“Maybe you can read it to me later,” Katie suggested. Even though the book was more appropriate for an older child, Jacob was reading well ahead of others his age. She knew he’d be able to handle this book, and that he’d find it highly entertaining.
“Yes, ma’am,” Jacob responded. He rushed back to Callum and picked up Freddy. “I can’t wait to show you my new book, Freddy!”
Katie looked for Aaron next. He was certainly keeping himself busy. During the day, he gave the boys lessons. Katie and Miss Carroll had cleaned out the back room of the schoolhouse and found some old primers and books they didn’t mind sharing. The schoolhouse was too small for all of its current students and the orphans combined, so Aaron continued to teach the boys.
Sure enough, she found him organizing a large stack of books in the corner. “Hello, Aaron.”
Aaron barely looked up as she approached. “Hello.”
Katie wished he would show a little interest and ask her how her day went. It was the least he could do. Then again, he was very busy. “How were your lessons today?”
Aaron sighed. “Fine. I really need a permanent space, though. We’re very grateful to use the church, but the boys need a real school house.”
Katie nodded. “I understand. I think if they were learning in a real institution, they would take it more seriously.”
Aaron finally looked up and stared into Katie’s eyes. “Exactly.” Katie felt a buzz of electricity as their eyes met.
“Has there been any progress with that?” Katie asked. “Finding you a permanent space, I mean. Cletus hasn’t said much about it at home.”
Aaron shook his head. “Not that I’m aware of. There’s been a lot of grumbling and consternation about the fact that there are fifteen rowdy boys in Nowhere who don’t belong here. Sometimes, I think they’d like to send the lot of us back to New York.”
“No!” Katie cried out before she could stop herself. “You can’t go back to New York.”
Aaron seemed amused. “Why is that?”
Katie’s mind raced as she tried to think of reasonable excuses. “I think the boys will be happier in Nowhere than in New York. The big city could be dangerous for them. Here, they’ll be able to do hard work and get ahead without all of the distractions of a big city.”
Aaron nodded. “You may have a point there.” He closed the book he had been examining and opened the next one. “Of course, regardless of where the boys end up, I’ll be returning to New York at some point in the near future.”
“What?” Katie felt a wave of sadness wash over her. How could Aaron leave?
“My work is in New York,” Aaron said gently. “I’ll miss the boys, of course, but—”
“The boys!” Katie exclaimed. “But they could be tempted down the wrong path without your guidance! Aren’t you worried about what will happen to them?”
“I suppose it all comes down to where they’ll receive their education. If it’s a proper school, I trust they’ll be fine, even without me,” Aaron explained. He took his job as a teacher very seriously, but he wasn’t so egotistical that he believed he was the only teacher who could serve his students well.
“What about little Jacob?” Katie continued.
Aaron looked puzzled. “What about him?”
“He absolutely adores you,” Katie said. “He’ll be devastated if you leave.” Not to mention, I’d be devastated, too, Katie thought. “Plus, I’ve seen the way you look after him. You really care for him. I suspect you’d miss him just as much as he’d miss you.”
Aaron frowned. “I care for Jacob just as I care for all my pupils.”
Katie didn’t press the issue further, but she knew she was right. For all of his rules and rigor, Aaron Cavett had a soft spot for little Jacob.
Callum ran up to Katie and Aaron and tugged on Katie’s skirt. “Miss Sanders! Will you sing for us again?”
Katie looked at Aaron. “I’m not sure. I don’t want to disturb your Headmaster.”
“Nonsense,” Aaron replied. “You won’t distract me. In fact, your singing will help me focus on my work. You have a beautiful voice, Katie. I hope you’ll use it.”
Katie’s heart soared at Aaron’s compliment. She nodded and made her way to the center of the church. A few of the boys gathered around her and she began to sing a few scales as a warm-up.
She taught the boys the notes she sang and within a few minutes, they had joined her.
Aaron sat back and rubbed his aching temples. Despite the fact that he had worked nonstop since arriving in Nowhere, he had accomplished very little. The boys had no permanent place to live or go to school. But at moments like these, watching beautiful Katie singing with the boys, he felt like he was exactly where he was meant to be.
Even Jacob looked positively angelic as he sang next to Katie, even though Aaron knew he was most likely planning something mischievous.
Aaron wanted to get back to work, but he couldn’t tear his eyes away from Katie and her incredible voice. He had never heard anything like it before. He didn’t think she knew what a special gift she had been blessed with.
Katie taught the boys one of her favorite church hymns. They picked it up with ease, and soon they were even harmonizing with each other. Jacob had a natural command of pitch and tone, and Katie pushed him to project his voice. It rang out through the church.
Aaron sat in silence, amazed at what Katie had been able to teach Jacob in less than an hour. He had no idea the boy could sing like that. For all of Jacob’s talents, though, Katie’s voice was on another level.
Once the boys had tired of singing, they sat down on the floor to rest.
“Please, Miss Sanders, just one more?” Callum begged.
“Yes, Miss Sanders! Another!” Jacob chimed in.
The other boys also beseeched her to continue, and Katie finally acquiesced. “Fine. One more song. But this is the last one,” she warned.
The boys erupted into cheers.
Katie closed her eyes and thought about her growing interest in Aaron. She wasn’t brave enough to tell him how she felt about him in words, so why not in song? She could sing any song but would make sure the tone and inflection made it clear that she was in love.
Slowly, Katie began to sing. Even the older boys came in through the back of the church and reverently took seats in the pews, listening to Katie’s melodies float through the air. Katie poured all of her passion and emotion into her song. She didn’t look at Aaron once, but he was all she could think about. When she drew to a finish, the boys and Aaron burst into applause.
Katie blushed and took a mock bow. She walked over to Aaron.
“That was spectacular, Katie,” Aaron said. He felt alive after listening to the way Katie sang. He knew he could listen to her for hours.
“Thank you,” Katie said gratefully. She looked at the stack of paperwork and books in front of him. “Do you need any help?”
Aaron shook his head. “I don’t want to trouble you with the mess I’ve created. One of my teachers used to tell me that I make things more complicated than they need to be.”
Katie took a step closer. “I really don’t mind. I would be happy to help.”
Aaron stared at Katie’s delicate mouth and imagined kissing her. His heart began pounding faster and faster. He worried it was so loud she would be able to hear it. But instead, she stood there, waiting for further instructions.
Aaron shook his head. He needed to pull himself together. “No, thank you, Miss Sanders. Have a good evening,” Aaron told Katie with an air of finality.
Katie swallowed back a few tears of disappointment and nodded. “Good night.”
Katie said goodbye to Jacob, Callum, and the other boys and then left the church. She sat outside the building and waited for Cletus to pick her up after he was done at work. No matter what she tried to think about, her thoughts kept returning to Aaron Cavett. She couldn’t figure him out. At times, he was friendly and generous. At others, he was strict and emotion-less. Wh
ich one was the real Aaron? And did he feel about her the way she felt about him?
Chapter Four
Aaron woke up the following morning with a renewed sense of purpose. It was time to find the orphans homes. The sooner he made arrangements for each of them, the sooner they could begin their new lives and the sooner he could return to New York.
Although the people of Nowhere had been mostly sweet and charitable to Aaron, he could not imagine himself staying in such a small town for a long time. He looked forward to returning to his life in the city.
But somehow, some way, every time Aaron tried to do anything, he thought of Katie. He thought of her as he fell asleep and as he woke up, as he ate Sarah Jane’s cooking for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and as he delivered lessons to his students.
He found himself wondering if other men were courting her, and if so, what she thought of them. Often his thoughts bordered on the inappropriate, and once, he had to splash cold water on his face to wake him up from his silly fantasies.
After all, Aaron reasoned, a beautiful, friendly, and talented girl like Katie would certainly have many suitors. Why would she be interested in a strict, rule-abiding bore like him? He didn’t stand a chance.
Plus, he had to focus on finding the boys homes. The latest update from the town was that a few of the men in town would work to expand the schoolhouse to accommodate more students. Aaron's pupils would start to attend school with the other children.
However, there were no clear answers about where the boys would live. There were families in town who were willing to take them in, but that meant the boys would be split apart.
For some of the boys, like Jacob, the orphanage had been the only home they’d ever known. Aaron shuddered as he thought about Jacob being torn away from the only brothers he’d ever had.
Aaron wondered if Katie and her sisters had ever been separated. He decided to ask her about it the next time he saw her. Then, maybe he’d ask her if she was being courted by anyone in Nowhere. And then maybe he’d finally work up the nerve to dip her backward and kiss her.
Aaron’s pulse quickened when he thought about Katie this way. Every time he saw her, she brightened his day. He was curious whether or not she would ever consider going back to New York. He allowed his mind to wander, dreaming up situations where Aaron and Katie walked hand in hand through the park.
Aaron sighed as he realized he was thinking about her again. This had to stop. He needed to focus and forget all about Katie Sanders. He had just decided to go to the Barton’s living quarters for breakfast when he heard a loud knock on the front door of the church.
Aaron walked quietly to the entrance, careful not to wake any of the children sleeping in the pews. He opened the door and his jaw dropped open in shock.
Standing at the front door was Katie Sanders. It was as if his mind had somehow made her appear. “What are you doing here?”
Katie held a basket in her hands. “I was thinking about you all and I baked you some blueberry muffins.”
Aaron accepted the basket. “You didn’t have to do that. Thank you, Katie.”
“You’re welcome.” Katie blushed. “You should try one.”
Aaron looked back at the sleeping children and motioned for Katie to move outside. The pair walked out into the dewy fall morning. Aaron took one of the muffins from the basket and popped it into his mouth. “Oh, my,” Aaron breathed. “This is delicious. Thank you!”
Katie beamed with pride. “You’re welcome. I’m glad you like it.”
“Is there anything you can’t do?” Aaron teased. “You sing, you bake, you’re wonderful with kids...”
Katie looked down. “Oh, those are nothing. I just enjoy them.”
“It’s not nothing to me,” Aaron said, drawing Katie closer.
Katie gasped as Aaron leaned in. She closed her eyes and waited for his lips to meet hers.
Suddenly, Katie heard a loud croaking noise.
Aaron groaned. “Freddy!” He picked up a frog from the steps to the church and shook his head. “I’m so sorry about this. I need to find Freddy’s hat box.”
Katie felt impatient, but she couldn’t help but laugh at the situation. “I’ll help you look for it.”
Aaron led her into the church, and together they walked softly and checked row by row for the missing hat box.
“Are you sure it’s in the church? Maybe Jacob hid it outside,” Katie suggested.
“That’s a good idea,” Aaron remarked. “Jacob likes to go outside.” He frowned. “In fact, sometimes he goes outside when he really should be studying!”
Katie smiled. She wasn’t surprised to hear that. Although she knew Jacob sometimes displayed less than ideal behavior, he had made a strong impression on her. She knew his heart was in the right place.
Outside, Katie and Aaron looked near the church entrance, under rocks, and behind trees, but they could not find the missing hat box. Aaron carried the frog in a handkerchief, holding it a few feet away from his body as much as possible.
“I should just let this creature free,” Aaron grumbled.
Katie knew he didn’t mean it. Jacob had grown awfully fond of Freddy the Frog, and she could tell that Aaron was awfully fond of Jacob. Just then, she noticed a small pile of stones stacked in a pile near some logs. “Look, over there!”
Aaron followed Katie to the stones and they both began to dig through the pile. Sure enough, Jacob’s hatbox was there. Aaron slid open the box and tipped the handkerchief inside, then quickly snapped the lid shut. He wiped his brow and panted. “I’m glad that’s taken care of.”
Katie laughed. “Me, too.” She wanted to ask Aaron if they could pick up where they had left off before Freddy had interrupted them, but she wasn’t sure what to say without seeming too forward.
Aaron thought about the piles of work ahead of him. He kept a detailed file on each boy so that in the event of an adoption, the boy’s new family would know everything there was to know about his history and education. Each day, Aaron added various notes to his files and prepared for the following day’s lesson. Later that day, he also planned to meet with several Nowhere families to see if they would be interested in taking some of the boys.
“I should get back to work now. Thank you for stopping by and bringing your delicious muffins,” Aaron said politely.
Katie felt her heart sink. Aaron spoke to her as if she were nothing more than a baker. He didn’t have feelings for her. She thought he had come close to kissing her earlier, but now she realized that it was all in her imagination. “You’re welcome.”
“Do you have a way home?” Aaron inquired.
Katie shrugged. “I’ll just walk.”
“Walk? You mean your parents didn’t drive you over?” Aaron couldn’t believe that a young woman of Katie’s means would walk if she didn’t have to.
“It was nothing.” Katie waved her hand.
Aaron shook his head. “Nonsense. I’ll walk you.”
A shiver of anticipation tingled up Katie’s spine. “Thank you.”
Aaron found Jenkins inside the church, reading a book. “Jenkins, you’re in charge until I get back. I won’t be long.”
Jenkins nodded. “Yes, sir.”
Katie smiled at Aaron’s consideration. She admired how he was so thoughtful, always taking time to determine how his actions might impact his pupils.
“I’m afraid you’ll have to guide me,” Aaron admitted. “Sense of direction isn’t my strong suit.”
“That’s not a problem,” Katie assured. “I’ve lived here so many years I know these roads like I know my own sisters!”
They walked in silence for a while, admiring the late morning sun.
When they started talking again, they both spoke at once.
“It’s a beautiful day—” Katie began.
“I’m worried about—” Aaron said.
They both laughed nervously.
“You first,” Aaron offered.
Katie drew in a breath.
“It’s nothing. I was just saying what a nice day it is. This close to Christmas, it’s usually a bit colder.”
Aaron nodded. “In New York it would be snowing by this time of year.”
“I love the weather here, but sometimes I do miss the snow,” Katie admitted.
“There’s nothing like it,” Aaron agreed. “Especially the first snowfall of the year.”
“Yes. It’s almost magical,” Katie smiled. “But Nowhere has its perks, too!”
“Such as?” Aaron prodded.
Katie took a deep breath. “I love how spread out everything is here. I feel like I can really breathe. I can climb trees here and get dirty without anyone scolding me. But my absolute favorite is the starlight. In the city, I could barely ever see the stars.”
Aaron stopped walking and stared at Katie.
Katie blushed. She wasn’t normally shy, but she felt self-conscious when speaking to Aaron. She wanted him to think highly of her. “What is it?”
“When you say things like that, you make me want to kiss you,” Aaron admitted. As he heard the words coming out of his mouth, he tried to take them back, but it was useless. He had said it out loud. He was disappointed at how weak his willpower was.
Katie gasped. “It does?”
Aaron stepped closer and put a hand on the small of Katie’s back.
Katie’s heartbeat quickened in her chest. Aaron leaned closer to her, and Katie shut her eyes. Suddenly, Aaron was kissing her passionately. He moved his hands to encircle her waist, and Katie felt a rushing sensation in her stomach. She broke away from Aaron for a moment to suck in a breath of air, then pushed her lips back against his.
Aaron pushed his body into hers, desperate for some control. He had never had a problem before with keeping his urges intact, but Katie inspired a wild streak in him. His mind raced with inappropriate thoughts about the young woman standing before him, and he wasn’t able to remove his hands from her body.
Katie felt as if she were spinning through the air. Aaron made her feel like all of her wishes and desires would come true. She didn’t want to stop kissing him, but she had to take breaks to breathe! She laughed at the thought.
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