One Devlin male was enough to handle. Two would be impossible.
Chapter 17
Two days later, Cassie handed Megan some pillowcases and half a dozen sheets. For the last hour they had been volunteering at The Welcome Center. Making the beds and replacing the towels was a big job, especially when all the rooms were being used.
“How long is Noah’s granddad staying at the cottage?” Megan asked.
“He leaves on Sunday morning. I wonder if he told Noah he was coming to Sapphire Bay.”
Megan shrugged. “I don’t know. If you’re worried about him, maybe you should call Noah and ask if everything is all right.”
That was the last thing Cassie wanted to do. “Patrick is fine. He went fishing on Flathead Lake yesterday and brought home a huge brown trout. He was incredibly proud of himself.”
“I bet he was.” Megan picked up four towels. “If he enjoys fishing, he’ll probably spend more time on the lake.”
“That’s what I thought. Although he seems to be enjoying his time at the center, too.” Cassie took some more sheets out of the cupboard and walked down the hallway.
When she was getting ready to come into town, she’d met Patrick as he returned from a walk. After she’d told him about The Welcome Center, he’d offered to come and help with whatever needed doing. Not long after they arrived, they’d met Mr. Jessop, the center’s gardener. He’d taken one look at Patrick and asked if he wanted to help in the vegetable garden.
Before she knew what was happening, Patrick was picking cherry tomatoes off the vine and chatting with Mr. Jessop. Anyone who saw them would think they’d been buddies their entire lives.
“Has Noah tried calling you again?”
Cassie pulled out a bed from the wall. “Apart from the message he left on my phone, I haven’t heard from him. He’s probably busy at work.”
“Maybe you should call him. If nothing else, he’s your boss.”
“I can’t call him.” Cassie flicked open a bottom sheet and tucked it under the mattress. “After what I said, he must think I’m a terrible person.”
“I wouldn’t be too sure about that. He told you he loves you. Noah doesn’t seem like the type of person who would say that to many people.”
He wasn’t the only one. Cassie kept her feelings to herself, especially when it meant she could get hurt. She missed Noah dreadfully and wished she hadn’t been quite so quick to judge him. But no amount of regret could change what had happened.
Megan added a top sheet to the bed she was making. “At some point you’ll have to talk to him. The longer you leave it, the harder it will be.”
“What if I make an idiot of myself? For all I know, he could be dating someone else by now.”
“That’s why you should call him.” Megan looked around the room and smiled. “Have you ever noticed how everything looks so much better when the beds have clean sheets on them?”
Cassie tucked the corner of the blanket under the mattress. “Only a person who is addicted to housework would agree with you.”
“It’s an occupational hazard when you have a seven-year-old in the house. You wouldn’t believe the treasures Nora finds in the garden. Last week she brought a container of worms and bugs inside. Goodness knows what’s going to happen after our new baby is born.”
“It will be the same, only better. How are you feeling?”
“I don’t need to carry a sick bag around with me, so that’s an improvement. Everything else is okay. I don’t even mind putting on weight, especially if it means our baby is getting lots of healthy food.”
Cassie smiled at Megan’s baby bump. “You look amazing.”
Megan grinned. “I knew there was a reason you’re my friend. Now let’s get this room finished before Pastor John finds us. He’s probably come up with another twenty ideas about how we can raise money for the tiny home village.”
Cassie moved to the next bed. “He should have worked in marketing instead of becoming a pastor. He has a lot of great ideas.”
The man in question stuck his head around the door frame. “But then I wouldn’t have met my two favorite fundraising committee members,” John said with a grin. “And you’re right. I do have a few ideas I want to discuss before our next meeting.”
Cassie handed him a set of sheets. “I’ve heard multitasking is one of your strengths. You can tell us your ideas while you help make the beds.”
John looked at Megan. “Is it my imagination or has Cassie become bossier since she returned from Manhattan?”
