Page 27 of The Christmas Lodge
“Well, the only winter activity on my bucket list this year was to go ice skating. You know, something normal.”
He appreciated that, even though she was clearly nervous now that the sled was in motion, she was still trying to keep a sense of humor about it. “Dogsledding is normal,” he insisted. “Well, at least it is in this town.”
Lacy’s ramrod straight posture and death grip on the handles hadn’t relaxed an inch, so he called to his team to stop. The sled slid to a gentle halt and he looked down at her, tugging her to turn gently so he could make eye contact.
“Are you really okay? If this is too much for you, we can turn around.”
Lacy hesitated, clearly unsure. “No,” she finally said, “I can do this.”
A strange sense of pride spread through Derek at her words. Even though dogsledding was as natural to him as breathing, he knew that for others it could be nerve-wracking, especially since they weren’t in control of the sled. And, if there was anything he knew for sure about Lacy, it was that she liked to be in control. That suddenly gave him an idea.
“You work in investments, right?”
Lacy blinked, a little surprised by his seemingly random question, but nodded.
“Well, if I were needing financial advice, I would trust you as the expert. When it comes to dogsledding, that’s where you can trust me.” He searched her eyes, seeing understanding dawn in them. “I promise, I know what I’m doing.”
She pulled in a deep breath and, to his surprise, she nodded. “Okay, that makes sense,” she said simply. “I trust you.”
She turned back around to face the front, so she didn’t see how much her statement affected him. Taking a moment to gather himself, he then placed his arms back around her, noting that she had already relaxed a good deal. With another call, his team moved forward once again. He kept them at a slow pace at first, but, seeing that she was handling things much better, he allowed them to go a little faster. Soon, they were gliding along the trail with practiced ease, climbing up the incline steadily and taking the turns in the trail gracefully.
“It’s so beautiful!” Lacy’s voice floated back to him, laden with awe as her head swiveled side to side as they rode. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“It never ceases to amaze me,” he replied, although the scenery, which usually held his full attention, was actually secondary for him on this particular ride. If he was being honest with himself, he was more than a little distracted by the feel of her leaning against him and that tantalizing perfume that flew back to him every now and again.
A while later, the trail turned and they climbed the last incline before they reached the landing that overlooked Snowy Pine Ridge. He called to his team, giving the command to stop, and they slowed to a halt. Derek stepped off the sled, helping Lacy down and leading her to look out over the scenery. The town spread below them, laid out in its charming streets and surrounded by sloping hills laden with pine trees. In every direction, the gorgeous New Hampshire landscape spread around them.
Lacy stood silently, taking it in, and Derek noticed that she was blinking back sudden tears. “It’s so beautiful,” she finally whispered, her voice almost reverential.
Derek understood her reaction to the view more than she knew. “I feel the same way every time I ride these trails. There’s something about the mountains and the views… it makes me feel closer to inner peace than anywhere else.”
He cleared his throat, suddenly feeling vulnerable and a little laid bare, but Lacy nodded, her eyes clear and understanding.
“I get the feeling,” she said softly, “that spending enough time out here would bring clarity. Answers to life’s big questions.”
“That’s exactly it.”
On impulse, Derek reached out and took her hand. It wasn’t even a romantic impulse—he simply felt so connected to nature and, by extension, to her as well. Yet, as soon as he took her hand, even through the gloves, he felt a jolt of electricity shoot through him. They stared at each other and the scenery faded away, leaving only their eyes locked on each other as the tension between them thickened. Lacy swayed closer, as though pulled by a magnetic force, and Derek’s body mirrored hers. Derek’s breath caught in his throat but, even though everything in him wanted to lean down and kiss her, he knew it wasn’t the time. So, as always, he turned to humor. Leaning down, he rubbed his nose against hers in an Eskimo kiss, making them both laugh and the tension faded a bit.
He led her back to the sled, but he wasn’t ready for the date—or non-date, whatever it was—to end. “Are you hungry?”
“Ravenous.”
“Good.” Derek climbed on the sled behind her, but he had a thought before they took off. “Oh, and by the way, about ice skating? Our rink in town is run by the grouchiest man you’ll ever come across. Only the bravest of heart actually go there. Trust me, in this town, you want to stick to dogsledding.”
Lacy laughed, the clearness of it ringing through the chilly air. “And you know what? Now that I’ve had some experience, I don’t mind that a bit.”
CHAPTERFOURTEEN
Scooting her chair toward the table, Lacy ran her fingers through her hair, hoping she didn’t look as windblown as she felt. As she did, she studied the little mom-and-pop restaurant Derek had taken her to. Frosty’s Shack was a cozy place—what with its log cabin walls, the giant stone fireplace taking up most of one wall, and the scattered tables with their mismatched chairs. A stained-glass Tiffany lamp adorned the center of the table, emitting a soft yellow light and making their table feel intimate and warm.
“Derek and—Lacy, was it?—I’ll have Becca come and take your orders shortly,” Louise Thomas was saying.
Derek thanked her, and Louise threw them both a quick smile before hurrying off to the kitchen. Lacy watched her go, intrigued by the woman. Louise, the owner of Frosty’s Shack, was a curious contradiction of businesslike and cozy. She wore her brown hair in a bun with a pencil stuck through it, paired with worn-out tennis shoes and a flowy skirt covered by a homemade apron, yet her manner was focused and efficient, although kind.
That was something Lacy was coming to appreciate about this town—most of the people she met were just… themselves. No facades, no pretenses, just authenticity.
Derek nudged a menu toward Lacy, although she noticed he didn’t bother to open his. “Already know what you want?” she asked.
