The Christmas Quandary: Sweet Historical Holiday Romance (Hardman Holidays Book 5) Read online

  “Fights?” he asked, spinning around to look at her.

  “Of the snowball variety.” Lila scooped up a handful of snow, hastily packed it into a ball, and launched it at Tom, catching him on the chin.

  He grabbed a glove full of snow and tossed it back at her, hitting her on the back.

  Soon, all the students, from Maura Granger to the oldest in the class, engaged in a battle of snowballs.

  Squeals of excitement and joyous laughter rang through the frosty morning air, making those close to the school smile in delight.

  After Lila hit Tom in the face with a handful of soft snow, he grabbed her around the waist and threatened to stuff snow down the back of her dress.

  In their playful mood, neither of them gave a thought to their behavior, acting like two children as they chased each other and joined in the battle.

  Tom finally whistled loudly and all the students stopped. “Let’s go inside and get warmed up. Your mothers will throttle me if you all take ill.”

  “Aw, don’t worry about it, Tom…, er, Mr. Grove,” Percy said, brushing clumps of snow from his mittens. “No one would gripe because we had such a fun time while learning our history lesson.”

  Tom directed the children to hurry inside the warmth of the school. Once they were all in their seats, he returned to his desk at the front of the room and motioned for Lila to join him.

  He settled an extra chair close to his desk and held out his hand for her to take a seat. The warmth of his breath caressed her neck as he bent close to her. “Do you not feel well, Lila?”

  “Never better,” she said, exhilarated by frolicking in the snow with the children. “Why?”

  “You just look rather pale, that’s all.”

  Lila glanced down and swallowed her sigh. She’d forgotten all about wearing the hated dress. No wonder Tom thought she looked unwell. “I’m fit as a fiddle, Mr. Grove. Now, is there some reason you asked me to sit up here and face the students?” She cast him a wary glance. “I’m not in trouble, am I?”

  “No. Not unless you want to be, in which case I’ll have to keep you after class.” The teasing wink he offered her did nothing to calm the nervous flutters in her midsection. Tom smiled as he looked around the room. “How many of you have heard of a telephone?”

  Some of the students raised their hands but most stared at him with open curiosity. Tom pointed to one of the older girls. “Carol, would you please explain what a telephone is to the rest of the class?”

  “Yes, Mr. Grove,” the girl said, rising to her feet. “My Aunt Lucy has one at her house in Pendleton. It’s the most fantastical thing. You hold the receiver to your ear, like this…” She held the fingers of one hand close to her ear. “Then you talk into the mouthpiece.” Carol held her other hand in front of her mouth. “You can talk to people across town and even further away! I can’t wait until we have telephones here in Hardman.”

  “Very good, Carol.” Tom nodded to the girl then turned to Lila. “Do you have anything to add, Miss Granger, to Carol’s description of how a telephone works?”

  Lila smiled. “She covered the basics. A telephone is a handy thing to have, but it can also cause trouble. Some lines aren’t private, so other people can listen to your conversations. Sometimes people misconstrue or misunderstand what is said.”

  Tom grinned. “And that’s precisely the reason I’m glad we don’t have them here in Hardman.”

  Percy Bruner raised his hand and waved it above his head.

  “Yes, Percy?” Tom asked.

  “Do you use telephones in Portland, Mr. Grove?”

  “Yes, Percy, I do. We use them at the newspaper office every day.”

  “Wow! Do you talk to murderers and robbers and everything?” the boy asked.

  Tom shook his head. “Not if I can help it.” He glanced around the room again. “Can anyone tell me who invented the telephone?”

  After they discussed Alexander Graham Bell and various types of telephones, Tom once again stood at the front of the class next to where Lila sat. “Let’s play a game. I’m going to whisper something to Maura Granger. She’ll whisper it to Sally, then Sally will whisper it to Maude, and so forth. When you reach the end of this row, Henry will whisper it to Vern across the aisle and up the second row. I want Billy to whisper it into Miss Granger’s ear. We’ll see if what I whispered is the same message Miss Granger receives. Are you ready?” Tom asked.

  “Yes!” the children cheered, eager to play a new game.

  Tom hunkered down next to Maura and whispered something in her ear. “Now whisper it to Sally, Maura.”

  “Okay,” the child said in a subdued voice. She cupped her hands around Sally’s ear and whispered the message.

  Tom went to his desk and wrote something on a slip of paper. He folded it in half while the children took their whispering very seriously. Normally, whispering was frowned upon, so to be given permission to pass along a secret was something unique, indeed.

  Finally, little Billy slid off his seat in the front row and scampered over to Lila’s chair. She leaned over so he could whisper in her ear. When he did, her eyes widened and she stared at Tom.

  “Thank you, Billy,” Tom said, guiding the little boy back to his seat. “Miss Granger, will you tell the students what you heard from Billy?”

  “I… I’m not so… I’d rather…” she stammered as pink filled her cheeks. Finally, she shook her head. “No, Mr. Grove. I won’t.”

  Tom gave her a confused glance. “Why not?”

  “Because it’s not… that’s to say, I don’t believe…”

  Tom’s gaze swiveled from her to Billy. “Billy, what did you tell Miss Granger?”

  The little boy shrugged. “Maybeth said ‘Miss Granger is in love with you.’ That’s what I told Miss Granger.”

  Tom didn’t blink for a full moment before he turned back to Lila. Her face flushed an even deeper shade of red. He snatched the piece of paper he’d written the original message on from his desk and handed it to her. “Please read that aloud, Miss Granger.”

  She took the paper from him and read, “Miss Granger is blue today.” Lila looked at him then back at the paper in her hand. “Oh, that’s what you originally said?”

  Tom nodded then turned to the students. “Do you see how easily a simple statement can be completely misconstrued?”

  The children nodded.

  “What lesson did you learn from this experiment?”

  Anna Jenkins raised her hand in the air.

  “Go ahead, Anna,” Tom said.

  “Don’t believe everything you hear?” the girl asked.

  “Excellent, Anna!” Tom smiled at her then gave Lila a teasing glance. “Let’s take a break for lunch and I’ll find out if Miss Granger is really in love with me.”

  The children laughed and hurried to gather their lunch pails. Most went outside to eat while a few chose to stay inside close to the warmth of the stove.

  Tom made room at his desk for Lila to set out her lunch. Maura climbed on her lap and chatted away as she ate the biscuit with jam, slices of cheese, and sliced apple her mother sent for lunch.

  When she finished eating, Maura asked to be excused and hurried to get her coat to join the other children outside. Lila helped her fasten the buttons and wrapped a scarf around the child’s neck and ears before sending her out into the sunny afternoon.

  “I don’t believe I liked your lesson about the telephone, Tom Grove.” Lila scowled at him as she picked at a piece of cheese.

  Tom leaned back in his chair with a cocky smile. “I rather liked the statement the students came up with.” He waggled his eyebrows at her, making her laugh.

  She sobered and gave him a reproachful look. “How did they take something simple, like I’m blue and twist it into being in love with you?”

  “I have no idea, but perhaps they know more than we realize.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Lila asked as Tom snitched a piece of her cheese.

 
“It means, Lila Lilac, you like me more than you care to admit.”

  “Humph.” Her spine went rigid and she looked away. “And I think you read far more into situations than you should.”

  Tom shrugged, pretending indifference. “Have it your way, but I do think you look rather blue today, and I don’t just mean the color of that dress. Is it new?”

  “Yes, it is.” Her clipped tone didn’t escape his scrutiny. She wanted to squirm as he studied her.

  “Emerson gave it to you, is that it?” he asked, intuitively knowing she hated the dress. Oh, the style suited her well, but certainly not the color.

  Lila nodded. “I’m not fond of blue.”

  “With good reason,” Tom said, brushing the crumbs from his desk into his lunch pail. “As I said to the class, you look blue today. That color sucks all the life out of you. Surely Emerson noticed.”

  A sigh escaped her before she could hold it back. “No, he didn’t notice. In fact, he thinks I look magnificent.”

  Tom couldn’t help the snort of laughter that rolled out of him. “I didn’t realize Emerson had problems with his vision. If he wants to see magnificent, you should wear that silvery dress you have with the lilacs on it. Now, that is a vision to behold, at least when you wear it.”

  Pleased, yet oddly unsettled by Tom’s words, Lila rose to her feet and briskly marched toward the door. “I need a little fresh air before the children return for their afternoon lessons.”

  Lila snatched her coat and scurried outside, drawing in deep breaths. As she strode around the schoolyard, she wondered what was wrong with her. She cared for Emerson, a great deal. He’d make a devoted, loyal husband and do his best to give her a life of comfort and security. By marrying him she’d never want for anything.

  Except passion and laughter.

  Lila stopped, taken aback by her thoughts. Tom may never be wealthy or travel to exotic locales, he may not own fine suits or dine with royalty, but he made her laugh. Her heart felt lighter since she’d become his friend than it had for years.

  Then there were Tom’s kisses. Oh, there were his fervent, driven, demanding, deliriously marvelous kisses.

  Lila’s heart began to pound just thinking about them.

  Was she in love with Tom? How could that be when she loved Emerson? She did love her fiancé. Didn’t she?

  Conflicted and confused, she shook her head to chase away her thoughts and went to push some of the girls on the swing.

  The afternoon passed quickly. Lila led the students in singing a variety of songs, including a few Christmas carols.

  Erin pleaded with her to sing a solo, so Lila stood at the front of the room and sang a hauntingly lovely version of I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.

  Stillness cloaked the room as the last note faded into the silence.

  Tom gave her a look full of admiration and affection as he led the students in a rousing round of applause. “If you all settle down, I think Miss Granger has some treats to share while we read more in our book.”

  Lila passed out the cookies Filly had sent while Tom settled into his chair and turned to the page where they’d stopped reading the previous afternoon. Once the children contentedly munched on the cookies, Tom began reading the story. Quickly taking a seat at the back of the room, Lila was soon absorbed in the story every bit as much as the children.

  Tom read for an hour, stopping only to get a drink of water to soothe his dry throat. He almost reached the end of the book, but a glance at the clock declared it time to release the class for the day. He placed a bookmark inside and closed the cover.

  “Please keep reading, Mr. Grove. Please?” the students begged, but Tom shook his head.

  “I promise we’ll finish the story tomorrow, but I can’t keep you any longer today. Have a good evening and I’ll see you in the morning.”

  Although they groaned in protest, the students hurried to gather their things and be on their way. Lila helped Maura and Erin with their coats and watched as the two girls raced outside to play for a few minutes.

  She tugged on her coat before Tom could offer his assistance and yanked on her gloves. “I so enjoy listening to you read, Mr. Grove. You make the characters in the story come to life.”

  He smiled at her as he tidied the classroom. “I’m glad you think so. Will you come tomorrow?”

  Lila grinned as she picked up the empty cookie basket. “I’ll be here. I’m as eager as the children to know how the story ends.”

  Tom chuckled and pointed to the basket. “I don’t suppose they left any crumbs, did they?”

  She shook her head then took two cookies from her pocket, wrapped in a clean handkerchief. “You should know better than to even ask, but I saved these for you anyway.”

  “You are an angel, Lila Lilac. Don’t ever let anyone tell you different.”

  A playful grin made her eyes dance with humor. Her heart did a flip every time he called her that name. “I’ve been told different more times than you could count. Have a pleasant evening, Tom.”

  “You as well.”

  She gave him a parting glance and hurried down the steps of the school.

  As she walked Erin and Maura home, Lila’s thoughts lingered on what Billy whispered in her ear. Was she in love with Tom? Or did her heart belong to Emerson?

  Chapter Eighteen

  “Hello?” Tom called, stamping his feet with unnecessary noise at the kitchen door of his parents’ home as he pushed open the door. “Anyone home?”

  His mother glanced up from where she stood in front of the stove and greeted him with a welcome smile. “What’s all the noise about, honey? You know you can walk right in.”

  “The last time I walked right in didn’t work out so well for any of us.” Tom stepped inside the warm kitchen, redolent with the delicious aromas of baking bread and roasting meat.

  Crimson colored Junie’s cheeks as she turned away and fussed with stirring a pot on the stove. “Yes, well, um… what brought you out tonight, sweetheart? If we knew you wanted to come, your father would have gone into town to get you so you wouldn’t have to walk in the cold.”

  “Oh, I didn’t walk,” Tom said, washing his hands at the sink and pouring himself a cup of coffee from the pot simmering on the back of the stove. “Fred Decker gave me a ride. He was making a delivery out this way and dropped me off.”

  “Fred’s doing well, isn’t he?” Junie asked, turning to glance at him.

  Tom nodded. “Thankfully, he sure seems to be. He likes his job at the livery and he does other odd jobs around town. Tonight he needed to make a delivery for the lumberyard.”

  Without being asked, Tom set the table while his mother put the finishing touches on the meal. They discussed the students at school as they worked.

  Tom looked over at her as he set silverware on the table. “Do you think Dad saw me come in?”

  Junie shrugged as she buttered the tops of rolls, hot from the oven. “If he had, he probably would have come in already. He should be here any minute, though. That man has been working on something out in the barn and refuses to tell me what it is.”

  Tom had seen his father’s secret project and knew his mother would be giddy with excitement to find the hand-carved cradle and matching high chair beneath the tree Christmas morning, but he certainly wouldn’t spoil the surprise. “It’s Christmas, Mama. You should know better than to ask questions or get nosy.”

  She grinned at him. “That’s never stopped me before.”

  Tom chuckled. “Do you mind if I play a little joke on Dad?”

  Junie propped one fist on her hip and studied her son. Despite the fact he was a grown man, she enjoyed it when the playful boy emerged. “Be my guest. What do you have in mind?”

  Quickly, Tom shared his plan then snatched his things and hid in the pantry off the kitchen when they heard James’ boots thud on the steps outside.

  The door swung open, carrying in a draft of cold air. “June-bug, I’m so hungry I could even eat my own cook
ing.”

  Junie laughed and set the carved roast on the table. “Then you best wash up and sit down while the food’s still hot.”

  “Yes, wife.” James shrugged out of his chore coat and hung it with his hat and scarf by the door then washed his hands at the sink. He kissed Junie’s cheek and let his hand trail from her waist over the curve of her hip. “I think you get prettier every time I walk in that door.”

  She lifted a bowl of green beans and set it on the table. “I’ll make an appointment for you to see Doc next week,” she said.

  James gave her a baffled look. “What for?”

  With a tender glance, she patted his cheek. “Because your eyesight is obviously failing, old man.”

  James grabbed her waist and attempted to tickle her, but she smacked at his hands and spun away from him. “What’s gotten into you this evening, James Grove?”

  “My beautiful wife, a warm home, a table full of good food, and a son who isn’t quite as clever as he thinks.” James winked at Junie and tipped his head toward the pantry. “You may as well come out here, Tom.”

  Tom opened the door and stepped out, giving his father a broad smile. “How’d you know I was here?”

  “I heard the harness jingle on Fred’s wagon and saw it out the window in the barn.” James looked smug as he leaned back in his chair. “According to your mother, I’m practically blind, but at least I can still hear.” He pointed to the table. “And even if I hadn’t caught you climbing out of Fred’s wagon, I noticed the extra plate on the table.”

  Tom laughed and took a seat. “I guess we aren’t any good at pulling one over on Dad, Mama,” he said, giving Junie a conspiratorial look.

  “No, we certainly aren’t.” She set a cup of hot coffee in front of her husband then bowed her head as he offered thanks for their meal.

  As his “amen” faded, Tom helped himself to a serving of meat and potatoes then added green beans to his plate. His father lifted the lid on the sugar bowl and stirred a heaping spoon of the white crystals into his coffee.

  He leaned back and took a deep swallow. His eyes bugged and he choked, coughing and pounding his chest. Tom snickered while Junie tried to hold back her giggles.