The horses’ coats shone like high-gloss lacquer, their muscles rippling like an iron machine but graceful and fluid as they stepped up the ramp into the vast trailer one by one. They were even more beautiful now, up close.
Mike oversaw the whole thing, jumping in where needed and encouraging the horses. She liked how he thanked and acknowledged the skill of the people working for him. Misty was right in the middle of it all. Completely unafraid, and as skilled as the big guys at handling the giant horses.
Big Ben and Scooter were standing over by the water trough. From here it looked as if Scooter could be swept into the horse’s nose with one big breath. Part of her wanted to run over and rescue him. The other was just as pleased to sit and watch the dynamics between them.
They finally loaded Big Ben. Scooter stood at the bottom of the ramp.
Misty came around the corner of the trailer. “Well, they’re about loaded.” She stood next to Vanessa.
“Do you usually go with him to the parades?”
“Sometimes, but not this year. I have too much going on with school. I’m sitting this one out.”
“You’re going to be home by yourself?”
“Yeah. No problem.”
“You’re welcome to come with me. I’m going to help Anna decorate our Christmas tree.”
“Thank you, but I’m staying home because I have schoolwork. I need to focus on that.”
Vanessa laid a hand on her shoulder. “You call me if you change your mind or need anything.”
“Thank you, but I’m sure I’ll be fine.”
Vanessa almost asked if she could take Scooter with her for the night, then decided against it. Besides, she didn’t know that Buck would appreciate her bringing an untrained puppy into his guesthouse, and he was being so generous.
“Okay, well, have a good night,” Vanessa said. “Tell your dad I said good luck with the parade.”
With a slow smile, Misty said, “I definitely will pass that along.”
Vanessa drove Anna’s car back over to Buck’s house. The new Christmas tree filled the whole space in front of the double windows on the carriage house; white lights twinkled in a flashing sequence. “It looks so pretty.” She wished she’d thought to pick up a wreath today.
When she walked inside, the aroma of fresh pine hung in the air. The fire crackled and a plate of brightly decorated cookies had been set out on the coffee table near the tree.
Vanessa heard laughter from the kitchen.
“Hello?”
Anna came running out of the kitchen, almost like she’d been caught doing something. “Vanessa. I’m so glad you’re here. Did you see our tree? It’s gorgeous.”
“It is.” She ran her fingers over the soft, thick needles. “It smells so good.”
“You should’ve been there.” Anna swung around towardBuck, who was sipping from a mug, leaning casually against the doorway. “Right, Buck?”
“Yes, ma’am. It was quite a day. I haven’t had that much fun in a long time. Your cousin here insisted on getting her hands dirty too.”
Anna held up her fingers, barely able to pull them apart from the sap. “So sticky. I know you warned me. It was a labor of love, though. Thank goodness, Buck was there to help decide which tree was the perfect one, because apparently I don’t have much sense of scale when looking at trees in the great outdoors.”
Anna looked at the ceiling-scraping tree.
“This was the one I said was too little.”
Vanessa let out a hearty laugh. “Oh goodness. You’d have had to decorate a tree any bigger than this outside.”
“That’s what he said.”
Buck pushed a hand through his hair. “Yeah, they don’t look nearly as big against the mountainside. I’ve got years of experience.”
