Nate's Gift (Small-Town Christmas Wishes Book 3)

by Jackie Castle

  His thumbs rubbed small circles on the back of her hands. “That letter you saved for me? It was from a dear friend who had a big heart just like you. She told me to stop playing it safe and be brave. You, Ms. Shay, are the first person I’ve met in some time who makes me want to step out and be brave.” He shrugged a shoulder. “That’s what I guess I’m trying to say.”

  Kara’s hand pressed against his cheek. Nate glanced up to find her face only inches from his. She seemed about to say something, but instead, she pressed a kiss to the corner of his mouth. “I think you’re braver than you realize. And I do care, Mr. Cooper. Thank you for letting me know I’m not alone in this. That’s how I’ve been feeling since I came here. Like I’m paddling upriver in a one-man boat.”

  He wanted to kiss her back. Properly. But not here. Not yet. He straightened, putting a little bit of space between them, in case someone did walk in. “Move over then and hand me one of the paddles.”

  They both laughed and she also straightened, giving his hands one more squeeze before she released them. “I need some time to come up with…” she started to shake her head. “Is it worth the trouble?”

  “It is to the kids. And it’s important to you. So, yes. Why don’t you cut your practice short today? Let’s meet at the diner and check around town. There has to be somewhere that we can move your production. A church? Somewhere.”

  Kara gave a nod, then stood and smoothed out her dress. She wiped at her eyes again, then asked, “Be honest, do I have make-up running down my face? I don’t want to scare the children.”

  Amazingly, she didn’t. Except for the red rimming her eyes, she looked normal. She didn’t seem to wear too much make-up as some women did. He liked it.

  “You’re beautiful. You might stop hearts, but there’s no need to worry about scaring anyone.” He winked. “See you this afternoon? Around five?”

  “I’ll be there. Thank you, Nate.”

  Chapter Ten

  Lord help her, but if Nate Cooper kept saying such things, Kara feared she’d be totally and completely in love before New Years. She laughed at her silliness as she reached the classroom and paused at the door. Thank God she was running late on building the scenery. If she’d been on time, everything would have been in the auditorium when it flooded.

  That’s right, count your blessings. Keep your chin up.

  She wasn’t in this alone. That realization made her want to sprout wings and fly through the roof. She wasn’t down for the count. She’d figure something out. When her class arrived, she told everyone to start spreading the word that practice was canceled today. “However, I want you guys to meet me here after school for a quick meeting.”

  Later, once everyone arrived, filling all the desk and leaning against the walls, Kara stood at the front of the room. “Not sure if you’ve heard about the auditorium—”

  Several nods went around the room.

  Damion asked, “They’ll fix it before our play, right Ms. S? The show must go on, right? That’s what you’re always saying. When life tries to close the curtains, the show must go on.”

  Her heart swelled. Yes, she’d need to find some way through this for these kids. She sent up another prayer of many that she’d whispered that day. I can’t let them down. We need to show them how to stand firm during the storms, Lord.

  “We’re going to figure out something guys, so don’t lose hope. I want all of you to continue memorizing your lines. The set is safe at my house. We can keep everything there until I find somewhere else to hold the play. If anyone hears of a place, let me know.”

  They nodded but didn’t seem convinced. “What a thing to happen, huh?” Matt said in a dejected tone. “Figures. That’s life, guys.”

  “It is life,” Kara shot back, straightening her back and lifting her chin. “You’re right. Life will send arrows and rocks at you, but we’ll have to hold up our shields and keep moving forward. If we want this bad enough, we’ll find a way to make it happen. Now, keep practicing, that’s your part in this fight. You keep practicing and be ready to shine and inspire others when you get on stage. We’ll meet here again tomorrow, okay? Hopefully, I’ll have some good news for you.”

  Those along the wall began filing out first. Damion and one of the girls that he was close friends with pushed through the group until they reached her desk. “Try the old theater, Ms. S. Mister Charmain owns it. He still shows old movies now and then. Especially around the holidays. Ask him. It used to be a playhouse.”

  Kara nodded and hugged them both. “Thanks for the tip. I’ll let you know tomorrow if I find anything.”

  She’d already talked to Mr. Charmain about renting the theater, but his prices were more than she could handle. And he was firm about them.

  * * * *

  Kara arrived at the café before Nate. Her heart was pounding like a race car’s engine. She picked a booth that could be seen from the entrance and set about calming her nerves. Was she more nervous about her play, or meeting the handsome band teacher?

  He’d said that he liked his quiet life and hated dating. Did that explain why he was still single? Should she probe deeper, or wait and see how things played out? Talk about drama.

  Kara laughed at her silly self, then pulled out her mini laptop. The café had internet so she’d start looking at other possible venues for her play. On such short notice, she was doubtful they’d find a place.

  There were four churches in Snowflake. She started at the top of the list and began looking up their calendars to see if there were any open days. As suspected, the first three were pretty much booked up for the season. Still, perhaps she could call.

  What else did the town offer? She was still so new here.

  She checked her clock. Nate was now nearly a half-hour late. She blew out a frustrated breath. Perhaps she was in this on her own. Well, she’d make some calls and see if any of the churches might be willing to squeeze her in. If they didn’t find something in the next day or two, then she’d have to cancel the program. And refund all the money they’d earned on tickets.

  Her pounding heart sputtered and faltered. Kara buried her face in her hands, fighting the impending sense of hopelessness. She’d let down her friend who’d helped finance the play. She’d end up letting the kids down, as well. Not to mention the community that she was finally beginning to become a part of. How many times was she going to fail before she finally found the place that the Lord had for her?

  She’d been so sure about moving to Snowflake.

  Kara checked her watch. Nate was now forty-five minutes late.

  How could she have been so wrong? Again?

  * * * *

  “I only have fifteen hundred.” Nate stood in the concession area of the old theater face to face with old man Charmain who waved his hand dismissively and started toward his office. Nate rushed around him to block the door. “Listen, Mr. Charmain, this is important. She almost had the auditorium packed. I checked and almost all the tickets were sold. So you’d have a packed house that night.”

  He scowled, his wrinkled eyes narrowing to tiny slits. “You’re not talking just one night, though. She’ll be up here practicing. With all those hoodlums. I refuse to hire kids anymore. All they do is goof around and break things. No thank you, Mr. Cooper. I’m making enough on the weekend movie shows to pay my monthly bills.” He tried to push Nate aside, but he refused to move.

  “You’re asking an awful lot for just one night, Mr. Charmain. Be reasonable. Listen, I need a place for my band students to perform, as well. Just think of all the people you’ll draw in. Why you can open your concession stand and keep all the profits from the sales.”

  “No. I’m not interested.”

  Nate was not going to leave here without a yes. “Okay, I can pay the two-thousand you’re asking for.” He had a fat savings account. “For one night. I’ll tell her to practice at the school. We’ll only come up that one day to set up and will be sure to take the scene down before you close up for the night
. One day is all I’m asking.”

  “What part of no are you having a hard time understanding?” Charmain grumbled, trying again to push Nate aside. “And you call yourself a teacher? Humph! No wonder the youth of today—”

  The entrance door opened as a group of seven teenagers entered. “I’m telling you, this would be a perfect—, oh, hey, Mr. Cooper.” Damion waved the hand that wasn’t slung over the girl’s shoulder who stood close by his side.

  Nate nodded, perplexed over what his students were doing here. “What’s going on?”

  Matt answered, “We’re helping Ms. S find a new place for us to have our play. The show must go on, you know. And all that.” He shrugged, grinning sheepishly.

  “That’s right,” Nate agreed, folding his arms over his chest as he stared down at the frowning old man. “That’s what I’ve been trying to convince Mr. Charmain of.” He gestured toward the kids. “Want to tell them why you’re not willing to rent out your theater for only one night? We’ll practice somewhere else. Just give us that one—”

  From the back of the group, a dark-haired girl pushed her way through the others. She was part of the choir, but also in the play. “Poppy! Did you tell Mr. Cooper no? How could you?”

  Poppy? That’s right, Nate recalled. Diana was the student whose parents passed away and now she was being raised by her grandparents. Nate’s smile grew so wide, he was sure his ears were sticking out. “Poppy, huh?”

  The old man glared up at him, then shuffled around to face his granddaughter. “I didn’t necessarily…it’s only…” He heaved a heavy sigh and scratched the thinning white hair covering his head. “This is the play you said you were in?”

  She marched forward, stopping right in front of her grandpa with her fists on her hips. “Yes, and I have one of the star roles. Also, I get to sing! Poppy, I need this play on my resume for when I apply at Julliard. You know Daddy wanted me to go there.”

  “Yes, but—”

  She pointed her finger at his face, “When you get to heaven how are you going to explain to your son that you didn’t fully support his daughter’s dream to get into the best arts college in the world!”

  “Not sure about the world, pumpkin.”

  She continued, undaunted. “You want me to talk to Meme about this? We both know what she’ll say.”

  Mr. Charmain held up his hands and shook his head. “Now, there’s no need for threats, Missy. I’m sure Mr. Cooper and I can work something out.”

  Nate grinned in satisfaction. Yes!

  But Diana wasn’t done yet, it seemed. “Poppy, you’re not going to charge him, are you? Mr. Cooper has been really kind about volunteering his help. You have to give us the theater. For free. You have to. This is for the school.” Her bottom lip poked out as she gave him a pleading look.

  Nate wanted to say, masterfully done but kept his mouth tightly shut. Whatever Diana was doing was working. “I don’t mind paying. I just need everyone to keep it a secret.”

  Diana ran over to him and wrapped her arms around Nate in a grateful hug. “You’re so good, Mr. Cooper. That’s why everyone loves you so much.” She turned to the others, “Right?”

  Nate feared his face had to be as red as the carpet lining the foyer. At their nods, his heart lodged in his throat. They loved him? Really?

  “I love you guys, too.” He hugged her back as the others gathered around with pats on his shoulders and high fives. “Let’s see what we can work out with Mr. Charmain. And honestly, I don’t mind paying for the night.”

  The old man waved him off. “Couldn’t charge you now even if I wanted to. Diana will have me in the dog house and I try to stay out of the dog house, Mr. Cooper. You’ll see if you ever get married. Happy wife, happy life.”

  Diana smiled smugly with a nod of her head. “That’s right. Listen, Poppy, we’ll need time to practice with the set. I know you’ll be showing your old movies on the weekend, but we’ll need the weekend before Christmas.” She turned toward her friends. “Think we can pull off a Friday and Saturday performance? Then we can sell tickets to people in town. I bet they’ll want to come to see a live play at the Charmain Theater again, don’t you think, Poppy? Think of the business you’ll have! We’ll even help you run the concession stands, right guys? Maybe those who aren’t actually in the play?”

  Matt made an executive decision that if Mr. Charmain let them have the theater for the weekend, they’d all do whatever he needed them to do. “That’s very generous of you, Mr. Charmain. My dad remembers coming here to watch plays when he was a boy. His parents brought him along when they came.”

  Mr. Charmain ambled into his office set off behind the empty concession stand. He sat at his desk and put on a pair of spectacles that made his eyes grow twice their normal size. “I was going to have an all-day showing of A Christmas Story, but I suppose folks can catch that on their televisions. Very well, the theater is yours for the whole weekend. It’ll need some cleaning if we’re going to put on such a big production.”

  Diana turned to her friends. At their nods, she said, “Done. We’ll get on it right away, Poppy.” She hurried around the desk and kissed her grandpa on the top of his pink head. “Let’s go have a look around. Who has a notebook so we can make notes? Of course, you do, Miss Smart Sara. Let’s go, everyone.”

  Nate sat in the only other chair, trying to contain his pride in his kids. Yes, they were as much his as they were Kara’s or anyone else’s. When they all filed out, Nate turned to Mr. Charmain. “You don’t need to do this for free. Let me pay you the $1500 I have in my savings.”

  “Save it, Cooper. There’s no way I can charge you now that I know my Grand-pumpkin is part of the play. She’s right. Eventually, I’ll be walking through those pearly gates and will see my son again. Diana is sassy and bold like her mama, but she’s talented and good-natured like her daddy. I’ll not hinder her from chasing her dream like I did her father. Been regretting it for years and trying to make up for it. Regret is an awful burden to pull through your life, Mr. Cooper. That advice is also free. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to make sure those kids don’t get into things I’d rather them leave alone.” He stood and headed out of the office.

  Great. Nate pinched the bridge of his nose. How crazy was it to have all this money for once and nowhere to spend it? Now, what would he do? Time was running out and he didn’t want to let Charity down. Mr. Charmain was right. Nate didn’t want to drag regret around anymore, either.

  Chapter Eleven

  Nate rushed toward the café, hoping Kara was still there. The kids were following right behind him. Once they found out he was meeting their drama teacher, they insisted on coming along to deliver the good news.

  As he pulled up to the café, he spotted her leaving. Nate jumped from his truck and called after her. Kara turned, glared at him, then put on more speed as she retreated toward her car. Matt was at his side. “I’ll catch her, Mr. Cooper.” He took off at a sprint Nate hadn’t managed since he was a junior in college.

  Matt caught up to her just as she reached her car. At first, she looked startled. Matt wrapped an arm around her shoulder and directed her back to the café. “You don’t want to leave, yet, Ms. Shay. We have some big news. Besides I’m starving. Diana, go inside and get us a table for everyone, will you?”

  The girls went inside as a whole. They were like a school of fish sometimes, Nate mused, waiting for Matt to bring Kara back to him.

  “I’m sorry about being so tardy, Ms. Shay,” Nate apologized. “If I had your number, I would have called. I think the kids are eager to fill you in on what we accomplished. I couldn’t have done it without them. Especially Diana.”

  She bit her upper lip as she nodded. “You’re forgiven. Tell me your number, then next time you stand me up, at least I don’t have to sit for an hour feeling like an idiot.”

  Nate looked at the kids gathered around them. No way he’d speak his number out loud. They might not be great at recalling historical facts, but he was w
illing to bet they were geniuses as far as phone numbers went. He took Kara’s phone and called his phone. “There, now I have yours too.”

  Matt and Damion elbowed each other with huge grins.

  Ignoring them, Nate offered her his arm. “Let’s go inside so they can tell you their good news. The show will indeed go on. For two nights now instead of just one.”

  “Two?” Kara gasped. “That means I can sell more tickets! Wonderful. Oh, we have so much to do. Matt, Damion, can you get a hold of the others? Tell them to meet… oh, where can we meet that has enough room?”

  “My place.” Nate volunteered, giving the boys his address. “Tell them to come at six. Bring pizza and drinks and we’ll come up with a plan of action. Try to contact those from the band who want to be part of the play, too.” He smiled at Kara. “We’ve been practicing some of your songs. I think the one thing your play was missing was an orchestra. Can’t promise a full one, but we’ll do what we can.”

  Kara cupped his face in her hands. “I’m so going to end up falling in love with this man, boys. Isn’t he a treasure?” She kissed him right there in front of everyone. Not a long, lingering kiss, but a quick kiss that still left him breathless and completely stunned.

  The girls came back out and said the biggest table was taken. They all let out a whoop of laughter and cheers. “About time you two got together.”

  “Told you, Matt,” Damion said. “You owe me that twenty, dude. We’ll just put it toward the pizza.” He turned toward the girls. “Mr. Cooper has invited us to his place. Let’s round up the others. See you two out there, Mr. C, Ms. S. Take your time. He winked and punched Nate’s shoulder as they left them.

  Kara was laughing as their students left. “Sorry for embarrassing you. I’m finding that you make me brave, too.”