Page 12 of Magic in Mistletoe
“Mostly. When there’s snow. Yes.” He gave the elk a pat, then climbed aboard. “Are you coming?”
“I don’t know about this.” She looked around. What if he were a sociopath? Were there any witnesses to see her leave with him?
“I’m not dangerous,” he said as if he could read her mind. “I’m just old school.”
“Please don’t make me regret this,” Sadie said, placing her hand in Martin’s. As they began down the street, Sadie found the world fading away. The brisk wind danced around them, but the carriage remained warm, as if enveloping them in a protective cocoon. As they left town behind, the canopy of trees twinkled as if lit by Christmas lights, and right when Sadie thought the scenery couldn’t get any prettier, the sky opened up to reveal the awe-inspiring spectacle of the Northern Lights.
Sadie gasped.
Martin led them to a clearing atop a small hill and drew the sleigh to a stop, providing them an unhindered view of the ephemeral beauty of the aurora. For the longest time, they sat in silence while nature’s ethereal ballet danced across the vast expanse of the night sky in a mesmerizing display of color and light.
“They’re like brushstrokes,” Sadie whispered. “Or like a tapestry of greens and purples.” It was as if the heavens themselves were reaching out, intertwining with the Earth in a passionate embrace.
To Sadie, the world receded to this single moment under the aurora’s spell. Nothing existed outside its splendor. She slid her hand into Martin’s, and her eyes teared up. “I’ve never seen anything like this before.”
Martin leaned his head closer, his breath caressing Sadie’s ear as he whispered, “Watching the auroras is like listening to a silent love song sung by the stars, a serenade that evokes a sense of wonder, magic, and an intimate connection to the universe.”
Sadie shivered, nodding in agreement with this lumberjack poet.
And as silence again blanketed them, she knew it was the kind that spoke more than words ever could because they were both lost in the moment. Sadie suspected that Martin’s heart, too, was beating in rhythm with the flickering lights.
Martin’s phone buzzed, shattering the moment like a dropped snow globe. “Sorry,” he said. “I told them to text me only in an emergency.” He glanced at his phone. “Nora’s not well. She has a fever. I doubt it’s serious, but I better get home.”
“Of course,” Sadie said, even though she longed to remain there with him. “I understand.”
Martin flicked the reins, and the elk moved forward. As the sleigh glided toward Sadie’s house, she leaned in, resting her head on Martin’s shoulder, finding comfort in the moment’s beauty and the gentle strength of her mysterious companion.
As they pulled up in front of her house, Martin climbed out of the sleigh first, holding out his hand for Sadie. He helped her down and escorted her to her front door.
“Thank you, Martin,” she said. “Your kindness is a rare gift, and I’m grateful to have met you.”
“The pleasure was mine,” he said, staring deep into her eyes before placing a chaste kiss on her cheek and wishing her a good night.
His simple gesture of friendship touched her deeply. Under the mesmerizing dance of the Northern Lights, it would have been all too easy to surrender to the whispers of romance. But Sadie, still tender from the scars of recent experience, knew it would take time before she could bravely open the gates of her heart again.
As she unlocked the door, she turned to wave, but Martin and his sleigh were nowhere to be seen.
Martin walked into his daughter’s room, placing a cool glass of water beside her bed. “How are you feeling this morning?”
“Not great, but better.” Nora sat up and took a drink of water.
“Well, take it easy for the rest of the day. I’m going into work, but Ellie’s here to check on you.”
“I’m sorry I ruined your date last night, Dad.”
Martin sat on the edge of Nora’s bed. “It wasn’t a date.”
“Oh really? Then what was it?”
“Two friends observing the Northern Lights.” He thought of Sadie’s head on his shoulder, her hand in his, and the pain he wanted to heal.
“Yeah, in an elk-drawn sleigh. I’m sure Sadie does that kind of thing with all her friends.”
“Come on, Nora, you know that I have to take things slowly with all that’s at stake.”
Nora sighed. “Yeah, yeah, I know.”
“But just so you know, I like her and would like to get to know her better.” His expression turned serious. “Does it bother you that I hope things move forward with Sadie?”
