Read Online White Christmas by Tanya Stowe - Free Book Online Page A

online presence. Now that’s a very promising project.”
    Tessa’s mother cleared her throat and her dad halted. “That’s my cue. No more work talk.”
    “We’ll see you two at the dance,” her mother said, as she shook Chad’s hand. “Have fun at dinner. You and I need to get dressed,” she said, taking her father’s arm and tugging him gently towards the stairs.
    Tessa slid into her coat.
    Chad helped her.
    As they stepped outside she said, “My mother was just trying to help us get away. It won’t take them that long to get ready. The dance is very casual and we’re overdressed. When we get there, everyone’s going to stare.”
    Chad paused with her car door open. “That’s not why they’ll be staring.” His gaze traced over her face, slowly, then settled on her lips, leaving no doubt in her mind that he liked the way she looked.
    Heat came into her cheeks and then it ran down her neck and arms to her fingertips. If her fingers hadn’t been tingling, she would have reached up and ran them along his lips, just to see if they were as full and firm as they seemed. But she was trembling and it all happened so fast. Her own natural caution held her back. She turned away and slid inside the car.
    Chad came around and climbed in. As they pulled out of the driveway, he pointed next door to the long, low building that housed her parents’ print shop and the newspaper offices.
    “So have your parents always worked here together?”
    “Yes. My dad was an intern here in high school. Then when he graduated from college, he and mom married. They bought the business from the old owner and they’ve been here ever since.”
    “Do you miss it here, living in the city?”
    Tessa slowly shook her head. “Not as much as I could. I always planned to come back here. When I’m done traveling and working, I want to build a little house on Grandpa’s ranch. There’s this spot I found when I was a little girl. It looks out on the whole valley, across the Petrified forest all the way to the Painted Desert beyond.” She smiled just thinking about it. “When I was little I asked Grandpa if I could buy it from him. He said it would cost me a lot of money. I told him it was worth it and I’d start now. I gave him two pennies out of my pocket. He said he’d take it as my first payment.”
    “Only fourteen thousand, nine hundred, ninety eight dollars to go on the acre,” Chad said with a smile.
    “A lot less than that,” Tessa said. “Over the years I paid him thirty dollars in change and now I have five thousand in savings.” Her voice dropped at the last and she caught her lip in her teeth and turned away.
    Neither of them mentioned the fact that she’d never have the acre now that her grandfather had to sell the ranch.
    They were at the stop light at the main intersection of town and Chad turned to her.
    “Will you show it to me?” he asked.
    “Now?”
    “Why not? We have at least half an hour before dark. Can we make it there in that time?”
    Tessa’s lips parted in surprise. Impulsively she said, “Turn right here.”
    Chad flipped the blinker and headed out. He followed Tessa’s directions out of town and on to the narrow lane that led to the ranch.
    When she told him to slow down onto the dirt road, she wondered if Nell’s car was up to the trip.
    “She’s as dependable as Nell,” Chad said patting the wheel.
    “She may be dependable but she’ll also be covered in dust,” Tessa said, as plumes of dirt kicked up behind them.
    “I worked my way through high school in a car wash. I think I can get it back in good shape.”
    At each bump, Tessa would cringe and Chad would pat the steering wheel, coaxing the car to be brave and not give up. At last, the dirt road ended in a large rounded boulder. It was about thirty feet wide and ten feet high.
    “This is where we get out,” Tessa said, opening the door and fairly leaping out of the car. She hurried over to the boulder and came to a stop. Looking