A Christmas Hope

by Stacy Henrie

  She dipped her head in a nod.

  As gingerly as possible, Dale slid the wool stocking down her calf. The same creamy skin made his gaze, but something about seeing her uncovered leg stirred his emotions and thoughts in ways her lacy shoulders hadn’t last night. Too bad he hadn’t brought along his mints.

  He cleared his throat—and his head—and finished pulling off her sock. Leaning close, he used the sock to dab away enough of the blood that he could get a good look at the wound.

  “Is it bad?” Maria asked, glancing from her leg to him.

  Dale sat back and shook his head. “I don’t think it’s deep enough to require stitches, but we should get it bandaged.” He glanced past the pond to the nearest house. “I’m going to see what they have at that house over there.”

  He took a seat beside her and hurried to exchange his skates for his shoes.

  “Thank you…Dale.” When he looked up, he noticed her cheeks were flushed, but he wasn’t sure if it was from the cold, her injury, or embarrassment.

  “You’re welcome…Maria.” He liked the way her name rolled so easily off his tongue. “Wait here. I’ll be right back.”

  Heading away from the pond, he strode up the road to the closest house. He knocked on the door and waited for someone to answer. A woman, wearing an apron over her clothes, opened the door. A young child was attached to her skirt. The two of them peered curiously at Dale as he explained that he needed a few things for a friend who’d been injured while skating.

  The moment he finished speaking, the woman snapped to attention. “Hold on a minute, mister, and I’ll get you what you need.”

  Dale waited on the porch, and a few minutes later, she came outside, holding a bottle of iodine, a bandage, and a thermos she said held coffee.

  “We sure appreciate it. Thank you.” He left the house and returned to Maria. She’d managed to get on one shoe in his absence.

  “What do you have there?” She studied his supplies.

  “Everything we need to fix you up.” He passed her the thermos. “Drink this. It’s warm.”

  She obliged as he squatted next to her. He administered the iodine using a corner of the bandage. Though she sucked in a sharp breath, Maria didn’t make a fuss. Next, Dale tied the bandage securely around her calf. He slipped her sock back on, then gently helped slide her foot into her other shoe.

  “Here. Have some,” she said, passing him the thermos. “You deserve it.”

  He chuckled and accepted the coffee. The hot liquid felt good winding down his throat.

  “Isn’t this where you tell me I’ll be right as rain?” She threw him an almost impish smile. “Back to ice-skating in no time?”

  “You’ll be right as rain. But no more ice-skating for today.” He shook his head in amusement when she pretended to pout. “Just remember, if it doesn’t stop bleeding or you notice any infection, have a doctor look at it.”

  “You are a doctor.”

  He climbed to his feet. “I meant a real doctor, Maria.”

  “You are a real doctor.” He wanted to look away, but she managed to hold his gaze. “You might be a bank manager now, but that doesn’t negate that, according to the diploma in your office, you are a doctor.”

  Dale frowned, wanting to argue, though he couldn’t help wondering if she might have a point. “Fine. If any of those things should occur, myself or another doctor should look at your leg. Fair enough?”

  A gleam of triumph shone in her violet eyes. “Fair enough.”

  “I’m going to return the thermos and see if I can’t find us a cab to take you home.”

  “Sorry we weren’t able to relive your childhood for long.”

  He picked up the thermos and shot her a smile. “It was fun while it lasted.” And it had been. Skating for the first time in years, watching Maria whirl around the ice with complete abandon, hearing her thoughts on hope. It had been the first day in a very long time when he’d actually allowed himself to feel some happiness.

  The realization brought a sudden idea. “I have one other directive. From the doctor,” he added.

  Maria cocked her head. “And what is that?”

  “Starting Monday, I think we ought to implement some of your ideas on how to help me as a manager. That is, if you have any.”

  “Oh, I’ve got plenty of ideas,” she said in a saucy tone.

  Dale yanked his cap farther down on his head, suddenly self-conscious. “Am I really that bad?”

  “Not at all. I meant what I said to your mother last night.” She offered him a radiant smile. “But if you recall, I promised to help make you great.”

  * * *

  Maria strode with confident steps toward the department store’s double doors, but she stopped when she realized Dale was no longer beside her. Turning, she found him glaring at her and the building in turn.

  “What are we doing here?”

  “I told you.” She crossed back to him, looped her arm through his, and began tugging him toward the store. “If you want people to respect you as the new bank manager, you have to dress the part.”

  Dale plucked his tie from beneath his coat and waved it under her nose. “I am dressing the part.”

  “An ugly tie is not what I meant.” She cringed when she realized she’d spoken the words out loud.

  “You think my tie is ugly?” His footsteps ground to a halt. Maria gave his arm another pull, but she might as well have been trying to move a statue of granite. “Only this one or all of them?” he pressed. She grimaced by way of an answer, causing him to frown. “I see.”

  “Dale,” she coaxed in a voice ripe with forced patience. She’d known convincing him to enter the store would be difficult—but not this difficult. “The other day at the pond, you agreed to let me help you, using my ideas. This is one of those.”

  When he remained stone-faced, Maria released her grip on him. “All right, here’s the truth. You looked very dashing in your full suit at the party. And I realized if you were to dress that way at the bank, the customers may respond differently to you as well.”

  He quirked an eyebrow at her, his mouth beginning to curve upward. “You do realize that’s the second time you’ve called me dashing.”

  Heat infused Maria’s cheeks, but she didn’t break eye contact. It was about time he realized he wasn’t unpleasant to look at—far from it. “Yes, that’s what I said.”

  Dale leaned toward her, the warmth of him momentarily chasing away the cold. “So you’re saying I looked dashing the other night even with an ugly tie on?”

  “Actually”—she brought her face closer to his to prove she wasn’t about to back down—“your tie the other night was quite possibly the worst of the bunch. But the suit nearly made up for it.”

  “Is that so?” He shortened the distance between them even more. The pleasant scent of his aftershave and his mints wafted past her nose. There were lighter flecks of brown in his hair that she hadn’t noticed before, which glinted in the sun’s dying rays. “Then why would I need to purchase anything except for a few new ties?” He thought he had her, as evidenced by the roguish smile he shot her that set her pulse sputtering.

  She’d do well to remember Dale wasn’t just a friend; he was also her boss. No matter how much she was beginning to enjoy his company, both in and out of the bank. The sting of Friedrick’s rejection had dulled, but it had also made her cautious. She would not lay her heart at the feet of another man unless she was absolutely certain that man returned her affections completely.

  “The reason you need more than new ties, Dale, is that the whole outfit makes the man.” She latched on to his arm again. “Now come on.”

  He released a low growl of disapproval, but he allowed her to lead him into the building. Inside, Maria steered him in the direction of the men’s department. A middle-aged woman approached, smiling. “May I help you?”

  “My boss is in need of several full suits. Jacket, vest, trousers, tie, everything.”

  “Oh.” Th
e woman glanced at Dale, clearly seeking confirmation.

  He glowered at Maria, then pushed out a long breath. “She is correct.”

  “Do you know your measurements?” the store clerk asked.

  Dale gave a curt nod.

  “Very well.” The kind smile appeared once more. “We’ll get started then. If you’ll follow me, sir.”

  As he trailed the woman toward a screened partition, he tossed another pointed glare at Maria. She smiled sweetly in return and settled into a nearby chair to await his transformation from slovenly to stylish.

  After more than a few minutes of drumming her fingernails against the chair arm, a movement near the partition caught her eye and she stood. Dale slipped from behind the screen, dressed in a light brown suit with a matching vest and a chocolate-colored tie.

  He held his hands out as if in surrender. “Well?”

  Maria came up behind him as he went to stand in front of the nearby mirror. “Much better.”

  “But not dashing?” He watched her through the mirror, his expression riddled with amusement.

  Good grief, her earlier compliments had gone straight to his head. She certainly wasn’t about to admit he looked even more dashing today than he had at his uncle’s party. “What do you think?” she countered.

  He flexed his arms, then straightened the jacket and tie. “It’s not bad. Maybe wearing a full suit to work won’t be so uncomfortable.”

  Maria suppressed a grin. It was a victory, however small.

  Still, she wanted him to appreciate himself in a new suit, not merely go along with her idea because she’d pushed him. “You should buy it, but I think you need one more…” She spun around and eyed the other suits on display. While the light brown one worked well with his dark hair, another color might produce the striking combination she hoped to achieve.

  “Try this one.” She selected a dark blue suit and handed it to him. “And for a tie…” A nearby table held rows of neatly folded ties.

  The saleswoman selected one and held it up for Maria’s approval. “Might I suggest the navy and white stripe for the gentleman?”

  “Yes, perfect.” She passed the tie to Dale as well.

  He examined the articles of clothing with a skeptical look.

  “Both are very popular choices,” the saleswoman added. Maria couldn’t help wondering what she thought of her and Dale’s rather casual manner as employer and employee.

  With a roll of his eyes, he ducked back behind the screen, the new items in hand. Maria returned to her seat. Would he like this suit better? Would it convince him she was right about how a bank manager ought to dress?

  At last, Dale rounded the screen, his gaze on her. “Is this one better?”

  The moisture fled Maria’s mouth, forcing her to swallow, as she gawked at him. Thank goodness she was seated. Otherwise her knees would have bowed under the shock of what she was seeing. The man before her looked like Dale, but in the new suit, he appeared decidedly more confident, even handsomer. She couldn’t wait for the bank patrons to see him dressed like this.

  Once her initial astonishment had worn off, she hopped to her feet and swiped up a dark blue hat. Dale was still waiting for her answer. “You need one more thing.” She placed the hat at an angle on his head, then taking him by the shoulders, she turned him toward the mirror. “Now…you look dashing.”

  Dale studied his reflection, his countenance revealing nothing of what he thought. He tipped his hat a little lower and turned from one side to the other. Maria remained behind him, one hand still holding his arm.

  At last he muttered, “You win.”

  Victory surged through Maria as she caught his eye in the mirror. She bent forward, one hand cupping her ear. “I’m sorry. What was that?”

  He twisted to face her, an amused glint in his gaze that set her heart skipping chaotically. It was the same feeling of anticipation, of breathlessness, she’d experienced when he’d caught her on his first day at the bank, or placed his hand on her waist in his office, or peeled away her sock when she’d hurt herself skating.

  “I said you win. I’ll buy them. The suits. The ties.”

  “I knew it.” She laughed and started to pull away from him, but Dale captured her hand in his.

  “You did not,” he argued, his smile almost mischievous. He brushed a curl from her face, his fingers lingering a moment longer than necessary before he lowered his hand.

  Any clever remarks fled Maria’s head at his gentle touch. All she could think about was the sudden need to lay her hand against his strong-looking jaw. Something about Dale compelled her to be near him. To bask in the refreshment of his smile, the strength of his presence, the ease of his friendship. She took a step toward him, her feet bumping his.

  “I figured you’d see things my way,” she half whispered, “eventually.” His smile deepened, then he glanced at her mouth. She hadn’t been kissed in ages, and never by someone she thought might like her as much as she did him.

  A delicate cough from the saleswoman broke the tension between them. Ignoring the blush burning on her face, Maria pulled away.

  Was that disappointment she saw in Dale’s glance? She wouldn’t analyze it, at least not yet.

  “Get your things.” She gave him a gentle shove toward the screen. “You can wear the suit out of the store.”

  Chapter 5

  Of their own accord, Dale’s fingers reached up to pluck at his new tie as he pushed through the swinging gate into the lobby. The lunch crowd had dwindled to nothing and now the building echoed with relative quiet. Save for the scraping of the ladder as Maria maneuvered it across the floor to remove her Thanksgiving cornucopias from the ceiling.

  “I see you’ve figured out how to use that thing without falling off of it,” he said, coming to a stop beside the ladder. Although he wouldn’t mind if he had to catch her a third time.

  She threw him a haughty look as she reached for the final cornucopia. “And I see you’ve loosened your tie again.”

  Dale pushed out an irritated sigh and tightened the knot at his throat. As much as he still despised the chokehold, he had to admit the new suit had actually improved things. The few customers he’d personally helped today had seemed less aware of his eye patch.

  While he hated to confess the importance of appearance, Maria had been right about dressing the part of a manager. In his full suit and striped tie, he could almost visualize himself at home here in the bank.

  “It looks better that way,” she chirped as she climbed down from the ladder, her hands full of cornucopias.

  Dale stepped around her to fold up the ladder. “How do you plan to decorate for Christmas?” Initially he hadn’t been too thrilled about the approaching holiday, but he found the more time he spent with Maria, the more contagious her enthusiasm became.

  Maria pursed her lips as she studied the lobby. “I want a tree, of course, and a wreath for the door. Maybe some pine boughs to decorate the teller windows.”

  “A tree? In the lobby?”

  “Yes, Dale, a real Christmas tree in the lobby.” She stepped closer and peered up at him beneath her long, dark lashes. “Pretty please?”

  He half forced a chuckle, if only to rid the thought of kissing her from his mind. “What can I say, I’m only the manager.”

  She grinned in triumph.

  “I’ll put the ladder away.”

  * * *

  Maria couldn’t help watching Dale as he strolled toward the storage room, the ladder gripped in one hand. The memory of them almost kissing the day before in the department store had her breath catching in her throat. She was falling for him. And it wasn’t just the way he looked in his new brown suit. Beneath that sometimes gruff exterior was a kind, capable, lionhearted man. But did she dare let her feelings show? The last time she had, she’d ended up alone and hurting.

  Not ready to face the answer to her question yet, she went to place her cornucopias behind the teller windows. She only made it through the gate b
efore the sudden cry of a child had her whirling around, startled.

  A mother knelt on the floor, a sobbing child in her arms. “It’s okay, Johnny. Just let me see your finger.”

  Maria moved quickly back through the gate, Dale right behind her. “What happened?” he asked her.

  “I don’t know.”

  He stopped beside the mother. “Is everything all right, ma’am?”

  “It’s my son. He caught his finger in the door when we came in.” The mother rubbed a hand against the boy’s back. “But he won’t let me see it.”

  “May I?” Dale held out his hand.

  At the woman’s questioning glance, Maria spoke up. “He’s a doctor.”

  The woman pried the boy from her shoulder and twisted him toward Dale. “Let the man see your finger, Johnny.”

  The boy regarded Dale and immediately cemented himself to his mother’s side, his wet eyes wide. Despite the boy’s response, Dale squatted down beside the child and reached into his pocket.

  “I’m Mr. Emerson, Johnny. And I think I may have an extra Pep-O-Mint somewhere in here.”

  Maria watched with as much fascination as the boy as Dale made a show of searching each pocket of his jacket and trousers. Each time his hand came up empty, the boy inched a little farther from his mother.

  Finally Dale produced a roll of the mints from his vest pocket. “There they are. I don’t suppose you like mint Life Savers, do you?”

  Johnny’s shoulders still shuddered from his earlier sobs, but he dipped his head in a nod, his gaze riveted on the candy.

  “Then you take this one.” Dale removed a mint and set it on the boy’s open palm. “Do you think your mother would like one, too?”

  The boy didn’t even spare his mother a look as he popped the candy into his mouth and nodded again. Dale chuckled and passed a mint to the woman.

  “Thank you, Mr. Emerson.” Her words were tinged with more than gratitude for the mint.

  Maria inched closer, the memory of Dale helping her after she’d hurt her leg filling her mind. She could easily recall the way his skilled hands and calm touch had eased the pain.