“You look like a zebra,” Chris said.
“No, Chris. He doesn’t have enough stripes—yet.” Sadie went to the bucket and immersed the bristles in the black paint. “But I wouldn’t want to be accused of not being authentic in my work.” She held the brush up and strode toward him.
Andrew’s eyes glittered. That should have been a warning to Sadie that she was in big trouble, but she was too elated at getting his brush that she ignored his stance, which spoke of a man ready to do battle.
Before she had a chance to raise her arm, he pinned it flat against her side. She couldn’t move. “I think I do hear the children.”
“Too late. Where do you want it?”
“What?”
“The stripe.”
“I—” She swallowed her words.
“Don’t care, do you?”
“Andrew, the children!”
His gaze trekked downward. “Have you taken a good look at yourself? I don’t think it will matter what I do.”
Sadie glanced at her old, faded jeans and gray sweatshirt. For the first time she noticed how much brown paint she’d managed not to get on the piece of plywood.
“Oh!” Her gaze slipped to Andrew’s face. “I was never a neat painter in school. My teachers were always complaining.”
“I can see why.”
The door to the hall burst open, and several children raced into the room. Sadie turned a pleading look on Andrew.
He leaned close until she felt surrounded by his scent. “This isn’t over, Sadie. Just postponed.”
“What are you going to do?” She moved an arm’s length away.
“I have to think on that one. In the meanwhile, I need to scrub this stripe off.” He casually walked past the people filing into the hall as though he wore a black line down his face every day.
But Sadie did see him tense when snickers erupted from the children he passed. Oh, my, I’m going to have to stay out of his way. She wondered how long it would take for him to forget about the stripe.
Then she saw several little girls pointing to her face and giggling behind their hands. That was when Sadie remembered the big polka dot Andrew had painted on her cheek. She hurried after him, saying to the gathering group, “I’ll be right back. Sit in the chairs and wait on me.”
Ten minutes later, with her face scrubbed, she entered the recreational hall to find the children running around the room and Andrew trying to calm them down and get them into their chairs. The dismay reflected in his expression told her more than anything that this man wasn’t used to being around six-, seven-and eight-year-olds. She stood by the door for a few minutes to give him a chance to subdue the masses.
After one seven-year-old boy knocked over a chair, Sadie took pity on Andrew and hurried forward, stopping next to him. Over the din he said, “Don’t ever leave me alone with them again.”
“I didn’t leave you alone. Surely a few children aren’t fright—”
“Don’t say it. I will readily admit I’m scared of anyone under the age of fifteen and I’m definitely out of my element.”
“With some practice you’d get the hang of it. You’re a smart man.”
“A smart man would have taken one look at the chaos and run the other way.”
Sadie laughed, put her two fingers into her mouth and blew a loud whistle that immediately got the children’s attention. They stopped where they were and faced her, the noise level down to a low murmur.
“That’s much better. Now I would like the shepherds to sit over here, the wise men here.” Sadie pointed where she wanted them. “Angels in this row and Mary, Joseph and the innkeeper in front.”
All the children dutifully made their way to their designated area.
“I’m amazed. They listened. Where did you learn to whistle like that?”
“My first year coaching. It’s a great way to get children’s attention. It’s one of many survival techniques that I learned early on.”
“Since you have everybody under control, I’ll just return to the scenery and correct a few things.”
Andrew left Sadie standing in front of the children and hurried to the half assembled scenery. After fixing Sadie’s cow, he peered up to see her working with the angels. With a smile on her face and a calm demeanor, she looked like an angel herself.
He watched her give them their instructions and marveled at how they listened to her when only fifteen minutes before they were wild. He had thought they had been incapable of settling down. Another thing he was wrong about. With Sadie he was discovering that a lot.
He started to return his attention to the crib he was constructing when he saw a little boy with tears streaming down his face run to Sadie. She knelt so she was on the child’s level and comforted him as he told her how he had bit his lip and it was bleeding. She withdrew a tissue from her pocket and dabbed at his mouth, her words low but soothing. The child calmed down and hastened back to his group.
Sadie Spencer would make a great mother and should have children of her own to love and care for. That thought popped into Andrew’s mind, and he couldn’t shake it, or the disconcerting feeling that washed through him. Picturing her with another man didn’t sit well with him, either. That realization sent his mild discomfort into a full-fledged panic.
He had no claim on Sadie, and yet he couldn’t shake the feeling he wanted to. There was no room in his life for a wife, and he couldn’t see Sadie as anything but that. Yes, right now he had more time than he usually did, but that was only because it was the holidays, and work at IFI slowed down. Once the new year came he would be so busy he would lose track of whether it was night or day.
Nope, he had no business even thinking of Sadie in any terms except as a friend. She might be mother material, but he wasn’t father material.
“Chris, I’ll tell you when to pull the curtains open.” Sadie paused by the young man and peeked into the audience to see if everyone was seated. Her parents and Andrew were in the front row. Her mother slipped her arm through her father’s and leaned over to whisper something into his ear. Her father smiled.
Her mother had returned to her own home a few days ago on the condition that they continue in therapy. Much to Sadie’s surprise her father had agreed, even coming to her house to help her mother pack and move home. Sadie hoped everything worked out for her parents, but she didn’t know if that was possible. Her father wasn’t having an affair; he was just consumed with his work. He’d never seemed in the past to be willing to make any changes. It had always been her mother bending to his will.
“Miss Spencer?”
A shepherd tapped her on the arm to get her attention. Sadie blinked and looked down. “Yes, Joey.”
He crossed his legs and screwed his face into a frown. “I’ve got to go to the bathroom bad.”
Sadie glanced at her watch and noted it was time to begin. “Hurry. I’ll wait for you to come back before we start.”
“I’ll be fast.”
She surveyed the stage to make sure everything was in place, including the cast. One angel scratched her head, and her halo fell to the side. Joseph pulled on his fake beard, and it caught on his chin. Sadie quickly corrected the problems, then stepped to scan the area again.
She encountered a solid wall of flesh.
Andrew steadied her. “I was sent back here to check and make sure everything was okay.”
“Who sent you?”
“Your mother. She remembers when she was the director of the pageant and figured you might need some help.”
“I’ve got everything under control.”
The second she said that, Joey raced back, yelling so loud everyone in the audience must have heard, “I’m done going to the bathroom, Miss Spencer.”
Sadie winced.
Joey slid to a stop but not before colliding with a cow. It crashed to the floor, dust flying everywhere. One of the angels jumped back and fell against a donkey, which toppled, causing a chain reaction. Sadie squeezed her eyes closed and listened to the fal
ling scenery, flinching every time she heard another piece hit the floor.
Then there was total silence, not even a sound from the audience on the other side of the curtain.
Afraid to look, Sadie pried one eye open.
All the children stood amidst the fallen scenery with their eyes round as saucers and their mouths agape.
“I’m sorry, Miss Spencer,” Joey cried, tears coursing down his cheeks.
Practicing her deep breathing, she hurried to Joey and knelt in front of him. “That’s okay. I know you didn’t mean to do this.” She tried not to look at the chaos around her, but her gaze—as though it had a will of its own—skimmed over the mess. “We’ll put it right, and the play will go on.”
“Okay, kids. Pick up any pieces near you and stand them up.” Andrew strode among the children and helped where needed.
Sadie watched as the stage was once again transformed into a stable. She marveled at how efficient Andrew was in getting the cast to assist him. While Andrew was dealing with the cleanup, Sadie parted the curtains and quickly stepped out in front, raising her hands to signal for the audience to quiet down.
“There has been a slight delay. If everyone will remain in their seats, we should be starting very soon.”
“That sounded more like an earthquake struck,” a man in the back called.
“We had a minor mishap with no injuries.”
“Do you need any help?” her mother asked, her brow creased in worry.
“No, I have everything under control.” She crossed her fingers behind her back and hoped she was right.
When she looked backstage, the scenery and the children were standing in their proper place. “Okay, it’s time to begin.” She moved off the stage with Andrew and signaled to Chris to open the curtains.
As they parted, Sadie whispered to Andrew, “I thought you didn’t know anything about children.”
“I don’t, but I do know how to deal with a crisis.”
“You have the makings of a father,” she said without thinking, and immediately regretted the statement.
Andrew tensed, his expression shuttered. “You have to be around to be a father.”
Reverend Littleton cut the birthday cake for Baby Jesus, then handed the plate to the first child in line. Sadie poured the little girl a cup of punch. When she gave her the drink, Sadie’s gaze found Andrew in the crowd. The intensity in his eyes took her breath away. She nearly spilled the next cup. Determinedly she kept her attention on her task, but the hair on the nape of her neck tingled. If she glanced up, she would find Andrew looking at her. That thought disconcerted her but at the same time sent a thrill through her.
“The play was lovely, dear,” an older lady said as she stood behind her grandson in line for refreshments. “Of course, when I did it, Joseph didn’t forget his lines, and we used a live sheep.”
“Yes, Henrietta, I remember that sheep well. Didn’t it eat the hay in the manger, then baa the whole way through the play?” Robert Spencer asked, coming up behind Sadie.
The older woman turned beet red and hustled her grandson away with his drink and cake.
“You remember that?”
“Yes. That was the year you were Mary.”
“I didn’t know you came. I thought you couldn’t make it.”
“I was in the back and had to leave right after the performance, but I was there to see you woo the audience.”
Sadie flushed, never expecting to hear those words from her father. She slanted a look at him and wondered what had happened to him. He didn’t compliment. She continued to fill cups with punch, deciding she had better not say anything about this out-of-character action. Instead, she basked in the praise.
“Can I get two glasses for me and your mom?”
“Yes,” she said, quickly pouring for her father.
“We’re going to leave, but we’ll see you tomorrow. Invite your young man if you want, Sadie. I like him.”
Her father left her staring at his retreating figure, stunned at what had just transpired.
“Miss Spencer, I’m thirsty,” Joey said, thrusting a cup toward her.
“Oh, sorry.” She quickly refilled his glass, then finished serving the rest of the lineup.
When she was through, she poured herself and Andrew a cup and headed toward him. Reverend Littleton paused beside Andrew, said a few words, then moved on toward a group of men near Andrew. He watched the reverend progress through the crowd, a thoughtful expression on his face.
As Sadie neared Andrew, their gazes locked, and she felt as though the rest of the people vanished, leaving only her and Andrew in the hall. She remembered her father’s words. Your young man. Suddenly she realized she wished that were true. She liked Andrew, too, much more than she should. She was afraid she was even falling in love with him.
“What did the reverend want?”
“That he hoped to see me at church.”
“I hope you’re thirsty.” She handed Andrew his cup, not sure what to say. The fact she was falling in love wiped everything from her mind but the man before her.
“I saw your parents sneaking out of here.”
Sadie glanced toward the double doors and visualized her and Andrew doing the same. She wanted to be alone with him to explore this new revelation. “Mom says Dad is trying to be more responsive to her needs. She thinks her leaving him really shook him up.”
“I’m glad it’s working out for them.”
“So am I. I hated the idea of them divorcing.”
“That seems to be the trend.”
“Not in my book. My word means a lot to me. If I pledged myself to another, I would want it to be for life.” She thought about her growing feelings for Andrew and panic took hold. If she fell totally and completely in love with him, she could never see herself in a relationship with another man—even if Andrew didn’t return her love. She needed to back away from him before it was too late.
“Your pageant was a success.”
“I couldn’t have done it without your help.”
“Yes, you could have. You’re a very capable woman.”
She warmed under his compliment. She was capable and independent, but she realized she’d enjoyed working on the pageant these past few weekends with Andrew, sharing duties, brainstorming the best way to do something. It was nice not being alone for once.
“I’m glad it’s over with. I intend to relax for the rest of my Christmas vacation. The end of the semester at school and all the holiday preparations have exhausted me. Ready to leave?”
“Yes. I like the idea of relaxing.” Andrew tossed down the rest of the punch, then took her cup and threw both cups away.
As they made their way toward the door, Sadie asked, “Is my hearing correct? You said you like the idea of relaxing?”
He placed his hand at the small of her back and guided her from the recreational hall. “Yes, you heard me. You must be rubbing off on me.”
“Don’t say that too loud. Someone might think you went off the deep end.”
“If I do, you’re going with me.” Clasping her hand, he stepped into the night.
Large snowflakes swirled on the light breeze, dancing in the lights in the parking lot. “We might have a white Christmas! It’s been years since we have.” She breathed in the crisp, cold air laced with the scent of burning wood.
“This might spoil some people’s plans.”
“I don’t think it will snow much, and I doubt the children will much care. They’ll be having too much fun, sledding and building snowmen.”
“Is that what you did as a little girl?”
“Sure. Didn’t—”
Andrew shook his head. “Remember, I grew up in New Orleans. I don’t remember seeing snow until I moved here.”
“I like snow as a change of pace in the winter, but I wouldn’t want to live too much farther north. I want my snow to fall, then melt in a few days.” Sadie emerged from the overhang and turned her face toward the heavens, relishing the f
eel of snowflakes melting on her cheeks.
Andrew came up behind her and grasped her shoulders. “I still haven’t grown accustomed to the cold weather. Let’s get in the car before I freeze.”
“It would have helped if you had worn a coat.” She peered at him, dressed in a nice pair of black slacks with a black turtleneck and a multicolored wool sweater.
“It wasn’t snowing when I left my house.”
“Don’t you listen to the weather?”
“Nope. I usually don’t have the time. Besides, I figure what’s going to happen will happen. So many times the predictions weren’t right that I gave up on believing them.”
“True. But that’s Oklahoma weather for you. It’s hard to predict.”
“Then why listen?”
She shrugged, starting toward his car. “Habit.”
“Do you do a lot of things out of habit?”
“I wouldn’t say a lot. I like to be spontaneous.”
Andrew chuckled. “I can vouch for that.”
“Since you don’t have a spontaneous bone in your body—”
“Hey, I think I resent that. I can go with the flow with the best of them.”
“Oh, please, Andrew. Only when it’s going your way.”
He opened the passenger door for Sadie. “I will admit I prefer being in control to going with the flow.”
She waited until he rounded the front of the car and slid behind the wheel before speaking. “You probably have a five-year plan that you haven’t wavered from since you came up with it.”
“What’s wrong with having goals?” He started the engine and slowly backed out of the parking space.
“Nothing. Goals are fine so long as you keep them in perspective. Life happens. Changes occur.”
“I know that. I met you, and you were nowhere in my five-year plan.”
A sudden silence fell between them, thick and heavy. Sadie didn’t know what to say to that revelation, and from the frown on his face, she was sure Andrew hadn’t meant to admit something like that to her.
“I’m not sure how to take that,” she finally said.
“It’s a compliment. I don’t allow many things to affect my five-year plan.”
Family for Keeps & Sadie's Hero Page 32