Sleigh Ride to Nora’s Heart.

Ria loved her early morning routine at the Inn. She could sip her coffee in the empty dining room before the guests woke up, and stare out at the snowy landscape with the horses in the distance creating clouds of smoke as they snorted.

But today, as she flipped on the dining room lights, she blinked. A guest was already seated near her bank of windows. She immediately switched into hostess mode.

“Hello! I’m Ria Brown, your Innkeeper,” she offered. “Are you a new guest?”

The figure turned slowly. “I checked in late last night. I’m Theo.”

“Welcome. You’re a bit early, but let me get you some coffee before I start on breakfast. Do omelets and fresh scones sound OK?”

Theo nodded.

That’s it? She usually got a more enthusiastic response. Clearly the man has never had a properly made Vermont scone. But she’d been an innkeeper long enough to know that guests had their own rhythms, so she went about her morning routine minus her quiet time. 

Once the coffee was ready, she placed a steaming mug and the creamer pot on the table in front of Theo. She bit back a gasp as she got a good look at his face. Eyes heavy with lack of sleep. Two days’ growth of beard. She placed a hand on his shoulder. “Hey, are you OK?”

He nodded and picked up his cup, spilling drops of coffee as his hands shook around the mug. 

Ria assessed the young man in front of her. Recently trimmed dark hair, fancy watch, gold signet ring, expensive loafers. But his Oxford collar was unbuttoned on one side, and it looked like his socks were different colors. “Maybe everything isn’t fine?” Ria asked softly.

His eyes looked into hers, assessing her. He sighed. “Do you have time to sit?”

She sat.

“I’ve been an idiot,” Theo said, and a torrent of words poured out. “My best friend, the love of my life, my future bride, left me and ran back to her family farm here in Vermont. All because I was too cowardly to tell her I loved her. Now she won’t answer my calls or texts.”

His eyes pleaded. “So I did the only thing I could think to do. I drove up here last night, hoping for inspiration once I got here.” 

Behind them in the dining room, the kitchen staff moved about stocking the buffet and laying out the service. Ria’s stomach rumbled as the smell of the warm scones wafted toward her, but she willed away the interruption.

“So, what is this heavenly girl’s name?” she asked.

“Nora. Nora Peterson. She lives in Boston now, but her family is from here.”

She laughed out loud, but stopped short when his face fell. “Sorry, Theo. I’ve known Nora since she was a girl. And her family. Her mom, Lucy, and I were in grade school together.”

Theo blinked at her, hope slowly lighting his eyes. “So, you know how amazing she is. Ria, maybe you are the inspiration. Can you, will you, help me get her back? Please. I have no idea what to do.”

Thoughts ran through her head. Is this something Nora would want? She must have left him for a reason. Maybe he’s a stalker. She should probably stay out of it. Ah, who am I kidding? 

She spent the next several minutes quizzing Theo, trying to gain insight on his time with Nora. He pulled out his phone and showed selfie photos of the two of them on a Ferris wheel, toasting each with champagne flutes, carving a Halloween pumpkin. Nora smiled broadly in all of them. 

“Have you learned your lesson? Are you ready now? Ready to say the scary ‘L’ word?” Ria asked.

“I am. I really am, but I might be too late.” 

She tapped her finger on the table, imagining what might sway strong-willed Nora. “What you need is the grand gesture. Something to wow her. Something surprising.”

His eyes sparkled. “Yes. Something she will tell our kids about. But what?”

She looked out the window across the white field at the retired work horses stomping the ground in the distance. That’s it. She snapped her fingers. “Maybe, just maybe, there is one person in the Valley who might be able to do it.” 

Ria pulled her car keys out of her pocket. “You’re coming with me,” she commanded. As they left the dining room, Ria told the kitchen staff she had a love emergency, and ignoring their protests, she grabbed the basket of fresh scones to take with her. 

***

For a short while, Theo wondered if he’d lost his mind. If perhaps it dislodged on the rutted dirt drive to this mysterious destination. But, he had no better idea than the crazy one Ria proposed. Somehow, on the bumpy drive, she convinced him her plan would work.

“She loves horses. And snow,” Ria said. “I’ve got the setting. You need to produce the words. Once we get to Uncle Zeke’s, I’ll work the family angle. You work the hopeless lover angle. If all else fails, I’ve got the baked goods.” 

Theo cursed under his breath as his head bounced into the roof of the car thanks to a spectacular rut. “Are you sure this will work, Ria? I might only get one shot.”

“Totally not sure,” Ria said. “But, I’d give it good odds. And we both know you have to try something.”

She pulled her car alongside a white farmhouse, parked, and led Theo around back to the lit kitchen and opened the unlocked door. “Uncle Zeke?” she yelled as she stomped snow off her boots.

“Who’s there?” a gravelly voice said. Ria and Theo entered the warm kitchen, where a gray-bearded, wiry man wearing a black and red flannel shirt and well-worn jeans stood in front of the stove cooking. The giant head swung around at the noise and looked the two of them up and down. “Ria?” he asked, squinting. 

 “Hi Uncle Zeke. Meet Theo.”

Zeke grumbled and turned back to the stove. “Coffee over there and cream in the fridge if you want. Not enough eggs for everyone.”

Ria grabbed mugs off the shelf and poured three cups of coffee. She set them on the table just as Zeke sat down with his plate.

They waited, sipping their coffee, as Zeke slurped his eggs and wiped the yolks off the plate with a slab of toast. He pushed the plate away and looked around the table. “OK, what do you want?”

“I love her, sir, and I can’t lose her. She’s ---”

“Zeke, you’ve been neighbors with the Petersons for 40 years, you need to --”

“She’s the one for me, I know it, and --”

“And I’m sure Jasper could use a little exercise, so --”

Zeke held up his hand. “Let me get this straight. You want me to leave this warm kitchen, go out in the snow, hook up a sleigh that hasn’t seen the light of day in three years, and convince my aging horse to drive it to the Petersons?” 

“Exactly,” Ria said.

“Please, sir,” Theo begged.

He ran his hand down his gray beard. “What’s in it for me?”

 “It’s Nora, Uncle Zeke,” Ria said. “Don’t you remember her? She came over here almost every day when she was little, helping with the horses.”

“Nora Peterson? Why she isn’t old enough to date. She’s probably twelve, thirteen by now.”

 Ria laughed. “Hardly, she’s almost 29. Graduated from college. Working.”

“Little Nora, a grown woman. Hard to fathom. She was always over here in her pigtails and her missing teeth to ride my horses. And a good girl, too. She always combed and watered them when she finished.” He leaned back in his chair. “Little Nora is a good reason.” He swiveled his eyes towards Theo. “You a local boy?”

“No, sir,” Theo said automatically. When is the last time I called anyone sir? “Nora and I met in Boston. I desperately need to convince her how much I love her.”

“Hmph. It’s a sleigh, boy, not a magic carpet.” Zeke’s eyes roamed up and down, and Theo squirmed under the bushy-eye-browed gaze. 

Zeke turned to Ria. “What you got in that basket? Another reason?”

She teasingly pulled back the edge of the checkered linen. “Homemade scones. As many as you want for a whole year.”

 “I can eat a lot of your work, Miss Ria.” Zeke put his hands on his belly.

“I’ve got lots of flour,” she said. “A deal’s a deal; as many as you want.” 

Zeke stood and cleared his plate and mug into the soapstone sink. 

Theo held his breath. 

Zeke turned back at the expectant faces and grumbled, but his eyes crinkled with amusement. “What are you all waiting for? Jasper can’t harness himself.” 

They tromped out to the barn, beating a path through the fresh snow. Theo’s loafers were woefully inadequate and quickly filled with snow, but he didn’t dare complain. Zeke yanked hard on the ancient barn door and began yelling instructions as he checked out the hooves on Jasper and removed the horse-warming blanket. “Ria, you find all the harness tackle, padding and bells. Young man, you get the cover off the sleigh.” 

As Theo pulled off the canvas cover, his eyes widened with delight. The sleigh was perfect. The high-gloss black enamel paint and chrome runners shone. There was a seat for the driver in front and a cozy leather bench in back, exactly the right size for two lovers. 

“Oh, sir, this looks just perfect!” he said.

“Should be. Just sitting there all this time,” responded Zeke. “Now, push her outside while I harness up Jasper. Ria, you stay here and help.” With some effort, Theo pulled the carriage out of the barn. Ria and Zeke fit the padded collar and sleigh bell harness on Jasper, who eagerly snorted and shook his head. They ran the belly and haunch straps and put the blinders on. Jasper walked willingly out of the barn as Zeke spoke softly to him, reminding him of all his pulling duties as they hooked up the support bars to the harness.

Zeke climbed up in the driver’s position, a smile breaking through his beard. “Let’s go, young man.”

Theo hoisted himself up. Ria tossed up a few blankets she found in a chest and a giant barn coat. “Put this on. It will keep you from shivering,” she said, giving him a big wink. “And get those words ready. It’s your turn now.”

Zeke eased Jasper into a slow walk, letting him adjust to the weight of the sleigh and the feel of the harness. As the sleigh angled across the field connecting the farms, the cold air stung Theo’s cheeks and bare head. His wet loafers provided no warmth, and he hugged the straw-covered barn jacket tighter. In all the commotion, he’d forgotten to be nervous. But now, the enormity of what he was hoping to accomplish hit home. What if this didn’t work? What if Nora thought he was insane for even trying it? It would be humiliating. He prayed that at least she still might love Jasper.

***

The ancient yellow AGA stove warmed the kitchen as Nora pushed her breakfast eggs around on her plate, her red eyes evidence of her sleepless night. “If I did the right thing by walking away from Theo, why do I feel so awful?”

Her dad, Joe, patted her shoulder. 

Her mom, Lucy, sighed. “Love is hard.”

“Mom, that’s not an answer,” she retorted.  

Lucy gathered up the breakfast plates and carried them over to the sink. As she looked out the window, she smiled. “No, I suppose not, but I think I see one coming.” 

“Coming? What does that mean?” Nora asked.

Lucy pointed out the window. Nora rose to join her mom, and her mouth dropped open as the sleigh crested the hill and rode the gentle slope toward the Peterson farm. Zeke sat in front, but was that Theo in the back? What is he doing here? And with Jasper and Zeke? 

As Zeke pulled up to the back door, he touched his cap as the Peterson family clattered onto the porch. 

“Chilly day for a drive, isn’t it, Zeke?” Joe called out.

“Hard way to get a cup of sugar. I could have driven it over,” Lucy added. 

Nora frowned as she stood on the porch. Theo, a man who wore a pressed linen shirt with the same ease that her father wore a flannel one, was in a sleigh with Zeke. And in a shabby coat. What was going on? Theo wasn’t saying anything, just looking at her beseechingly. Finally, she mustered some words. “Theo, what are you doing here?” 

“Hoping. Praying that you will join Zeke and Jasper for a ride,” he said. “And, me, too.”

In that moment, her heart lurched. She did still love him. And he must feel something similar, even if the dolt couldn’t express it, otherwise why would he be here? She looked at her parents. Her mom smiled and shrugged as if to say what’s the harm. Her dad patted her shoulder again. She bit her lip and looked up at Theo, with his red nose and cheeks, his earnest expression. Oh, what the hell, it was only a ride. She could grant him that. “I’m only doing this since somehow you got Zeke and Jasper and this ancient and beautiful contraption out into the snow.”

“Thank you,” Theo said as he jumped down to help her up.

“Come by, anytime, Zeke.” Joe waved, holding in a laugh. Zeke winked and saluted as he snapped the reins and set Jasper on a gentle trot.

As the sled lurched forward, a huge smile broke across her face. No matter how mad she was at Theo, she hadn’t been on a sleigh ride in ten years, at least. She held onto the back of the driver’s seat to lean over and give Zeke a quick peck on the cheek. “Nice to see you again, Mr. Brown.”

Zeke blushed and mumbled something about youth being wasted on the young. 

She settled back onto the seat next to Theo. The cold air zipped past them, the snow from last night clung to the pine trees like white dresses, the blue sky and noon day sun winked at their journey and sparkled the crisp snow. She shivered, and Theo snapped open a blanket and tucked it around them both. They rode in silence for several minutes, drinking in the beauty of the landscape. 

Jasper walked slowly past the farms and pastures of her youth. She could name a classmate or an older student from almost every house they passed. The swaying of the sleigh and jingle of the harness hypnotized her. She stole a glance at Theo. Was this the man she wanted? Was he able to change for her? A million questions raced through her mind, not the least of which was wondering how in the world he found Jasper and Zeke? But this was Theo’s show, so she settled back to wait. The seconds turned into minutes and the minutes into a half an hour until Zeke pulled the sleigh to a stop. 

“Have to give Jasper a rest and some water,” he said. “You two take a stretch for a minute.” He winked at Theo under his shaggy eyebrows and pointed to a path heading into the woods. “That one’s easy to walk on since Earl rolls it for the nordic skiers in his clan. Go ahead, he won’t mind.” 

They clambered out of the sleigh and entered the snowy wonderland, where the path wove right and left, each turn offering a new vista of snow-laden trees or fields and far-off mountains. Rabbit, squirrel and deer tracks made patterns in the snow that disappeared into the woods. They walked until they reached a small clearing where the sun striped into beams of light. Theo stopped and took her hand in his. She kept it there, the warmth spreading into her own. She turned to face him.

“I’m going to say what I should have weeks, maybe even months ago,” he said. “Nora, I have done many stupid things in my life, but losing you is not going to be one of them.” 

Her eyebrow raised.

“I love you.”

And there it was. A simple, declarative sentence that changed everything. She bit back a smile.

“With all my heart and every fiber of being. I want you in my life so badly that I learned how to harness a horse today, committed to helping Ria bake a year’s worth of scones, and might be the first person to get frostbite by wearing loafers in the snow.”

Somehow he had involved Ria, Zeke, Jasper, and apologized, and said the “L” word and created a magical moment just for her. And his feet really must be cold. But she couldn’t give up her hurt so easily. “Oh, Theo. I don’t know, I wish you had done this weeks ago. Now, I feel like...”

He placed a finger gently on her lips. “A wise woman told me about big gestures,” he said, as if afraid to let her finish. He bent to kneel on one knee in the snow. “Nora Peterson, would you do me the honor of marrying me?” 

“Marry you?” Her heart thumped loudly, her head spun even faster, her body was a blizzard of emotion.

“Well, at least think about it,” he grinned as he took a rubber band from his pocket and held it up. “I didn’t have much time to shop.”

Theo was down on one knee in front of her, feet soaking wet, mismatched socks, in an ancient barn coat that could not possibly belong to him. His openness, his vulnerability, his rubber band were the gestures her heart needed. She leaned down and kissed him. “It’s perfect,” she murmured.

He gently slid the rubber band onto Nora’s finger. She angled it into one of the light beams, pretending to catch the light. “Diamonds? Emeralds? I can’t tell.”

“Both, and look for the rubies, too.” He stood, pulled her toward him, and they kissed under the white boughs. 

A whistle pierced the air and startled them back to the present; they’d forgotten about the sleigh, Zeke, Jasper, and the real world. Grinning, they ran back to the trailhead, hand in hand.

She ran up to Zeke and threw herself into his arms. “Oh Zeke, thank you.”

Zeke mumbled something before stepping back to look at the two of them, glowing with happiness. He leaned toward Jasper and whispered, “Like we always say, Jasper, young couples are just like maple syrup—it takes a good boil to make them sweeter.”

Jasper neighed and bounced his head in response.

Zeke gave Jasper a few encouraging instructions and a quick thwack of the reins as he turned the sled back toward the farm.

Nora pulled the rubber band away from her finger again and again, letting it slap back, stinging her skin.

“What are you doing?” Theo asked.

“Just making sure I’m not dreaming,” she said as she took his hand in hers and snuggled into his broad shoulder. 

(Photo Credit: Gentle Giants Sleigh Rides & Carriage Rides in Stowe, VT)