stunned, as if someone had knocked the wind from him. Not only was there a teaching job for him, but one that started in a few short weeks. He lowered the letter to his lap and rubbed at his eye. Should he accept? Was this the path God intended for him to take? What about his mother and Uncle Lester and the bank?
What about Maria?
He couldn’t imagine leaving her behind, not when he loved her. Not when she’d brought hope and happiness back into his life. But what did he have to offer her? He might be closer to doing what he loved as a teacher of medicine, but his modest salary was likely to be even less than what his uncle had promised him as bank manager. He’d be taking her farther from her family, too, and he hated the idea of asking her to give up her own beloved job so he could pursue his.
Picking up the letter again, he scanned the doctor’s proposal a second time. Would he mind trading loans and mortgages for lectures and textbooks? Anticipation rippled through him at the prospect.
Dale stood and pocketed the letter. “Mother?” he called back toward the kitchen. “There are some Christmas cards for you to read through. I’m going over to Lester’s for a bit.”
“I thought you were going dancing with Maria.”
“I’ll be back before then,” he said as he pulled his coat and winter cap from the hat stand.
He slipped back out into the wintery afternoon and drew his coat tight around him. He knew in his heart what he wanted to do. But first he needed the blessing of his uncle. And then he had to figure out how in the world to tell Maria.
* * *
Maria looped her arm through Dale’s and snuggled closer to his side as they moved down the sidewalk, the sounds from the dance hall behind them mingling with the frost-tinged air. Her cheeks still felt flushed from dancing, but she’d had a marvelous time. Dale had proven to be as adept on his feet as she was, and she’d enjoyed the numerous opportunities to dance in his arms.
“Did you have fun?” he asked, his breath coming out in white puffs.
“Very much. I didn’t know Dr. Emerson could dance.” She smiled up at him, but instead of returning the gesture, the lines around his mouth tightened. There’d been more than one moment tonight when she thought he looked distracted.
“Come on,” she teased lightly, squeezing his arm. “You can’t say you can’t dance or that you didn’t enjoy yourself, too.”
Finally his mouth turned up in a smile. “You’re right. As usual.”
She laughed, and they continued on for another block in comfortable silence. The stars glittered in the sky overhead and everywhere Maria looked she saw signs of Christmas’s pending arrival—the wreaths adorning front doors and lampposts, trees in the front windows, and the thin layer of snow on the rooftops and yards.
How quickly—and wonderfully—life could change from year to year. Last Christmas she’d still been pining over Friedrick and frustrated over how to attract his attention. But this year…She glanced up at Dale, a feeling of joy rising inside her. This year she was really and truly in love with someone she very much suspected loved her right back.
She might have helped Dale these past few weeks, but he’d helped her, too. With Dale, she felt valued and cherished for simply being herself. And it felt as glorious and hopeful as the Christmas holiday itself.
Dale stopped walking a block from the boardinghouse. The light from the nearest lamppost couldn’t quite reach them, but Maria could still see the intensity in his gaze. A fission of pleasure raced through her middle at the thought that he might confess his feelings for her or perhaps steal a kiss. She hadn’t been ready, for either one, the other night after they’d decorated the tree. She’d felt too vulnerable over her boldness in touching his face and kissing his cheek. But tonight, she wanted to sing carols to the stars and share a real kiss with the man before her.
Dale
What about Maria?
He couldn’t imagine leaving her behind, not when he loved her. Not when she’d brought hope and happiness back into his life. But what did he have to offer her? He might be closer to doing what he loved as a teacher of medicine, but his modest salary was likely to be even less than what his uncle had promised him as bank manager. He’d be taking her farther from her family, too, and he hated the idea of asking her to give up her own beloved job so he could pursue his.
Picking up the letter again, he scanned the doctor’s proposal a second time. Would he mind trading loans and mortgages for lectures and textbooks? Anticipation rippled through him at the prospect.
Dale stood and pocketed the letter. “Mother?” he called back toward the kitchen. “There are some Christmas cards for you to read through. I’m going over to Lester’s for a bit.”
“I thought you were going dancing with Maria.”
“I’ll be back before then,” he said as he pulled his coat and winter cap from the hat stand.
He slipped back out into the wintery afternoon and drew his coat tight around him. He knew in his heart what he wanted to do. But first he needed the blessing of his uncle. And then he had to figure out how in the world to tell Maria.
* * *
Maria looped her arm through Dale’s and snuggled closer to his side as they moved down the sidewalk, the sounds from the dance hall behind them mingling with the frost-tinged air. Her cheeks still felt flushed from dancing, but she’d had a marvelous time. Dale had proven to be as adept on his feet as she was, and she’d enjoyed the numerous opportunities to dance in his arms.
“Did you have fun?” he asked, his breath coming out in white puffs.
“Very much. I didn’t know Dr. Emerson could dance.” She smiled up at him, but instead of returning the gesture, the lines around his mouth tightened. There’d been more than one moment tonight when she thought he looked distracted.
“Come on,” she teased lightly, squeezing his arm. “You can’t say you can’t dance or that you didn’t enjoy yourself, too.”
Finally his mouth turned up in a smile. “You’re right. As usual.”
She laughed, and they continued on for another block in comfortable silence. The stars glittered in the sky overhead and everywhere Maria looked she saw signs of Christmas’s pending arrival—the wreaths adorning front doors and lampposts, trees in the front windows, and the thin layer of snow on the rooftops and yards.
How quickly—and wonderfully—life could change from year to year. Last Christmas she’d still been pining over Friedrick and frustrated over how to attract his attention. But this year…She glanced up at Dale, a feeling of joy rising inside her. This year she was really and truly in love with someone she very much suspected loved her right back.
She might have helped Dale these past few weeks, but he’d helped her, too. With Dale, she felt valued and cherished for simply being herself. And it felt as glorious and hopeful as the Christmas holiday itself.
Dale stopped walking a block from the boardinghouse. The light from the nearest lamppost couldn’t quite reach them, but Maria could still see the intensity in his gaze. A fission of pleasure raced through her middle at the thought that he might confess his feelings for her or perhaps steal a kiss. She hadn’t been ready, for either one, the other night after they’d decorated the tree. She’d felt too vulnerable over her boldness in touching his face and kissing his cheek. But tonight, she wanted to sing carols to the stars and share a real kiss with the man before her.
Dale
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