Rocky Mountain Holiday (To Love Again Book 4) (9 page)

Tray laughed. “This is Ken’s place. He set us up today with four sleds.”

“Follow me, we’ll go meet the dogs.” Ken led them around the side of the shed. Eight large huskies were harnessed to each sled. They jumped and strained at the chain that ran between them. As they came closer, the dogs started barking, causing the dogs in the pens to join them. Within seconds it sounded like every dog in the Rockies was howling along.

“They’re beautiful,” said Shelly, walking close to one of the lead dogs. “They have blue eyes, Mom.”

Isabel nodded and winked at Jenny who was positively glowing. She imagined she looked the same to her. Love in the Rockies was agreeing with them both. Jenny winked back and shifted closer to Kip.

“As you can see,” Ken said, “the dogs are keen to go. Let’s get you settled in and I’ll introduce you to the pack when we stop for lunch.”

They paired off, the men sitting in the back with the women ahead. Karin and Shelly decided to take turns, with Shelly in front first.

“It’s a quiet day for us,” Ken explained, “because of the weather. The temperature has been up and down all week, so as a precaution we canceled several tours this morning.”

“I don’t understand, it’s not safe to go?” Isabel asked, glancing over at the girls.

“It’s safe, but we need to stay off the ice. We’ll be using different trails than usual and I don’t want a lot of sleds out on them. I also gave most of the guides the day off, so we’re short one guide. Tray?”

“Happy to.” Tray squeezed her shoulder, jumped out of the sled and positioned himself behind the handle.

“Both hands, remember?”

He laughed and nodded, wrapping both gloved hands around the handlebar. Of course, thought Isabel, he also knows how to drive a team of sled dogs. Why didn’t she figure that out before? She scooched closer to the rear of the sled, her back against the canvas, happy to see Ken grabbing the handlebar of the sled her daughters were in.

“Going!” yelled Ken. Two guides, a guy in his thirties and a girl just slightly older than Karin, came out of the shed pulling on hats and mittens. They spoke calmly to the dogs and jumped in place behind the other two sleds.

“Ready?” The dogs went crazy, leaping, straining, and nipping at each other playfully. Karin and Shelly giggled uncontrollably. Everyone nodded, anxious to get going.

“Hike!” Ken shouted the command and his team pulled out in front. The girl followed with Barry and Valerie, then Tray with Isabel. Bringing up the rear, was Kip and Jenny’s sled led by the other guide.

The dogs lunged through the snow, the sleds gliding easily along behind them. The trail twisted through a dense forest of trees laden with snow. It was a winter wonderland, straight out of a magazine ad. On the corners, the guides yelled out “Easy”.

“What do you think?” Tray asked.

“I love it,” she said, turning to try to see him. “They’re so fast.”

“Usually faster. The snow’s a little wet today, it’s slowing us down.”

She laughed. “Plenty fast enough for me.” The dogs were so powerful, keeping pace with each other. It was amazing watching them work together as a team up close. She’d watched the Iditarod a couple of times on television and one of her favorite movies was still Iron Will. She hadn’t expected to like it, but her sister had recommended it for her kids and insisted she would enjoy it, too. This was nothing like that, of course. Will was in a heart-pounding race, encountering trouble around every corner. Here, the only thing around the next corner was another incredible mountain vista.

This was the first time she’d been able to see dogs working in real life. They were majestic. Above her own laughter, she could hear Karin and Shelly giggling and behind her, the others laughing and squealing with each turn.

On a wide flat next to the lake, Tray made kissing noises and the team sped up. “Gee!” she heard Ken call as they made a turn to the right in the large field. “Easy!” Tray called, slowing their sled as Ken pulled to a stop several yards ahead of them.

Everyone clambered out of the sleds, laughing and talking excitedly. The two guides pulled water out and put dishes down for the dogs. After drinking, the huskies circled and curled up in the snow.

Ken led the group to a circle of benches arranged around a fire pit at the edge of the trees and started pulling wood out from under a tarp. Within minutes, they were drinking hot chocolate and being warmed by the fire. Isabel gazed out over the frozen lake, to the backdrop of rugged mountains. She couldn’t believe the morning had gone so quickly and it was already lunch time.

~~~

Tray and Barry laughed as the women showed Kip how to make snow angels. The snow was wet and sticky and each time Kip got up, he was caked with another layer of snow. He resembled a growing snowball with arms and legs.

“Did you purposely set Jenny and Kip up?” Tray asked.

Barry rolled his eyes. “Now, why would I do that?”

Tray guffawed. “As if …”

“They’d already met, sorta. I just gave them a little help. I thought it would be a good match.”

“Apparently you were right.” He nodded toward Kip who had just tackled Jenny squealing into the snow.

“And you and Isabel?”

“Tray, give me a hand here, could you?” Ken called from over near the dogs. Tray winked at Barry, and walked away, leaving him in suspense.

“What’s up?” Ken was starting to harness the dogs again. The other guides were doing the same. “You need me to hitch them up?”

“No, Tony will get that. Normally after lunch we let folks have a try at driving. Think your crew would want to try that?”

“I’m guessing they will. This has been great, Ken. I owe you one.”

“You’ve owed me one for twenty years - I’ll add it to your tab.”

“Loser,” Tray said, punching his shoulder. “Want me to bring them over?”

Ken shook his head, and turned toward them, yelling, “Hey, any of you want to learn to drive the sled?”

Beating clumps of snow off each other, the rest of the group walked over to join them. Tray watched Isabel laughing with her daughters. He was dying for a few minutes alone with her, but couldn’t figure out how to make that happen unless he dragged her into the woods.

She’d asked him to keep a low profile for now. The girls were polite but distant. He hadn’t realized how Isabel knew about him picking up Chrissie, but when he saw the look on their faces when they got in the jeep this morning, it had all clicked into place. He had his work cut out with them.

Ken gathered them around. “The dogs are calmer after the run, so it’s a good time to meet them.” They all stepped closer to the dogs. Valerie knelt in the snow, scratching one of the huskies behind the ear.

“Do they have a special diet?” Kip asked.

“We feed them a variety of things. A high-quality kibble for a base, plus lots of protein. They get things like sardines, hard-boiled eggs, chicken carcasses. Sometimes pork neck bones.”

“Do they fight?” Jenny asked, stepping forward to pet one. “Or all get along?”

“Depends. Some get along, others not so much. They’re a lot like people that way. But in general, they like to play together when they’re not working.”

“How long does it take to train them?” Barry asked.

“About eight months to get a team working together well. That’s after the individual training. And we run them even on days they’re not working. Most of the dogs can run twenty-five miles a day. We give them a rest, of at least an hour, after every 6 miles.”

“That’s how long we’ve been here for lunch,” Barry joked. “So I guess we’re getting ready to go again.”

Ken nodded. “Let me go through a few commands and you can each try leading a team. If you want to, that is.” Excitement rippled through the group.

Tray shuffled nearer to Isabel while Ken explained when to use the commands. “You going to try it?”

She glowed. “Absolutely. On my own, you mean?”

“Normally the guide stands behind you. In this case, that will be me. Standing behind you. As close as I can get.,” he whispered. She blushed and if she hadn’t looked so adorable, he might have been sorry to tease her. He caught her glance toward the girls. He’d have to dial the flirting back a little. Good thing, it was making him hot and he was already over-heated from the fire.

“The most important thing,” Ken said, “is to keep both hands on the handlebar, at all times. Your guide will be with you, standing behind you, but you’ll be in charge. This lever” - he indicated the bar at the bottom with his foot - “is the brake. You’ll use it for stopping, of course, but also for slowing down.”

“You need to warn the dogs before a stop. To do that, you put one foot on the brake and say ‘Easy.’ Then, as they slow, you can put both feet on the brake and say ‘Whoa.’ Any questions?”

“Yes, how do we steer?” Jenny asked.

“Also with the brake. Good question. Light pressure with one foot as you’re going into corners. The thing to watch for,” he said, moving toward the dogs and picking up the rope they were chained to, “is to keep this rope in a straight line between you and the dogs. As long as it’s straight, and fairly taut, the dogs won’t get tangled.”

He dropped the rope and moved back to the sled. “You’ll get the hang of it pretty quick.” He turned to Karin and Shelly. “Who’s first?”

“Me,” said Karin.

“Okay, folks. If you’re not driving, jump back in the sled and let’s get going. Daylight is wasting.”

The first leg started with the women driving. Tray got Isabel set up and stepped on the sled behind her.

“How do I get them going?”

“Hike!” Tray yelled and the dogs jumped forward.

He placed his hands lightly over hers on the handlebar. She was hanging on for dear life. He was so happy he’d been able to arrange this today. Seeing her laughing and so relaxed was worth whatever price Ken would extract later. Of course, it would probably just amount to a weekend on the farm to go riding next time he had a few days off.

The girls were in the lead sled with Ken again, so he leaned in and kissed her on the cheek.

“Ewwww,” she said, moving her head away. “That’s gonna freeze now. You want me to get hypothermia?”

“It’ll take more than that to get hypothermia, you minx.” He squeezed her tight, and before she could move further away, licked the side of her face.

“Are you kidding me?” She swatted at his arm. “Stop that. Really, that’s gross.”

Picking up the tip of her scarf, he patted her face dry. “Sorry, babe.”

“You better be sorry. I’m keeping track of all this, you know.” She stepped lightly on the brake as they came into a turn.

“Nice work,” he said. “Any chance we can spend some time together tonight?”

She pushed back into him. “I’m counting on it.”

The trail head and kennels loomed before them. He wanted more, but this was not the time or the place. He contented himself with another squeeze, and as they slowed to a stop so the other drivers could switch places, he whispered in her ear. “You know I’m crazy about you, right?”

She turned and flicked his nose with her mitten. “I know you’re crazy, yes, I’m the psychologist, remember?” She winked and jumped off the runners to go see how Karin had made out driving. He watched her go, his heart full.

DECEMBER 30 ~ EVENING

“I still don’t understand what happened,” Isabel whispered to Tray as the orderlies pushed Shelly down the hall of the emergency department.

“I think she just came down on it the wrong way,” he said. “That patch of ice should have had sand on it. I’m sure she’ll be fine.”

“Mom,” Shelly said. “I think only family is allowed back here.”

“Oh,” she said, brows knit. “Tray, if you want to go ahead I’ll call you later.”

“I’ll be in the waiting room. You girls will need a drive when you’re done.” He smiled and turned back toward the entrance.

“Shelly, there’s no reason to be rude,” she admonished.

“I didn’t mean to be rude, Mom. I’m just pretty sure he’s not allowed back here.”

“It’s because she’s going to cry, Mom,” Karin said. “She doesn’t want Tray see her be a big baby.”

“Karin—”

“Shut your mouth, Karin. This could have happened to you just as easily.”

“But it didn’t,” she said. “You’re the clumsy one.”

“Oh. My. Gawd. Could you girls please just get along? I feel like I’m dealing with three year olds. What the hell is the matter with you?” She looked at Karin. “You can have a little compassion for your sister. And you,” she looked over at Shelly, “can be a little less rude. Tray just treated us to a great day and you didn’t even thank him.”

They both hung their heads, embarrassed.

“But—” Karin started.

“Ladies,” interrupted a young doctor, “I’m Dr. Carnie. What seems to be the problem?”

Isabel explained and he gently manipulated Shelly’s wrist. She whinged, but didn’t cry.

He turned to Isabel. “I’ll send her down for x-rays but I’m sure it’s just a sprain. If I’m right, we’ll have you out of here in about an hour.” He hurried off down the hall, consulting with an orderly who came back to wheel Shelly to the x-ray department.