Christmas in Whitehorn by Susan Mallery

Author:Susan Mallery [Mallery, Susan]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Contemporary, Fiction, Romance, General, Christian, Man-Woman Relationships, Love Stories, Christmas Stories, Montana, Neighbors, Neighborliness
ISBN: 9780373362271
Publisher: Silhouette
Published: 2001-01-01T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Darcy knocked on the counseling office door. Andrew looked up and waved her in.

"I didn't expect to see you until the weekend," he said.

She took the seat opposite his. "I just wanted to drop by and say hi to Dirk."

Andrew raised his eyebrows. "We're fifty miles from Whitehorn on a two-lane farm road, Darcy. Is there a problem?"

"No. Really. I'm fine. How's Dirk?"

"Making great progress." Andrew leaned back in his chair. "Some things are easier for him to grasp than others. You know our goal here is help our students be as self-sufficient as possible in the real world. Dirk will never be a CEO of a major company but, as I told you when he first arrived, I think there are a lot of opportunities for him. Now that I've worked with him for six months, I don't see any reason to change my opinion. If anything, I'm more confident."

"Thanks." She fidgeted with the strap of her purse. "I'm still going to be able to make monthly payments, right?"

"Absolutely." Andrew chuckled. "Actually, you've caught me in the middle of putting together a financial-aid package for you. Now that Dirk has been here long enough for us to evaluate him, we're going to start the process of applying for scholarship and grant money."

"You can do that?" she asked, not daring to hope.

"We can try. We don't talk about it as an option when we get a new student because there are restrictions. One of them is how much the student can be helped. Our belief is that Dirk will be about ninety percent self-sufficient by the time he leaves here. He'll be able to hold down a job, live on his own and, within reason, support himself. That and the fact that he doesn't have any financial resources makes him eligible."

Darcy bristled. "I pay for things. I've never been late with a tuition payment."

"Hey, don't make me the bad guy. The foundations we work with don't consider you a primary source of income. You're a sibling, not a parent. This is a good thing. It makes Dirk more eligible for funding."

"Oh." She considered the information. "I'm not going to start planning a trip to Hawaii or anything, but if we could get some financial aid, it would really help."

Andrew nodded, his expression turning serious. "I know you're hanging on by a thread, Darcy. Don't give up. I'm guessing within six months, we'll have funding for at least three-quarters of his tuition."

"That would be terrific," she admitted. "Some months it's difficult to pay all my bills." If the funding came through she might actually be able to save money for an emergency.

"We're not cheap," Andrew admitted. "I like to think we're worth it." He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the desk. "What else is wrong, Darcy? You don't seem to be your normal, cheerful self today."

She shrugged. "Just life. You know – there's always something."

"I'm a professional. I'm willing to listen."

"That sounds really tempting, but you're Dirk's counselor, not mine.

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