Nate finally spoke up. “You should start a fund. In honor of your son. We can put out some donation boxes around the foyer during the performances. Kara can announce the fund and your desire to open a community playhouse before the production. She’s good at swaying people to her point of view. What do you think?” He asked her.
Kara looked at Mrs. Charmain whose brown eyes were filling with unshed tears. “Yes, why not? We can do that, don’t you think? At least then we’ll know if people are genuinely interested, right?”
The couple nodded. “So, you’ll consider coming on as part of our team? I’m afraid we can’t really pay you, but we’ll give you a fair cut of whatever we make from the plays you put on. Carl and I will continue to show old movies on free weekends, to keep people coming in. Plus, we always make a little extra when we rent the theater out for events.”
“I’ll keep teaching.” Kara nodded. “But during the summer, I’ll be free to put on more plays! This…thank you. Mr. and Mrs. Charmain, thank you for this offer.” She hopped up and ran into Nate’s arms. “I can still follow my passion.”
“And put on your own plays.”
“I won’t be giving anything up by accepting the teaching position.”
Nate planted a kiss on her temple. “It’s perfect. Told you things would work out.”
Later as Nate took Kara to her car, he said, “Let’s go out an celebrate tonight. I want to take you somewhere special.”
There was so much she needed to do, but spending an evening with Nate was too hard to resist. “Okay. Causal or dressy?”
“Dressy. I already called and made reservations. I’ll pick you up in an hour? Is that enough time to get ready?”
“I can’t wait.”
* * * *
Nate wore his best suit. When Kara opened the door of her apartment, her mouth dropped open. So did his. That black cocktail dress was amazing on her. “Wow,” he gasped, taking her favorite exclamation.
“Wow yourself, Mr. Cooper. The girls are right, you are a hottie.”
He rolled his eyes, then escorted her to his truck. “It’s not a grand chariot, but it handles the snowy roads better than your car will.”
She tried to find out where they were going, but he kept their destination a secret. He took the backroads to the highway toward Denver. It was a bit of a drive, but he was sure it would be worth it.
“Did you get your grades in yet?” she asked.
He shook his head. “No talking about work. Or the play.” He paused a moment, then added, “Except I did want to say one thing before we start the not talking about work.”
“What?” she laughed at him. He was getting used to it.
“I wanted to tell you that I’ll be putting in my resignation as Snowflake high’s band teacher.”
Her smile faltered. “What? Why? I told you not to quit because—”
“Yeah, yeah. It’s not all about you, lady. Geeze.” He teased. “The call I’ve been waiting for finally came today.”
She gasped and grabbed his arm. “No. Really? Which school? The elementary in Dalton?”
He shook his head. “The junior high here in town. The principal is retiring, so the VP is moving up. I’ve been offered his old position.”
“The junior high? Mr. Vice Principal Cooper. I like how that sounds.” Her head rested back against the seat. “Well, no wonder you wanted to go out to celebrate.”
“We have a lot to celebrate, don’t you think?”
Indeed they did. Kara's heart was in danger of exploding with happiness.
* * * *
The night of the play saw a packed house. Nate saw very little of Kara who remained backstage, helping her actors to get ready. Nervous butterflies even danced around in his stomach as his orchestra readied to play a couple of songs before the play started. He left getting the kids situated to his assistant.
Nate managed to sneak into the foyer before the doors were opened. At his suggestion, Mr. Charmain had placed several collection boxes around the waiting area. Nate pulled out three envelopes, each one holding five hundred dollars in cash. By the time he slipped one in each box, he looked up and said, “There you go, Charity. Thanks for the challenge, and the swift kick where I needed it with your letter.” He pressed his hand to his chest. “I’ll not forget. And I’ve already opened a special saving account to stuff a bit of cash into throughout the year. Your secret angels will go on, I believe.”
“Who are you talking to?” Mr. Charmain asked as he shuffled toward the double doors. He was actually wearing a suit and tie. His wife was dressed in a shimmering evening dress, one Nate supposed she often wore to such events.
The kids on the stage crew had volunteered to run the concession stand so the couple could properly greet the customers and take tickets.
Nate muttered that he needed to get back to the orchestra and hurried back to the band section before Mr. Chairmain could probe further into his odd behavior.
Once everyone was in place, Kara came out on stage to address the crowd and welcome them to what they were all hoping would be the first of many more plays and entertainment shows.
“As you walked in, I’m sure you saw the collection boxes. No, this isn’t a church service, but we could use your help. The arts are such an important part of a child’s education. They need opportunities to learn how to express themselves in a safe, nurturing environment. As many of you know, education funds in small towns are limited and cuts have had to be made. The Charmain theater would very much like to open its doors once again to providing artistic expression in the community of Snowflake.”
Kara Shay was eloquent, honest, and persuasive. Nate’s heart swelled with even more love for her than he thought possible. When she finished, people clapped politely. The proof would be in the pudding and if they were able to pull off a great evening of entertainment.
As his orchestra took their places, he moved to the conductors stand and led them through a couple of lively songs. He encouraged the audience to sing along, getting a laugh from them. Once they finished their part, he had the students move their chairs to the side and those who would play the music remained just out of sight. The others went into the audience where they could watch the play. Nate envied them.
Being on stage always was hard for him.
But not for his students and Kara who put on their first performance without a hitch. If there were any hitches, they were contained to the backstage. A couple of times, his throat clamped up as Diana’s heartfelt song struck a soft spot in his heart.
At the end of the play, everyone came onto the stage for their bows. Kara motioned for him to join her, along with the orchestra. The kids hurried excitedly onto the stage. Nate tried to stay toward the back, but Kara made sure to pull him out front and center. Cheers went up for him and his assistant, who he’d already talked into taking over his position next year.
The kids would be in good hands.
* * * *
The Charmains treated the kids to an after-show party. A few guests remained behind, including Kara’s friend Betty who’d first financed the play.
“Oh, Kara, that was amazing! I remember when you wrote that play! How wonderful that I was able to finally see it on stage.”
Kara pulled Nate closer to introduce him. “Nate, this is Betty. We’ve been friends since our college years.”
Betty held out a heavily jeweled hand. “Pleased to meet you, Nate. I’ve heard so much about you.”
Nate glanced quizzically at Kara. Was this before or after they’d ended up together?
“It was all good, I promise,” Kara patted his arm. “Eventually.” She winked at her friend.
Betty laughed and nodded. “I do need to get going. My chauffeur is waiting out in the cold. “I’m so glad I was able to come and I’m even more excited to hear that you’re dream is coming true. You’ve always wanted to direct plays at a real theater.” Betty shook an envelope at Kara before slipping it into her hands. “Didn’t I tell you a
door would open?”
“Yes, you sure did.” When Kara opened the check, her eyes widened. “Oh, I better get this to Mr. Charmain right away. Thank you, this is a very generous donation.”
Betty waved her hand. “I loved your speech and was touched by it. Please, if you ever need help in the future, let me know. We are always looking for special projects to offer a boost to. We’ve been exceedingly blessed and wish to be a blessing to others.”
“Me too,” Nate said without thinking. But he meant it. Charity had inspired him to stop letting life pass him by. “You’re right. If the Lord blesses us, then we need to do our best to pass that blessing on to others.”
Betty bid them both goodnight, then left. Nate had to shake his head. “That was very generous. I’ll never be able to write a check like that on my salary.”
Kara’s arm slid around his waist as she patted his chest. “It’s not what’s in the wallet, but what’s in here that impresses me. You’re worth more to me than a gazillion dollars.”
He laughed and hugged her closer. “I love you. I know that sounds…presumptuous. Like I’m pushing things, but I mean it.”
Kara stared up into his eyes, her playful smile gone. Had he said something wrong? Maybe he had been too forward. Maybe he was moving too fast.
“I love you, too, Nate Cooper. I don’t care who thinks we might be going fast. Life’s short and if you find a treasure, then you should go after it. Don’t you think?”
Nate nodded. “Absolutely.”
* * * *
They went to church together for the Christmas Eve service. Nate spotted a few other secret angels and stopped to speak with them about their progress while Kara was busy talking to some of the teachers from school.
When Kara approached, he stopped talking and smiled innocently as he introduced her around the group. She recognized a couple of faces from around town.
As they walked outside to her car, she slid her hand into his. “I’ll be over bright and early. Thanks for inviting everyone to your house. It does get crowded in my little apartment.”
“My pleasure. You were right about them stopping by more frequently now that they know where I live. Matt has visited often, offering to help me out around the place. He’s a good kid. I know his dad. Maybe I’ll try to talk him into going ice fishing after the holidays.”
She rested her chin on his chest as she looked up at him. “That would be good. Matt needs someone to encourage him. He’s talented and smart, but doesn’t have much confidence in himself.”
Nate nodded and pressed a kiss to her cheek. He was reluctant to let her go. There was something he wanted to give her. He’d actually bought her two presents. One very brave and possibly insane gift. And one more safe, but…terribly bland. The music box was nice, and he was sure she’d like it. What would she say if he gave her the other gift?
“Are you okay, honey?” she asked.
“Yes. Why?”
Her arms tightened around him. “Well, you’ve been a little distracted tonight. And your heart is beating really fast. So what’s going on?”
Nate bit his bottom lip. Right pocket or … left?
She took a step back. The cold wind blew into his opened coat, sending a chill through him.
“Out with it, Cooper.”
“Fine. Fine.” He stuck his hands inside his pockets. “I wanted to give you your Christmas gift tonight. But…I did something. And I’m not sure I did the right thing.”
Kara folded her arms over her chest and leaned against the side of her car. “Explain. Why not just tell me what thing you’ve done? Maybe it won’t be so bad.”
“Okay, don’t say I didn’t warn you. I bought two gifts. The one on the left is a very brave gift.” He shook his left hand tucked inside his pocket around the small box. “The one on the right is a very nice gift.” He did the same for the right, his hand gripping the larger box. “You pick. Which one do you want?”
Kara smiled, tapping her finger on her chin. “Mr. Cooper… we’ll definitely need to work on your being brave.” She giggled and stepped in closer, cupping his face in her gloved hands and kissed him. The kiss was the kind that made his heart threaten to burst right from his chest. The kind that made it hard for him to think properly. His hands were still in his pockets and he was having trouble trying to pull them out.
She reached down and grabbed his left wrist. “I think I’ll take this one.”
“Okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He finally managed to shake his hand free of the pocket. He held out the small square box with the bright red ribbon on top. “Not too late to change your mind. I’d totally understand.”
She didn’t even hesitate. Taking the box in her hands, she lifted the lid to reveal a diamond ring set in a circle of emerald stones. Her birthday stones.
“I know it’s… I mean, we’ve only been dating officially for a couple of weeks. But…I…”
“I feel like I’ve found my home when I’m with you, Nate.” She said, slowly removing the ring from the box. “This is stunning.” She didn’t make a move to put it on. Instead, she continued to stare up at him with a small smile. At least she wasn’t glaring. Or frowning.
“When I’m with you, Kara, I feel like I’m complete. I don’t want to rush you. But you’ve told me that you love me and I certainly love you. So, I wanted to give you something to let you know that I love you with everything I have. I want to build a life with you. I want to see that old house filled with a family. Maybe eventually the barn will be filled with horses again. The spare rooms will be filled with toys and princess decorations.”
Kara laughed, covering her mouth with her free hand. She blinked, her lashes glistening in the fading light.
“I want to see more of you around that house. Your touch. Your decorations. So, I went on ahead and bought the ring. To let you know, if this is something you want, I do too.”
She thrust the ring at him. For a second, his heart stopped, fearing she was rejecting his gift. Tears coursed down her cheeks and her brows were furrowed. “You know how I feel about crying in front of people. So, ask me. Ask me so I can accept and start laughing again.”
Nate took the ring and went down on his knee, ignoring the slushy sidewalk. “Kara Shay, will you—?”
“Yes. Of course, I will.”
Nate stood and shook the snow off his pants. He couldn’t help himself and started laughing which had Kara laughing right along with him. He slipped the ring onto her finger then kissed her again. When he pulled away, he said, “You can still have the other gift, too. But I’m really relieved that you picked the left pocket.”
“I’m really glad it held what I was hoping it held. But I’ll take the safe gift, too. This girl never turns her nose down to gifts. Don’t forget that.”
Epilogue
They agreed to keep their engagement secret from the kids until after the winter break. When the girls asked what Mr. Cooper got her for Christmas, Kara showed them the lovely music box that played I Will Always Love You.
It was a beautiful gift, though not near as beautiful as the ring she kept tucked in the pocket of her jeans. The girls went on about the present, saying Mr. Cooper was a true romantic. The boys teased him saying he was giving them a high standard to live by.
“Good,” Nate said with a nod of his head. “You boys had better treat your women with the utmost respect. Or you’ll have Ms. Shay to deal with.” He winked at her which made everyone laugh.
The kids helped prepare the meal and bag up the extra for their parents. First, they all went out in Matt’s SUV, since it was large enough to hold everyone, and delivered their packages to the working parents. Matt’s dad thanked him gruffly for the food. When he recognized Nate, the men walked off together talking. Kara knew he would keep his word about inviting him to go fishing, along with Matt.
Damion’s mom was just getting off work when they showed up at the store. So, he went home with her where his grandparents were watching the younger kids
. They’d already celebrated their Christmas a couple of days earlier while she had a day off.
“Thanks, Mr. C and Ms. S, for lunch. It was fun. I liked helping everyone put together the Christmas blessing dinners for their parents.” Damion patted his chest. “It got me in the feels. Right here.”
Saying his good-byes, he fist-bumped Matt who laughed, then hugged Mr. Cooper before going over to hug Ms. Shay last.
She patted his cheek. “You spoil your mama today, hear me? She works hard for you kiddos. Let her know you appreciate it.”
“Sure thing, Ms. S. See you when school starts. Unless we stop in before then.” He saluted Nate.
“You’re always welcome, Damion. Bring groceries when you come. You’ve eaten everything I have.” He nodded in return, then chuckled with Damion waved him off.
They had two more stops and by the time they were done, it was just Matt and his girlfriend left driving them back to the cabin. Matt didn’t stay.
“Sally’s parents are back home now, so we’re going over there. My dad told me to be home by five. That’s when he gets off work. Maybe I’ll finally sit down to watch that Wonderful Life movie.”
“You should,” Kara said. “It’s a won—”
“The title should give it away,” Nate finished for her.
“Right,” Kara added with a nod.
Matt grinned at the two of them. “When you two get married, I better be part of the wedding. I’ll take any part. Usher. Best man. Whatever.” He slapped Nate on the arm. “Think about it, k?”
“Right. I’ll think about it.” Nate said as he watched them walk to their truck. When the kids drove away, he turned to Kara and said, “Well, I have a best man, now. You better get to work on your side of the church.” Then he went inside saying he was going to get the pie he’d hidden in the cupboard out. “You want a piece?”
Kara followed him inside. He was going to be so much fun to be married to. “We should set a date, don’t you think?” She called out. “I was thinking New Years Eve would be perfect!”
Nate's Gift (Small-Town Christmas Wishes Book 3) Page 9