He tapped his glass against hers. “And to happy endings.”
Cassie looked into his eyes and hoped their toast came true. She was putting her career and her life in Noah’s hands.
And whether he knew it or not, one wrong decision could have terrible consequences. For everyone.
Chapter 11
Cassie stepped out of Sam’s kitchen and into the living room. She smiled at the chaos surrounding the bride-to-be and her two sisters. With three days left until the wedding, they were here to create centerpieces for each of the reception tables.
Shelley was super-organized and trying to run the evening like a military exercise. Bailey was more relaxed. She kept rolling her eyes when Shelley opened her laptop and referred to Sam’s wedding planner.
“I’ve got chocolate chip cookies if anyone is interested.” Cassie grinned at Sam’s grateful sigh. “There’s hot coffee, too.”
“You’re a lifesaver.” Sam hauled herself to her feet. “I’ve got pins and needles from kneeling on the floor for so long.”
Bailey jumped to her feet. “Not me. The cookies look delicious. Who baked them?”
“Megan Parker. She shares Brooke’s kitchen at Sweet Treats.”
“Is she making the wedding cake, too?”
Shelley nibbled on a cookie while she consulted the wedding planner. “She is. I can’t wait to see what it looks like.”
Sam’s face broke into a smile. “It’s gorgeous. I’ll take you to Sweet Treats tomorrow and you can have a look.”
While Sam and her sisters ate cookies, Cassie returned to the kitchen. For the last hour, they’d been placing artificial roses and foliage into vases, then finishing each design with a strand of fairy lights. Even though no one had made the small posies before, they were gorgeous.
She poured four cups of coffee and carefully placed the cups on a tray. Sam and her sisters were all so different, but it was obvious they loved each other. When she was younger, Cassie had dreamed about having a younger brother or sister, someone to share the ups and downs of life with, but it had never happened.
“There you are,” Sam said from the doorway. “I thought I’d give you a hand to bring out the coffee.”
“You didn’t have to do that. I found a tray in the cupboard.”
“I’ll carry it through to the living room. I hope Shelley’s not too bossy. She has a habit of wanting to take over.”
Cassie smiled. “She’s fine. It’s good to have another person around who likes to cross things off a list. At least that way we won’t forget anything.”
“That’s one advantage. Have you heard from Noah?”
“He’s called me each day. If everything goes to plan, he’ll catch a flight to Polson on Friday morning.” Cassie walked toward the living room. Noah hadn’t been able to stay for the entire week. He’d returned to New York City on Tuesday afternoon with a briefcase full of Cassie’s sketches.
“Did he tell you how long it will take for your new collection to be approved?”
“It could take three or four weeks. The design team wants to find the perfect gemstones and calculate the full price before they decide whether to approve everything. In the meantime, I’ve started another project. Between that and my commissions, I don’t have a lot of time to think about what’s happening in Manhattan.”
Which, as far as Cassie was concerned, was a good thing. It wasn’t only the new collection that was making her nervous. Noah had made more of an impact on her life than she thought. He’d stayed in her spare bedroom on Monday night, leaving Acorn Cottage for the new guests. It had been wonderful having someone to talk to after dinner, even if it meant not doing as much work in her studio.
She opened the living room door a little wider for Sam. “How’s Caleb?”
“Better than I am. He’s finished all the pre-wedding jobs he was supposed to do. Why is it so much easier for him?”
“Probably because Megan helped him.”
Sam sighed. “Wait until Mom and Dad arrive. Anything that isn’t ready will be whipped into shape faster than I can blink.”
Cassie had met Sam’s parents and she loved them. They were the type of people who would do anything for you. “Your Mom and Dad are amazing.”
“They have their moments. You’d better bring Noah to the wedding rehearsal and dinner on Friday night. I’ll need all the support I can get.”
