High Country Christmas

by Cynthia Thomason

  Now he was on the verge of firing this latest woman who, Sawyer claimed, as always, was more wielder than relater. Maybe he’d keep Mrs. Filmore on until Sawyer decided life at the Sawtooth Children’s Home wasn’t any more to her liking than life in Chapel Hill. In fact, she might decide it was far worse. This change of heart might happen in less than a week.

  True, Sawyer didn’t care for the housekeepers, and she’d probably be happier if the only person she had to answer to was her dad, but she’d never complained about the many material things her absentee father’s job provided. She couldn’t have the lifestyle she’d grown used to if she had a parent who was home all the time sitting behind a desk, but couldn’t make enough money to keep paying off a fancy home in an exclusive suburb and credit card debt. Sawyer needed to learn the meaning of trade-offs. He sure as heck had, and it was time his daughter mastered one of life’s toughest lessons.

  And besides, he’d seen enough of Ava Cahill to know that she wasn’t going to be a pushover. Until he’d actually looked at her and found her reluctant to look back, he’d decided Ava was strong, authoritative and the most powerful figure at the home. Her word was apparently law, and Sawyer might decide in a few days that she couldn’t cope with the regimented lifestyle of Ava’s rules.

  As the threesome prepared for the tour, Ava seemed to have returned to her role as by-the-book administrator. She hadn’t looked at Noah since they went out the front door of the administration building. The only view he had of Ava was her rigid back as she walked in front of him and her dark hair pulled tightly into a bun. He could almost believe she’d forgotten he was there.

  Ava and Sawyer walked together and Noah followed. Ava kept up a steady stream of conversation with his daughter, pointing, waiting for a reaction from Sawyer that was probably never going to satisfy her. Maybe Ava loved this place, but Noah knew his daughter. She was probably already planning her next escape.

  “Let’s take the golf cart,” Ava said, approaching the vehicle left by the front entrance. “It’s probably warmed up enough that we’ll be comfortable. Besides, the campus is rather large, and we need to cover quite a bit of ground.” Logical Ava, back to analyzing, deciding, but without the sensitivity of the person he’d met when he first arrived. The woman who claimed a personal and heartfelt relationship with all the children under her care. Where had this Ava gone? Had she ever really existed?

  Sawyer quickly climbed in the front seat next to Ava, probably to avoid sitting with her father. Noah took the rear seat and angled his body so he wouldn’t miss any of Ava and Sawyer’s conversation. He was still the father, and he wasn’t about to give up any of his parental rights without knowing what Sawyer was getting into.

  “So what’s the story of all you Cahills?” Noah said as a way of breaking the ice and asserting his presence. “How many are you? Do you more or less run this town?”

  Ava drove the cart around the side of the building. She still hadn’t looked at him. Her attention was on her driving as if the windshield had asked the question. Good grief, it was just a golf cart. What’s the worst that could happen if she made a driving error? They’d have to circle a sand trap?

  “I don’t see what my family has to do with your leaving Sawyer in my care, but okay,” she said. “I can satisfy your curiosity.”

  “I appreciate that,” he said.

  “You met my brother Carter, who is chief of police. His wife is Miranda. As Carter told you, she’s a social worker. My other brother, Jace, runs the family Christmas tree farm. His soon-to-be wife is Kayla. Then there’s Emily, Miranda’s daughter, Nathan, Jace’s son, and my mother, who lives just outside of town. Of course, we need to add in numerous uncles, aunts and cousins.” She headed toward a field where people had gathered. “Satisfied?”

  “What do you think of that, Sawyer?” he asked his daughter. “In our family it’s just you and me. Do you wish there were more of us?”

  Noah waited for the answer. After an uncomfortable few seconds, Sawyer just said, “No. One dictator is enough.”

  Ava stopped at a grassy area. Tables were set up and folks were helping themselves to food and drinks. Many of the younger ones wore Sawtooth Home sweatshirts on which was proudly displayed a large, sturdy oak tree, obviously the origin of the name.

  “What’s going on here?” Noah asked.

  “This is our typical Sunday gathering,” Ava said. “The kids and the cottage parents get out of cooking and doing dishes as long as the weather is nice, and we have a picnic on the grounds.” She parked the golf cart out of the way of the festivities. “Have a walk around if you like. Grab a hot dog. I’ll just be a minute.”

  With no further explanation, Ava walked toward a dark-haired young boy. The child, probably no more than five years old, trotted over to her. Noah wasn’t an expert on kids, and he couldn’t get a good look at the kid’s face, but he decided the boy looked well dressed and well cared for if not especially happy to be eating hot dogs on a crisp Sunday afternoon.

  Ava knelt down in front of him, held his hand and talked to him awhile. After a short time, she stood and spoke in a loud voice. “Run off and have a good time, Charlie. It’s a beautiful day for doing anything you want.” The child didn’t run. He ambled away, and he didn’t look like he was going to have any sort of a good time.

  Ava dusted off her black pants and readjusted the red sweater set she was wearing. She watched the boy for some time until Noah came up beside her. “So he’s one of the residents I guess,” Noah said.

  Startled, almost as if she’d forgotten her purpose with these newcomers, Ava whirled to face him. “I thought you were getting a hot dog.”

  “Actually you told us to get hot dogs, but I don’t live here and decided I didn’t have to follow your order. I don’t know what Sawyer is doing.”

  A wave of her hair escaped her bun and caught on some lipstick. She quickly tucked the errant strand behind her ear. For some reason Noah was fixated on the gesture. Ava Cahill had nice lips, he thought, though he couldn’t understand why he would spend so long looking at them or imagining what a lucky man might do with those lips.

  She cleared her throat, pulled the lapels of her sweater more closely over her breasts and crossed her arms, which brought her back to administrator mode. “Yes. He’s a relatively new arrival. His parents died in a plane accident.”

  “Wow. Tough,” Noah said.

  “Yes, it is. I try to give him special attention when I can.” She started walking toward the tables where Sawyer had obviously decided that an overcooked hot dog was better than no lunch at all. Noah walked beside her.

  “So this kid is actually an orphan?” Noah said.

  Ava swallowed, looked straight ahead. “I told you we have children here from all walks of life and many different situations. Little Charlie is just one example of a resident who has no home to go back to.”

  “I can see why you get wrapped up in their lives,” Noah said. “Every story is its own personal tragedy.”

  She stared up at him with striking blue eyes that he somehow knew would be just as beautiful in the near darkness. In daylight they matched the sky on this beautiful fall afternoon. “You have no idea, but today we need to concentrate on Sawyer’s story.”

  Slightly miffed, Noah said, “My daughter’s story is hardly a tragedy. We’re just having some temporary problems.”

  “Perhaps,” she said vaguely. “Suit yourself about the hot dog, but I think I’ll have one before we continue the tour.”

  She walked away from him, stopping often to speak to various people. Nearly every day Noah looked down upon the earth from two to five hundred feet in the air, perched on a narrow tower of steel and cables. He knew what it was like to feel dizzy, but never before had he experienced the kind of dizzy that Ava Cahill displayed.

  She seemed to be everywhere, talking to kids, adults, staff members. She responded to f
olks calling her Miss Cahill, Ava, and from the younger ones, Miss Ava. She gave everyone time, a smile, a word. Her energy was impressive. He found himself wishing that some of it were directed at him. She didn’t seem nearly as concerned with convincing him of the benefits of living at Sawtooth as she was convincing Sawyer. Despite what Ava might believe, Noah knew his daughter, and they would both be a hard sell. After lunch, Noah, Sawyer and Ava climbed back into the golf cart and continued the tour. They saw a school building, an auditorium, a gymnasium and a science lab. Sawyer seemed observant enough, even interested, though she asked no questions. Noah, on the other hand, asked plenty. No way was he going to leave his daughter in a strange place until he knew everything that made this home tick. And even then, he wasn’t sure what decision he would make.

  Ava answered each question in a crisp, concise, knowledgeable manner. Her voice was steady. She didn’t waste words.

  They ended the tour at one of the cottages. This one was painted a soft gray with white trim. Walking inside, they found a lounge area with two television sets, comfortable seating, a game table and toddler toys tucked away in colorful crates. A few of the seats were occupied since hot dog time had ended.

  “Let me show you what will be your room if you decide to stay, Sawyer,” Ava said, directing them to a stairway off the lounge.

  Noah noticed that the doors leading to bedrooms were open. This fact alone should make Sawyer rethink her decision. At the house in Chapel Hill, one would have thought his daughter’s room was a field office for the CIA, as she not only kept her door closed, but locked as well. He’d assumed all teenage girls wanted their privacy, and he respected Sawyer’s, only gaining entry to her area when invited. Had that been a mistake on his part? Should he have been more of a snoop?

  They entered a room with two twin beds, two dressers, two desks, two closets. Standard dorm room equipped. Both beds were made, but one bed had girlie pillows and a few stuffed animals on it. The other bed was obviously waiting for an occupant.

  “You met Becky at lunch, didn’t you?” Ava asked Sawyer. Sawyer indicated she had. “If we all decide that you are going to stay here, you’ll be sharing this room with her.”

  “How do you feel about that?” Noah asked his daughter. Not only had she never shared a room, he couldn’t recall when she’d ever had to share anything.

  Sawyer managed to shrug one shoulder with indifference.

  “How soon is all this going to take place?” Noah asked Ava, a tingle of panic snaking down his spine. He finally had to accept that this change of address might really be going to happen, and he would be faced with returning to Chapel Hill without her.

  “We should get Sawyer settled in right away,” she said. “You can send her clothes and personal items from Chapel Hill. In the meantime, we can provide the bare essentials. Our kids wear jeans and Sawtooth School T-shirts to class, and we have plenty of those.”

  A uniform? Noah watched Sawyer’s face for any signs of rebellion. If there was one thing he knew about his daughter, it was that she was not a uniform kind of kid. She hated regimentation of any type. Once again Sawyer’s face was unreadable. Did she think she was trading one Mrs. Filmore for another equally restrictive one? Was she planning to escape out the open window over the dressers and shimmy down a gutter? She had to recall that Ava said all the windows were protected by a security system.

  “So, what do you think, Sawyer?” Ava asked. “Would you like to give Sawtooth Home a try?”

  “Sure. I guess.”

  Not a ringing endorsement, Noah thought. She had to be planning something.

  “Let’s all go back to the administration building and start on the paperwork. I’ve arranged for one of our counselors to meet with you this afternoon, Sawyer. You’ll like Mrs. Marcos. While you’re talking with her, your father and I will fill out the necessary forms for a voluntary resident.”

  Noah couldn’t hold his tongue. “That’s what you think she is, a voluntary resident?”

  At last he knew what a sharp look from Ava was like. “Of course. All our residents are here because this home is preferable in one way or another to their previous environments. No one is forcing your daughter to stay here, Noah,” Ava said. “I believe she is willing to give this a try.”

  Noah stared at his daughter’s face once again. She gave him an innocent smile—one he’d seen many times in the past. And one he didn’t believe for an instant. He figured she’d hop on the back of his motorcycle the minute he turned the key. “Sure,” he said, deciding to call her bluff. “Let’s go fill out those papers.”

  When they returned to the administration building, Sawyer went to her appointment, and Ava led Noah into her office. “Have a seat, Noah,” she said. “This will take some time. We need to go over Sawyer’s medical history, her previous grades, her food preferences and allergies, anything you can think of to help us make the transition easier for her.”

  He’d thought the Ava he preferred, the kind, all-children-are-important Ava might return when it came time to do paperwork. But no. This woman was disciplined, almost cold. She still didn’t seem able to look him in the eye. That bothered him more than a little. Was she hiding something about herself or this “perfect” school she claimed to run?

  “Remember, right now this is only temporary, until we can evaluate Sawyer’s needs and the problems in the family. When we feel that Sawyer can return to a healthy home environment, we will discuss letting her go with you.”

  “Gee, that would be terrific,” Noah said sarcastically. “How much is this going to cost me?”

  “We’re funded by the state and private donations,” Ava said. “Certainly we appreciate every donation we get, large or small.”

  “Message received,” he said. “Okay, then, ask whatever you need to. I’d like to get this finished and maybe have a nap this afternoon.”

  Those beautiful and somehow unforgettable blue eyes shot him a perplexed look. “A nap? Aren’t you returning to Chapel Hill?”

  “I’ve decided to get a room in town for a few days.”

  “We really don’t advise...”

  “I know what you’re going to say, but I think it would be wise for me to stick around awhile.”

  “Why do you think that?”

  “No offense, Ava, but my guess is that Sawyer won’t be here in the morning, and I’d just as soon be closer to the action when I have to go pick her up again.”

  CHAPTER FOUR

  THERE WERE SO many ways Noah Walsh was pushing Ava’s buttons—emotionally and even frantically and with strong memories that had never gone away. Little did she know that when she decided to help Sawyer, she would be standing face-to-face with the man who’d left her shamed, panicked and pregnant six years ago. She’d thought that if she intervened between him and his daughter, he would agree to the home’s terms and her advice and leave. But he was proving to be an extremely stubborn man.

  Though difficult, Ava had to remember her role in this drama. She was the administrator of a children’s home, and the residents were her biggest concern. So she did her best under the ticklish circumstances to talk Noah out of staying in town, saying that once a resident decision had been made, it was best for the child to begin adapting immediately. All this was true, and while Noah nodded the whole time she talked, the unforgettable piercing intensity of his eyes told her he wasn’t going to change his mind. He signed the necessary papers with a warning that if Sawyer decided at the last minute that she didn’t want to stay, he expected the papers to be torn up. And then he left Sawtooth determined to find a comfortable room for the night. At least she was reassured that he hadn’t placed her in his life six years ago. But then again, had he? And if he stayed, would he?

  Ava spent the evening with Sawyer, helping her to settle in, finding out what items she would like sent from home, introducing her to other residents, especially to Charlie, thou
gh Ava was careful not to send up any hints as to their connection. She wondered if they would naturally get along or if inherent sibling rivalry would become apparent. The irony that the two children were blood relatives didn’t escape Ava’s thought processes for one minute.

  She hoped the two kids would at least have an amiable relationship since they were living in the same cottage. They would be encouraged to get along just like all cottage bunkmates were. As long as Ava was careful, as long as she followed the advice of the counselor, Mrs. Marcos, the two children would never learn of their strong ties until, and only if, the time was right.

  And hopefully Noah wouldn’t remember the time he spent with Ava in Charlotte either. It was only one night. It had started in a dimly lit cocktail bar and ended in her dimly lit bedroom. She had changed since then, not just physically, but in many ways. She’d been so careful today, once she realized who Noah was, to keep their past a secret, and not offer any clues that might cause him to remember. She told herself again that he must have had numerous relationships since then. Why would he remember a woman dressed in a business suit in a Charlotte bar?

  Sawyer was quiet during most of the introductions Ava made at the cottage. Perhaps she would become more talkative as time passed. Later, sitting quietly in Sawyer’s room, Ava helped the girl decide on the courses she would take as a freshman in the high school. She would start school bright and early the next day. All residents were urged to establish routines as soon as possible.

  When Ava went to bed that night, her thoughts turned to Noah, the man he was now—strong, decisive, determined, but perhaps lost in knowing ways to deal with his daughter, and the man he was then—charming, cocky, ultimately irresistible. He had appealed to all her senses that night in Charlotte. She’d flirted with him, teased him, tempted him—all the things she normally didn’t do with any man. He’d stirred her from the inside out, warmed her to her core.