Before Today Read online

  “You must be looking forward to the mini-vacation.”

  “I am.” Brooke bit her bottom lip. “On Easter Sunday, I’m going to church with Megan, Nora, and William, then we’re meeting Sam and Caleb for lunch. Would you like to come with me? We could meet at the Connect Church at nine o’clock.”

  Apart from his brother’s funeral, Levi hadn’t been inside a church since he’d returned from Afghanistan. Even the thought of listening to someone talk about love and forgiveness was enough to make him break out in a cold sweat.

  “Thanks for the offer, but I’d prefer to spend the day at Zac’s house. There’s a hiking trail I want to do before I leave.”

  “But you like Easter. What if you forget about coming to the church but join us for lunch?”

  Levi shook his head. “I can’t. I’m sorry.”

  Brooke’s smile disappeared. “That’s okay. If you change your mind, you know where I’ll be.”

  With trembling hands, Levi slid the laptop into its case. He wouldn’t change his mind about Easter, but he could help her now. “Where do you want me to start?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I’ll help wrap the fudge.”

  “You don’t need to do that. You’re working just as many hours as I am.”

  Levi walked across to the drawer where Brooke kept her cellophane bags. “I saw you using these the other day.” He pointed to a tray of caramel-colored fudge. “Should I start with this tray?”

  With a resigned sigh, Brooke handed him a pair of gloves. “That would be great. When you’ve finished each bag, leave them here. Later on, I’ll tie a ribbon around them.”

  As they worked together, Levi thought about the choices he’d made before he came to Sapphire Bay. The choices his brother made before he’d tried to hang himself. And the decision his parents had to make before the doctors turned off Peter’s life support.

  Brooke touched the edge of Levi’s shirt. “Are you all right?”

  “I will be.”

  Brooke’s reassuring smile calmed his racing heart. Taking a deep breath, he focused on the here and now. Before he’d seen Brooke in her candy store, he didn’t know where he belonged. Now he didn’t know if he could ever live without her.

  Chapter 7

  A week later, Brooke gripped the edge of the decaying drywall and held her breath. Even with the face mask, the musty smell of plaster made her nose twitch.

  “One, two, three.” Levi yanked his side of the drywall.

  Brooke pulled hers, stumbling backward as a shower of dust filled the air. The drywall split into crumbling pieces, landing heavily at their feet.

  “This is horrible,” she muttered. “If we find another rats nest, it’s your turn to take it outside.”

  From behind his safety glasses, Levi’s eyes crinkled at the corners. “I thought you enjoyed ridding your building of uninvited guests.”

  “I prefer the two-legged variety, not furry, four-legged creatures. I’ll have bad dreams for weeks.” Waving the dust away from her face, she peered into the wall cavity. “I’m happy to report that this part of the wall is rat free.”

  Levi looked around the attic. “We’re halfway there. Hopefully, we’ve seen the last of the rodent population.”

  Brooke wasn’t counting on it. Next week, when she went to the general store, she was buying every packet of rat bait she could find. Hearing scratching noises in the walls was bad enough. Finding two empty nests had freaked her out.

  She scooped up the drywall and placed it inside the canvas sack Levi had brought with him. “How long do you think this drywall has been here?”

  “I’m not sure but, looking at the first layer of wallpaper, it could be the original wall lining.”

  “No wonder it’s falling apart.” Brooke picked up the sledgehammer and attacked another wall. To speed up the remodel, they’d decided to start stripping the attic of everything that needed to go. By the time they finished, there wouldn’t be much left.

  “Watch the floorboards behind you,” Levi warned. “I don’t want to tackle you again.”

  Brooke looked at the floor and grinned. “I don’t want you tackling me, either. Megan wouldn’t be impressed if I was black and blue for her wedding.”

  “How are the wedding plans going?”

  “We’re almost done. Apart from one more appointment with the dressmaker, everything is organized.” She adjusted her face mask and swung the sledgehammer at the wall. More dust filled the attic, sticking to her goggles and making her cough. “I need a big sucking machine to get rid of the dust. My apartment must look as though it’s been snowing.”

  Levi cleared the drywall off the floor. “Once this is gone, it won’t be so bad.” He dropped the moldy plaster into the sack and checked his beeping phone. “You’ll want to hear this. The architect has texted me. The planning department fast-tracked your application. They’ve approved the plans for your remodel. We’re officially good to go.”

  Relief, excitement, and pure joy brought a wide smile to Brooke’s face. Without thinking, she rushed across to Levi and hugged her partner in crime. “That’s awesome news. Goodbye rotten floorboards, hello chandelier.”

  “Remember the budget,” Levi said with a laugh. “I might get fired if the project costs more than it should.”

  “Right now, I don’t care about the budget. We should celebrate.” She took off her goggles and face mask. “There’s a bottle of white wine in the refrigerator. Come and have a glass with me.”

  “What about the attic?”

  “It’s waited for nearly a hundred years to be remodeled. It can wait another half hour.” She held onto Levi’s hand. “Come on. I won’t tell the boss we’re playing hooky if you don’t.”

  With a mischievous smile, he followed her across the room.

  Before they reached the stairs, Levi squeezed her fingers. “We need to flick the dust off our clothes. Otherwise, the floor of your apartment will look like the attic.”

  Brooke closed her eyes and shook her body like a wet dog. “Better?”

  He brushed a lock of hair off her face and gently kissed her mouth. “Much better. Congratulations, Ms. Johnson. You’re about to become the proud owner of a refurbished building.”

  Pride and a whole lot of longing filled her cheeks with heat. “I couldn’t have done this without you.”

  Levi’s gaze left her breathless. “I hope you don’t regret what we’ve started.”

  As she looked into his eyes, the only thing she regretted was leaving Levi in Phoenix. For two years, she’d wondered what would have happened if she’d stayed.

  And now she knew.

  It was official. Levi didn’t know what he was doing.

  For the last hour, he’d told himself he wouldn’t go to the Easter church service. Even on the drive into Sapphire Bay, he’d told himself he was here to run some errands, buy groceries—do anything that didn’t involve saying amen. Levi had planned what he would do, where he would go, and how long he would stay.

  But it was Easter Sunday. At nine o’clock in the morning, the only thing open was the gas station. And the Connect Church.

  He could turn around and go back to Zac’s house. Hiking through the woods would clear his mind, increase his fitness, and give him an excuse not to be here.

  But last night had turned his world upside down. He’d enjoyed a glass of wine with Brooke, talked about anything and everything that popped into his brain. After the wine came a few cups of coffee, another round of ripping drywall out of the attic, and more time getting to know the woman who was becoming the most important person in his life.

  After six hours of sleep, he was almost back where he’d started. Except this time, he wasn’t looking at moldy drywall, but at a church steeple.

  A man and a woman rushed past him, running up the church steps with three children following them.

  “Levi?”

  His heart sank. If he was hoping for a quick getaway, he wouldn’t get one. Taking a dee
p breath, he turned and looked at Brooke.

  “I didn’t think you were coming,” she said slowly.

  Her confusion gave Levi courage. “I changed my mind. I hope it’s okay.”

  Brooke’s tentative smile warmed him from the inside out. “Of course it’s okay. We’d better go inside before we miss too much of the service.” Linking her hand under his elbow, she nudged him forward. “I was supposed to be here fifteen minutes ago, but I wanted to wipe down everything before I left. Even after all the cleaning we did last night, there was another layer of dust on the furniture this morning.”

  “It’s going to be like that until we’ve finished.”

  Brooke shrugged. “It could be worse. If I were allergic to the dust, I’d be constantly sneezing and coughing.” She opened the large glass doors at the top of the stairs. “Pastor John is leading the service today. I think you’ll like him.”

  Levi doubted it. Even as a young boy, God had never made sense. How could anyone create the world in six days? He’d tried to figure it all out, but he’d had so many questions that even his parents had given up explaining everything to him.

  And then there was Afghanistan. He’d visited the chaplain a few times, looking for wisdom between the games of political ping pong that took more than they gave. It wasn’t until he was home that he realized no one could answer his questions except him.

  For most of his life, he’d dealt in absolutes. Life and death. Good and bad. But the answers most people found were never black and white. Shades of gray camouflaged the truth—and those shades were almost his undoing.

  And now he was about to enter a church, the holy grail of everything he didn’t understand.

  He hoped God had a good sense of humor.

  Brooke pointed to some chairs at the back of the church. “Let’s sit there.”

  From where they sat, Levi could see most of the church. Rows of brown padded seats led to a stage at the front of the room. Standing in front of a large, stained glass window, welcoming everyone to the Easter service, was Pastor John.

  Levi’s eyebrows rose. John wasn’t like any of the pastors he’d ever met. With the broad shoulders of a lumberjack, the big, bushy beard of an outfitter, and the smile of someone who was comfortable in his own skin, he was the kind of man who could have befriended anyone. Which probably accounted for the large number of people sitting in the church.

  Brooke looked at him and smiled. “I told you he’s different,” she whispered. “He’s a great guy.”

  As the service progressed, Levi could see why everyone had chosen to come here. Pastor John was charismatic in an understated way. What he said sounded genuine, and Levi didn’t doubt that it came straight from his heart.

  When the band started playing, he discovered another reason why the church was jam-packed. If the woman who was about to sing was as good as the guitarist and drummer, even he might be tempted to come to church each week.

  “That’s Willow Clarke,” Brooke said. “She spent a few years in Nashville before coming home to Sapphire Bay.”

  Willow must have been in her early thirties. Her gentle smile, slim build, and long brown hair reminded him of the photos he’d seen of hippies from the sixties. When she began singing, no one in the church moved. Her haunting voice dipped and rose with the melody, leaving a knot of emotion deep in Levi’s chest. If he were a music producer, he would have given her a recording contract straightaway.

  He leaned closer to Brooke. “Why is Willow living in Sapphire Bay?”

  “For the same reason most of us are here,” she whispered. “There’s more to life than bright lights and big city streets.”

  Levi nodded. He’d seen enough of those to last a lifetime.

  When Willow’s song came to an end, everyone in the church clapped and cheered. Her smile brightened, almost as if she’d been worried about singing the song.

  Pastor John hugged her before returning to the service.

  An hour later, after more music and a thought-provoking sermon, Levi stood behind Brooke, waiting for a cup of coffee in the church café.

  She turned and smiled at him. “What did you think?”

  “It was better than I thought. You were right. Pastor John is different from the person I expected to meet.”

  “Don’t let his easy-going confidence fool you. He has a one-track mind when it suits him.”

  Something Brooke had told him clicked into place. “Is this where you’re doing the candy-making classes?”

  “Good memory. I’m not the only one who’ll be here. Sam is doing a social media workshop and Megan is showing people how to decorate cakes. If you decide to stay in Sapphire Bay, be prepared for Pastor John to find you. He’s always looking for people to run workshops.”

  Megan walked toward them. “Happy Easter!”

  Brooke hugged her friend. “I’m sorry I was late. I hope you weren’t waiting for too long on the church steps.”

  Megan shook her head. “You sent your text with plenty of time to spare. When you’ve got your coffee, William and Nora have found a table for us.”

  Levi looked at the line in front of them, then at Brooke. “If you want to spend more time with Megan, I can bring the drinks back to the table.”

  “You’ll need another pair of hands to carry the cups. I’m happy to wait.” Brooke turned to Megan. “Would you and William like a cup of coffee?”

  “I’m okay, but William would love some black coffee. I’ll get Nora a drink from the kitchen.” Megan pointed to the far side of the room. “We’re sitting beside the doors leading into the reception area. I’ll organize hot cross buns for everyone. See you soon.”

  As Megan wove through the crowd, Levi imagined what it must be like to live here permanently.

  “You look sad,” Brooke said softly.

  He pulled his mind away from the issues that had brought him to Sapphire Bay. “I’m better now. Tell me about your candy workshop. What are you making?”

  Brooke grinned. “Chocolate fudge, candy apples, and white chocolate shells. Pastor John is advertising the class next week.”

  “It will be a busy few weeks for you.”

  “Tell me about it. At least the Easter rush is over. I can focus on my store, the classes, and making sure I have a watertight roof over my head.”

  He smiled at the grimace on her face. “It will all be worth it.”

  “I hope so.” She looked at the people in front of her and moved forward.

  “Have you called your parents for Easter?”

  A blush crept up Brooke’s neck. “Not yet. I’ll call them when I get home. What about you?”

  Levi nodded. “I called Mom and Dad this morning. They loved your marbled eggs. I don’t think Mom wants to eat hers.”

  Brooke laughed. “Tell your mom I’ll make her another one whenever she wants. The chocolate is too nice to leave on a shelf.”

  Levi’s dad had said the same thing. “I’ll tell her. Talking about Easter eggs…” He reached into his pocket. Finding something for Brooke hadn’t been easy. She spent each day surrounded by chocolate and, even though it was Easter, it seemed like overkill to buy her even more. So he’d visited a jewelry store and found something special.

  Brooke’s eyes widened. “You shouldn’t have bought me anything.”

  The small black box burned against Levi’s skin. “It’s not a traditional Easter egg but, as soon as I saw it, I knew it was made for you.” He handed Brooke the box. “Happy Easter.”

  She bit her bottom lip. “I can’t—”

  “Open the box,” he urged.

  With a sigh, she lifted the lid. Her breath caught as she ran her finger across the opal pendant. “It’s lovely.”

  The pale blue and gold stone glowed like a jewel on a royal crown.

  “Where did you find it?”

  “A jeweler in Sapphire Bay showed me her latest collection. I was lucky. She was about to add a photo of the pendant to her online catalog when I walked into her store.” />
  “It’s stunning. Thank you.” Brooke reached into her bag and handed him a flat, square box. “I made you something for Easter. You’re probably sick of eating fudge, but I noticed you liked this flavor.”

  Levi took the lid off the box and sniffed. The smell of rich coffee and chocolate wafted toward him. “It’s your Jamaican coffee bean fudge. Thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  The person behind Levi cleared their throat.

  He looked at the line and saw why the person wasn’t happy. “We need to move,” he whispered. “Someone’s desperate for a coffee.”

  Brooke grinned at the person behind them. “You could say that. Hi, Pastor John.”

  Levi slowly turned around.

  Pastor John held out his hand. “I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m John.”

  “Levi Montgomery. I enjoyed your service.”

  “It’s the people who make it memorable. And you’re right. I am desperate for a coffee. Are you the person who’s helping Brooke fix her building?”

  News traveled fast in Sapphire Bay. “I’m helping with the attic. Another contractor is waterproofing the roof.”

  John’s smile was a little too wide.

  Levi had no idea what he was up to, but he had a feeling he was about to find out.

  John handed him a small, rectangular card.

  Levi’s eyes widened. Since when did pastors carry around business cards?

  “Can you call me when you have a moment? It’s fairly urgent.”

  “I can’t fit any more work into my schedule. Brooke’s attic is taking all my available time.”

  “I don’t need any work done,” John said with a worried frown. “But I do have some apprentices who could benefit from your expertise. Mabel told me you have a contractor’s license and you’ve managed construction crews.”

  Levi wondered what else the owner of the general store had told John. “That’s right.”

  As they slowly moved forward, Brooke handed Levi a tray. He held it firmly while she loaded three cups of coffee onto it.

  John added half a dozen sachets of sugar and some small wooden spoons. “I won’t hold you up now, but I’d appreciate a call when you have the time.”