“You’ve got a deal.”
“And just so we’re clear, whisking me away to Manhattan isn’t going to happen.”
Noah grinned and tapped the end of her nose. “We’ll see. I’ve still got more than a week to change your mind. Where’s The Welcome Center?”
“It’s this way.” Before Noah saw the heat building in her cheeks, she opened the door and strode across the yard.
Cassie hoped he knew she was serious about not going to Manhattan. And she prayed she would never have to tell him why.
Chapter 6
Cassie opened a double set of bright blue doors. “This is it. Our very own Welcome Center.” She was incredibly proud of what Pastor John and the community had achieved in this small, red-brick building.
She waved at Antoinette, the volunteer who looked after the center from three in the afternoon until seven each evening. “This is our main reception area. When people arrive, Antoinette welcomes them to the center and finds out what they need.”
“What do people usually want?”
Cassie shrugged. “It depends on their circumstances. Some families arrive with literally nothing. Other people need budgeting advice or some sort of counseling. We have a doctor who has a free clinic twice a week, and a dentist who comes once a week. If people need a food package, we send them to the kitchen. If they need somewhere to sleep, we provide them with a bed in one of our bunk rooms.”
Noah looked surprised. “And it’s all free?”
“People pay what they can afford. If someone is on a limited budget, we ask them to pay their kindness forward instead of giving us money. That’s how we painted the church.” Cassie walked across to a row of meeting rooms. “Once we’ve met our guests’ immediate needs, we have another discussion with them in these rooms. This is where we match them with people who can help in the long term.”
“That sounds like a big job.”
“It can be. No one wants to be homeless or unemployed or hungry. For one reason or another, their lives have taken a different path to what they expected. If they’re willing to work with us, we do everything we can to make their lives less stressful.”
“Cassie!” Willow walked toward her with a big grin on her face. “You aren’t supposed to be here for another two hours.”
“I’m showing Noah around. Willow Clarke, this is Noah Devlin.”
Willow held out her hand. “Welcome to The Welcome Center. I enjoy saying that.”
Noah smiled. “It’s good to be here. Are you a volunteer?”
“I am. Tonight I’m on kitchen duty, so if you’d like a yummy beef casserole with new potatoes, carrots, and beans, come and see me.”
“I thought your meals would only be available to people who couldn’t afford to buy food.”
Willow shook her head. “That’s where The Welcome Center is different from a lot of other organizations. We’re here for all our community. The last thing we want is for people to feel as though they can’t enjoy a home-cooked meal.”
“And someone’s ability to pay for a meal might not be the issue,” Cassie added. “For some people, having another person to talk to, and laugh with, is more important than all the money in the world.”
Willow held up the bucket in her hand. “I’m going to the community garden to pick some beans. Do you want to come with me?”
Cassie looked at Noah. “Do you have the time?”
“All the time in the world.”
The warmth in his eyes made Cassie’s toes curl. If this was Noah in his interested mode, she’d love to see him when he was really trying to impress someone.
Willow cleared her throat. “Let’s go. But be warned, Mr. Jessop isn’t happy. A family of rabbits has been eating his carrots.”
“Mr. Jessop is our honorary head gardener,” Cassie explained. “He used to own a ranch in Billings. When he retired, he moved to Sapphire Bay.”
Willow held open a door. “He showed us how to grow our own vegetables. One thing led to another and, before we knew it, he’d created our first community garden. We grow enough fruit and vegetables for our kitchen as well as our food packages.”
This was Cassie’s favorite part of The Welcome Center. In the evenings, after she’d finished her shift, she’d often come here and sit on a wooden bench to unwind. There was something therapeutic about being outside, away from the hustle and bustle of what was happening in the center.
