The boy hesitated a moment and then ran right into the clearing and up to Forest.
“Whatcha doin’, kid?”
“I was on my way home from school and heard your music.” He swiped at his bright red nose. “My mom likes Elvis Christmas music. But sometimes she plays this song too.”
“Really.” Forest wanted to ask why, but he reminded himself that Mitzi wasn’t available and he was leaving town.
“Why are you making her run in circles?”
The song moved to the next one on the playlist, and Michael sang about silver bells. Snowflake automatically slowed to match her pace to the new song. It was time to cool down, so Forest allowed the change of pace. When he got her back to the barn, he’d need to give her a good rubdown. “She needs to get in shape.”
Snowflake shook her antlers at him.
“Hey!” He pointed her direction. “Watch your language. There’s a kid present.”
She snapped her mouth shut and tossed Billy an apologetic look.
Billy took it all in stride, his thoughts on his questions more than on what Snowflake was up to. “So if she gets back in shape, will she be able to fly again?”
Forest’s hold on the lead rope slipped and it fell to the ground. Snowflake stopped trotting and moved into a slow walk.
“You—you saw her fly?” Forest stumbled over the question. Shoot! He should have asked that differently. Usually, he was careful about these things—careful not to expose the family business.
Billy nodded.
Well, the cat was out of Santa’s bag now. “How many times?” he pressed.
Billy frowned. “Just the one time. The day we met.”
Forest turned to watch Snowflake circle them. Her black eye was trained on them, and she listened to everything they said. Forest rubbed his beard. “Do you think she can still fly?” Forest asked. “Or do you think breaking her leg made it so she couldn’t?” They’d never had a flying reindeer break a leg before. It was possible that the magic was gone.
Billy shook his head. “She flew when it was broken; that’s how I got her back to the barn.”
Forest blew out a breath, the vapors clouding around his face. “Why do you think she doesn’t fly anymore?”
Billy chewed his lip as he thought. “I think it’s because she doesn’t want to leave me. We’re best friends. And if she flies, then she could fly away.”
Snowflake broke her circle and walked right over to Billy, her head down, waiting for a scratch. He hugged her hello.
“So it’s psychological.” Forest felt like throwing himself back in the snow and lying there until spring. As much as they knew about reindeer, they didn’t exactly have a reindeer psychologist in the family.
“Psyco-what?” Billy asked.
“I mean the reason is in her head—not her leg.” Forest unclipped the lead rope. “She’s believes she can’t fly, so she can’t.”
Billy nodded sagely. “Like my mom.”
“Your mom can fly?” Forest asked, teasing.
Billy laughed, his eyes dancing. “No. But she thinks she’ll never fall in love again.”
Forest was suddenly deeply interested in this conversation. “She said that?”
Billy nodded. “After my dad left.”
Snowflake lifted her head and turned it toward the barn. She bounded off, and Billy took off after her. Forest grabbed up his pack and followed, determined to keep an eye on the reindeer and the kid.
If Mitzi didn’t believe she could fall in love, what was she doing dating Ely?
