Page 26 of Wrath’s Nightingale

She looks at me and smiles before hurrying across the room and throwing herself in my arms. I’ve noticed she’s slow to wake up in the morning. She’s often quiet for an hour or so until she fully wakes up.

“What’s going on?”

“We’re going to Gatlinburg and taking horses and bikes. I think we’re bringing motocross bikes and sleds. Your parents are even bringing their touring bike so we can ride in the mountains.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Can you get a few extra days off work?”

“I can. Why the sudden change?”

“What, you don’t like surprises?” I ask, my heart trying to beat out of my chest.

“I love them. My brain isn’t awake yet.”

“I’m driving so you can go back to sleep if you want. I haven’t packed your toiletries yet.”

“I better shower and get on it. Micah means five minutes.”

“I’ll load while you shower.”

“Good plan,” she says, standing on tiptoes and dropping a quick kiss on my lips.”

As soon as she’s in the bathroom, I grab our suitcases and hurry downstairs. Her brothers head up the stairs.

“We’ll get the rest,” Micah says.

“Let your sister shower in peace,” Lisa says with a smile.

“Don’t worry, we’ll save our pranks for the honeymoon,” Tyler says with a wink.

Fortunately, the boys listen to their mother and leave Millie alone to shower in peace. While Millie gets ready, I hook up the trailer and load my sled to the back of our SUV. In that time, the Barnes load motocross bikes into a covered trailer and the horses into the biggest horse trailer I’ve laid eyes on.

Eight horses in all, but not Soldier. Lisa told me the horse doesn’t like to travel, and since he’s twenty, he’s earned the right of refusal. She told me they loaded a mixture of geldings and mares. And assured me Millie would get first pick of which horse she’d ride. Lisa also told me the family has ridden in the Smokies for years and it’s one of her favorite things to do.

I foresee a lifetime of fun family vacations in my future. I wonder how my family will take to the horses. Lisa surprises me by handing me a cooler and Millie a picnic basket.

Millie laughs after we get settled into the SUV and explains.

We only stop to pee on the way down because of the horses. Lisa always packs enough food to feed an army. Then again, my brothers eat enough for a squad.

We’re on the road and rolling before six in the morning. If things go as planned, we’ll arrive around noon.

Chapter 16

Millie

Ican’t believe my man and my family planned this amazing surprise.My man, I let those words sink in while again I held his hand. We spend the next six hours talking with ease. Only one pit stop needed to refuel and use the facilities. Or, as Stormy would say, we refueled and recycled. She cracks me up, calling, going to the bathroom, recycling. We were back on the road in under ten minutes.

Wrath followed my dad around the twists and turns. When we pass our usual turn off around Sevierville, I realize we’re not headed to our usual rental.

“Do you know where we’re going?”

He shrugs. “Not really. Lisa made the arrangements.”

“She’s good at that. She used to own a travel business. Sold it a few years ago and Dad retired.”

“Your dad invited us to Maine for the blueberry harvest.”

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