Chapter 1
Cassie ripped up the latestletter she’d received from Wilson Enterprises and threw it in the trash. For most jewelers, winning their prestigious award would be a dream come true.
But not for her.
One of her friends had entered her in the jewelry competition, thinking she was doing something wonderful for Cassie’s career. But after three years of keeping a low profile, it was the last thing she needed.
Thinking about the award made her feel sick. What she needed to do was focus on her store and not worry about anyone discovering her true identity.
The display she’d nearly finished would be a welcome distraction. Opening the cabinet, she carefully placed a gold filigree necklace inside. When she was designing it, she’d imagined Montana in the fall, the colors that rippled into life around the small town of Sapphire Bay.
As she’d sketched different ideas, the shape of a leaf kept reappearing on the page. That initial concept had become the simple oval pendant sitting inside her display case. It was everything she’d hoped to create and more.
The bell above the front door chimed. She looked up and smiled at her friend Brooke. In a few minutes, two more friends would be arriving to discuss a fundraising auction they were organizing.
“Hi, Brooke. I won’t be long.”
“Don’t rush. Kathleen was happy to close the candy store so I could get away early. Nice necklace.” Brooke leaned over the display cabinet, her long brown hair brushing the edge of the glass. “Is it new?”
“It is. I finished it last night.”
“It’s beautiful. The gold looks like a spider’s web. How did you make it seem so delicate?”
Cassie placed a silk scarf and two sets of earrings beside the necklace. “It took a lot of experience and more time than I thought, but I’m pleased with how it turned out. Were you busy today?”
“It was a little quieter in the store, but the online orders have gone crazy. Daniella had to help me gift wrap more than twenty boxes of fudge.”
“Your website must be doing its job.”
The doorbell chimed again, and Sam walked into the jewelry store.
“It’s all because of Sam,” Brooke said.
Sam’s eyebrows rose. As well as being a good friend, she was a genius with computers. “What’s because of me?”
“The reason Sweet Treats’ online store is so popular. You designed an incredible website.”
Sam waved away her praise. “The website is only as good as the product it’s promoting. Your customers are raving about your fudge because it tastes incredible. Is Megan here?”
Cassie shook her head. “She has a meeting with Nora’s teacher. Once she’s finished, she’ll join us.”
“Do you want me to turn on the coffeepot?” Sam asked.
Brooke sent Sam a relieved smile. “Sounds good to me. I’ll be happy to sit down for a few minutes. After our meeting, my wonderful fiancé wants to take me to a barn. Levi thinks it will make a great wedding venue.”
“Don’t worry,” Sam said. “It will get better once you’ve settled on the menu, the guest list, the flowers, and a dress.”
Cassie didn’t want to alarm Brooke, but from what she’d seen, it wouldn’t get any easier until the day she married Levi. “I’ve met lots of people who are planning their wedding. My advice is not to sweat the small stuff.”
“I’ll second that,” Sam said as she disappeared into the workroom.
Sam was getting married soon. She’d applied the same methodical process to planning her wedding as she did to the computer programs she developed. It seemed to have made everything a lot less stressful.
Cassie moved to the front of the store. “Ask Sam about the wedding program she’s using. It’s helped her.”
Brooke picked up her bag. “It would be even better if it booked everything for us.”
Cassie turned the sign in the window to “Closed” and flicked the deadbolt. “Don’t worry. No matter what you choose, it will be an amazing day.”
