“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 alwaysaskNoah 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 sleep. 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.
