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Spruces ringed the glade, their roots lost in tangled undergrowth, while before the house, all was austere. Red rock shards filled zigzag beds punctuated by spiky shrubs, their jagged edges scraping on Lacey as she gave the doorbell a final push. Dee had coaxed her for weeks, leaning on the good old university days and shared misadventures in her daily texts and voice mails, to set up this reunion supper, and now she, not Lacey, was late. Six years of separation due to careers and spouses was supposed to finally end, but Dee wasn’t home.
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“Neil? No chance. He never comes out here anymore. At least …” Dee hesitated. “I don’t think he does. He slimes around my office occasionally, trying to winkle deal tips out of my staff, but not when I’m there. This was one of my uphill neighbours, Jake Wyman. He was literally on horseback, out riding, and on the road only because he thought the hill trail would be too slippery for the horse in the dark. I’d hardly seen him since I handled some property for his ex-wife, and he might have been holding a grudge. Although I’m sure he would have helped, anyway. You don’t pass by on the other side out here, especially in winter. People would die.” She sighed, with gratitude or maybe resignation.
“I owe him a lot. He wrapped me in his heavy jacket and then called his groom to get the horse, a blanket and transport for me, and a mug of hot tea, plus a vehicle to take Duke to the emergency animal hospital. While our other neighbour drove me to Calgary to get my foot X-rayed, Jake took Boney and Beau home for me. He didn’t mention his ex during all that, although when he came to get me from the hospital the next day he asked if I’d give him her current address. He’s not one to miss a chance.”
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