The Christmas Quandary: Sweet Historical Holiday Romance (Hardman Holidays Book 5) Page 25

  “I’ll be there, Papa.” Miko hung up the phone with a heavy heart.

  After Sally offered a comforting hug, Miko hurriedly packed her suitcase and rushed to the bus station. Not a single ticket agent would sell her a ticket.

  Overcome, she returned to Sally’s home. Pastor Clark would have gladly driven to Tillamook to retrieve her, but the man had gone to London. His sister and niece lost their home in a bombing and needed his help. It would be weeks before he returned.

  Sally didn’t own a car. The few people she knew willing to give Miko a ride all the way to Portland weren’t available.

  Exhausted and frightened, the two women spent most of the night alternating between prayers and plans.

  Early the next morning, Sally left Drew in Miko’s care and hurried to the bus station, where she procured a ticket for that afternoon.

  The hostile atmosphere at the bus station the previous day forced Miko to borrow Sally’s broad-brimmed hat. As long as she kept her head down, it covered much of her face. The two women, as close as sisters, shared a tearful goodbye.

  “Be safe, my friend, and don’t forget to write. I need to know that you’re okay,” Sally said, giving Miko one last hug.

  “I promise I’ll write as soon as the opportunity arises.” Miko wiped away her tears, kissed the baby’s rosy cheek, and then slid into the cab waiting at the end of the walk. Sally stood on the porch with the baby, waving as the car drove away.

  With her unusual height, most people assumed at first glance Miko was not Japanese. She hoped the misconception would now work in her favor. Cautiously, she made her way through the crowds at the bus station and took a seat at the back of the bus.

  No one seemed to pay her any mind as the bus journeyed northeast. Thankful the trip had gone so well, Miko experienced a measure of confidence when she switched busses. Less than thirty miles from the end of the journey, she contemplated whom she would hire to drive her to her grandparents’ farm when she stepped off the bus in Beaverton.

  Lost in thoughts of reaching her family, Miko made the mistake of raising her head and looking over the sea of people on the bus. A ruddy-faced boy stared at her, then turned to his mother. Miko heard the word Jap and soon the entire bus was abuzz.

  It took only moments for the driver to learn of her presence and leave her stranded on the side of the road.

  Miko surveyed her surroundings and concluded there were many things worse than having to walk the last twenty miles home.

  Before she began the adventure, she opened her suitcase and removed a pair of worn brown leather oxfords and white ankle socks. The sensible shoes replaced the fashionable heels she’d worn. Hastily tucking her gloves into the pockets of her coat, she stuffed it inside the suitcase, along with her handbag, and closed the lid.

  The fewer things she had to carry, the better.

  Hefting the suitcase, she walked along the edge of the road. She hadn’t gone more than a few hundred yards when a car stopped. As soon as she turned to thank them, the man yelled, “I ain’t helping no stinkin’ Jap!” and sped away.

  After the third similar experience, Miko moved away from the road and kept hidden in the trees. It made travel difficult, but at least she didn’t have to deal with more insults and threats.

  An hour later, rain began to fall in a light sprinkle. Miko stopped long enough to pull on her raincoat. The drizzle swiftly increased to a downpour while the temperature dropped.

  Soaked to the skin, she wished she’d accepted the umbrella Sally had tried to talk her into taking. In fact, if she’d listened to Sally when she’d first insisted Miko accompany Pastor Clark home, she’d be with her family instead of in the middle of the forest, cold and afraid.

  The suitcase proved to be a heavy burden, but Miko wouldn’t leave it behind. With no idea of what she’d find when she arrived at the farm, she tightened her grip on the handle.

  Caught between the incessant rain, the gnawing worry that she wouldn’t reach her family, and the wall of trees closing around her on every side, she fought the urge to give in to despair.

  Weary beyond anything she’d ever experienced, Miko stopped to rest beneath the sprawling arms of a towering tree. The branches provided shelter against the relentless force of the rain. Darkness loomed as evening gave way to night.

  Miko sat on her suitcase and removed the wrapper from a candy bar Sally had tucked into her pocket as she was leaving. Grateful for her friend’s care, Miko ate the candy and assessed how far she’d come. Although she journeyed through the trees, she’d kept sight of the road so she wouldn’t lose her way.

  A stroll through the woods at night seemed a foolhardy endeavor at best, so she decided to walk on the road and hope no one would notice her.

  She rested until the throbbing pain in her feet eased, tipped her face up to the rain and drank, then drew on her reserve of strength to carry her home.

  The further she walked, the more her body revolted. Her feet hurt so badly, she winced with each step. The suitcase gained a pound of weight with each passing minute until her shoulders ached and arms quivered from the effort of lifting it.

  Every mile or two she stopped to rest. Twice she nodded off to sleep and awoke when she toppled off the suitcase she used as a seat.

  Hungry, chilled, and desperate, she forced her feet to continue moving forward.

  The rain ceased in the wee hours of the morning. By that time, Miko was half out of her mind with fatigue and fear. Absently, she wondered what the newspaper would report when someone found her rain-soaked body on the edge of the road. Would they cheer that America had one less “stinkin’ Jap” to torment with cruel words and unreasonable demands? Would anyone miss her? Why, oh why, hadn’t she listened to Sally weeks ago?

  Dazed and drained, Miko came to her senses as she reached a road she recognized in the predawn light. It led to a farm owned by one of her grandparents’ neighbors. If she cut through their pasture, it would save her a few miles of walking.

  She pushed down the wires of the fence and stepped over it, then reached back for her suitcase. The barbed wire caught her coat. Miko jerked it away from the snag and rolled her eyes in frustration when the fabric ripped.

  Anger, at herself for her own arrogance and stupidity as well as the circumstances that left her walking through the woods in the rain at night, fueled her steps. Indignation lent her spent body strength as she hurried across the pasture. A few cows tossed uninterested glances her direction, but none moved her way.

  Relieved when she reached the far end of the pasture, she hurried over the fence and along the edge of the trees that circled the vast acres her grandparents owned.

  The first fingers of dawn stretched across the drab sky as she stepped from the trees and swallowed back a sob at the sight of her grandparents’ produce stand. As long as Miko could remember, her family had sold produce from the red-painted structure filled with shelves and bins to hold every type of vegetable and fruit the fertile soil would grow.

  A hundred yards behind the produce stand, a white picket fence surrounded the cheery yellow bungalow home her grandparents had built in the mid-1920s. With a wide porch and a plethora of flowers surrounding all four sides, the house appeared welcoming. Beyond the yard, a barn and large storage building, along with a collection of outbuildings, alluded to a prosperous farm.

  With a prayer to find her family waiting inside for her, she raced up the front steps of the porch and tried the door. The knob rattled but didn’t turn, locked from the inside. Miko set down her suitcase and rushed around to the back door. In her haste, she tripped over the body of a man as he sprawled across the back step.

  Unconscious, the uniformed soldier shuddered against the chill in the air, his clothes every bit as wet as hers. At least his jerky tremors assured her he wasn’t dead.

  Panicked, she pounded on the door. “It’s Miko! Open the door! Please!” Fist banging against the wood, she called out to her grandparents, willing them to be there.

&nbs
p; All remained eerily silent in the house. Single-minded in her efforts to enter the dwelling, Miko stepped over the man and lifted a brick from the border edging the flowerbed. With a spare key in her hand, she jammed it in the lock and pushed the door open, rushing inside.

  She flicked on the lights in the kitchen and walked through the house, stunned by the empty stillness. On the verge of hysteria, she even checked the basement, but no one was there.

  Back in the kitchen, she noticed an envelope on the table with her name written across the front in her father’s bold script.

  Fingers clumsy with trepidation, she opened it, heartsick as she read the words.

  Dear Kamiko,

  I’m glad you made it safely to the farm. We waited as long as possible for you to arrive. I’m sorry we couldn’t wait a moment longer. The transportation we arranged to take us to the assembly center has arrived and we must go.

  The orders say anyone not at the center by noon tomorrow will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. For your sake, I hope you make it before the deadline. You need to come to the Pacific International Livestock and Exposition Center on the north end of town on Swift Boulevard.

  In the flurry of selling my business and our home, of packing up our belongings and moving them here, we simply put off contacting you. Now, I realize the grave error of that decision. I’m very sorry, daughter, that we didn’t contact you sooner and give you ample time to travel home.

  We all hope to see you soon, my beloved girl. No matter what happens, know that we love you. I admire the beautiful, strong, independent woman you have become.

  Regardless of what the future brings, take care and do what you think is best, Miko.

  All my love,

  Papa

  Miko reread the missive and laid the sheet of paper on the table. She had several hours to figure out a way to make it to the assembly center before the deadline.

  Suddenly, she recalled the man outside and dragged him into the house using the last ounce of strength she possessed.

  Worn beyond endurance, she sank onto a kitchen chair and glared at the handsome soldier as shivers besieged his body. “What am I supposed to do with you?”

  Available on Amazon!

  Grass Valley Cowboys Series

  Meet the Thompson family of the Triple T Ranch in Grass Valley, Oregon. Three handsome brothers, their rowdy friends, and the women who fall for them are at the heart of this sweet contemporary western romance series.

  The Cowboy’s Christmas Plan (Book 1) — Cadence Greer’s plans for a happy-ever-after are quickly derailed when her fiancé runs off with his secretary a week before their wedding. Homeless, jobless, and jilted, she escapes to Grass Valley, Oregon, where she takes a job as a housekeeper and cook to seven cowboys on a sprawling ranch.

  The Cowboy’s Spring Romance (Book 2) — Trent Thompson has carried a torch for the new schoolteacher since she moved to Grass Valley more than three years ago. Instead of asking her out, he’s dated every single female in a thirty-mile radius, giving her the impression he’s not interested in her at all.

  The Cowboy’s Summer Love (Book 3) — Always the wild-child, Travis Thompson doesn’t disappoint as he rolls from one adventure to another in his quest to keep his adrenaline pumping. He needs a release for the tension constantly building inside him, especially after he discovers the girl he’s loved his entire life just moved back to Grass Valley.

  The Cowboy’s Autumn Fall (Book 4) — Brice Morgan thought love at first sight was some ridiculous notion of schoolgirls and old ladies who read too many romance novels. At least he does until he meets Bailey Bishop at a friend’s wedding and falls hard and fast for the intriguing woman.

  The Cowboy’s New Heart (Book 5) — Years after her husband died unexpectedly, Denni Thompson can’t bear to think of giving her heart to anyone else. With three newly married sons, a grandchild on the way, and a busy life, Denni doesn’t give a thought to romance until she meets the handsome new owner of Grass Valley’s gas station.

  The Cowboy’s Last Goodbye (Book 6) — With his siblings and friends all entangled in the state of matrimony, Ben Morgan is more determined than ever to remain blissfully single. Despite his vehement refusal to commit to a relationship, he can’t help but envision a future with the sweet, charming woman who unknowingly captures his heart.

  Baker City Brides Series

  Determined women, strong men and a town known as the Denver of the Blue Mountains during its days of gold in the 1890s.

  Crumpets and Cowpies (Baker City Brides, Book 1) — Rancher Thane Jordan reluctantly travels to England to settle his brother’s estate only to find he’s inherited much more than he could possibly have imagined.

  Thimbles and Thistles (Baker City Brides, Book 2) — Maggie Dalton doesn't need a man, especially not one as handsome as charming as Ian MacGregor.

  Corsets and Cuffs (Baker City Brides, Book 3) — Sheriff Tully Barrett meets his match when a pampered woman comes to town, catching his eye and capturing his heart.

  Bobbins and Boots (Baker City Brides, Book 4) — Coming in 2017!

  Rodeo Romance Series

  Hunky rodeo cowboys tangle with independent sassy women who can’t help but love them.

  The Christmas Cowboy (Rodeo Romance, Book 1) — Among the top saddle bronc riders in the rodeo circuit, easy-going Tate Morgan can handle the toughest horse out there, but trying to handle the beautiful Kenzie Beckett is a completely different story. As the holiday season approaches, this Christmas Cowboy is going to need more than a little mistletoe to win her heart.

  Wrestlin’ Christmas (Rodeo Romance, Book 2) — Sidelined with a major injury, steer wrestler Cort McGraw struggles to come to terms with the end of his career. Shanghaied by his sister and best friend, he finds himself on a run-down ranch with a worrisome, albeit gorgeous widow, and her silent, solemn son.

  Capturing Christmas (Rodeo Romance, Book 3) — Life is hectic on a good day for rodeo stock contractor Kash Kressley. Between dodging flying hooves and babying cranky bulls, he barely has time to sleep. The last thing Kash needs is the entanglement of a sweet romance, especially with a woman as full of fire and sass as the redheaded photographer he meets at a rodeo.

  Pendleton Petticoats Series

  Set in the western town of Pendleton, Oregon, at the turn of the 20th century, each book in this series bears the name of the heroine, all brave yet very different.

  Dacey (Prelude) — A conniving mother, a reluctant groom and a desperate bride make for a lively adventure full of sweet romance in this prelude to the beginning of the series.

  Aundy (Book 1) — Aundy Thorsen, a stubborn mail-order bride, finds the courage to carry on when she's widowed before ever truly becoming a wife, but opening her heart to love again may be more than she can bear.

  Caterina (Book 2) — Running from a man intent on marrying her, Caterina Campanelli starts a new life in Pendleton, completely unprepared for the passionate feelings stirred in her by the town's incredibly handsome deputy sheriff.

  Ilsa (Book 3) — Desperate to escape her wicked aunt and an unthinkable future, Ilsa Thorsen finds herself on her sister's ranch in Pendleton. Not only are the dust and smells more than she can bear, but Tony Campanelli seems bent on making her his special project.

  Marnie (Book 4) — Beyond all hope for a happy future, Marnie Jones struggles to deal with her roiling emotions when U.S. Marshal Lars Thorsen rides into town, tearing down the walls she’s erected around her heart.

  Lacy (Book 5) — Bound by tradition and responsibilities, Lacy has to choose between the ties that bind her to the past and the unexpected love that will carry her into the future.

  Bertie (Book 6) — Haunted by the trauma of her past, Bertie Hawkins must open her heart to love if she has any hope for the future.

  Millie (Book 7) — Determined to bring prohibition to town, the last thing Millie Matlock expects is to fall for the charming owner of the Second Chance Saloon.

  And don’t miss Ni
k’s story coming in 2017!

  Books by Shanna Hatfield

  FICTION

  HISTORICAL

  Baker City Brides

  Crumpets and Cowpies

  Thimbles and Thistles

  Corsets and Cuffs

  Pendleton Petticoats

  Dacey

  Aundy

  Caterina

  Ilsa

  Marnie

  Lacy

  Bertie

  Millie

  Hearts of the War

  Garden of Her Heart

  Hardman Holidays

  The Christmas Bargain

  The Christmas Token

  The Christmas Calamity

  The Christmas Vow

  The Christmas Quandary

  CONTEMPORARY

  Learnin’ The Ropes

  Love at the 20-Yard Line

  QR Code Killer

  Grass Valley Cowboys

  The Cowboy’s Christmas Plan

  The Cowboy’s Spring Romance

  The Cowboy’s Summer Love

  The Cowboy’s Autumn Fall

  The Cowboy’s New Heart

  The Cowboy’s Last Goodbye

  Holiday Brides

  Valentine Bride

  Rodeo Romance

  The Christmas Cowboy

  Wrestlin’ Christmas

  Capturing Christmas

  Barreling Through Christmas

  Silverton Sweethearts