“Okay, where are you, Max?” she whispered, not wanting to wake anyone up. When she popped her head into the kitchen, she didn’t find Max, but she saw the latest word for the day on the chalkboard was “wonder,” and the Christmas countdown had been changed to 10 DAYS TO CHRISTMAS. “Huh,” she said, looking around. “Well, right now I wonder where you’re hiding, Max.” But she didn’t have to wonder for long. Her next stop was the sitting room, and that’s where she found Max sleeping by the fireplace.
“There you are, Max. Come on, boy, let’s go. Time for your walk.” When she held up his leash, he came running over. As they headed out the front door, she saw Jeff’s truck drive up. “Oh boy. Here we go. Wish me luck,” she said to Max as they walked toward the truck. When Jeff got out, Haley saw he was wearing sunglasses, which made his expression impossible to read. She fought for a smile and tried to remain optimistic. “Good morning,” she said.
“You’re up early?” Jeff gave her a questioning look then turned his attention to Max. “I suppose this is your fault?”
For an answer, Max barked and wagged his tail.
Haley laughed. “Actually, I woke him up this morning; right, Max?”
Max wagged his tail as he looked up her.
Jeff’s eyebrows rose. “Really?”
“True story.”
“Let me guess, you were working?”
Haley’s smiled faltered a bit. “Actually, I did get some work done already, but it’s such a beautiful morning I wanted to do our walk early, when it’s so peaceful.”
Jeff nodded, but still didn’t look convinced.
“And about work,” Haley started.
He held up his hand to stop her. “You don’t owe me any explanations. Like I said, I’m not the Christmas Camp police. It’s not for me to judge, and I apologize that I got a little carried away yesterday.”
“And you had every right,” Haley interrupted him. “I know you just want this camp to go well for your dad, and so do I. So, from now on, I’m all in. I’m going to be the best Christmas Camp guest you’ve ever seen.”
Jeff took off his sunglasses and gave her a suspicious look. “Seriously?”
Haley laughed. “Seriously, I’m going to be a perfect angel for the rest of the week. I mean, I am in the angel room. Some of that has to rub off at some point, right?” She didn’t have time to hear his answer because Ben walked out the front door.
“Son, great, you’re back, just in time to help me get everything ready for our next activity.”
“Which is sledding,” Haley said proudly. “I checked the list. Is there anything I can do to help?”
“You’re doing it,” Ben said. “I know Max loves his walks with you. Then join the rest of us for breakfast, and we’ll head out. I want to get an early start.”
“We’re not sledding here?” Haley asked, looking around.
Jeff laughed. “Oh no. We have a favorite sledding spot, don’t we, Dad?”
Ben patted Jeff on the back. “We sure do. It’s a nice little hill, you’re going to love it, Haley.”
AS HALEY STOOD with the rest of the Christmas Camp gang at the top of a huge sledding hill, she looked more than a little freaked out. “I thought you said this was a nice little hill. What happened to the little part?” she asked Ben and Jeff.
Jeff laughed. “This one is little. You should see the one we usually go to at Eagle Peak.”
“Uh, no, thanks. This one looks big enough, actually too big . . .”
“You’re not afraid, are you?” Jeff asked in a teasing voice.
“Of course not,” Haley shot back. “It’s just I’m more of a city girl than a sledding girl.”
“When was the last time you went sledding?” Ben asked.
Haley had to think about it. She actually couldn’t remember ever sledding down a hill like this. Her only sledding memory was of sitting on a trash-can lid that her dad had tied a rope to and being pulled around their driveway. She might have been four or five years old. When she realized Ben was still waiting for an answer, she shrugged. “I honestly can’t remember ever going sledding like this.”
Ben looked at the collection of different sleds he brought with them and picked up a red plastic toboggan. “Then you can have this one, Haley. It’s perfect for a beginner.”
Blake laughed. “We had one of those when we were little, didn’t we, Madison?”
Madison laughed. “We did! Don’t worry, Haley, it’s super easy to use. A baby could do it.”
Everyone laughed but Haley. Right now she was feeling like a big baby because when she looked down the hill, she felt only one thing. Fear.
Ben pointed to all the different kinds of sleds. “Okay, this is what I have for all of you today, depending on your sledding skills. Did you all see our inspirational word for the day?”
“It’s ‘wonder,’” Susie chimed in as she excitedly grabbed Ian’s hand and swung both their hands in the air.
“You’re crazy.” Ian laughed.
Susie kissed him on the cheek. “Crazy about you and Christmas!”
Haley laughed. “That sounds like a bad country song.”
Gail joined in on the fun. “It does!”
This just got Susie more wound up, and she started to dance and sing. “I’m crazy about you and Christmas, you and Christmas. I’m crazy about you!”
“Okay, babe, that’s enough.” But when Ian tried to grab her hand to stop her, she just pulled him into dancing with her.
“Help! I have a Christmas-crazy wife!” Ian called out.
Everyone laughed.
“This is great,” Ben said. “I’m seeing the wonder already! Okay, so today’s theme is wonder, and it’s all about remembering how you felt at Christmas when you were a child.”
John smiled at his kids. “It wasn’t that long ago for you guys.”
“Dad!” Madison exclaimed, embarrassed. “We’re teenagers now. We’re not little kids!”
When John turned to Haley and whispered, “Don’t I know it,” she had to fight back a laugh.
Ben held up his camera. “And I’m going to be taking some pictures of everyone, so be sure to smile.”
“My dad, the paparazzi,” Jeff joked, and winked at his dad.
“I just want to be sure I get photo approval before you post anything about me,” Madison said, adjusting her hat and scarf.
When Ben looked confused, John came to the rescue. “She means if you post any pictures of her on social media, like Facebook or Instagram, she wants to be sure she likes them first.”
Ben gave Madison a reassuring look. “I promise you, I won’t be posting anything anywhere.”
Madison looked confused. “Then why are you even taking pictures?”
John rolled his eyes. “Teenagers, what can you do?”
Everyone laughed again.
Still laughing, Ben picked up a vintage wooden sled that had steel blades and wood strips on the top. There was also a horizontal wooden piece at the front of the sled, tied to a red rope, to help you navigate. “So, who wants to use this little beauty?”
Ian looked at Susie. “Don’t even think about it. That one looks older than we are and hard to steer.”
“You’re right about this one being an oldie but goodie, Ian,” Ben said. “She’s one of the first sleds ever made. One of my favorites, but this one does take a little skill and—”
But before he could finish, Gail had walked up to him. “I’ll take it.”
Everyone looked surprised and impressed.
“Are you sure?” Ben asked.
Gail looked at the sled with confidence. “Oh, I’m sure. I was quite the sledder in my day, and this is what we’d always use. Old school is the only way.”
Ben handed the sled over with a smile. “That’s the spirit!” Next, he picked up a giant inner tube and looked over at John, Blake, and Madison. “I was thinking this one might be big enough for all of you. If you think you can handle it?” He said the last part looking at the kids.
Blake, excited, ran up to him. “Oh, we can handle it. Right, Dad?”
“Absolutely,” John said. “Right, Madison?”
Madison looked a little nervous but nodded.
“Okay, then, show us what you can do.” Ben handed the inner tube to Blake. Everyone watched as the family piled on.
“What if I fall off?” Madison asked.
“Just hold on to me,” John answered. “Are you guys ready?”
Blake pumped his fist into the air. “Ready.”
When John gave the sled a push, Madison screamed and Blake and John laughed. Within seconds, they were flying down the hill.
“Whoa!” Madison squealed, laughing.
“Whooo-hoo!” Blake hollered.
“Hold on!” John shouted back at them, and moments later, they were all laughing as they raced down the hill.
Before anyone knew what was happening, Gail was on her sled and had taken off. “I’m going to catch you guys!” she called after John and the kids.
“Go, Gail!” Haley yelled as she watched Gail skillfully navigate her sled and start catching up to the inner tube.
Ian and Susie were the next up. They grabbed a two-person toboggan and also started flying down the hill.
“I love Christmas!” When Susie threw her arms in the air, she almost fell off the sled, but luckily Ian grabbed her.
Haley, Jeff, and Ben were the only ones left at the top of the hill. Still holding her toboggan, Haley didn’t look like she was going anywhere.
Jeff took it from her and smiled. “You ready?”
When her eyes grew huge, Ben snapped a picture of her.
“Hey, wait.” Haley laughed. “I’m gonna need photo approval on that one.”
“I’ll give you anything you want after you get down this hill,” Ben said.
“Do I have to?” she asked, sounding like she was Madison’s age.
Jeff smiled back at her. “You want that certificate, don’t you?”
“Of course, but . . .”
“No buts, come on, let’s go,” Jeff said. “I’m an expert. You’re safe with me.”
Haley very much doubted that, in more ways than one, and when she saw Jeff put the sled down and run it back and forth a couple of times in the slick snow, her heart skipped a beat.
Jeff sat down on the back of the sled and patted the spot in front of him. “Come on, Haley, you can do it.”
Haley shook her head. “You go ahead. I’ll stay up here and help Ben.”
“I have everything under control, Haley. You go ahead. You can do this. Jeff is an excellent sledder. You’re in good hands,” Ben said.
Jeff patted the space on the sled in front of him again. “Don’t worry; I’ll do all the work. You just have to sit here and enjoy.”
But all Haley could think of was that she’d rather be getting a root canal. She took another step back.
Jeff locked eyes with her. “You said you were all in for the rest of Christmas Camp. What were your exact words? That you were going to be a perfect angel and an ideal guest from now on . . .”
Haley’s jaw dropped. He was using her own words against her. When she looked at Ben for some help, he just smiled.
“This is one of our activities,” Ben said. “Don’t you want to experience everything so you truly understand what Christmas Camp is all about, like we talked about last night . . .”
Haley knew what he was getting at. She threw up her hands in defeat. “Okay, but I swear, if I break my neck, you two are going to have to explain it to my boss and my parents.”
“Deal,” Jeff said, patting the space in front of him again.
Haley’s smile faded. The space on the sled was tiny, meaning she was going to have to be snug up against Jeff, and that thought was just as scary as flying down the hill. As she got on the sled, she tried to sit toward the front so she could keep their contact to a minimum.
“You can lean back on me,” he said, when she continued to sit up, stiff as a board.
“I’m good. Thanks.” Her voice sounded high and thin. She wanted to blame the cold air, but she knew it had more to do with feeling Jeff’s warm breath on the back of her neck in the spot where her scarf had slipped, and she had a tiny bit of exposed skin. She hurried to adjust her scarf, but when she struggled to fix it, Jeff came to the rescue. He leaned forward so his cheek was almost against hers.
“Better?” he asked.
She could only nod, not trusting herself to talk. She was shaking but not from the cold. To steady herself, she grabbed the front of the toboggan with both hands.
“Are you ready?” Jeff asked.
Haley squeezed her eyes shut. “No, but okay. Go.” At this point she just wanted to get it over with. She didn’t know what she was more afraid of, being this close to Jeff or the hill looming in front of her.
“Hey, Dad, can you give us a little push?”
“You got it, son, but first, smile!”
When Jeff put his arm around her, Haley looked up at him, surprised, and that’s when Ben snapped the photo. Seconds later, she felt the sled moving . . .
“Off you go! Have fun!” Ben shouted. As they picked up speed, Haley held on for dear life. When they hit a bump, she screamed, and Jeff held her tighter.
“I got you, don’t worry,” he hollered in her ear.
She was screaming and laughing at the same time, and Jeff was laughing right along with her.
“Isn’t this great!” he shouted.
Haley couldn’t answer because she was still screaming. When she finally stopped, the laugher kicked back in. Racing down the hill was both thrilling and terrifying. True to his word, Jeff was an excellent sledder, and when they hit a big bump and almost tipped over, he protected her, pulling her closer to him. She laughingly grabbed his arm and realized she didn’t feel scared anymore. She felt safe. As they came closer to the bottom of the hill, for a moment she let herself lean back so she could feel the heat of Jeff’s body. She shut her eyes and just let herself feel the exhilaration that was only partly due to the sledding. When they finally came to a stop, she opened her eyes.
“So, what did ya think?” Jeff asked as he got up from the toboggan and held out his hand to help her up. “Great, right?”
Haley took his hand and looked into his eyes. “It was amazing.” Again, she wasn’t just talking about the sledding. “Let’s go again!”
Jeff laughed and grabbed the sled. “I knew you’d love it.”
As they walked over to join the rest of the group gathered at the bottom of the hill, Haley couldn’t remember a time when she’d had more fun. She now felt the wonder Ben had been talking about. It was intoxicating, and she wanted more. She couldn’t wait to see what was next.
Chapter 25
After another fun-filled hour of sledding, the whole gang was exhausted and ready for a break. Haley touched her rosy-red cheeks. They were numb from the cold. Her face actually hurt from smiling and laughing so much.
As the guys helped Ben load up the sleds, Ian was high-fiving everyone. “This was so cool. Thank you, Ben. Best activity ever.”
“Even better than hanging out at the pool in Arizona?” Susie asked in a teasing voice.
Ian came over and gave her a quick kiss. “Even better than that. I think we need to make this one of our new traditions together.”
Susie looked overjoyed. She gave him a big hug. “I love that. Let’s add it to our list.”
Blake eyed the inner tube they had been using. “Dad, can we make this one of our new traditions, too?”
“Yeah, Dad, that would be great!” Madison said.
John looked surprised but pleased. “We sure can. We can even get an inner tube just like this one.”
“Awesome!” Blake high-fived his dad, and Madison did the same.
John looked over at Ben and gave him a thumbs-up.
When Gail came over to join Haley, she was also in a wonderful mood. “I don’t think I’ve laughed this much in a long time,” s
he said.
Haley smiled back at her. “That’s exactly what I was thinking. And you weren’t kidding. You’re definitely the sledding queen. You had some serious moves out there.”
Gail chuckled and looked proud. “Thank you. Call it years of practice.” She put her arm around Haley. “It looked like you and Jeff were having a great time, too . . .”
Haley laughed. “You’re not giving up, are you?”
“Never,” Gail whispered as Ben walked up to them.
“What are you two ladies whispering about? Should I be worried?” he asked. He smiled back at Gail.
“About us?” Haley feigned innocence. “Never.”
Ben laughed and snapped a picture of them.
“Hold on,” Haley said. “Ben, you’ve been taking pictures all day. We need one with you in it. Can I have your camera for a second?”
“Sure,” Ben said as he handed her his camera and put his arm around Gail. “How about one of the two of us?”
As Haley took the picture, she didn’t miss the way the two of them smiled at each other. “Got it. Now let’s get one of all of us?”
“Can you do a selfie with that big camera?” Gail asked.
“I bet I can. You might be the sledding queen, but I’m the selfie queen. Let’s give it a try. Okay, everyone scooch in so we’re all close enough together. Everyone get cheek to cheek. Okay, ready? Everyone say ‘sledding!’”
“Sledding!” Gail and Ben said at the same time as Haley snapped the perfect selfie.
Jeff laughed when he saw what they were doing and came over. “I can take a real one for you.”
Haley pretended to be offended. “I’ll have you know my selfie was perfect. We’re good.”
Jeff laughed.
“But let me get one of you and your dad.”
When Jeff put his arm around his dad, you could see how much love they shared. It touched Haley’s heart. She took the picture and handed the camera back to Ben.
“Okay, time to head back to the inn,” he said.
Haley rubbed her hands together. “Okay, What’s next on the list? I’m ready!”
Jeff laughed and looked at his dad. “Looks like someone’s finally getting with the program.”
“If you mean the Christmas Camp program, remember I’m all in,” Haley said.
Christmas Camp Page 20