She smiled faintly. “Yeah. Well. I’m stubborn.”
“I like that in a business partner.”
They ended the call, and for a moment, Cindy just sat there. Her heart thudded—not with dread, but hope. A real investor. A real plan. Maybe thiscouldwork. Maybe this was the next chapter in the long story of Snowberry Lodge.
Cindy leaned back in her chair and looked at the twinkling lights outside the office window as night threatened to fall and fall fast. Snowberry looked like a snow globe this time of year—glittering pine trees, smoking chimneys, wreaths on every cabin door. It was magic. And for the first time in months, she could almost see a way forward.
A knock on the office door jolted her out of her thoughts.
Turning, her heart did an unexpected leap at the sight of Jack bracing his arms on the doorjamb. He’d changed from his carriage uniform to a forest green flannel under a shearling-lined coat, snow dusted across his shoulders. His face, ruddy from the cold, broke into a sweet, familiar grin.
“Woman, you work too hard.”
She lowered the laptop screen and flipped her notebook over, not really wanting to talk to Jack about the Henry Lassiter plan. She wasn’t sure why, but she didn’t.
“I’m done for the day,” she announced.
“Awesome!” He stepped inside and held her gaze. “My last sleigh ride canceled, and I don’t have another until long after dinner. I gave Red some well-deserved time off and I would like you, my dear, to come with me on a sleigh ride.”
Her whole body fluttered at the invitation, and the term of endearment. She tried to cover it up by sliding into her safe and secure business mode.
“They canceled?” she asked.
“Rescheduled for tomorrow,” he promised her. “Conditions at DV were excellent today and they’re wiped out from a day on the slopes. Everyone is saying it’s a great ski week.”
Everyone but Nicole—another thing she didn’t want to mention to him. But only because her daughter asked her not to.
“I appreciate you working so hard, Jack. I’m sure all this powder is making you antsy to get on skis.”
He just shook his head, his dark gaze pinned on her as he drew closer. “I don’t feel like skiing, Cin. Now, come with me. Copper is all harnessed and ready. You can’t keep avoiding taking a sleigh ride with me.”
But she could try. Yes, she’d spent plenty of time with him over the last ten days or so. They’d shared meals, talked by the fire late into the night, even perused some old family photo albums, laughing over Nicole’s antics as a baby.
But she had yet to find the nerve to get back on that sleigh again, because last time? She darn near kissed him.
“Just making room for paying customers,” she added, echoing Henry’s excuse.
“Well, this ride is on me.” He reached his hand over the desk and, without really thinking about it, she slipped her fingers into his chilly, strong ones. “Please?”
She exhaled, feeling any fight slipping away. “I’d love to.”
The snow had stopped by the time Cindy put on a jacket, boots, gloves, and a festive red beanie that Nic had given her last year for Christmas. She walked outside to join Jack, who was cooing in Copper’s ear and no doubt slipping him treats to bribe him for another ride.
As he stepped away and turned to her, Cindy’s breath caught, slammed with déjà vu at the sight of her ex-husband standing in front of the Snowberry Sleigh.
Behind him, the dark cherrywood and black leather seats gleamed in the lamplight of the antique brass lanterns hanging on the sleigh. It was like time faded away. Instead of Copper, there was another horse, and a younger man who tempted her every time he was nearby.
And he was tempting her again.
“Cute hat,” he said, coming closer to give the pom-pom a playful tap. “Still the pretty blonde in a red cap just like the first time we did this.”
Had she’d worn a red hat that day? She didn’t remember but was touched that he did. “Well, there are silver threads in this blond head. More every day.”
He laughed and brushed his own rather salty hair. “No kidding.” Then he reached for her hand. “Let me help you up.”
He eased her into the sleigh seat, his gloved hand lingering in hers just a beat longer than necessary. As he followed and settled beside her, she let out a silent exhale, but the soft puff of cold air gave away her nerves.
“You think we’re going to have a problem?” he asked, giving her a side-eye. “Copper knows this route like he was born for it now, and we don’t go anywhere near the places that spook him.”
