Spring, summer, autumn . . . each passing month brought him closer to winter. He relished the first snowfall, didn’t mind breaking through ice so his cattle could drink and bundled up when the temperature dropped below freezing. On the day before Thanksgiving, Ty and the other wranglers brought out plastic bins filled with the ranch’s supply of decorations, including lights and a worn-only-once Santa suit. Ty woke before his alarm on the morning of Black Friday. This was the day Christmas decorations went up, the start of the holiday season at the Bar V5. Outside, snow flurries fell from the sky. He placed his gloved hands in his pockets on the walk to the barn. The tiny flakes disappeared as they touched his jacket. Perfect weather for stringing lights and hanging garland. The cold air nipped at his face, but the temperature was more refreshing than uncomfortable. Winter weather didn’t bother him. Coming from Phoenix, he’d realized there could be such a thing as too much sun.
