Drake dropped his arms. This was the worst reindeer heist in the history of all Christmas movies, both Disney and otherwise–not to mention real life. Although he’d never heard of a reindeer heist before, but that didn’t mean that they hadn’t happened. “Ma’am, I appreciate your willingness to come, but I can’t take you.”
Hannah stood taller–which meant that she didn’t quite reach his shoulder. “Why ever not?”
He opened and closed his mouth as he searched for an answer that wouldn’t offend her. She was too frail–the woman snowshoed in the woods with no one but a reindeer for company. She was too old–she moved with the agility of a woman half her age. She would get in the way–actually, she’d be a lot of help with Felix. He let his arms flop to his sides. “It wasn’t in the plans.”
“Plans change all the time.” She sat down to fasten rubber snow cleats over her boots. “I assume your truck is at the bottom of the lane?”
He nodded but stood in front of her, both hands up. “I can’t be responsible for your health.”
“I’m fit as eleven drummers drumming.” She pushed to her feet with a grandmotherly like groan. “Let’s get this show on the road.”
Felix sidled up to her and pinned Drake with a look:It’s both of us or none of us.
Stinking loyal reindeer.
“Ma’am,” he rubbed the back of his neck. “This feels like a very bad idea.”
She laughed. “But kidnapping my reindeer seemed like a good one?”
The heat that had burned his ears spread across his cheeks. “Reindeer I can handle.” His thoughts jumped to Clove. “What about Clove? Don’t you need to be here for her? It’s Christmas. Families should be together.”
“You’ve met Clove?” She faced him full on. Her dark blue eyes, so much like her granddaughters, were full of intrigue. She practically rubbed her palms together as she looked him over in a new light–one of a potential suitor for her granddaughter.
He held up both his hands and stepped back. “Whoa there! We did not officially meet. We did not exchange names or phone numbers. I mean, I already have her number from when I called earlier this year, but we didn’t–you know–meet-meet in the way you’re implying with that smirk. I saw her at the fuel stop today. That’s how I knew Felix was here.” Where did all those words come from?
Hannah approached him like a woman in the fabric shop looking for the perfect cut of cloth. Don’t ask him how many times he’d seen that look on his mother—he was her favorite shopping buddy. At least he had been until she got daughters-in-law who actually wanted to spend time in the fabric shop.
“So you’re the reason she came home humming Christmas songs,” she mused as she patted both his shoulders as if checking them for sturdiness.
A different kind of warmth spread through Drake. “She was humming?” he asked in a voice too high. He cleared his throat and quickly added, “I didn’t do anything.”
“Uh-huh.” Hannah gave him a little shake and then let him go. “Let’s get going before she gets home and puts a stop to this train.”
That shook Drake out of his kooky grin and warm thoughts of Clove and got his feet moving.
Felix didn’t follow. When Drake turned around, he purposefully planted both feet in the snow. Hannah grunted. “I’ll take care of this.” She went back and whispered into his large ear for at least a minute, gesturing to Drake and then the cabin and throwing her arms up and letting them drop. When she was done, she nodded once and started walking. Felix fell in line behind her.
Drake reached back and took Hannah’s bags. “I’ll get those.”
“Aren’t you a gentleman?” she said with force as she glared over her shoulder at Felix.
Drake didn’t want to get in the middle of their argument—although he had a pretty good idea he was already in the exact middle of it, the cause of it, and the fuel that kept it burning.
He kept his eyes forward and, when it got slippery, he offered a hand to help Hannah down. She didn’t weigh a thing and he could have carried her and her luggage without breaking a sweat. Not that her pride would have allowed that to happen.
Taking Hannah with him hadn’t been in the original plan. So what?
Good things could come out of this. For example, he wasn’t stealing or kidnapping Felix and therefore his eternal soul was not in danger of being cast into a pit of despair for all of time. Total bonus. Also, though dragging his feet, Felix came willingly. A compliant reindeer would be much easier to handle over a couple days and probably not destroy the inside of his trailer—maybe.
As an added benefit, instead of asking forgiveness, he’d be the hero.
A slow smile spread across his face as he thought of his brothers’ faces when he pulled into the ranch. They’d eat the words of caution they were always piling on top of him and finally give him the respect he deserved.
CHAPTERSIX
Clove hummed as she parked the snowmobile under the carport. She felt all light and easy-going and full of holiday cheer. They’d worked onHark the Herald Angels Singtonight at choir practice and the upbeat tempo matched the way she felt inside.
The house lights were on. Strange. Grandma was usually in bed by the time she got home from choir practice. Snowshoeing with Felix wore her out.
