Doodlebug continued galloping across the pasture, a caged bird set free. It was almost inspiring to see the old horse so full of life, even if he was being all kinds of disobedient and unruly. The way his golden mane cascaded behind him like ribbons, the hot, snorting breaths that clouded the air, and the way his little legs carried him reminded Lance of the animated movies he’d watched as a child. And he couldn’t say that adding Tahoe to the mix made it any less adorable, or cartoonish.
It was a heartwarming, albeit frustrating, scene, these two spirited animals—an old wayward horse and an energetic rescue pup—chasing their way through the snow-covered pasture. And the fact that Nana Jo and Lance still hadn’t caught up to them made it all the more comical.
“I gotta stop.” Nana Jo stood with her hands on her hips, bending at the waist, head shaking. “Not gonna risk a heart attack chasing those two hooligans.”
He was glad she’d said something because Lance had wanted to take a breather, too. It wasn’t worth an injury on either of their ends. Besides, there was a fence that would keep the animals in. Well, it would contain Doodlebug, at the very least. Tahoe could easily slip under the lowest rail, but Lance doubted the dog would even attempt it. He was far too preoccupied with his partner in crime.
“Sorry I was careless with the stall door,” Lance apologized. “I forgot Doodlebug was a notorious bolter. Should have been more mindful.”
“That tiny horse gives me more grief than all of my full-size animals combined.”
“Is that why you were so quick to pawn him off on Sarah?” Lance teased, shivering. He wasn’t dressed for standing out in the pasture in his flannel shirt and jeans. He’d suited up for farm chores and had left his jacket in the car, thinking he’d be working up a sweat, not exposed to the Summit’s elements.
“Wasn’t trying to pawn him off. For as frustrated as I get with that bugger, he really is an angel with the little ones. He’s taught a good number of the Snowdrift population how to ride.”
“I can attest to that. He’s the first horse I ever got on the back of.” Nana Jo was right. If Doodlebug had a saddle and a kid on his back, there’s no way he would even consider his current mischievous behavior. He knew when to work, and definitely knew when to play.
“Next time you come by, bring Sarah and Laney with you. Doodlebug would love to give Laney a pony ride.”
“Speaking of.” Lance’s neck felt hot, his throat suddenly thick. He swallowed. “I asked Sarah to be my girlfriend last night.” He felt so juvenile saying it, like this was some sort of check yes or no situation.
“’Bout time.” Hands dropping from her waist, Nana came over and cuffed Lance’s shoulder, giving him a good shake. “Now, why did that take you so long?”
“Because I wasn’t sure she was ready. Or that she’d say yes.”
“Sarah has had feelings for you for as long as I’ve known her.” She released her grandson’s shoulder but wasn’t done ribbing him. “Are men really that dense?”
“Apparently, we are.”
“Well, I’m glad you finally got the courage to do what you should have done long ago. I take it she said yes?”
Lance smiled. “She did.”
“You know, most men your age are asking women to be theirwives, not their girlfriends.”
“One step at a time, Nana.”
Nana Jo wobbled her head and turned around to trek back to the barn, evidently leaving Doodlebug to his own devices. “All I’m saying is that I only knew your grandfather for six weeks when he popped the question. And look how our love story turned out.”
“Things are different these days.”
“Maybe things like technology and…well, I can’t keep up with the half of it.” She chuckled. Her discarded cowboy hat lay in the snow ahead, so she stooped to pick it up. “But love? Pretty sure it’s the common thread that ties all generations together. Butterflies. Racing hearts. Chemistry. Things like that don’t change with time.”
“Let’s just put it this way, if I’d asked Sarah to marry me after only knowing her for six weeks, we would have barely been double digits. I’m okay with our current timeline.”
“Then that’s all that matters.”
Lance looked down to see Tahoe pouncing through the snow, big leaps that made his paws sink until his tummy was dusted in powder. He hopped right up to Lance, pink tongue hanging and tail wagging. Looked like the pup was more obedient than Grandma’s naughty horse, but that really wasn’t saying much.
By the time they’d made it back to the barn, the wind had picked up and it had started to snow again. Lance had hoped Doodlebug would follow them in, but the horse continued making laps around the pasture like a Formula One racecar driver.
“I need to head out to take care of some things back at my place, but I feel like I should help you get Doodlebug in the barn before I leave,” Lance said, guiltily.
It was cold and getting colder. Nana Jo normally blanketed her horses, which meant the pony didn’t have the thick fur that he would naturally have grown at this time of year. He would freeze out there.
“Tell you what,” Nana said. “I’ll finish mucking these stalls, but if you can go into the house and grab a carrot, that might be enough to entice him. Hate to reward bad behavior, but with the storm that’s rolling in, I gotta get him back in the barn sooner than later.”
Lance nodded. “In your fridge?”
