the festival lights were still twinkling from the lampposts and storefronts, creating a magical canopy of warm golden light that reflected off the snow.
“One of my favorite parts of Christmas here,” Brady said, his voice low in the peaceful atmosphere. “I’ve been on this ride dozens of times, but it never gets old.”
They passed Emily’s Yarn & Quilts, its windows glowing softly, then the bakery where they’d bought hot chocolate during the festival. The Christmas tree in the town square stood tall and magnificent, beckoning them toward it.
“It’s perfect,” Lila breathed, leaning against Brady’s warmth as they took in the magical scene. “It’s like having the whole town to ourselves.”
Brady brought the sleigh to a gentle stop in front of the Christmas tree so they could fully appreciate the scene. “Perfect company too,” he said quietly, and when she looked up at him, his green eyes were serious in the moonlight.
The quiet intimacy of the moment made everything feel suspended in time. As she turned back to admire the tree, Brady’s gloved hand found hers under the blanket, wrapping around it in a way that felt safe and reassuring.
“Lila,” he said softly, and something in his voice made her look up at him. The Christmas tree lights cast a warm glow over his face, highlighting the tenderness in his expression.
Before she could say anything, he leaned down and kissed her. It was gentle and sweet, their cold lips warming against each other. When they broke apart, she could see her breath mingling with his in the cold air.
“I’ve been wanting to do that again since the tree lighting ceremony,” he admitted, his forehead resting against hers.
“Me too,” she whispered back, feeling her heart flutter in a way she hadn’t experienced in years. She snuggled into his side, resting her head on his strong shoulder.
“So, tell me about your work,” Brady said after a moment. “All this traveling you do for consulting. What’s your schedule like?”
“It varies,” Lila said, grateful to have something other than her adoption to discuss. “Sometimes I’m gone for a week, sometimes just a couple of days. I try not to be away from home more than two weeks at a time, but that doesn’t always work out.”
“And home is California?”
She nodded. “Huntington Beach. Though honestly, it’s never really felt like home. It’s just a good base because most of my work is on the West Coast or in Hawaii.” She paused. “What about you? Do you ever get time off from the inn?”
Brady was quiet for a moment. “Not much, and probably even less going forward with Tom and Carol slowing down. They’ve put their whole lives into this place, and they need to know it’ll be in good hands.”
“That’s a big responsibility.”
“It is. But it’s also what I want. I can’t imagine working anywhere but the inn.”
There was something wistful in his voice that made her chest tighten. “Would you ever be able to get away? Even for a few days?”
“Maybe in the spring, after the busy season winds down. May is pretty quiet here. We call it ‘Mud Season’ because the snow has melted too much for winter activities like skiing, but there are still patches making it too muddy for many of the summer activities. A lot of stores and restaurants, here and in Breckenridge, close for the month for repairs or renovations or just a vacation.”
She involuntarily shivered from the cold, and Brady wrapped his arm around her. “We should start back before you turn into an icicle.” He got the horses going again and they began the gentle ride back toward the inn. “What about you? When’s your next project?”
“I don’t have anything scheduled until the second week of January. A resort in Scottsdale.” The dates suddenly felt significant in a way they hadn’t before. “I usually book pretty far out, but I could probably keep my calendar lighter for a while if I wanted to.”
“Would you want to?” The question was asked carefully, but she could hear the hope underneath it.
Lila looked at his profile in the moonlight—the strong jaw, the way his wavy brown hair escaped from his wool hat, the gentle way he handled the reins. “I think I might,” she said with a smile.
When they reached the inn, the warm glow from the windows seemed even more welcoming than before. After Brady helped her down from the sleigh, he held on tight to her hand and turned her to face him.
“Whatever happens tomorrow with Carol,” he said, “I want you to know that this is the most fun I’ve had in a long time.”
“For me too,” she admitted. “I came here looking for my birth mother, but I found something I didn’t expect to find.”
“What’s that?”
“People who make me want to slow down.” The admission surprised her with its honesty.
Brady leaned down and kissed her again in the soft glow of the inn’s lights.
It was tender and warmed her from within as he pulled her against him.
Winter weather was definitely more tolerable if you had someone like this to help heat things up.
At the risk of getting frostbite, she wanted to stay right there in that moment forever.
No work deadlines, no grief, no birth mother to find.
When he finally pulled away and they walked together to put away the horses for the night, Lila felt a mixture of anticipation and hope.
Tomorrow, she would finally ask Carol the question that had brought her to Pine Ridge.
But tonight, for the first time since arriving, she wasn’t focused solely on the past. She was beginning to imagine a different kind of future.