High Country Christmas

by Cynthia Thomason

  Please believe me, she thought. Don’t let this be the end.

  His eyes softened. “Ava, if I hadn’t told you I remembered you that morning in the coffee shop, would you ever have told me?”

  She rubbed her eyes, took a deep breath. “Honestly, I don’t know, but I’d like to think I would have. I suppose I thought it was up to you to remember. If the night had meant anything to you, you would have.”

  “I tried to find you,” he said. “I asked about a woman named Ava in the neighborhood where we met. I tried your apartment when I came back to town. I wanted to apologize again. But mostly I wanted to see you again. I didn’t deserve to, but I wanted to.”

  She gave him a slight smile. “I believe you.”

  “So that’s it?” he said. “You’ve forgiven me for what happened that night? You’ve forgiven yourself?”

  “Of course.”

  His shoulders settled into the back of the sofa, and Ava released a normal breath.

  “No more secrets, Ava,” he said. “We start today fresh.”

  She couldn’t tell him that she agreed. Her precious Charlie still had to be the number one priority in her life. But she would reveal everything to Noah when the time was right, when he wasn’t already doubting her sincerity. She would explain it to him and he would understand.

  He moved his leg and patted the sofa next to him. She sat down beside him and he slipped his arm around her and kissed her deeply.

  Yes, Ava thought. He will understand.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  THE LAST FEW days had been some of the best Noah could remember in a long time. Well, except for a broken leg, remnant of a concussion and broken rib, a few remaining bruises and the lectures from his daughter, which had lately softened in tone.

  He’d pretty much gotten used to Sawyer not being happy about him going back to work. He just wished she’d get used to the fact that he was, indeed, going back. “Sawyer, you’ve got to let up. I know what happened. I know what a risk I took, but I was saving a man’s life. I’m fine and so is Rick.”

  Sawyer had come to stay with him every evening the last three nights. Noah thought they’d talked things out. At least Sawyer had talked a lot. But she wasn’t changing her mind, saying that if he really cared about the people around him he wouldn’t put his life at risk every day. He certainly didn’t look forward to being stuck in neutral for years to come with Sawyer, so he’d begun to think of the possibilities.

  Even if he agreed to get an easier job, he hadn’t any idea where to look. An office job? Not likely. Another job where he traveled? Sawyer would still have complaints. A position where his people skills were all important? He wasn’t confident that he had people skills. Simply put, Noah wasn’t cut out for a nine-to-five daily routine. And he’d never been comfortable in a suit and tie. So he’d thought about switching jobs but had come up with nada.

  Thankfully his time with Ava more than made up for the headaches often brought on by his daughter’s arguments. Ava came over in the daytime so she wouldn’t interfere with his time with Sawyer. They’d had some great talks, equally great embraces and spectacular kissing sessions. There had been no more talk about deception. Noah firmly believed that he and Ava were on the same wavelength about all the things that mattered. And he was crazy about her, probably had been for years. How else could he explain the memories that were still sweet and clear in his mind? Noah couldn’t wait for the cast to come off so that he could take her out and they would have a proper relationship.

  One highlight of his week had been the return of his truck. His crew members had dropped off the vehicle on the weekend, and Noah had been able to keep the appointment with his orthopedic doctor on Tuesday without bumming a ride. Granted, he probably shouldn’t be driving yet, but since he drove with his right leg, he headed to Boone on his own.

  The doctor took X-rays and called Noah into his office afterward. Noah took the offensive in the discussion by saying almost immediately, “Doctor, I need this cast off by Christmas Eve.”

  The doctor gave him a puzzled look. “You mean Christmas Eve this year, the one in five days?”

  “That’s the one. I want to be using a walking boot by then.” He’d smiled. “I have a big date.”

  The doctor had pointed to the X-ray lit on his wall as if the picture should be self-explanatory. “Noah,” the doctor said, “you’ve heard the expression a ‘snowball’s chance in hell’?”

  “Sure.”

  “That’s about as much chance as I’d give you to have that cast off by Christmas Eve. You need at least two weeks, maybe three more in that plaster.”

  So Noah had returned to Holly River with a plan to find a pair of dress trousers in his closet that might cover up the cast well enough. And he’d called Jace Cahill about one more lingering problem he faced.

  “I’m bored, Jace,” he said. “I need something to do.”

  “The girls need help with the table centerpieces,” he said. “I’ll have Kayla pick you up.”

  “Thanks, but that’s not what I had in mind.”

  Jace laughed. “I kind of thought not. So how can I help?”

  “Do you need any help at the tree farm?” Noah asked.

  “We’re just now slowing down a bit. We’ve been selling trees off our lot at a rate of a hundred a day. I can barely keep track of the numbers. But sorry to say, buddy, we can’t really use someone in a cast for this job.”

  “I can certainly plant some seedlings,” he said. “Or check your books. I’m able to drive my truck now and I’m good with numbers. I work really cheap.”

  Jace thought a moment, and then apparently took pity on Noah. “Okay. Come on out here tomorrow and I’ll put you to work in the office.”

  Thank goodness. Noah awoke Wednesday morning with renewed purpose and energy. He decided to drive over to the Sawtooth Home and tell Ava his good news. She’d probably warn him again about driving, but he was learning how to best trap the words in her mouth with a kiss before they all came spilling out. And he was enjoying doing it.

  Noah parked and walked up to the entrance of the administration building. He opened the door and practically ran into his daughter and the little boy he’d seen Ava talk to at the hot dog luncheon.

  “Hi, Dad,” she said.

  “Hey, what are you doing out of class?”

  “Running an errand for Ava,” Sawyer said. “She likes to talk to Charlie every Wednesday, and when she’s done, she calls me to take him back to his kindergarten class.”

  “You and Charlie must be pretty tight,” Noah observed, smiling at the kid. He’d already figured out that Charlie was special in Ava’s eyes, and he remembered Charlie’s tragic past. But Sawyer taking time with a child?

  “He’s a good kid,” Sawyer said. “We live in the same cottage, so I sort of look out for him.”

  The boy stared up at Noah with incredibly wide, deep blue eyes. Strands of straight dark hair covered his forehead under his wool hat. Noah could see why Ava was taken with him. Cute kid. He raised a mitten-covered hand to his nose and sniffed.

  “How’s everything going?” Noah said to the boy.

  “Okay I guess.”

  “You know the ground’s pretty hard right now, and I’ve got this stupid cast on my leg. But maybe when things lighten up, you and I could hang out.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “You know, throw a ball, kick stuff.”

  Charlie looked surprised. “You and me?”

  “Yeah. That’s what I was thinking.”

  “Do you play soccer?”

  “Not really. But I’m willing to learn. Is that your game, Charlie?”

  “My favorite. Miss Ava got me a soccer ball of my own.”

  “She’s pretty nice, Miss Ava,” Noah said.

  Charlie nodded.

  “We’ve got to
go, Dad. I’m missing Algebra.”

  “Okay. I’ll probably see you later, Sawyer.”

  “Sure thing.”

  They headed off across the campus while Noah watched his daughter take the kid’s hand and steady him on the cold sidewalks. Then Noah hobbled his way inside. The outside office was filled with huge boxes that surrounded the huge Christmas tree probably donated by Snowy Mountain. “What’s all this?” he asked SherryLynn.

  “Christmas presents,” she said. “Volunteers from the community donate money and toys every year. And the older kids get to make up a list since they usually want games and clothes. Some of the Holly River old-timers went to the mall in Boone to find items on the list. There won’t be an unhappy child on Christmas morning at Sawtooth,” she added.

  Noah was reminded of his own scant Christmases as a child. Never enough money for toys and never enough time to go out and buy them anyway. The kids at Sawtooth Home were lucky in a lot of ways.

  “I just came to see Ava,” Noah said.

  “I figured as much. But she’s with Mrs. Marcos, the counselor, right now. Do you have a few minutes?”

  “Only just. I’m heading out to Snowy Mountain to work with Ava’s brother today. I’ll just stand by the door and wait until she’s done.” He smiled at SherryLynn. “If I miss her, will you tell her I’m at the tree farm?”

  “Of course, Noah.” She pointed to a bank of office chairs under a large window at least twenty feet from where Noah currently stood. “You’re welcome to have a seat here in the lobby.”

  He evaluated the distance to the chairs and his proximity to the door. “I’ll just wait a couple of minutes here,” he said. “I’ve learned to consider every step I take with these crutches. I won’t wait long. First day on the job.”

  He ambled over to Ava’s office door, surprised to see it opened a crack. Not wanting to eavesdrop, he started to walk away. But not before hearing enough of a conversation to guess that Ava was speaking with the counselor about Charlie.

  “He’s doing so well,” the counselor said. “His outburst the other day was a turning point for him. He was able to release a lot of pent-up emotion that had been building inside him.”

  “I’m very glad to hear that,” Ava said. “So are you saying we can finally tell him?”

  “We can’t rush this, Ava. We’re close. Charlie is almost ready to accept and handle your new role in his life.”

  “I don’t want to rush him,” Ava said. “But you understand how anxious I am?”

  “Of course. Let me have a couple more sessions with him.”

  Noah stepped away from the door. New role? What were they talking about? Ava was ready to assume a role in Charlie’s life beyond her capacity as administrator at the home? What bigger role could she have? As he was contemplating answers, the counselor opened the door wide and stepped into the outer office.

  “Oh!” she said to Noah. “I didn’t know you were waiting.”

  “No problem,” Noah said. “I was just leaving actually.”

  “Noah?” Ava called from her office. “Come on in.”

  He entered. She stood but didn’t come around her desk.

  “How long have you been out there?” she asked.

  “Only a couple of minutes. I was waiting until you were free.”

  “I see. Obviously you’re still driving your truck around.”

  “Yep. Not having any trouble either. I’m going out to the tree farm to lend Jace a hand.”

  She fidgeted with a few items on her desk, arranging them as if they needed it. “That’s nice. I know Jace will appreciate it.”

  “I should go, then.”

  “Yes. You know that Jace is a stickler for rules.”

  They both laughed at this misconception. Noah wanted to ask Ava about the new role she was contemplating in Charlie’s life. What was she thinking of doing? But he figured she would tell him when she was ready. Or maybe it wasn’t such a big move after all. Maybe she was just planning to give the kid more attention.

  “Will I see you later?” he asked.

  “I’ll stop by your place. But can’t stay long. So many wedding preparations and we’re coming down to the wire. Mama’s getting more nervous every day about all her and Kayla’s plans going off without a hitch.”

  Noah leaned across her desk for a quick kiss. “Weddings,” he said. “They might be more trouble than a couple in love really needs. But the end result is worth it.”

  Ava gave him a special smile. “Tell the groom I said hi.”

  * * *

  THE NEXT TWO days progressed at a hectic pace. Ava’s phone never stopped ringing with calls from Miranda, Kayla and her mother. She suddenly regretted being the logical, organized one in the family.

  “What did we decide about petit fours?” Cora asked. “How many per guest?”

  “Any last-minute RSVPs?” Kayla asked.

  “What should I do about...?”

  Ava finally had SherryLynn hold all calls so she could take care of Sawtooth Home business. She’d spent time thinking about Charlie, too. She was anxious to make him her son in every way. This meant she had to tell Noah the truth. There was no way to skirt the fact.

  To tell Noah part of the story would be to tell him the whole thing. And she wasn’t ready to do that. Not yet. Once the wedding was over and the fuss calmed down... Once Noah decided what he was going to do about climbing towers, or not, then perhaps Charlie would have a father who didn’t take risks.

  The decision to tell him about Charlie made her evaluate all her feelings about Noah. About one thing she was certain. She’d never felt this way about any man before. She’d been dreaming of finding the man for her and knowing the happiness her brothers had found. Noah certainly checked all her boxes and more. He was funny, attentive, kind, brave and strong. And good-looking. Not that Ava cared overmuch about that quality, but heck, when looks were thrown into the mix, why not appreciate them? In truth she wished he weren’t quite so brave and strong.

  On Friday and Saturday she spoke to Noah several times on the phone. He told her he’d found a pair of trousers that fit over his cast, and he was ready to enjoy the wedding fully, without dancing, of course. He’d even told her he was taking Sawyer shopping to find a dress for the wedding. Ava had asked him if he wanted her to go along, and he’d said, “I can handle this. We’ll be fine.”

  Ava had smiled. Now that’s progress.

  * * *

  NOAH PARKED IN front of Sawyer’s cottage a little after noon on Saturday. He’d told Ava he and his daughter would breeze right through this shopping trip, that everything would be fine. Now he was hoping that what he’d said would prove to be true. “Buck up, man,” he said to himself as he opened the door to the cottage. “It’s just a shopping trip with a fourteen-year-old girl. What could go wrong?”

  Sawyer came into the living room. “Hi, Dad. I’m glad you’re taking me to buy a dress. I was so stoked when Ava invited me to the wedding.” She walked ahead of him out the door to his truck. “I get to pick out what I want, right?”

  Oh, no, was this the first hurdle? Be careful what you say, Walsh. “Actually, Sawyer, I see this as a time for you and me to work on compromising. I’m hoping we can agree on a dress.”

  Noah smiled. That was good wasn’t it? He would show an interest in the dress she picked. And no one could argue with compromise.

  She climbed into the cab. “Sure, we’ll see.”

  They went to a shop in Boone that Sawyer suggested. The store specialized in prom dresses and clothes suitable for young women—at least that’s what Sawyer had told him. Noah walked in the door and wondered why he hadn’t remembered his prom date wearing something like what he saw on the mannequins. He was sure he would have remembered.

  Sawyer dashed through the store, sliding hangers at a furious pace and sometimes listening to th
e sales lady who was trying to help. Finally she chose three dresses to try on. The clerk suggested that Noah sit in a chair by the dressing room. He sat. So far he hadn’t played a significant role in this process. But that soon changed.

  Sawyer came out of the dressing room in an emerald green dress of shiny material that clung so tightly to her slender frame that undergarments would have been a no-no.

  “What do you think, Dad? Isn’t it gorgeous?”

  He frowned. “I suppose if you’re going to be on the red carpet and it’s being televised.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “It’s much too...” he searched for the right word that wouldn’t alienate his daughter with her first pick “...short, I think.”

  She opened her mouth to argue, no doubt, so he added, “The color doesn’t really go with your beautiful eyes, Sawyer.”

  “Really?” She walked to a floor length mirror and studied the effect. “Dad, you’re right. I’ll try another.”

  The next two choices were equally as shocking to a conservative father who hadn’t spent much time around teen girls. Luckily Noah covered his negative opinions with comments that the dresses didn’t do much for Sawyer’s naturally pretty attributes. A little sugar with a bit of spice seemed to do the trick. She listened.

  Finally the sales lady, who was nearer Noah’s age than Sawyer’s, picked up on the trend being established by father and daughter. She took a beautiful dress from a rack, winked at Noah and went into the dressing room.

  Sawyer emerged looking lovely in a gauzy off-white concoction of lace and delicate ruffles at the modest neckline. The hemline came just to her knees.

  Noah had never before been speechless around his daughter, but words failed him today.

  “Oh, jeez, Dad,” Sawyer said. “You look sappy. I guess that means you like this one.” She gave him a slight grimace. “Figures.”

  He nodded. “I do like it. Very much.”

  Sawyer twirled in front of the mirror, and eventually smiled. “It’s okay,” she said. “It’ll do.”