Santa's Sweetheart (The Christmas Tree Ranch #4)(54)
What frightened her was her own insecurity—her tendency to bolt like a spooked horse at the first sign of trouble. She’d made so many mistakes. The wrong decision now could turn out to be her biggest mistake ever.
“Good morning, Miss Chapman.” Maggie, still in her nightgown, stood at the entrance to the hallway. Her curls were tousled, her eyelids still droopy from sleep.
“Good morning, Maggie.” Grace gave her a smile. “I was about to make some breakfast. Is there anything special you’d like?”
“Could we have waffles? There’s some mix in the cupboard. The waffle iron is in the cabinet by the dishwasher.”
“Waffles it is. Anything else?”
“Could we have cocoa, with marshmallows? This will be our last breakfast together before you go home. Cocoa will make it special.”
Oh, Maggie! Grace struggled to ignore the tug at her heart.
“Go get washed up and dressed. By the time you’re ready for school, your breakfast will be on the table. Do you need any help?”
“No. I always get ready by myself.”
Wide-awake now, Maggie skipped back down the hall toward her room. Grace took a moment to put the laundry in the dryer, then busied herself with fixing breakfast. Between the syrupy waffles and the cocoa, Maggie would probably be on a sugar high for the rest of the day, but what did it matter? As the little girl had said, this morning was special.
She planned to take Maggie with her to school this morning and drive her home at the end of the day. By then, Sam would be there. Grace would be expected to come in, of course, but she didn’t plan to stay long. With the pressure of her unresolved decision weighing on her mind, she wouldn’t feel much like talking. She could only hope Sam wouldn’t press her for any future plans.
After breakfast, they loaded the dishwasher and tidied up the kitchen. While Maggie was gathering her books for school, Grace put on her tweed blazer, with Jess’s cassette recorder still in the pocket, slipped her warm winter coat over that, and loaded her suitcase into the trunk of the car. After a last-minute check of the house, she gave Maggie the key to hide under the doormat, and they left for school.
“I’m sorry you aren’t coming back tonight,” Maggie said as they turned onto the street that led to the school. “We had such a good time. I wish you could stay forever.”
“Now, Maggie, you know better than that,” Grace said.
“Yes, I know.” Maggie sighed. “But I can still wish.”
*
True to her word, Maggie behaved naturally at school and did nothing to call attention to herself. But with less than three days of school left before the break, the Christmas crazies were in full swing. With twenty-five chattering, wiggling, teasing children in her charge, Grace had her hands full.
It didn’t help that she hadn’t slept the night before, or that she’d been too busy over the weekend to go over her lesson plans. But she was experienced enough to be resourceful. She divided the students into teams and set up a math competition that kept them busy until time for morning recess.
After helping her students bundle up and shooing them outside to run off energy in the cold, Grace retreated to the teachers’ lounge for a much-needed cup of coffee.
Finding herself alone, she filled her mug from the carafe and drank it black. The coffee was barely warm, but at least the caffeine jolt would help her feel more alert. The day wasn’t going to get any easier.
“Grace.”
She turned, her heart sinking at the sound of an all-too-familiar voice. Ed Judkins had stepped into the room. He wasn’t smiling. “Do you have a few minutes? I’d like a word with you,” he said.
“Can it wait? Recess is almost over. My students will be coming back inside.”
“Fine. Drop by my office at lunchtime. I’ll be expecting you.”
He walked out, giving her no chance to reply. Grace’s nerves were crawling. This wasn’t his usual creepy-friendly approach. Something was up, and she had the feeling she wasn’t going to like it.
After recess, she ran the class through the songs they’d be singing in the Christmas program. There was an old piano in the room and Grace could play well enough to manage the simple arrangements in the Christmas songbook. They’d have a better accompanist for the Wednesday morning program, after which the students would go home with their families to begin the two-week holiday vacation.
As she played the piano, Grace couldn’t help glancing at the clock. Lunchtime was getting closer. She probably wouldn’t have time to eat after her meeting with the principal, but given her nervous stomach, food might not be the best idea.
She remembered Jess’s mini cassette recorder in her pocket. She had yet to use it, but that was about to change. Whatever Ed Judkins had in store for her, she needed to do everything possible to protect herself.
She’d begun to read the class the story of the Grinch who stole Christmas, giving voices to the characters, when the lunch bell rang. Promising to finish the story after lunch, she lined the students up and marched them to the cafeteria. From there, she turned around and walked back to the principal’s office.
The volunteer manning the reception desk gave her a nod as she passed through the outer office. Outside the principal’s door, Grace reached into her pocket and switched on the recorder. It vibrated slightly against her hand. Hopefully, it was working. And hopefully, it wouldn’t be needed.