Page 23 of Sweet Christmas Comeback
Jade wiped her flour-dusted hands on a towel, still catching her breath from the day’s whirlwind of baking and scrubbing. She had meant to fix her hair, maybe change her sweater, but the time had gone by too quickly. Now, when she glanced through the bakery window, her heart jumped.
Out in the falling snow, Leo was coming down the lane with Comet and Vixen, a sleigh gliding behind them.
The snowfall had transformed Frost Pine Ridge into something hushed and magical. Street lamps had just flickered on, casting amber halos that made the flakes sparkle as they drifted down. The square looked like a snow globe shaken fresh, every storefront rimmed in garland and light.
And then there was Leo. Broad-shouldered, knit hat pulled low, his coat frosted with snowflakes that melted and darkened the wool. He walked steadily, reins loose in one gloved hand, the sleigh runners whispering behind. The reindeer tossed their heads, breath puffing in clouds, bells chiming in syncopated rhythm.
Jade pressed a palm to her middle as if she could calm the sudden flutter there.
“Perfect weather for a trial run,” Mabel murmured from behind, peering over Jade’s shoulder. Her apron carried the scent of cinnamon and nutmeg. “Nothing says Christmas like fresh snow and reindeer bells.”
Jade tugged on her red scarf, pulled her coat tight, and pushed through the bakery door. The cold bit her cheeks, sharp and clean, carrying hints of pine and chimney smoke.
“Right on time,” she called.
“Always,” Leo said. His smile was brief, but it tugged at something in her chest.
She turned her gaze to the sleigh to keep from staring too long. The thing looked like it had been plucked straight from a Victorian card—dark wood polished to a warm shine, brass fittings gleaming, red cushions dusted with snow. She stepped closer, fingers brushing Vixen’s neck. Heat radiated under thick fur, startling against the icy air.
“They’re beautiful,” she said softly. “I can see why you love this work.”
“They know it,” Leo answered, crouching to check a strap. His voice was low, steady, but she caught the edge of pride in it. “Comet especially. He’s a show-off.”
As if he understood, Comet tossed his head and snorted, pawing at the snow with one hoof. Jade laughed despite her nerves.
“How long have you been doing the sleigh rides?” She asked, watching Leo’s practiced movements as he adjusted the harness.
“Started about three years ago. People kept asking about it during the regular reindeer visits, so I figured why not give them the full Christmas experience?” He straightened, meeting her eyes. “Turns out there’s something about a sleigh ride that makes even the biggest skeptics believe in magic again.”
The way he said it, quiet and almost reverent, made Jade wonder if he was thinking about more than just the tourists.Before she could ask, Felicity’s car pulled up. She bounded out in a bright purple coat that looked like it had been made for the sole purpose of standing out against white.
“This is perfect,” Felicity gushed, phone already raised. “Snow, sleigh, reindeer, Jade with her red scarf—it’s like a Hallmark movie.”
Jade hugged her clipboard to her chest, snowflakes dotting the pages. “We’ll start at the pond, go up Maple, cut through the woods, then loop back to the square.” She looked at Leo. “Does that timing still work for the reindeer?”
“Should be fine. It’s about the right distance—long enough to feel special, short enough that they won’t get tired.” Leo checked his watch. “Your car can follow until the woods. Trail’s too narrow after that.”
“Perfect. I’ll take pictures from the road,” Felicity said, already angling for the best shot. “Don’t mind me—just pretend you’re falling in love with Christmas magic.”
Heat rose to Jade’s cheeks, and she busied herself climbing into the sleigh. The seat was narrower than it looked, the leather cold even through the cushions. When Leo settled beside her, his hip brushed hers, solid and warm under layers. She told herself not to notice, but her pulse betrayed her.
“Hold on,” Leo said, gathering the reins. “They’re eager tonight. Fresh snow makes them feel like playing.”
The sleigh slid forward, smooth as silk. Runners whispered over packed snow, bells chimed steadily, and Jade’s breath caught. The world she thought she knew—the bakery, the square, the familiar streets—looked transformed from here. Everything seemed softer, more enchanted, as if the snow had draped the town in Christmas dreams.
“This is incredible,” she murmured, watching the scenery glide by. “How do people not smile during this?”
“They do,” Leo said, his voice warm with amusement. “Even the teenagers who pretend they’re too cool for reindeer rides. About halfway through, they start taking selfies.”
Lanterns ringed the pond, their light catching in the blades of skaters who darted across the ice, laughter carrying high and bright in the crisp air. Houses along Maple Street glowed with wreaths and candles in windows, garlands bright under frost. Every window seemed to hold its own small world of warmth and light.
“This could be our first cocoa station,” Jade murmured, scribbling notes with hands that trembled slightly from the cold. The closeness of Leo, the magic of the moment, the way the whole town looked like a Christmas card come to life. “Cookies by the trailhead, maybe some of those hand-warmers for the kids.”
“Smart,” Leo said. “Short breaks keep the rides moving, but give people time to really take it in.” He guided the reindeer around a particularly deep drift. “Plus, it’ll drive more business to the bakery. Win-win.”
The casual way he said it—as if her success mattered to him—sent a warm flutter through her chest that had nothing to do with the steaming thermos of cocoa Mabel had packed.
They turned onto the trail that led into the woods. Snow-laden branches bent heavy overhead, forming an arch that shut out the town behind. The hush pressed in, broken only by the soft snort of the reindeer, the hiss of runners on snow, and the gentle jingle of harness bells. Here, surrounded by towering pines and the cathedral silence of falling snow, the world felt smaller. More intimate.
