High Country Christmas. Cynthia Thomason

Читать онлайн.
Название High Country Christmas
Автор произведения Cynthia Thomason
Жанр Короткие любовные романы
Серия A Findlay Roads Story
Издательство Короткие любовные романы
Год выпуска 0
isbn 9781474094719



Скачать книгу

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.”

      Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

      Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

      Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

      Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.

/9j/4RohRXhpZgAATU0AKgAAAAgABwESAAMAAAABAAEAAAEaAAUAAAABAAAAYgEbAAUAAAABAAAA agEoAAMAAAABAAIAAAExAAIAAAAeAAAAcgEyAAIAAAAUAAAAkIdpAAQAAAABAAAApAAAANAALcbA AAAnEAAtxsAAACcQQWRvYmUgUGhvdG9zaG9wIENTNS4xIFdpbmRvd3MAMjAxOTowMToyOSAwOTo0 Nzo1NAAAA6ABAAMAAAABAAEAAKACAAQAAAABAAAGZaADAAQAAAABAAAKKAAAAAAAAAAGAQMAAwAA AAEABgAAARoABQAAAAEAAAEeARsABQAAAAEAAAEmASgAAwAAAAEAAgAAAgEABAAAAAEAAAEuAgIA BAAAAAEAABjrAAAAAAAAAEgAAAABAAAASAAAAAH/2P/tAAxBZG9iZV9DTQAB/+4ADkFkb2JlAGSA AAAAAf/bAIQADAgICAkIDAkJDBELCgsRFQ8MDA8VGBMTFRMTGBEMDAwMDAwRDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwM DAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAENCwsNDg0QDg4QFA4ODhQUDg4ODhQRDAwMDAwREQwMDAwMDBEMDAwM DAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwMDAwM/8AAEQgAoABlAwEiAAIRAQMRAf/dAAQAB//EAT8AAAEF AQEBAQEBAAAAAAAAAAMAAQIEBQYHCAkKCwEAAQUBAQEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAQACAwQFBgcICQoLEAAB BAEDAgQCBQcGCAUDDDMBAAIRAwQhEjEFQVFhEyJxgTIGFJGhsUIjJBVSwWIzNHKC0UMHJZJT8OHx Y3M1FqKygyZEk1RkRcKjdDYX0lXiZfKzhMPTdePzRieUpIW0lcTU5PSltcXV5fVWZnaGlqa2xtbm 9jdHV2d3h5ent8fX5/cRAAICAQIEBAMEBQYHBwYFNQEAAhEDITESBEFRYXEiEwUygZEUobFCI8FS 0fAzJGLhcoKSQ1MVY3M08SUGFqKygwcmNcLSRJNUoxdkRVU2dGXi8rOEw9N14/NGlKSFtJXE1OT0 pbXF1eX1VmZ2hpamtsbW5vYnN0dXZ3eHl6e3x//aAAwDAQACEQMRAD8A5p1hBkGCrWBbkNt+1UVF 5r1c2CWkfnb/AOSqQBe9rP3iBPxMLq6uk5NDMplOYaq8GsOd+jMODm+rtr/eTeZywxxAlVyHXirh uMP0OL991MMoGRE5cMa27lwc70nupswmupqINjq9SWkn3+0fmKGT1FllewsDSPodj/WLf5S6X9l5 4uxWV5lTbc6kmuWEexoD37/89YPWzQ+2kPtZblYoezIsY2GCHbcdrv5ejnqPDlhllCNcXDdSBlxD 5vm4ofvQ4F/M4IZTEwyCR9Ma/qQhwcX+DwNRllNYByCbbHgSw6taP5X7zlp9N6Pm9U2v1xsHuWgB 5HgyBtas/A6ZblPFj5bTM7z9J39T9xv8pd50er0scAHQnjU8aKTPkENI/N/0V8cghH28URCOxMfm l/en+mn6d07Aw6PRx6mgDUuIG4mPpvd++rbK2CAB8fBSAaNe3MeCVmRj1ML7HtYxolznGAB/KKp6 nc6sRLPZA8lH0u/JWbf9ZcSredlhqrbu9TaQHT9HbP8A35D6d9a+n5l/2ctfTY4B1ZdDmvB09rq9 21+7/B2+mjwWLrQI9Q+rh/Wb6vnEcc/CYTQ4k31D8wn/AAjB/on/APQWBXe4e5p4XqT2te1zXD2k Q4HuCvMOr4Q6f1TIxWfzbTuq0Ihrvc1o3fufQ3qzy8+K4S1IFg/1UE8PqGnkn+1DZMDfEgpLO267 d3uiY8/BJTe1H9q77yf3Y/4o3/e/vP8A/9DlGOYOTHgR2K6LE+tXUHVAV2SaxDgdpPh+6ubdTZMM G4+ARqqMrHfXkANmdWHuB+a9OzYsOQDjEZH9ESbePmI45WYxmDpwy/lJ6R31o6m4Oe7a2qr6dha0 x32M/luWF06l/V891uQ6dxN1oAMFzjudMDb7faxVM7Jvvc9zwGMb/N1M0aCT+a1dV0fD+yYtTA3a SA54/lEd1GMcOXxmUIxhOenp6fVs+77lVAY4kbDrr/gtzHomwMgxx/5it3FHo1/pDrw0DwVbFpFT PVP854d1HIz66KvWcC/b7WtbyXcw1UySSupbrfWRgY8Mh+XbIx6f/Rz/APg2rlqepZF+WMnOf6wG tNWvpgg/Taz/AEbP3v525Xc3Hzc5t2Zk1FhsAYwgztY06VbB+a//AAj1d6f0jpZLbmg3P09z+0fm hv5qkEoRgb1J0JH/AHzIMdEHsjsqGdS5lk1VvduDnc2OP0fWb9Jm38xjVnv6TZh2h5c1rR8y4zLW tH7v5y6xtNQGyGBp4BgKpndOs2EDY1nJJ4j+r/JUMcko6DSHUMg4Sdd+iT6v3b6du4kGXtBMwC5w cxs/mNc32Ln/AK/0srycbJYwh9jXMc8cHbq0f1tVo9Cc4ZR2WfohWNzCNffD27Xf6/zixfr40jOo eHy2yuHM3d2k7Xel/a/nFY5Yfrojz/3mrzOgJ8nC9Vu7fPu2/wDS4SVeW8SktDgDU43/0eVxMprL Itn03aE+C0rL63MYN