The Sweetest Thing Read online

  Noah wanted to hold her in his arms and tell her everything would be okay. But he couldn’t. “This could change your lives. Let me help your dad rebuild his career.”

  Her gaze dropped to the website. “I’ll talk to him tonight.”

  Noah let go of the breath he was holding. “If he has any questions, he can call me.”

  Cassie nodded. “Where are you staying?”

  “I’m not sure. I’ll head into town and see what’s available.”

  “There’s a big music festival in Polson this weekend. You’ll be lucky to find a vacancy anywhere around here.”

  Noah hadn’t thought to book his accommodation before he’d left New York. He’d assumed there would be plenty of options available. “I’ll go online and call a few places.”

  “If you don’t find anything, you could stay in Acorn Cottage. My next guests don’t arrive until Monday morning.”

  There was nothing Noah would like better than to stay close to Cassie, but it might not be the best thing to do. “I’ll make some calls and let you know. Thanks for listening to me.”

  Cassie walked to the front door with him. When she lifted her gaze, her blue eyes were filled with concern. “I’ll call you as soon as I’ve spoken to Dad.”

  Noah nodded and left her cottage. The next few hours could make or break his plans to dominate the exclusive jewelry market. If Cassie and her father didn’t want to be part of the journey, he would have to find another way to change their minds.

  Not long after Noah left, Cassie called her dad. So far, the conversation had been nothing out of the ordinary, but that was about to change. “I’ve got something I want to ask you.”

  “What is it?”

  Cassie could hear the smile in her dad’s voice, but it might not be there for long. “I had a visit from Noah Devlin, the man who stayed at Acorn Cottage.”

  “His name is familiar. Did he leave something behind?”

  “Not exactly. He’s the chief executive of Wilson Enterprises.”

  Silence stretched between them.

  Cassie bit her bottom lip. “My friend Sam entered me in a big jewelry competition that his company sponsors. I won.”

  “You’re not talking about the Wilson Award, are you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Cassie, that’s amazing. When did you find out?”

  She scuffed the toe of her sneaker on the wooden floor. “A couple of months ago.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  Her dad sounded more confused than annoyed, but it was hard to tell when they were hundreds of miles apart. “I thought you wouldn’t want me to have anything to do with them.”

  “Oh, baby girl. Wilson Enterprises didn’t accuse me of copying the designs. They were only doing what any other company would have done. They trusted Emanuel to tell the truth and he let them down.”

  Cassie was more upset than her dad. “But Mom—”

  “Your mom hated what happened, but she never hated Wilson Enterprises or Emanuel. At the time, I never understood how she could be so forgiving. She used to tell me there was no point holding all that anger inside. Even when we were living in the shelter, she was happy. Your mom cherished the time we had together, regardless of what was happening. She had the two people she loved most in her life beside her and she’d had a wonderful life. That’s more than a lot of people can say.”

  Hot tears fell down Cassie’s face. Over the last few weeks she’d missed her mom more than ever. She’d give anything to be able to hold her once more, to tell her what was happening and to listen to her gentle words of wisdom.

  “Now tell me about the award. How did Sam submit your entry without you knowing about it?”

  Cassie wiped her eyes and took a deep breath. “She took some photos of the ruby and gold necklace I made five months ago and filled in the online form. When I first heard I’d won, I thought it was a hoax. It turns out it wasn’t.”

  “When do you receive the award?”

  “There’s a presentation dinner in Manhattan soon. I’m not going.”

  “Cassie Anne Harper. You cannot be serious.”

  Her dad hadn’t called her by her full name for so long that it made her feel better. “You’ve worked hard to rebuild your career. I was worried someone would link the two of us together and bring up the trial. I don’t want to risk your job for the sake of a few new clients.”

  “You don’t need to worry. Steve is a great boss. If anyone tries to derail my career, they’ll have to answer to both of us.”

  “It might not be enough. I know you have a great working relationship, but some reporters are ruthless. I told Noah two weeks ago that I’m not going.”

  “If you’ve already told him, why did he come back to Sapphire Bay?”

  Cassie took a deep breath. “That’s what I want to talk to you about. He has an offer for both of us. Noah wants us to design jewelry for his company.”

  “Why does he want me to work for him?”

  “He saw some of your jewelry and was impressed. He wants to promote us as the first father-daughter team to work with his company.”

  “Exclusively?”

  “I think so.”

  “I can’t do it, Cassie. Steve stood beside me through all the bad publicity. I can’t leave.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “I like living and working in San Francisco. But what about you? Just because I’m not interested, it doesn’t mean you can’t be part of Noah’s company.”

  “I’m happy working in Sapphire Bay.”

  “You’ve worked so hard, Cassie. If this man’s company is willing to pay you more than you would earn in your store, you should make the most of the opportunity.”

  “Money isn’t everything.”

  Her dad sighed. “Five years ago, I would have agreed with you. Money might not be everything, but it’s important. Don’t throw away his offer because of me. I can look after myself.”

  “I know you can. But I don’t want to go back to what it was like during the trial.”

  “Nothing can be as bad as that.”

  Remembering what had happened made Cassie sad, so she forced herself to think about something else. “What have you been doing?”

  While her dad told her about the Christmas pendants he was creating, Cassie warmed a bowl of soup in the microwave. It wasn’t until they’d finished their call that she began to relax.

  Living in Los Angeles and San Francisco had been harrowing. Even now, whenever she got stressed, she would wake up in a cold sweat, reliving the nightmare their lives had become.

  Before the trial, she’d never been scared of taking risks, of pushing the limits of what people expected from her. But now it was different. She needed to know she was safe, that she had enough money to pay her bills and live a comfortable life.

  What Noah was proposing could give her all those things or take everything away.

  With a heavy heart, she buttered some toast. She could always ask Noah about his offer. It didn’t mean she would say yes. It could work as long as they remembered that afterward, they could go their separate ways and live perfectly happy lives. Or maybe not.

  The next day, Noah walked into the Connect Church, looking for Pastor John. The reception area looked completely different from when he’d last seen it. On the night of the auction, the large open space was filled with people looking forward to buying one of the donated items.

  Today, the only people he saw were a group of teenagers sitting in some overstuffed sofas. Their excited conversation and loud laughter made him feel a hundred years old. He couldn’t remember a time when he was as happy and carefree as they were.

  He glanced at his watch. He wasn’t meeting John for another ten minutes. Instead of waiting in the reception area, he decided to head toward the café and buy his first cup of coffee for the day.

  Noah had spent the night in Acorn Cottage, grateful that Cassie had been able to accommodate him. She was right about finding somewhere to sle
ep. People going to the Country Music Festival had booked every available bed along the eastern shore of Flathead Lake.

  Not only had Cassie given him the keys to the cottage, but she’d given him hot soup and toast. Most women he knew would have told him to find somewhere else to stay, but not Cassie. She was still disappointed he’d used the tiny home project as a bribe, but that didn’t stop her from making sure he was all right.

  It was her kindness that made him feel guilty. She wouldn’t intentionally do anything to hurt someone, but Noah didn’t know if he could say the same about himself. He wasn’t proud of some of the choices he’d made, but they’d enabled him to build a successful company that provided jobs for a lot of people. Hopefully, what he did today would make up for some of those decisions.

  His footsteps slowed as he entered the café. It smelled divine, like the best combination of gingerbread and chocolate he could imagine. He took another deep breath and sighed. This was where he needed to be, even if his nerves were strung tight. Waiting for Cassie’s decision about whether she’d work with him wasn’t easy. Pastor John would be a welcome distraction.

  Noah looked around the room. A huge glass window separated the café from the commercial kitchen. John stood behind the kitchen counter, watching a group of teenagers bake something. For such a busy man, he was incredibly patient. He kept a careful eye on each student, watching what they were doing, and answering their questions.

  Cassie had mentioned something about Pastor John’s hospitality classes. Being a pastor and a cook was a strange combination, but it looked as though it was working. The students were focused, engaged, and seemed to be enjoying what they were doing.

  He wondered what had brought John to Sapphire Bay and, more importantly, why he stayed. There were plenty of cities that could benefit from his enthusiasm and drive, plenty of people who needed someone to make a difference in their lives. But John continued to live here, to use his limited resources to create a town people were proud to call home.

  “He’s wonderful with the students, isn’t he?”

  Noah turned and looked at the woman standing beside him. It was Megan, Cassie’s friend. “They’re listening to everything he says.”

  “Some of the teenagers don’t have father figures in their lives. If you want a role model, you couldn’t ask for better than John.” Megan frowned. “It’s good to see you, but why are you here? Cassie said you’d gone back to New York City.”

  “I did, but I needed to see John about something.” He didn’t know how much Cassie had told Megan about him, but she couldn’t have told her everything. He was sure she would have been acting differently if she knew he’d tried to blackmail her best friend.

  “Welcome back. How long are you staying?”

  “Until tomorrow.”

  The students burst into laughter, then started clapping as John held up a cake.

  Megan looked at the teenagers and sighed. “They’re great kids. I wish we had more job opportunities for them once they finished the program. Most young people end up leaving Sapphire Bay to find work in other towns.”

  “It’s probably the same in most small communities.”

  “Perhaps, but it doesn’t need to be that way.” She looked at her watch. “You’ll have to excuse me. I’m about to show everyone how to decorate a birthday cake. I’ll tell John you’re here.”

  And before Noah could say thank you, she was halfway across the room, waving at the students who greeted her.

  Five minutes later, Noah was shaking Pastor John’s hand. “I’m sorry if I interrupted your class.”

  John’s smile was reassuring. “You’ve got perfect timing but, I must admit, I was surprised to hear from you.”

  “It’s easier to talk in person about the tiny home village.”

  “I’m happy you want to know more about it. Let’s grab some coffee before we go into my office. Did you get all the information I emailed through to you?”

  “I did. Thanks for sending it so quickly.”

  “It wasn’t a problem. Everything is in one folder, waiting to be sent to prospective funders.” Instead of waiting in line, John took Noah through a side door and into the kitchen. “Being able to make my own coffee is one of the perks of the job,” he whispered as Megan began her class. “It took me a week to master the commercial coffee maker, but it was worth the effort. What would you like?”

  “Anything with cream and sugar would be great.”

  John smiled. “I know just the thing.”

  By the time they were sitting in John’s office, Noah was wondering what other skills the pastor of the Connect Church had mastered. It didn’t take long to realize that John knew his way around trust deeds, project plans, and construction schedules.

  “Do you think the tiny home village is something your company’s trust would be interested in supporting?” John asked.

  “It has a good chance of getting our financial backing. The whole concept is innovative and builds on the paying forward principle that the trust values. The feasibility report and the information from the planning department look positive. Is the land you want to purchase still available?”

  “It is. If you want to look at it, it isn’t far from here.”

  “That sounds like a great idea.”

  After they finished their coffee they walked to where the first tiny home would be built.

  Noah asked more questions about the project. John’s answers made Noah even more impressed with what the church wanted to achieve. Considering their limited budget, John was hoping to provide services and facilities that were better than larger towns could deliver.

  When they stopped to look at the land, Noah’s eyebrows rose. John wasn’t exaggerating when he said it was close to the church. The first tiny home would be a five-minute walk from the main reception area.

  As he opened a large sheet of paper, John pointed to a house partly hidden behind some trees. “We’ll use the existing homes as communal spaces until we can afford something else. They will provide kitchen and recreation areas for the tiny homes positioned around them. Some of the land will become communal gardens. The residents will grow their own fruit and vegetables. Anything left over will be used by The Welcome Center.”

  Noah studied the architect’s drawings, then looked at the properties. He could see why Cassie was so excited. He also knew the cost of developing the land could be substantial. Without financial assistance from public or private organizations, the village would never be built.

  After they’d spent another hour discussing the development, Noah shook John’s hand. “Thanks for showing me around. I’ll talk to the trust and get back to you with any questions they might have. I should know in the next two weeks if the tiny home village is a project they want to sponsor.”

  “I hope they can see the benefit it will bring to our community.”

  “I’m sure they will.” After Noah said goodbye, he walked back to his SUV. What John didn’t know was that Noah, his brother, and his grandfather, managed the trust.

  If Jack and his granddad didn’t want to support the village, Noah would bring them to Sapphire Bay. Anyone who spent time with John and saw what he was doing would be crazy not to help. And, contrary to what he sometimes thought, his family was far from crazy.

  Chapter 10

  After he saw Pastor John, Noah visited The Welcome Center, seeing first-hand what the volunteers were doing. His quick tour had turned into two hours of working in the kitchen, peeling potatoes, and making sure the dining room was ready for the evening meal. After he left, he’d walked through town, eager to find out more about Sapphire Bay.

  Mabel and Allan Terry had been happy to talk to him. Their general store seemed to be a meeting place for many of the locals and most tourists. He’d discovered more about the community in their hour-long discussion than he’d read about on the Internet.

  Everything they said confirmed what he already suspected. The residents of Sapphire Bay wanted their community t
o retain the characteristics that made it special. But they also wanted to provide more resources and facilities for people who were struggling.

  And that, above everything else, was why Pastor John’s latest project had a lot of support. News about the tiny home village was already spreading. Almost everyone Mabel and Allan had spoken to were looking forward to seeing the houses built. It would give the tenants a greater sense of permanence and a safe place to call home.

  After he’d left the general store, he’d gone to the public library and used a small meeting room for his call with the board of directors. The meeting had gone better than anyone expected.

  Noah wasn’t sure whether they’d finally seen his point of view or whether they were more selective in the battles they chose to fight. After working with the current board for four years, he’d place his money on the second option.

  With a weary sigh, he turned into Cassie’s driveway. As much as he appreciated the board’s agreement to postpone the next phase of his plan, he still had to move fast. One way or another, he needed an answer from Cassie and her dad. If they agreed to work with Wilson Enterprises, it would allow him to rebrand the company and take it to another level. Without their support, he would be lucky to have a job.

  He drove past Cassie’s home and frowned.

  She stood in the middle of the yard between the two cottages with her arms extended, stepping backward as if she were…waltzing?

  He parked his vehicle under a tree and watched what she was doing. It was definitely a waltz, but her half turns were tying her feet in knots and almost toppling her over. All she needed was to turn her hips farther around, and her center of gravity would do the rest.

  After she’d tripped over her feet for the second time, she stopped moving, repositioned her body, and began again.

  Noah didn’t know if she’d appreciate his help, but it was worth a try.

  His smile widened as he walked toward her.