Jenny knew this part of the park like the back of her hand, and the Grand Loop was the best way to get an overview of the northern park when you only had half a day to spare. It wasn’t more than a three- or four-hour drive at most, even if they stopped once or twice, so they should be back in time for her to make it to Sunday supper at her father’s house at four.
She had packed sandwiches, chips and apples for their lunch when they felt like stopping. Sam had some soft country music playing and Jenny kicked off her boots, relaxing in the passenger seat, trying to savor these last few hours with Sam.
Enjoy yourself. You can be sad tomorrow after you’ve said good-bye. Don’t let it ruin today.
“Some folks say the Grand Loop is like Jurassic Park or a safari. You’re definitely going to see some wildlife, Sam. It’s just a matter of what and how much.” She glanced over at him, casually powerful in the small bucket seat of his rental car. He belonged in a truck or an SUV, not a little sedan. “Just keep your eyes open. We’ll stop in a little bit to check out Mammoth Springs. It’s going to come up soon.”
“Mammoth Springs?”
“Hot springs. They’re really interesting, I promise. We can park and walk around on the Boardwalk a little bit. They’re especially beautiful in the winter because you can barely tell where the white calcium deposits end and the snow begins. And it’s going to be all misty with the fog. You’d think with all the salt and heat the snow wouldn’t have a chance, but it’s pretty dramatic.”
He glanced over at her and smiled. “Your dad brought you to the park a lot growing up?”
“Dad’s an expert on northern Yellowstone, and all of the boys help with the business. Nils is good with the business side, and the ladies love Erik, but when it comes to Yellowstone, I think Lars knows the most.”
“And you?”
“I only lead private tours,” she said, winking at him playfully.
“Oh, I see. Lots of private tours?”
“Nope. I have a client list of one.”
“Any chance it could stay that way?”
“You’ll have to let me know how I do.”
“So far? Awful. You should never give another private tour again.” She burst into giggles and hit him lightly on the shoulder. “However, if you want to sharpen your skills, I’d be glad to be a repeat customer.”
“Hard to make that promise from Chicago,” she observed. She had meant the comment to be light, but it fell with a thud, and she cringed at her clumsiness.
Quit it, Jen. Today is supposed to be fun, not sad!
Sam turned into the parking lot for the springs and winked at her. “Never say never, Kitten. Life can be surprising.”
***
They stopped at the Norris Geyser Basin, where Sam took pictures of Jenny with his iPhone. They skipped Old Faithful—Jenny declared it was overrated and not as “faithful” as it used to be, sometimes making the tourists wait almost two hours for an eruption—and drove in companionable silence for a while beside the Yellowstone River, taking in amazing views of the Teton and Absaroka Mountains.
At one point, a herd of four bison crossed the road in front of them, and Sam watched them in amazement as Jenny rattled off fun and interesting facts about Yellowstone’s bison population.
No, he hadn’t known that a bison’s winter coat is so thick and well insulated that snow can cover their backs without melting. One of the few new fun facts he had at his disposal, he thought with a smile.
He was blown away by her breadth of knowledge and how handy it was for her, pulling fascinating facts out of her head and sharing just the right amount of information to keep her dialogues captivating, not boring. No wonder her father’s tours were in year-round demand. If Jenny was any indication, he was well worth the cost, whatever he charged. Sam was impressed by her yet again—another facet of Jenny that gave her depth and dimension, setting her apart and making her special in his eyes.
They headed back up north toward Gardiner and had been driving for a while in the quiet of the car when she said, “Tell me about your mom and dad. How’d a nice Swedish girl from Choteau end up in Chicago?”
He smiled at her sideways then turned his gaze back to the road. “My Mom, Margaret, and her sister Lisabet were small-town girls. Churchgoers, with potluck dinners and summer picnics on the green. Long braids with flowers at Midsummer. A lot like someone else I know, Jenny.” He flicked his gaze to her, smiling, thinking about how much his mother and aunt would approve of Jenny if they ever got the chance to meet her.
“Anyway, my grandparents owned a bed-and-breakfast style lodge up there. Mostly for hikers headed to the Rockies, or people from Great Falls looking for an overnight getaway. That sort of thing. My mother and aunt worked at the lodge, which by the way is not in my family anymore, but is a pretty swanky vacation spot, if you’re ever looking for a place to stay north of Great Falls. Indoor pool, spa, wrap-around porch, helipad, amazing views, gourmet restaurant. You’d like it.”