The Sweetest Thing: Sapphire Bay, Book 5 Read online

  Within seconds, his SUV appeared beside her.

  “Think of me as a free taxi. Come on, Cassie. I’m not leaving you here.”

  “You can do whatever you like, but I’m not going anywhere with you.”

  “Don’t be stubborn.”

  A horn tooted from behind them.

  She sent the driver a ferocious glare.

  “Get in, Cassie. You’re holding up the traffic.”

  The withering glare she sent Noah bounced off his corrupt face.

  The car behind them tooted again.

  Noah muttered something under his breath. “Get in the car. Walking on the side of the road isn’t safe.”

  Cassie looked at the vehicle following Noah. The driver wasn’t happy. “Okay. You can drive me home, but I’m not talking to you.”

  Noah stopped the SUV and Cassie jumped into the front seat.

  For the next thirty minutes, she wouldn’t utter one word. And if Noah Devlin thought he could sweet-talk his way out of the trouble he was in, he was wrong. She had principles—unlike someone else she knew.

  As soon as she arrived home, Cassie changed her clothes and went into her studio. She was too upset to do anything except work on her necklace. She couldn’t believe Noah had tried to blackmail her. Using the tiny house village as leverage was terrible. He knew how much that project meant to her and Pastor John, but he hadn’t hesitated to use it to get what he wanted.

  She wasn’t joking when she’d said she thought he was a good person. From the small amount of information she’d found, Noah seemed to care about the people he worked with and his organization. That in itself made his proposition even harder to understand.

  He donated thousands of dollars each year to charities. Why would he stoop to bribery to make her change her mind about working with him?

  Reaching for her pliers, she gently twisted a strand of gold wire through the pattern she was creating. She held her breath as the sparkle of a ruby caught the light. The precious gems added depth, color, and interest to the whimsical design.

  Hopefully, whoever bought the necklace would treasure it as much as she did.

  A soft knock on the studio door made Cassie’s heart race. She looked up and saw Noah. He seemed every bit as uncomfortable as she felt.

  As she rose from the chair, she wiped her hands on the side of her jeans. “Hi.”

  “I’m sorry if I’ve interrupted you. I wanted to let you know I’m going home. There’s a flight that leaves from Polson in two hours.”

  Cassie wasn’t surprised, but she was disappointed. “Thanks for telling me. I’ll send you a refund of the balance of your accommodation.”

  “Don’t worry about it.” Noah looked over her shoulder. “Is that the bird’s nest necklace?”

  “It is. Would you like to see it?”

  Noah’s wary glance made her feel as if she’d lost her best friend. He nodded and followed her across the room.

  “I need to add a few more layers of gold wire to the base.”

  Reaching out, Noah gently touched the edge of the necklace. “It’s beautiful.”

  Tears stung Cassie’s eyes. She hated knowing she’d upset someone, regardless of how it happened. She took a deep breath. If this was the last time she ever spoke to Noah, she didn’t want him to leave without trying to explain why she was so annoyed.

  “I know you don’t understand why I can’t sign a contract with your company. If my life were different, I would have dropped everything to be part of what you suggested. But it isn’t. For now, this is the best I can do.”

  Noah’s jaw tightened. “I’m disappointed, too. I’m also sorry if I offended you. You’re a talented artist and it was a privilege meeting you.” His deep brown eyes were filled with regret. “If you change your mind about coming to the award ceremony, I’m only a phone call away.”

  Cassie took the business card he handed her, but it was a waste of time. She wouldn’t be going anywhere near Manhattan.

  Noah stuck his hands in his pockets. “Good luck. I wish you all the best with your business.” And without a backward glance, he left her standing beside her workbench.

  Cassie didn’t move. Even after Noah’s SUV disappeared, she stayed where she was, staring at the card in her hand.

  Noah was gone and she already missed him.

  Chapter 8

  Noah sat behind his desk in Manhattan and re-read the same report for the third time. He rubbed his eyes, trying to figure out what was wrong with him.

  For the last ten days, he’d buried himself in work, pushing himself even harder than usual. But nothing he said or did could erase Cassie from his mind. He wasn’t sleeping, wasn’t eating, and wasn’t getting much of anything done.

  His office door shot open and his brother strode into the room. “If there’s a fire you should have hit the alarm.”

  “This is worse than a fire. You had a lucky escape.” Jack dropped a folder onto Noah’s desk.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Cassie didn’t tell you the whole story about why she won’t accept the award. Her father is Tony Harper.”

  Noah stared at his brother. Four years ago, Wilson Enterprises had asked a high-profile jewelry designer to create an exclusive collection for their company. After missing two crucial deadlines, Emanuel Ricardo had accused Tony Harper of stealing his designs.

  With Wilson Enterprises’ financial backing, Emanuel had filed a lawsuit in a federal district court in Los Angeles. The media coverage before and after the trial had been brutal.

  Everything Cassie had said about a friend being accused of stealing someone’s jewelry designs, and the need to distance herself from his company, now made sense.

  Slowly, he opened the folder. Even before the trial started, television, newspaper, and social media personalities had decided Tony Harper was guilty. At its worst, it seemed as though every artistic prima donna had found their way in front of a camera, tearing Tony to shreds.

  “What happened to Cassie’s family after the trial?”

  “You’re not going to like it.”

  Noah lifted his gaze to his brother’s worried face.

  “The cost of fighting the case made her family bankrupt. After the trial, they sold their house in Los Angeles and moved to San Francisco. Tony eventually found another job.” Jack hesitated. “There’s something else you should know. Cassie’s mom was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer before the trial. She died a few months after her family moved to San Francisco.”

  Noah closed his eyes and groaned. “I’ve made a huge mistake.”

  “You did the right thing. If we’d sold Cassie’s jewelry, her father’s reputation could have negatively impacted on our corporate image.”

  Noah nearly told his brother what he could do with their corporate image. But Jack hadn’t met Cassie, hadn’t seen how hard she worked to raise money for the people who needed help. He hadn’t stood in her studio, enthralled by her creativity. And his brother hadn’t fallen a little in love with a woman who had more secrets than either of them.

  “Why didn’t Cassie tell me?”

  Jack shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine. What I do know is that she saved our company from a PR disaster.”

  “Forget the company. Cassie must hate me for what I did.”

  “You went to trial because it was the only thing you could do. Knockoff jewelry was flooding the Internet. If we didn’t protect the intellectual property of our designers, who would?”

  “Cassie’s father was innocent. Emanuel should be in prison for the lies he told.” When the issue of who held copyright over a jewelry design raised its ugly head, Noah had done everything he could to get a clear legal judgment. It wasn’t until the trial was nearly over that the attorneys discovered the level of Emanuel’s deceit.

  Noah’s decision to prosecute Tony Harper would haunt him for the rest of his life. “How am I going to apologize to Cassie?”

  “Her father won the case. You don’t n
eed to apologize.”

  “When did you become so hard-nosed? Her family became bankrupt because of me.”

  “You did what you had to do.”

  Noah shook his head. “I’ve done more than that.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “The church in Sapphire Bay wants to build a village made from tiny homes. I told Cassie our trust would purchase the land and gift it back to the church—as long as she agreed to work exclusively with us.”

  Jack sunk into a chair. “Are you crazy?”

  “I was desperate.”

  “What you offered was not only illegal, it was stupid. If you thought Tony Harper’s trial was a circus, this could be worse.”

  “Cassie won’t take it any farther.”

  “Don’t be too sure. You should call your legal team.”

  “That won’t help.” He needed to apologize to Cassie, but he couldn’t do it from Manhattan. Quickly, he slid the folder Jack had given him into his briefcase and unplugged his laptop. “I’m going to Sapphire Bay.”

  “What for?”

  “To talk to Cassie.”

  Jack crossed his arms in front of his chest. “Have you heard of the telephone?”

  “You don’t think I should go?”

  “Granddad’s getting involved in things he shouldn’t and the board of directors is after blood—and it isn’t mine. You can’t afford to leave.”

  “If I fly out tonight, I’ll be back by Sunday.” Noah pulled on his jacket and looked at the work sitting on his desk. As long as he had his laptop, he could work through the electronic copies of the reports from anywhere.

  Jack’s eyes narrowed. “This is the second time you’ve dropped everything to travel to Sapphire Bay. What’s going on?”

  “Nothing you need to worry about. I’ll see you soon.” On his way out of the office, Noah asked Charlotte to book a flight to Polson and rearrange his schedule. The meetings he couldn’t miss would have to be held by teleconference because, regardless of what his brother thought, some things couldn’t wait. And one of them was fixing the worst mistake of his life.

  Cassie held out a cream, floor-length veil. “What about this one?”

  Sam scrunched up her nose. “It’s too old-fashioned. I want a veil that’s short and sassy.”

  “I think I saw the perfect one.” Megan disappeared into a room at the back of the bridal boutique.

  Cassie looked around the store. “I hope Mrs. Cousins is still here. I don’t think she’d want Megan rummaging through her shelves.”

  A slightly frazzled woman rushed past Sam and Cassie. “I’m on my way. I know the veil Megan’s talking about.”

  “It’s just as well Mrs. Cousins is used to us,” Sam said. “It’s a pity Brooke isn’t here. It would have felt like a family reunion.”

  It hadn’t been that long ago that Sam and Brooke had been helping Megan find the perfect bridal gown. And now, a few months later, it was Sam’s turn to be transformed into a beautiful bride.

  Cassie ran her hand along a row of bridesmaids’ dresses. “Have your sisters had their final dress fitting?”

  Sam sighed. “Almost. Bailey is happy with her dress, but Shelley is driving everyone insane. If she’d married her ex-fiancé, she wouldn’t be picking on every last detail of my wedding.”

  With less than two weeks until the big day, Cassie was amazed that Sam was still talking to her sister. Shelley had called Sam each day, reconfirming all the details that were already in her electronic wedding planner.

  “I don’t know what’s wrong with my sister,” Sam moaned. “Did I tell you she’s thinking of moving to Sapphire Bay?”

  Cassie’s eyes widened. “I thought she liked living in Bozeman.”

  “So did I. But after her last vacation with me, she decided that Flathead Lake would be a good change.”

  “How do you feel about her moving here?”

  Sam didn’t have to say anything. Her face spoke volumes. “I’m not sure it would work. Shelley is a great person, as long as she has a project to keep her busy. At the moment, she’s bored at work and thinks I need rescuing.”

  “Give her a job to do. She might moan and groan to start with, but at least it will keep her out of your way.”

  “That’s a good idea. Shelley could organize all the decorations for inside the church.”

  Cassie smiled. “Make a list of lots of things she can fix. It will keep her busy for hours.”

  “We’ve found it,” Megan yelled from the other side of the store. “And it’s every bit as perfect as I remembered.” She rushed back and showed them a small pillbox hat.

  Sam’s gasp of delight made Cassie smile.

  “I love it,” Sam squealed. “I’ll try on my dress and see what it looks like.”

  Mrs. Cousins held open the changing room curtain. “Your dress is in here. Just be careful not to get any makeup on the fabric.”

  She took the scarf Mrs. Cousins handed her. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” It was a relief to see Mrs. Cousins’ beaming smile. Especially after she’d spent the last hour trying to find the perfect veil and shoes for Sam.

  Mrs. Cousins looked across the store. “I’d better check on Megan. If I’m not careful, she’ll be rearranging everything.”

  While Sam was trying on her dress and Megan was getting into mischief, Cassie looked at the bridal gowns. She’d never imagined getting married. When her friends in Los Angeles were dating boys, she was sketching different jewelry designs. Instead of spending time at the mall with her girlfriends, Cassie sat in her parents’ studio, practicing the same techniques her father used.

  Looking back, she’d led a very sheltered life. Even though she lived in a city of four million people, her parents didn’t travel far from home. If they went anywhere, it was as a family and usually somewhere a lot quieter than Los Angeles.

  “What do you think?” Sam asked.

  Megan stood beside Cassie. “You look amazing.”

  “It’s perfect,” Mrs. Cousins said.

  Cassie had to agree. The pretty hat and veil gave Sam’s knee-length 1950s inspired bridal gown a touch of glamour and sophistication. “It’s fabulous. You couldn’t have found anything better.”

  Sam twirled in front of the full-length mirror. “I feel like a modern-day Cinderella.” She lifted one foot off the floor. “What about the shoes?”

  “Mrs. Cousins knows what she’s talking about,” Cassie said. “The shoes are perfect. The little bows on the heels make them extra special.”

  “I agree,” Megan said. “All we need to do now is find you something borrowed and something blue.”

  Cassie opened her bag. “I might be able to help with the something borrowed. But if you don’t like it, tell me. I won’t be offended if you don’t want to wear it.” She handed Sam a velvet box.

  “You didn’t have to…” Sam opened the lid and sighed. “Oh, it’s beautiful.”

  Megan looked over Sam’s shoulder. “That has to be the most beautiful necklace I’ve ever seen.”

  As soon as she saw Sam’s dress, Cassie had sketched a necklace that would look stunning. It had taken more than two months to make it, but she was thrilled with the result.

  Three strands of delicate, white pearls formed the basic framework of the design. At regular intervals, silver filigree clasps, decorated with small diamonds, drew the pearls into soft, fan-shaped curves. The necklace was simple, timeless, and elegant.

  While Megan helped Sam with the clasp, Cassie sat on one of Mrs. Cousins’ plush velvet chairs. She wondered what it would feel like to get married, to love one man for the rest of your life.

  Sam turned around. “What do you think?”

  Cassie sighed. “You’re beautiful.”

  Sam touched the pearls. “Thank you for making such an amazing necklace. I’d love to wear it at my wedding.”

  Tears filled Cassie’s eyes. “That’s wonderful. After you get married, I want you to keep it. The necklace is my
wedding gift to you.”

  Sam’s mouth dropped open. “I can’t accept it. It’s far too valuable.”

  “I made it for you,” Cassie insisted. “It doesn’t belong with anyone else.”

  “Cassie’s right,” Megan said. “It’s special.”

  Sam walked across to Cassie and hugged her. “Thank you. Whenever I wear the necklace, I’ll think of you.”

  “I hope so. It’s made with love.”

  “Talking about love…” Megan’s cheeks turned a soft shade of pink. “I have some news, too. William, Nora, and I are going to have a new addition to our family.”

  Cassie frowned. “You’re getting a puppy?”

  Megan grinned. “No. I’m pregnant. We’re having a baby.”

  Sam rushed across the room and hugged Megan.

  It had only been a few months since Megan and William had married in Pastor John’s church. Cassie knew they wanted a family, but—

  “I know what you’re thinking,” Megan said with a smile. “It’s a little sooner than we planned, but we’re so happy.”

  Cassie opened her arms and hugged her friend. “Congratulations. How are you feeling?”

  “Like I’m seasick all the time, but it shouldn’t last too much longer.”

  Mrs. Cousins smiled. “I know just the thing that will help. I have some ginger ale in my kitchen. While Sam is changing out of her gown, I’ll pop upstairs and get it.”

  Cassie held onto Megan’s hand. “Come and sit beside me. When is your baby due?”

  As she sat down, Megan sighed. “Next year, at the end of April.” She gently squeezed Cassie’s fingers. “The necklace you made Sam is beautiful. Tell me you’ve changed your mind about accepting the jewelry award.”

  Cassie shook her head. “I can’t accept it. It would have been great to have the support of Wilson Enterprises, but it doesn’t matter. New customers are finding me all the time and, thanks to my website, each collection is getting noticed by more people.”

  Megan studied her face. “You seemed to enjoy Noah’s company. Do you miss him?”

  “He was only here for a week.”

  “It doesn’t matter. Your heart knows when you’ve found the right person.”