It's a Christmas Thing (The Christmas Tree Ranch #2)(59)

“Of course, you’ll want to give her presents to open,” Tracy said. “I could take her to the mall in Cottonwood Springs. Maybe she’ll see something she wants there. Meanwhile there’ll be things going on all week. We’ve got the parade coming up on Saturday, with the Christmas brunch in the morning, and the Christmas Ball that night. And she can always have fun in the snow on the ranch. You could even—”

She broke off as Clara emerged from the hall, trailing the quilt and cradling Snowflake in her arms. “What are you and Tracy talking about, Daddy?” she asked, still sounding sleepy.

“We’re talking about ways to have fun,” Rush said. “And I just thought of one. How would you and Tracy like to go on a sleigh ride?”





Chapter 13


Tracy drove herself to the ranch that evening. Rush had offered to come to town and pick her up for the sleigh ride. But she knew the partners would be busy with last-minute preparations. The roads had been plowed, and her old Mercedes had new all-season tires. The short drive wasn’t a problem.

She swung the car through the gate, parked, and lifted out the pan of cinnamon rolls she’d made. The front porch and yard were hung with lights, and Christmas music was playing on the boom box.

By now, most families in town had bought trees, but a few were still looking, their children enjoying the free hot chocolate and marshmallows roasted over a small bonfire. The partners had hired two local teenagers to tend the fire, serve the hot chocolate, and supervise the marshmallow roasting.

It was Rush who opened the front door for her. “Hey, come on in. Ladies with treats are always welcome here. Are you ready for a moonlight sleigh ride?”

“Ready.” Tracy laughed as Clara came bounding into sight, bundled into layers of warm clothes.

“Can we go now?” she demanded. “And can Bucket come with us?”

“That’s fine with me,” Rush said. “I’ll bet Bucket’s already waiting for us in the sleigh. Tracy, do you mind sharing the ride with a smelly, wiggly dog?”

“The more the merrier,” Tracy said. “Let’s go.”

They trooped out the door to the backyard, where the sleigh was waiting with Conner at the reins and Bucket next to him on the driver’s bench. The sleigh rides for customers wouldn’t start until tomorrow. Today the partners had made an afternoon trial run with the sleigh and horses. But they needed to make another run by moonlight, with passengers, to test the trail again, and to re-accustom the Percherons to nighttime sounds and shadows that might startle them.

Tonight, Conner, the most experienced driver, would handle the team. Rush, Tracy, and Clara would ride in the sleigh. Travis would keep an eye on business at the house.

The ride would take them across the pastures, over the hill to the tree forest, and back again for a round-trip of about forty minutes—plenty of time on a chilly night.

Rush helped Tracy and Clara into the sleigh and tucked a warm quilt around them before he climbed onto the seat beside them. They sat with Clara in the middle, keeping her warm from both sides.

“Ready?” Conner glanced back over his shoulder, grinning.

“Ready!” Clara said.

“Okay,” Conner said. “Before we start I need to tell you a couple of things. People on these sleigh rides tend to make a lot of noise. I need you to get the horses used to the ruckus so they won’t be scared next time. Shout, sing, hoot, and holler, anything you want to. Understand?”

“You said a couple of things. What else do we need to know?” Tracy asked.

“Just a word of caution.” Conner winked. “Last year there were three marriage proposals on these sleigh rides. And some of the couples got so passionate that I didn’t dare look back at them. There’s something about being out here on a beautiful moonlit night that brings out the romance in people. If that happens to you, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Clara giggled. “You can kiss her, Daddy. I won’t look.”

Conner whooped with laughter. “Here we go!” He clucked his tongue and slapped the reins lightly on the horses’ backs. The traces tightened as the massive animals pulled, moving the sleigh effortlessly over the packed snow. Bucket kept his balance on the driver’s bench next to Conner, ears pricked, nose sniffing the air.

The night was cold and clear, the stars like a spill of diamond dust across the ink black sky. The rising moon hung low in the sky, casting a golden glow across the snowy landscape.

The horses moved at an easy walk, their hooves all but silent on the snow as the sleigh glided along. Tracy was entranced by the peace of the night, broken only by the snort of a horse, the faint swish of runners, and the faint jingle of harness bells; but it wasn’t meant to last.

“I don’t hear any hootin’ and hollerin’ back there,” Conner called to them. “Come on, folks, let’s have some noise!”

“I’ve never been much of a hootin’ and hollerin’ type,” Tracy confessed to Rush in a whisper.

“Then how about we sing? Come on now.” Rush broke into “Jingle Bells,” his voice a deep, musical baritone. Clara joined in, then Tracy. Once she got warmed up, it became fun. After “Jingle Bells,” they sang their way through “Here Comes Santa Claus,” and “Up on the House Top.” They’d just started on “Jolly Old St. Nicholas,” when a startled jackrabbit leaped out of a sage clump, almost under the front hooves of the horses.