Page 14 of Cameron

“You and Ben are doing a phenomenal job with what you have. Thank you,” she said. “Once this wedding is over, I’m goingto get to the bottom of our problems and find out what’s going on.”

Emily nodded. “You need to, Samantha. Something is not right.”

“I know,” she said. “Okay, I have to be cheery and bright for the guests. We’ll see you guys soon.”

Hurrying out of her office, Samantha felt troubled. It was almost like Edward wanted this weekend to fail. But why?

Outside, their guests milled around waiting for instructions to get into the sleigh.

Cameron sat with the horses, reins in hand. There was no sign of Edward.

Tara, bless her heart, was trying to round up a bunch of twenty-year-olds who couldn’t care less about the beauty of riding on the ranch through the snow.

After all, they probably were used to being in the big city and thought nothing of the country. But Samantha cared a lot.

“Let’s go,” Tara said. “I need my bride and groom in the first sleigh front. Then the best man and maid of honor and then the rest of you fill in as best you can.”

Samantha climbed up beside Cameron and he suddenly perked up.

“I thought you were going to meet us in the pasture?”

“Change of plans,” she said. “It’ll be getting cold later this evening, and well, it would be best if we served everyone in the barn.”

“I have you all to myself,” he said, his blue eyes dancing with merriment.

“And three other couples,” she replied. “Plus, I’ll be telling these kids about the ranch as we travel across the land.”

Why she’d prepared a guided tour, she didn’t know. The couples would be talking among themselves and not listening to her.

They all climbed into the sleighs and she watched the first group pull away from the barn, then Cameron flicked the reins and the horses trotted off after the first sleigh.

She began her spiel about the ranch, pointing out the cattle in the pasture next to them. One of the heifers mooed a hello, and just like they were school-age children, the couples laughed.

“She’s saying moo to the city,” one young man said.

“Can you believe how far we are from real civilization,” a bridesmaid replied. “I can’t get a good signal on my phone.”

Another young man laughed. “You’re on vacation. Enjoy this time without civilization.”

Cameron glanced at her and grinned. “He’s the only one who is enjoying this trip.”

Samantha smiled at him. “On your left, you will see the Rocky Mountains. This is part of the Middle Rockies that spread into Montana, Colorado, Utah, and Idaho.”

“Are there bears here?”

“Of course,” Samantha said. “Right now, they’re hibernating, but in the spring and fall, we enjoy seeing them as long as they leave our animals alone.”

“What about grizzly bears?” a young man asked.

“Yes, we have the largest grizzly bear population in the U.S. besides Alaska,” she said.

The team was pulling them up a small hill and Cameron flicked the reins. The horses trotted on and Samantha sighed. What would she have done if Cameron had not volunteered? The man was doing an excellent job.

She leaned over and her shoulder rubbed against his. “Thank you for doing this today.”

“You’re welcome,” he replied. “Your horses are very good.”

“Yes, Edward wanted to sell them and I said no. Absolutely not,” she said, thinking about her father’s favorite horse and one she’d owned since she was a child.

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