Page 33 of Christmas at Pine Ridge Inn
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 thedistant 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?”
Brady turned to face her more fully, his green eyes serious. “Then you still found something valuable here. You found a place where you feel like you belong, people who care about you, and experiences that have changed you.” He gave her a teasing smile. “And you found me, without whom this entire experience would be less memorable.”
She laughed. “Fair enough.”
As they ate their lunch, he told her about growing up in Pine Ridge. It sounded like he’d only spent time indoors long enough to sleep. He hiked, snowboarded, kayaked, went fly fishing, and whitewater rafting.
“It’s why the job at the inn is perfect for me. I get to take guests to do all those things and call it work.”
“I know what you mean,” she said. “I get to book spa treatments and fancy dinner reservations at the hotels where Iwork so I can offer suggestions for improvements. It’s definitely the best part of what I do.”
