The Christmas Vow

by Shanna Hatfield

  Tia needed something to steady her nerves yet he doubted she had anything stronger than coffee in the house.

  “What happened?” Mindful of her agitated state, Adam took her favorite mug from the cupboard and located the tea and sugar.

  “Toby’s grandfather sent a man here to take him back to Portland, by force. If it wasn’t for that crazy cat, he might have done it, too.”

  “Was he a stocky, short man in a gray coat with shredded trousers?” Adam asked as he leaned against the counter.

  “Yes. Did you see him?” Tia started to rise when Toby disappeared from her sight then sat down when he ran into full view.

  “Sure did. He was holding a handkerchief to his chin and dripping blood down the street, muttering curses with every step.” Adam’s look held shock and a hint of amazed wonder. Dimples popped out in his cheeks as he snickered. “The cat did that to him?”

  Despite the fear threatening to swamp her, Tia grinned. “Yes. Crabby took offense to his plan and let him know we wouldn’t go down without a fight.”

  Chuckles rumbled out of Adam as the kettle whistled. He made a cup of tea and set it in front of Tia.

  “What are you going to do?” He hunkered down beside her, placing a warm hand on her shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze.

  “I don’t know, but I won’t allow that awful man to take my son.” Tia sipped the tea, sweetened just the way she liked. Surprised Adam remembered, she glanced down and realized he’d handed her the mug she always favored.

  “I’m going to work on the roof for a while and keep an eye on Toby. You just sit here and try to relax. I don’t think the judge’s man will return today, at least not if he knows what’s good for him.” Adam stood and walked over to the back door. “Don’t worry, Tia. We’ll figure something out.”

  Soon after he stepped outside, she heard Toby’s giggles as Adam tossed him in the air. She listened to the sound of the ladder being set against the house then footsteps thudding overhead as Adam made good on his promise to repair her loose shingles.

  Her thoughts spun around and around in her head, making her dizzy as she tried to decide the best thing she could do to protect her son.

  Frustrated by her own sense of inaction, she smacked the top of the table with both hands, got to her feet, and marched out of the room.

  With each nail Adam pounded into the roof, he pondered Tia’s situation. Each time he set a new shingle in place, he sent a prayer heavenward for wisdom.

  Below him, Toby played in the snow while the cat sat nearby, swishing his tail and keeping watch.

  Adam wished he’d been around to see Crabby in action. He’d never heard of a cat attacking a man before. Based on his shredded trousers and multiple scratches dripping blood, Adam doubted Tia would have any more trouble with Cedric Devereux’s hired thug that particular day.

  In his work, Adam had seen plenty of men like the one who’d terrified Tia. No matter how nicely they dressed or how fine their manners upon first meeting, they were all the same — all heartless bullies who lived to strike fear in others while making a little money on the side.

  As he worked to repair Tia’s roof, Adam realized he could no more turn away from Tia and Toby now than he could cease his need for air to breathe.

  He’d never intended to speak to her again, let alone open his heart to her. Not a single doubt lingered in his mind that she’d rip his heart to pieces a second time if given the opportunity.

  Even in light of that knowledge, Adam couldn’t force himself not to care about her and her son.

  Toby was the most intelligent, adorable child Adam had ever encountered. He understood why the judge and his wife wanted him, but that didn’t make their actions acceptable.

  The little boy belonged with his mother, wherever she decided to raise him.

  “Mr. Adam, watch me!” Toby waved to get his attention.

  Adam leaned over the edge of the roof and smiled. “I’m watching.”

  Toby tumbled across the snow-covered yard in a somersault then hopped a few paces on one foot before falling into a pile of snow with a giggle. “Did you see me?”

  “I did see you, Toby. That was very good.”

  “Mama taught me to do summersalls.” Toby pointed up at Adam. “Can you do a summersall?”

  Adam wondered if Tia taught Toby by executing a few somersaults of her own or just giving him instruction. A picture of her trying to do one with her long skirts and petticoats made him grin.

  “Stay right there, Toby, and I’ll show you something.” Adam maneuvered around until he sat on the edge of the roof with his back to the ground. He set aside his tools and made sure he didn’t have anything sharp in his pockets. Relaxing his muscles, he placed his hands on his knees, leaned back, and rolled off the roof. He spun around in a perfect circle before landing on his feet in the snow.

  “Oh, Mr. Adam, do it again! Please, do it again!” Toby ran over to him and tugged on his hand, excitedly hopping up and down. “Can you teach me to do that?”

  “I’m fairly certain your mother would skin me alive if I taught you to do that. Don’t you let me catch you trying. You have to be a full-grown size before you can try that trick. Understood?”

  “Yes, sir.” Toby nodded his head solemnly but a smile quickly brightened his countenance. “But will you do it again?”

  “Once more, then I need to finish my work.”

  “Hooray!” Toby clapped his mitten-covered hands and watched as Adam hurried up the ladder to repeat his performance.

  The door opened and Tia stepped out just as he rolled off the roof a second time. She gasped and placed a hand to her throat. “Adam Guthry!”

  He landed with a lopsided grin and flourish of his hand as he bent toward her. “Yes, Queenie?”

  “Good heavens! Have you lost your mind? What if you injured yourself?” Tia stood on the back step with her hands fisted on her hips. “What were you thinking?”

  “That it would make Toby smile,” Adam said and glanced down at a beaming little boy who leaned against his leg. “Besides, I do it off boats all the time in the summer and this way, I don’t have to worry about anything sucking me under the water. It’s just a matter of balance.”

  “Well, cease from balancing that matter off my roof. What if someone much smaller than you takes a notion to emulate your careless behavior?” Tia looked pointedly at Toby.

  Adam reached down and ruffled the boy’s hair. “Toby knows he can’t try this until he’s as big as me, isn’t that right?”

  “Yep. Mr. Adam already said I couldn’t try it, Mama. Did you see him roll right off? Boom!” Toby clapped his hands together. “I wish Erin could have seen it. Will you do it again, Mr. Adam, if I go fetch her?”

  “No, he will not, young man.” Tia marched over and took Toby’s hand in hers, leading him toward the door. “You’ve been out here long enough. Let’s get you inside and warmed up.”

  “But, Mama, I’m not cold and Mr. Adam…”

  “Inside, Toby.” Tia nudged him up the steps. Although he didn’t argue or disobey, he dragged his feet as he went. When Toby was inside the kitchen, Tia took a step back and glared at Adam. “You should know he’ll try to copy everything you do. He already talks about you like you’re a hero.”

  “He does?” Adam stopped halfway up the ladder and pinned her with his mesmerizing gaze. “There’s no possible way for him to set up this heavy ladder and Toby’s a good boy. If you tell him not to do something, he minds, doesn’t he?”

  “Yes, but that’s not the point.” Tia fought the urge to stamp her foot in frustration.

  Toby wasn’t the cause of her worry. When she told him not to do something, her son most always obeyed.

  No. Her fear was for the big, loveable lunk who’d scared her half witless when she saw him tumble off the roof.

  “I believe that’s exactly the point.” Adam’s lopsided grin revealed his dimples and made her mouth water for want of his kiss.

  Aggravated wi
th herself, Tia aimed her fury at Adam. “The point is your recklessness might get you or someone else horribly injured.” She turned around and strode toward the kitchen door. “I insist you…”

  A snowball caught her square in the back. Mouth hanging open in surprise, she spun around and gaped at him.

  Adam worked to form another snowball, ignoring her scowl.

  Incensed, Tia surrendered to the need to stamp her foot. “How dare you!”

  “Just like this.” He grinned and lobbed another snowball at her, catching her on the shoulder. Bits of snow sprayed into her face and hair.

  “Oh! You are in for it now, Adam Guthry!” Tia bent down and hastily formed a snowball. With unmistakable precision, she threw it at Adam, hitting him on the chin.

  He spluttered and returned fire, barely grazing her arm as she twisted away at the last second.

  Peals of her laughter filled the quiet December afternoon and drew Toby outside as she and Adam continued to throw snow at each other.

  “Mama?” The little boy’s lip quivered. “Did you send me inside so you could play without me?”

  “No, baby. I’m sorry. We didn’t intend to leave you out. Adam tossed some snow and I threw some back. That’s all.” Tia cast a reproachful glare at Adam. “Why don’t you both come inside and have a snack? I just took molasses cookies out of the oven.”

  “With milk?” Toby asked, tugging on Tia’s hand.

  “Of course, with milk.” She swung Toby up into her arms and kissed his cheek.

  “You gots snow in your hair, Mama.” Toby reached out and brushed at it. “And your ear.”

  “So I do.” Tia looked at Adam as she tipped her head and dislodged the snow. “Are you coming in?”

  “I’ll finish this first. It shouldn’t take me long.” Before he scurried back up the ladder and finished nailing on the last of the shingles, Adam watched her brush snow from her dress and walk inside the house with Toby.

  A smile lingered on his face as he thought about how much fun it was to play with Tia. It had been years since he’d formed a snowball. Yet tossing them at her had been just like old times when they’d engaged in snowball fights with Carl.

  When he finished the roof repairs, he returned the tools to the shed behind her house and stored the ladder on hooks where Toby couldn’t reach it.

  Hastily brushing off his clothes, he stuffed his gloves inside his coat pocket and tapped on the door before stepping inside.

  The house was quiet and Toby was nowhere around, but the sight that greeted him made him stop mid-button as he removed his coat.

  Tia sat at the kitchen table cleaning a double-barrel shotgun with a degree of calm that unnerved him.

  “What are you doing?” Adam asked as he removed his coat and left it hanging on a peg by the door.

  “What does it look like I’m doing?” Tia swabbed a cloth down one barrel and pulled it out. “I don’t think this gun has been shot since the last time Gramps used it and he’s been gone fifteen years.” Tia swabbed the other barrel before Adam lifted the gun from her hands and set it on the table.

  “Have you shot a gun since the last time you went hunting with me and Carl?” Adam used a clean rag to wipe off the outside of the shotgun.

  “No, but I bet I could shoot well enough to fill Mr. Nivens’ backside full of lead.” Tia tossed down the dirty rag in her hands and walked over to the sink. She scrubbed her hands then turned back to study Adam as he finished cleaning the gun.

  He lifted his brilliant blue gaze to hers. “Tia, I don’t want you trying to shoot that man. What if he wrestled the gun away from you? What if Toby ended up hurt?”

  Deflated, she slumped against the counter and pressed the palms of her hands against her eyes. “I don’t know what else to do, Adam, other than run away.”

  He set down the gun, wiped his hands on a rag, then moved until he stood in front of her.

  “Tia?” He reached out and pulled her hands away from her face. Tears filled her eyes and her lower lip quivered, much as Toby’s had earlier. “Promise me you won’t run away. That won’t solve anything, at least not in the long-run.”

  Slowly, she nodded her head.

  Adam pulled her against his chest. He felt her stiff posture relax and held back a sigh. The closer he got to Tia, the more it would hurt when she left him again. Except this time it would be twice as hard since he’d come to care for Toby, too.

  “Where’s Toby?” he asked as he rubbed a hand over her shoulders and along her back.

  “Sleeping. He won’t take a nap for days then all of a sudden, he’ll run out of energy and need one.” Tia rubbed her cheek against the soft flannel of Adam’s shirt and breathed in the comforting familiarity of his scent. “He’ll probably sleep for an hour or so.”

  “Good.” Adam kissed the top of Tia’s head then took a step back, ignoring the bereft feeling he experienced without her in his arms. He lifted his coat from the hook and slipped it on while Tia studied him.

  “Where are you going?” she asked as he wrapped his scarf around his neck.

  “I’m going to get the sheriff so you can tell him what happened. After that, I want you to walk over to the attorney’s office with him to discuss your options while I stay here with Toby.” Adam took Tia’s hands in his and bent his knees so he could look her square in the face. “I promise you, Tia, I won’t let anything happen to you or Toby.”

  “It’s not your battle to fight, Adam. I don’t want you to…”

  Adam brushed his hand along her jaw then trailed a finger across her cheek, causing her to snap her mouth shut. “I want to help you, Tia, and I will. I vow to see you through this.” His finger caressed the curve of her cheek before he dropped his hand and pulled on his gloves. “While I’m gone, keep both doors locked. And put that gun away before Toby sees it. You’re likely to scare him half to death if he happens to catch you handling it.”

  Tia nodded and locked the door behind Adam when he left. Instead of moving the gun, she leaned against the door, skin tingling from his soft touch. Every part of her ached to lean into Adam, to pull his head down for a kiss, and confess her soul-deep love for him.

  She knew he vowed to help her out of some misplaced sense of duty based on their old friendship, not because he held any true affection for her. Although he hadn’t been gruff with her again, she caught the wary looks he cast her way when he thought she wasn’t watching.

  At a loss to set things right between them, Tia sighed and returned the gun to the spare bedroom closet where she’d found it.

  In the event Adam did bring the sheriff back with him, Tia made a pot of coffee as well as one of tea, using her grandmother’s best china to fill a heavy silver tray. When Adam knocked on the front door, Tia hurried to open it and welcomed him and the sheriff inside.

  “Mrs. Devereux.” The sheriff tipped his head to her as he removed his hat and coat. “Adam told me you had a little trouble this afternoon. I’d best get the story straight from you.”

  “Yes, sir,” Tia said, smiling at the lawman. “Would you care for some coffee or tea?”

  “Coffee would be appreciated,” he said, draping his things over the hall tree by the front door.

  “Adam?” Tia asked as he removed his outerwear and left his coat by the sheriff’s.

  “Coffee’s fine.” He turned to look at her. “Do you need any help?”

  “No, thank you.” She breezed back to the kitchen and retrieved the tray she’d already prepared, carrying it into the parlor and setting it on the table in front of the sofa. She handed the sheriff a cup of coffee and a plate with two molasses cookies then did the same for Adam before she sat down on the sofa.

  Adam took a seat next to her while the sheriff settled into a chair by the fire. After taking a sip of the coffee and a bite of a cookie, he set the refreshments on the table next to his chair. He pulled a small notebook and pencil from inside a vest pocket.

  “Why don’t you start at the beginning and tell me what le
d up to the man coming to see you today?” The sheriff offered her an encouraging smile.

  Tia began to pour herself a cup of coffee, but her hands shook so badly, she nearly dropped the pot. Adam took it from her. Instead, he poured her a cup of tea, hoping it would calm her jangled nerves.

  Anxious, she took it from him and sat back against the cushions. Slowly drawing a deep breath, she relayed the story of receiving the threatening letter from her father-in-law up through the cat chasing off Mr. Nivens earlier that afternoon.

  The sheriff choked on his coffee as she told about the cat climbing up the man’s leg and clawing his chin.

  “I saw him walking through town, Sheriff. His trousers were in tatters and he looked like he’d wrestled a wild animal.” Adam grinned as the sheriff fought to control his urge to laugh.

  “And you say he brought some papers, Mrs. Devereux?” the sheriff asked, taking notes while he finished the last bite of his cookie.

  “Yes, I forgot about them until now. He dropped them by the door.” Tia jumped up and hurried to the front door, returning with a thick envelope bearing the embossed initials of the judge.

  “May I?” the sheriff asked, holding out his hand.

  Tia handed him the envelope. He extracted the papers, mostly filled with a plethora of legal terms that wouldn’t make sense to the average person.

  “I could be mistaken, but I believe the man is seeking guardianship of your son based on the fact you are a widow of questionable means living on your own in a house that may not be suited for the adequate care of his grandson.” The sheriff held the papers out to Tia, but Adam snatched them and quickly scanned the details.

  When he finished, Tia took them from Adam. A frown laced with warning settled over her face as she read them. She’d often read Patrick’s paperwork and understand most of what the papers said. The sheriff was correct, though. It boiled down to Cedric putting together a case based on the fact Tia was alone in the world.

  “That judge is… is…” Tia struggled to find a word to convey her feelings that wouldn’t shock both men senseless. Finally, she gave up and looked to the sheriff. “Would you mind accompanying me to Frank Carlton’s office, sir? I’d like to discuss this matter with him, since he’s an attorney. Adam volunteered to keep an eye on Toby.”