Chapter 16
16
"I don’t think I’ve met these two," Frankie said, scratching the noses of the two horses standing proudly in front of the barn. Their coats gleamed in contrast — one dark, one light — both adorned with festive bows and sleigh bells that jingled as they moved.
Joe chuckled, adjusting the straps on the horses. "This is Cocoa and Marshmallow," he introduced with a grin, clearly fond of the pair.
"Fitting," Frankie smiled. "They’re beautiful. What happened to Dancer and Prancer? They’re still here, right?" she asked, brushing snowflakes from her coat as the first few started falling.
"Oh yeah," Joe nodded. "They’ve been promoted. They handle the evening sleigh rides now — smaller sled, less weight. They’ve paid their dues."
Frankie laughed softly, glancing at the large wagon Joe was preparing, the garlands of greenery and bows adding a festive touch. "The tree business must be good, then."
Joe paused, noticing the snowfall picking up slightly. "This time of year, definitely. Can you grab those blankets and load them in the back?" He gestured toward a stack near the barn entrance.
"Sure thing." Frankie quickly gathered the blankets and tossed them into the back of the wagon, her breath puffing in the cold air. "Is the snow going to be a problem?" she asked, glancing up as the flakes began to fall heavier.
"Not at all." Joe shook his head with a small smile. "In fact, it makes it more fun for the guests. You’ll hear ‘magical’ said over and over."
"Everything about this place is magical," Frankie mused, brushing her hands off after the last blanket was set.
Joe finished tightening the last strap, grabbed one more blanket, and handed it to her. "I suppose it is. You’ll want to keep this one up front with you. Are you ready?"
Frankie accepted the blanket and met him by the side of the wagon. "Are you kidding me? I’ve been waiting for this," she teased, climbing aboard with Joe’s help. "Let’s go cut down some trees!"
Joe climbed up beside her, giving the reins a slight flick. The wagon jolted forward, and Frankie’s laughter filled the air, carried on the crisp wind as they started down the snowy path.
The festively decorated wagon pulled up to the front of the lodge, where guests waited eagerly, their faces lit with excitement. Nick and Sam were busy loading the last of the thermoses onto the wagon as the guests climbed aboard, chatter and laughter filling the air. Nick waved them off as Joe guided the horses forward, the jingling sleigh bells echoing in the winter air.
The ride through the ranch grounds was peaceful yet lively. The guests took in the scenic views, their breath visible in the cold. The snow continued to fall, coating everything in a fresh blanket of white, making the experience even more picturesque.
At the Christmas tree parcel, the wagon came to a halt, and the guests eagerly hopped off, grabbing hand saws from the side of the wagon. Chris and Devyn were already there, overseeing the baler hooked to a tractor nearby.
"Let me or Chris know if you need help cutting or hauling your tree to the baler," Joe called out to the group, his voice carrying over the open space as he and Frankie set up a small drink station at the back of the wagon.
"See me for some famous King Cocoa to warm you up as soon as you’re done!" Frankie chimed in, pulling the thermoses to the edge.
Joe raised a brow, setting up a compact camping table. "Famous King Cocoa? Pretty sure that’s just from the local market," he teased, a smirk playing on his lips.
Frankie shrugged, unfurling a Christmas-themed tablecloth. "Ehh, it’s called branding. Everything around here is ‘famous King’ something from now on."
Joe shook his head with a chuckle. "If you say so."
The playful atmosphere hung between them as they worked side by side, setting up the drink station. But when Joe’s gaze wandered toward the guests cutting their trees, something more serious flickered in his eyes.
"You’ve really created something incredible here, Joe," Frankie said, watching him closely as she straightened a cup. "All by yourself."
Joe nodded but remained quiet. He gestured toward the trees, inviting her to join him as they walked through the snowy parcel, checking on the guests.
"All by myself, right," he muttered.
Frankie’s brow furrowed at his tone. "You should be proud..."
"I’ll be proud when it sells," Joe cut her off, his voice low. "When I can start my next chapter."
"You really mean that, don’t you? This isn’t hard for you?" Frankie’s steps slowed, her gaze fixed on him.
Joe sighed, a puff of warm air escaping his lips, quickly dissipating into the crisp winter chill. "What? Selling? Of course, it’s hard. I grew up here. It’s home. But it’s also..." His words trailed off as he kept walking.
Without thinking, Frankie bent down, scooping up a handful of snow. She packed it into a snowball and tossed it right at Joe, hitting him square in the back.
He froze, turning slowly with wide eyes. "Did you just throw a snowball at me?"
"What was your first clue?" Frankie grinned, already forming another snowball in her hands.
Joe blinked in surprise. "What are you doing?"
"Do I really need to answer that?" Frankie asked, tossing another snowball at him, her laughter ringing through the trees.
Joe shook his head, clearly trying to stay composed.
“If you throw that at me...” he began, but Frankie had already launched it.
“I can’t believe you just did that,” Joe muttered, scooping up his own snowball and chucking it back at her. Within moments, a full-blown snowball fight ensued, both of them laughing and dodging between the trees.
Frankie peeked around a tree but ran straight into Joe, who caught her in his arms. They held each other for a moment, the world around them fading into the background as snow fell gently around them.
But Frankie, always the playful one, smashed a snowball on top of Joe’s head, breaking the moment and running off with a giggle. Joe launched another snowball in her direction just as Chris appeared, the snowball hitting him instead.
Chris stood there, stunned. “Okay then. I believe you both just declared war.”
With a smirk, Chris joined in, scooping up a pile of snow, and soon Devyn approached, pretending to scold them. “What are you guys doing? Have you lost your minds?”
But it didn’t take long before Devyn revealed the snowballs hidden behind her back, launching them at the trio, and the snowball fight raged on.