The Christmas Vow (8 page)

“You two looked so peaceful sleeping, I hated to wake you, but I was afraid you’d get a crick in your neck.”

Adam rolled his neck to one side then the other and grinned at her. “I didn’t mean to doze off, but it was hard to keep my eyes open sitting by the fire.”

“I do the same thing,” Tia admitted. “Thank you for your help today and keeping watch over Toby. Would you like to stay for dinner?”

“No, I need to get going, but I appreciate the offer. Did you have a good conversation with Mr. Carlton?” Adam asked as he grabbed his coat from the hall tree and shoved his arms into the sleeves

“It was enlightening,” Tia said, turning to straighten a pillow on the sofa.

“How so?”

Tia couldn’t force herself to meet Adam’s gaze. “Mr. Carlton is of the opinion that the judge’s petition to gain guardianship wouldn’t hold up in any court if, by some happenstance, the status of my widowhood altered in the immediate future.” Nervous, she fiddled with the button on the sleeve of her dark blue woolen gown.

Adam observed her nervous movements. “Just spit it out, Queenie. What did Mr. Carlton say?”

Embarrassed, she turned to stare out the front window. Frost already rimmed the edges of the glass as afternoon gave way to a cold evening.

Humiliation sent heat creeping up her neck and into her cheeks. “He said if I’d wed someone immediately, then Cedric would have no chance at getting Toby.”

Air whooshed out of Adam. More than once in the past few days, marriage had crossed his mind as a solution to Tia’s troubles. If he cared to admit it, which he didn’t, the thought held a great deal of appeal to him.

“What are you going to do? Do you have someone in mind?”

“Good heavens!” Tia spun around and glared at Adam.

You. Only and forever you.

She huffed in feigned irritation. “Of course not. Don’t be ridiculous. I’ll figure something out that doesn’t involve a man sacrificing his freedom to save my son.”

Uncertain what to say in response, he offered her a curt nod and rushed out the door.

Tia watched him in the light from the street lamps as he hurried down the street in the direction of Arlan and Alex’s place.

She couldn’t blame him for his abrupt departure. Any man with a lick of sense would run far and fast when a woman found herself in desperate need of a husband.

Chapter Seven

“You… you what!” Arlan stammered as the knife in his hand clattered onto the table. The bite of mashed potatoes Alex held on her fork halted mid-air, halfway to her mouth.

Both of them turned astonished looks to Adam. He pushed food around on his plate instead of eating the meal Alex hurried to put on the table when she arrived home from teaching school.

“I said I’m thinking about asking Tia to marry me.” Adam scowled at Arlan as his brother continued to gape at him.

Alex set her fork on the edge of her plate while Arlan cleared his throat and gathered his thoughts. “Are you sure that’s a good idea, Adam. I mean… after all… the last time you…” The memories hung heavily between them.

“He proposed to her before?” Alex asked, glancing from her husband to Adam. “Tia turned you down?”

“No. I never got the opportunity to ask her. She left town before I worked up the nerve and that was the last time I saw her until Carl’s funeral.”

“Oh.” Alex lifted a dark eyebrow Arlan’s direction and he shook his head in some unspoken communication Adam had no hope of interpreting.

“Based on the painful situation that occurred the last time you considered marrying the girl, I’m concerned you might be rushing into this.” Arlan sat back in his chair and eyed his brother.

Adam had always been the bold one, full of mischief and fun, along with an eagerness to experience every adventure available.

After Tia broke his heart the first time, Adam embraced an entirely new level of reckless abandon that frightened his younger sibling and eventually led to his job as a pilot on the Columbia River.

Arlan cleared his throat and rapidly fired out questions. “Have you thought things through? Where would you live? Could she put up with your demanding work schedule? Are you prepared for the possibility she’ll never love you? What if she leaves you?”

Disconcerted, Adam rocked back in his chair and blew out a long breath. “Yes, Arlan, I’ve thought things through. Truthfully, I’ve thought of little else since I discovered her former father-in-law wants to take Toby away from her. She still has a house in Portland, but she did say she plans to sell it. We could live there or buy a house close to the river. I make a good wage at my work and am capable of supporting a family. However, I’m under the impression her husband left her well cared for upon his death. Tia or Toby aren’t lacking money. At any rate, I love my work on the river, so Tia would just have to get used to the idea of my schedule.”

“But you’d be gone often, wouldn’t you?” Alex asked, placing a hand on Adam’s arm. “No wife wants to consider her husband being gone for days on end, especially when he might be in a perilous situation and never return.”

“I know. It’s not perfect, but we could make it work if we’re both willing to try.” Adam turned to Arlan. “I’m not saying I’m pledging my heart to Tia. She destroyed it the first time she left. Regardless, I’m vowing to keep her and Toby together by offering a marriage of convenience. I wouldn’t expect anything from her. In fact, if she wanted to stay here in Hardman, that might be for the best. As for her leaving me high and dry, I assume she could have the marriage annulled any time it suited her purposes. I once loved her with every bit of emotion an eighteen-year-old boy can give, but I’m not a boy any longer.”

Adam studied the food growing cold on his plate before he spoke again. “This isn’t about reuniting with a long lost love. Not in the least. It’s about saving Toby from the clutches of a cruel, manipulative man. Tia and her son aren’t my problem or my responsibility. But if you had the opportunity to keep a little boy from being separated from the one person in the world who loves him completely, wouldn’t you do everything humanly possible to help?”

Slowly, Arlan nodded his head. “I suppose I would, but what about your heart, Adam? You can lie to yourself all you like, but you still have feelings for Tia.”

Adam growled and ran a hand over his head. “I didn’t realize it was that obvious.”

“It isn’t, only to those who know you well.” Arlan grinned at Alex. “And those who’ve just met you. Perhaps to a stranger walking down the street.”

Alex winked at her brother-in-law. “From what I’ve observed, Tia cares about you a great deal. Probably as much as you care about her. She seems like a very nice person and I can’t see her backing out of a vow to you once it’s made. Nevertheless, aren’t you cheating yourself out of the opportunity to fall in love with someone by marrying her now?”

“Like I said, Tia drained every bit of love out of my heart the summer we were eighteen. I’m not ever going to fall in love again, so it matters little to me if I tie myself to Tia and Toby. If marrying her ensures Toby’s safety, then I’ll do it without a moment of regret.” Adam shifted his gaze from Alex to Arlan. “As for you, that’s enough teasing and sarcasm for one night.”

The playful shove he delivered to Arlan nearly knocked him from his chair, but both brothers chuckled as they picked up their forks and returned to their meals.

“Did the cat really tear up that man’s clothes?” Alex asked as Adam sliced a bite of roast beef.

A snort escaped from him. “He sure did. If I hadn’t heard it was the cat that had gotten to him, I’d have assumed he’d wrestled with a spool of barbed fencing wire or encountered a cougar.”

Arlan chuckled. “Remind me to take a wide berth around ol’ Crabby. I knew the cat didn’t care for people, but I had no idea Tia had trained it to attack.”

Humored, Adam shook his head. “I don’t think she had any idea he’d attack, either. She seemed as surprised as anyone did by the cat’s behavior. On the other hand, Toby appeared impressed and entertained by the cat’s antics.”

“I’m sure he was.” Arlan smiled. “For being such a handful, he really is a good boy.”

“Yes, he is,” Adam agreed.

“Are you sure you’re ready to become a father? You wouldn’t just be marrying Tia. You’d also be taking on responsibility for her small son.” Arlan set down his knife and fork, waiting for his brother to consider his words.

Finally, Adam nodded his head. “I know I haven’t spent much time around children, but Toby and I get along with no trouble. He’s bright and inquisitive, yet he minds well and truly does have a tender little spirit.”

Surprised by his brother’s observations, Arlan nodded his head. “It sounds like you’ve got it all figured out.”

“If Tia will agree to marry me, we should do so right away. She can send word to the judge she is no longer a widow alone and any attempts on his part to take Toby are pointless.” Adam buttered a slice of bread. Alex passed him a dish of strawberry jam and he slathered it over the entire surface before taking a bite.

“If Tia does agree to wed, would you give us a few days to prepare? The ladies of Hardman would be terribly disappointed if they lacked the opportunity to make a true celebration out of the event.” Alex offered Adam an innocent smile, belying the impishness twinkling in her eyes.

A groan escaped Adam. “Can’t we just have Chauncy marry us in a quiet little ceremony?”

“Most likely,” Alex grinned at him, “but where’s the fun in that? Besides, the women of Hardman are quite good at throwing together a wedding reception on a moment’s notice.”

“The ladies in town had a nice spread for Luke and Filly’s wedding and that was with less than a week’s notice. Ginny and Blake got married with only a few hours to plan, although it was a Christmas Eve wedding, so the church was already decorated,” Arlan commented. He reached across the table and squeezed Alex’s hand, sharing a look full of love. “I thought we might have a second Christmas Eve wedding last year when I begged this gorgeous woman to marry me with as much speed as possible, but she insisted we invite you to the wedding and wait for your reply.”

“I wish I’d been here. By the time I received the telegram, it was a week old and I didn’t want to hold things up any longer than necessary.” Adam waggled his eyebrows at Arlan. “I suppose I should have asked you to wait while I arranged to take time away from work and then traveled halfway across the state. However, I assumed you’d much rather marry your bride and have your way with her in all due haste.”

Alex blushed and Arlan choked on the bite he’d just swallowed. Adam thumped him on the back and winked at his sister-in-law. “In the event I failed to mention it before, I’m so glad you two have each other. I’m thrilled to see you both so much in love.”

“Thank you, Adam.” Alex turned back to her meal, although a pink hue persisted in coloring her cheeks.

After dinner, the three of them gathered in the parlor where they continued discussing Adam’s plans.

When they retired for the evening, Adam hugged Alex and shook Arlan’s hand. “Even though marrying Tia isn’t what you believe is best for me, I appreciate knowing you’ll support me no matter what I decide to do.”

“Of course, Adam. That’s what family is for.” Arlan squeezed his shoulder then disappeared with Alex into their bedroom.

As they readied for bed, Alex sat in front of the mirror at her dressing table, brushing her long, dark hair and smiling at Arlan in the reflection of the glass. “Do you really think Adam will work up the gumption to ask Tia to wed?”

“Yes. Once he’s decided on something, there’s usually no changing his mind.” Arlan moved behind Alex and took the brush from her hand, running it gently through her hair, admiring the way her midnight tresses gleamed in the lamplight. “Adam never stopped loving Tia and she hasn’t gotten over him, either. It’s about time the two of them finally do what they should have done years ago.”

“Why, Arlan Guthry! You are a matchmaker in disguise.” Alex grinned at her husband as he continued to brush her hair. “What was all that falderal about his plans to wed Tia being a terrible idea and suggesting he was rushing into things?”

“Generally, Adam does the opposite of what I suggest just to show he can. He might be the oldest, but he’s also the most obstinate and stubborn. I learned a long time ago if I wanted Adam to do something, I had to tell him he couldn’t or shouldn’t. The more I emphasize it’s a bad idea, the more determined he’ll be to prove me wrong.” Arlan gave her a smug smile. “By noon tomorrow, he’ll be an engaged man.”

“I had no idea I’d married such an underhanded schemer.” Alex’s eyes held amusement and invitation as she gazed at Arlan in the mirror. “I kind of like seeing this side of you.”

Arlan set down the brush and placed a warm, moist kiss to her neck. “I’ve got a few more things I can show you, Mrs. Guthry. Are you interested?”

She turned and pressed her lips to his in a heated exchange. When she pulled back, desire glowed in her eyes. “You bet I am.”

Chapter Eight

Nerves unlike anything Adam had ever experienced made it impossible for him to swallow any of his breakfast the following morning. He refused the coffee Alex offered him, eventually agreeing to a cup of tea.

He left the house with Arlan and Alex, accompanying them to the point where they headed toward the school. For a few minutes, he watched them walk together. Arlan would help Alex get a fire going at the school and bring in more wood for the stove before he went to the bank for the day.

Leisurely strolling through town, Adam admired the festive pine garlands and bright bows several businesses had put out to decorate their storefronts in the last few days. The effect was appealing and cheerful — a reminder Christmas would soon be upon them.

Thoughts of spending the holiday with Tia and Toby made him consider what would be appropriate gifts for the two of them. An idea for a gift for Toby came to mind and Adam decided whether Tia wed him or not, he’d make the present for the boy.

He veered toward the mercantile, intent on finding the necessary supplies, then decided he needed to ask Tia the question weighing heavy on his mind before he lost his nerve.

As he meandered toward her home, he waved to people he’d known most of his life, pleased by their smiles and words of greeting.

The friendly atmosphere of the town was one thing he missed living in Portland. No one in the neighborhood where he lived waved from their porch or invited him to stop in for a cup of coffee. For the most part, people didn’t even make eye contact as they hurried down the street, intent on their errands.

Adam stopped at the end of Tia’s front walk and stared at the snug little house. With the roof repaired, it appeared to be in good shape, although he was sure he could find a few things to work on if Tia let him.

“Might as well get this over with,” he muttered as he trudged down the walk and up the porch steps, shoving his gloves into his coat pockets.

 Prior to his hand connecting with the wood of the door to knock, he inhaled a deep breath.

The loud rap reverberated in the still of the morning. At least the day hinted that it would be one full of sunshine as streaks of gold gradually filled the sky.

The door swung inward and Tia smiled at him through the screen door. “Good morning, Adam. What brings you by so early in the day?”

“I um… there’s a matter I…” Adam struggled to hang onto his thoughts as Tia’s enticing scent ensnared his senses while his eyes lingered on the luxurious depths of her hair. It fell to her waist in a cascade of finger-tempting waves.

As children, he’d tugged on her hair plenty of times. He’d dipped the end of her braid into an inkwell just to see what color it would turn, and even threaded flowers into it one spring day when she declared she’d wanted a crown for her head.

Captivated, he wondered if the strands would feel as soft and silky now as they did then. Before he voiced his thoughts, Tia pushed open the screen and stepped back, allowing him to enter.

“Now, tell me what’s got you on my doorstep before the school bell has even rung.” Tia motioned for him to take a seat in the parlor.

He waited until she sat on the sofa then settled himself in a chair by the fire. The steady increase of his temperature caused by Tia’s lovely presence forced him to shed his coat and scarf. Absently, he wondered if he’d taken ill with some malady. His stomach churned, his throat ached, and if he touched his forehead, he was sure it would be as clammy as his palms.

Briskly wiping his hands along the legs of his trousers, he inhaled another calming breath and met Tia’s questioning gaze.

The sight of her smile, of those apple cheeks dusted with a light hue that put him in mind of summer peaches, sucked all the moisture from his mouth. As his tongue cleaved to the roof his mouth, he awkwardly swallowed.

“Tia, I…” Adam faltered, uncertain how to word his proposition. He cleared his throat and swallowed again. “This might sound a little strange… perhaps entirely daft, but I’ve come to care for Toby a great deal in the short time I’ve been back in town. The thought of his grandfather raising him, of taking him away from you, makes me angry. Toby belongs with you.”

Tia sniffed and dabbed at the tears that suddenly filled her eyes. “Thank you, Adam. I appreciate your kind words.”

“It’s not just words I want to offer, Tia. It’s me.”

Confused, she cocked her head to one side. “You?”

Adam moved from the chair to sit beside her on the sofa, taking one of her delicate hands in his. “I’m saying this badly, but I’ve done little else than think on what Mr. Carlton said about a marriage being the simplest way to ensure the judge can’t take Toby. Will you marry me, Tia? For Toby’s sake? To keep him safe and here with you?”

Tia sat back, staring at Adam as if he’d begun speaking gibberish. Her gaze dropped to the hand he held between his. She’d always liked the way he held her hand, so gently, yet possessively. The roughness of his skin against hers felt so familiar and so right.

The one thing she’d wanted more than anything in her life was for Adam Guthry to ask her to be his wife. In fact, the entire last year they attended school, she hoped every single day would be the day Adam proposed to her.

When summer arrived with no hint of plans for a future together, Tia grew restless. Tired of waiting for him to get around to asking for her hand and fearful he never would, her grandmother insisted Tia go to Portland to visit her great aunt for a few weeks. Only she never came back.

Now, all these years later, Adam had finally asked the question she’d longed most of her life to hear.

And she had to tell him no.

“I can’t marry you, Adam.” Tia pulled her hand from his and slid back on the sofa, putting space between the two of them.

“Why?” Adam asked, taking her hand in his again, meshing their fingers together. Memories of all the times they’d sat with their fingers entwined made fresh pain arc through his chest.

“Because…” Tia scrambled for a reason. She couldn’t verbalize a single one with Adam sitting so close, filling her nose with his manly scent and her heart with his willingness to sacrifice his freedom for her son.

“That’s not a reason, Queenie.” The teasing smile he gave her did great justice to the dimples in his cheeks while wreaking havoc on her ability to reason. “Please, Tia, will you please marry me?”

“I can’t.” She pulled her hand away again and rose, turning to stare out the window at the serene, snowy scene of her front yard. Chickadees pecked at the birdseed she’d helped Toby set out in a flat pan. The fluttering of vermilion wings added a splash of color to the blanket of white as two cardinals darted from the fence to another dish holding seeds.

Finally, she turned to face him. “It wouldn’t be fair to you to accept your proposal of marriage for the sake of getting me out of this predicament.” A sigh escaped her. She glanced down, brushing at a speck of lint clinging to the front of her deep green and navy striped gown. “It’s a mess of my own making and I’ll figure out how to deal with it. I could always take Toby and agree to live with Cedric and Catherine. At least that way, I know we’d be together.”

“Until they kicked you out or found some other way to torment you.” Adam got to his feet and moved until he stood so close to her, the toes of his boots touched the tips of her shoes beneath the hem of her skirt.

When she continued staring at her feet, Adam cupped her chin in his hand and lifted her head. He looked into her face and noticed the gown made her eyes look more green than blue — like the color of the river in deep autumn.

He’d always been fascinated with the shifting colors of her eyes. The hues ranged from gray to brown and everything in between, depending on her mood and what she wore.

“Look, Tia, I have no desire to marry anyone for love. Not today, not ever. Originally, I’d planned to remain a bachelor and become the doting, amusing uncle to any children Arlan and Alex may have.”

A smile hovered on Tia’s mouth and Adam sighed. “You’d actually be doing me a favor by marrying me. There’s a bevy of misguided women trapped in the delusion they’ll one day catch me. If we wed, they’d have to give up trying.” The smirk he gave her followed by a rakish wink was pure male flirtation.

Pretending to be affronted, she took a step back and he dropped his hand. “It’s nice to see you’re as conceited as ever, Adam Guthry.”

“Be that as it may, please think of what’s best for your son. He’d be safe under my protection, and so would you. I’m not asking for a traditional marriage, Tia. Think of it as more of a business venture. You’re providing assistance with my problem, and I’m helping with yours. No strings attached. No expectations. A marriage in name only.”

The two of them stood quietly for several moments, studying each other.

“Where would you live?” Tia asked unexpectedly.

The fact she hadn’t refused him again stirred his simmering hope. “Until I return to Portland after Christmas, I can stay at Alex and Arlan’s home, unless you want me to stay here. My presence might deter the judge’s hired thugs. You’ve got a spare room, don’t you?”

The almost imperceptible nod of her head nearly missed his observation.

Fretfully, her fingers plucked at the thick green lace on the cuff of her sleeve. “What about after Christmas? You plan to go back to Portland. Would we stay here or go with you?”

“That’s up to you and Toby. If you choose to stay here in Hardman, I’ll make it a point to visit a few times a year. Not that I care one whit about what people say, but I wouldn’t want anyone to think I’d abandoned you. If you’d rather come with me to Portland, that’s fine, too. I live in a boarding house, but I’ve saved enough money to purchase a home. We could look for something near the river.” Adam took both of her hands in his. “I vowed I’d take care of you, Tia, of you and Toby, and I mean to see it through. If you meet someone and fall in love and decide you want out of our farce marriage, you can always have it annulled.”

Wounded he’d think she wouldn’t take their marriage vows seriously, she frowned. She’d given him no reason to trust her, to trust she wouldn’t run off and marry the first man who asked her despite how much she loved him. That was the very thing she’d done eleven years ago and it stood to reason he’d be wary of history repeating itself.

“Why would you do this, Adam? Why would you sacrifice yourself for a woman who doesn’t deserve it? And don’t give me any more nonsense about women chasing after you.”

Adam looked long and deep into her eyes, wondering if she could see the love he still felt for her shining in his. “I’m not doing this for you. This is about keeping Toby where he belongs, and that’s with you. He’s already lost his father. That little boy deserves to grow up with the one person who loves him more than anything in this world. There’s not a single thing the judge can say or do to convince me his reasons for wanting Toby are unselfish. From where I stand, this is about him flexing his power and proving he can run roughshod over people.”

“You never did cater to bullies.” Tia gave him a knowing glance. “If I agree to this, Adam, and that’s a very questionable if at this point, I want you to rest assured I wouldn’t make a vow to you unless I plan to keep it. If we wed, there’ll be no request for an annulment from me.” Not when marriage to Adam was what she’d always wanted. Nearly every girlish dream she’d ever had centered on being Adam’s wife. “That’s why I want you to be sure you won’t regret doing this in a week or month or year from now.”

“No, Tia. I won’t regret it.” Adam couldn’t help himself. The need to touch her overrode common sense. His thumb traced over her cheek and along her jaw. “I’ll ask one last time: Tiadora Elizabeth Meyer Devereux, will you please marry me?”

“If you’re absolutely, without a doubt sure you want to be saddled with a wife and four-year-old son, then yes, Adam Gilbert Guthry, I’ll marry you.”

With a mischievous twinkle in his eye, Adam took a step closer and bracketed her face with his hands. “Shouldn’t we seal the deal with a kiss?”

“I don’t think that’s a…” Whatever words she planned to say were lost when Adam touched his lips to hers in a kiss so sweet and gentle it made tears puddle in her eyes.

The look on his face as he raised his head and smiled at her made longings she’d forgotten existed swirl to life in her mid-section.

“Was that so bad?” Adam whispered, brushing his thumb across her lips.

Tia thought she might die from the bliss of knowing his touch again. Goose bumps broke out over her arms and a shiver of delight started at her head, working its way down to her toes.

A giggle from the doorway drew their attention to Toby.

“Hi, there, little man. How are you today?” Adam hunkered down and Toby ran straight into his arms. He lifted him up and gave him a hug.

“Are you gonna marry my mama?” Toby asked, leaning back in Adam’s arms and staring at him.

“I sure am. Is that okay with you?”

“Mmm, hmm.” Toby reached out to Tia. She took his hand in hers, kissing his fingers as the little boy grinned at Adam. “Can I marry you, too?”

Adam chuckled and tossed Toby into the air. “How about I take you both to the restaurant for breakfast? Have you eaten yet?”