She was trying hard to shake her bad attitude, she really was, but even the beautiful trail through the pines, air crisp with the smell of new-fallen snow, couldn’t cheer her up.
Beside her, Bob leaned forward. “I can see that you love this area.”
Jesse shot a glance back at them. His teeth gleamed white in his wide smile. “I sure do. People don’t usually associate horses with northern Minnesota, but it’s the perfect life for me.”
“Maybe you’re built a little like that animal, Domino, there,” Bob said. “Tough, strong, and filled with high spirits.”
“True enough.” Jesse nodded once.
“My Phyllis was like that,” Gerald said. “She was a tough gal, but underneath it all she could be a softy.” He wiped at his eyes. “She would have loved this sleigh ride. She had a real nose for adventure.”
Marilyn’s irritation melted, then evaporated into the cold winter air. How could she hold on to it after that? She shifted in her seat, relaxed her shoulders. Bob covered her hand with his own, their gloves blocking any real contact.
Something moved in the corner of her eye, and then suddenly a rabbit ran straight between the horse’s legs. The horse reared, then leaped forward, jerking the sleigh down the trail.
“Whoa!”
Jesse tried to rein in the horse, but the animal took off. Marilyn grabbed the side of the sleigh with one hand and Bob’s arm with the other and muffled a scream.
The sleigh bells rang in a cacophony of noise.
They hit a bump and the sleigh launched into the air.
Tilted.
Marilyn caught a view of the snowbank across the sleigh on the left, and she slid until she was practically sitting in Bob’s lap. Bob threw his arm out in front of her, stopping her slide.
Across from them, Gerald wore a look of horror, hands clutching both sides of the sleigh.
They landed back in their seats with a thump, the sleigh upright but the horse still spooked. He ran them off the trail until he knocked the sleigh into a pine tree.
It shuddered to a standstill.
In the silence, the thunder of her heartbeat, they all stared at each other.
“Well, that could have been much worse,” Gerald finally said. He let go of the edge of the sleigh.
Next to her, Bob rubbed at his arm. “Everyone okay? That’s going to leave a bruise.”
Marilyn took a long breath. Up front, Jesse clambered down from the driver’s box. The sleigh rubbed against the tree with a screech.
“What is that swishing noise?” Marilyn looked up just as—
The pine tree above them dumped all its snow onto their heads.
Marilyn shrieked as snow fell down her open collar and icy fingers ran down her back.
Her face full of snow, Marilyn looked at the men. Snow clumped on their heads and shoulders and clung to their eyelashes like they were some sort of abominable snowmen.
Ridiculous.
And just like that, she started to laugh. Bob joined in, then Gerald, and suddenly they were all hooting in laughter.
“Everybody all right back there?” Jesse said as he came around the sleigh.
She couldn’t stop laughing.
“Okay. Good. Everybody out so I can assess the damage.”
They climbed out and shook the snow from their clothes. Gerald wandered over to the trail and stood looking down the track.
Bob reached up and brushed the snow from her hair, catching her gaze for a moment. She blinked and turned away. For a moment there, the relief and release of fear had felt almost like…romance. Too many emotions in one short breath.
Bob put his arm around her waist and spun her to face him. She met his eyes again, a thrill racing down her spine. He wound his other arm around her back and leaned in. “Remember when we got dumped off that four-wheeler on our honeymoon?”
“We?” She put her hands on his chest. “As I recall, I was the only one who fell off. You were halfway across the county before you noticed.” But then he’d circled back around, face white with fear. He’d cut the engine and dropped to the ground next to her. Scooping her into his arms, he’d asked if she was all right, then covered her face with kisses. She’d gripped his collar and pulled him to her, his taste that of sweet cinnamon gum. His lips had gentled as their breathing quickened. Fire had shot through her as he laced his fingers through her hair.
Remembering, she closed her eyes, tipping her mouth up.
“One flesh, right?” he teased softly. “If you fall, we fall.”
She opened her eyes. His were in hers, brown, holding on.
Her throat tightened, something deeper than romance moving inside her.
“I’m gonna need some help pushing over here.” Jesse’s voice cut through the air and straight between them.
Didn’t the man have any sense of timing? Read the room, driver.
Marilyn stood to the side as Bob and Jesse pushed against the sleigh until it moved far enough away from the tree that the horse could pull it back onto the trail. Jesse gave the side panel of the sleigh a shake, then knelt on the ground to inspect the runners.
“The paint job is a little banged up, but the rest of her seems sound.” Jesse clapped his hands together, brushing the snow from his gloves. “We’d better get you back before we run into another rabbit.”
They rode home in silence. But snuggling closer to Bob, Marilyn let herself believe that maybe they weren’t goners after all.
Getting out of the sleigh at Evergreen felt something like the end of a race. Bob couldn’t help the sigh of relief he let go as the sleigh came to a stop.
“We should get you back to your grandson,” he said to Gerald.
“Oh? Did my grandson come along?” Gerald asked, clearly confused again. Marilyn walked on his right side and Bob on his left as they made their way down the trail to the old guy’s cabin.
“I’m sure Phyllis will be glad to see me. We don’t usually spend time apart.”
Bob grabbed Gerald’s upper arm as the older man slipped a little on the snow. “Steady there.”
“Thank you. You’re doing the Lord’s work, helping an old man like me.” Gerald patted the hand gripping his arm.
“Walking with you is just a small thing.”
Gerald stopped and looked at Bob. His eyes cleared for a moment. “Even small things can make a big difference.”
He tried not to snort out a laugh. “Like what?”
“The baby Jesus was a small thing, but He made a big impact. I think God loves to use the small things.”
Well, Gerald had him there. They began walking again toward cabin six.
Bob knocked on the cabin door. Tom answered. Bob pulled him aside as Marilyn walked Gerald into the warmth inside. “He may be a little shook up.” He explained about the minor accident on the trail.
Tom’s eyes widened. “Oh no! Should I take him to the ER?”
“No need for that.” Bob held up a hand. “No one was hurt, but Gerald may be more stiff than normal. I wanted you to know about it in case he brings it up.”
“Thank you for spending time with him today. He misses Grandma. Ever since she passed away his dementia has gotten worse.” Tom rubbed his hand across the back of his neck. “We thought this trip would bring some normalcy. It’s good for him to spend time with other people.”