“You can come as often as you like,” Brooke told him. “Make sure you visit my store before four o’clock. I’ve made a special box of fudge for you.”
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“Yes, I did. I’ve got to go. Bye, Cassie.”
“Bye.” As soon as Brooke left, Cassie flicked the “Open” sign to “Closed” and locked the door. When she turned to Noah, he was grinning like a cat who’d found a tasty bowl of cream.
“I like your friends.”
Cassie smiled. “So do I. A hug can change the way you look at the world.”
Noah’s grin faded. “Has it changed the way you look at me?”
The huskiness in his voice was almost her unraveling. After Noah left her cottage last night, she hadn’t done much of anything except think about him, about the way her life had changed since she’d met him. How she had changed.
She gently placed her hands on either side of his face and stared into his eyes. “Everything about the last month has changed the way I look at you. You’re a good man. You care about the people around you and you want to make a difference.”
She rose on tiptoes and placed a soft kiss on his lips. “But the biggest change is what has happened to me. Before I met you, I was angry. Angry at how Dad was treated, angry at the way the media destroyed his life. I was hiding in Sapphire Bay, embarrassed to be Tony Harper’s daughter. Then you came along and made me confront all the things I feared. Because of you, I’ve found the real me.”
The wariness in Noah’s gaze was replaced with a trust so true that it brought tears to Cassie’s eyes.
“I love you, Cassie. I’ve always wanted to live a happy and courageous life with someone who loves me as much as I love her. You’re that person. I can’t imagine my life without you.” He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. “You’ve changed the way I look at the world.”
She relaxed against his chest and breathed in the essence of the man who had become the most important person in her life. “What am I going to do when you leave?”
“Probably the same thing I’ll be doing—thinking about you all the time and looking forward to our next weekend together.” He kissed the top of her head. “But you might be seeing more of my family than you realize.”
Cassie’s eyebrows rose. “Is your brother coming to Sapphire Bay?”
“Not yet, but I wouldn’t be surprised if you see him soon. Granddad’s decided to stay in Sapphire Bay for another two weeks. The foreman of the tiny village project is going to Wyoming for a family emergency. Pastor John asked Granddad if he would keep the project on track.”
“That’s a big commitment. Was Patrick happy to stay here?”
“More than happy. Since he sold his company, he’s felt lost. Working with John and the apprentices has given granddad a new lease on life. I’m helping him move his suitcases into the foreman’s home after lunch.”
Cassie knew how addictive living in a small town could become. “Do you think he’ll want to go home afterward?”
“I’m not sure.”
A gentle tapping on the window made them both turn around.
Cassie smiled. Patrick was holding a bag of Brooke’s fudge in his hand and pointing to his watch. “I think your granddad wants to have lunch with us.”
Noah sighed. “I think you’re right. Is that okay?”
“It’s more than okay. What woman wouldn’t want two of the most handsome men in town sitting beside her?”
Noah laughed. “Have I told you how much I love you?”
Cassie unlocked the front door. “A few times, but I’m not complaining.”
The following weekend,Noah took a deep breath and knocked on a gray wooden door. Sweat trickled down his spine as he thought about what he wanted to say to Cassie’s father. For the last few weeks, he’d thought about contacting Tony and apologizing for what had happened. After last weekend, he didn’t have a choice.
When Cassie told him her family had been homeless, he felt ashamed of what he’d done. Apologizing to Cassie’s father would never make up for all the hurt and humiliation his company had caused, but it was the only way Noah could try to make amends.
But how did you apologize to a man whose life you’d destroyed?
The door opened, and Noah stared into the face of the man who had lost so much. For a split second, all he could do was stare into a pair of eyes that were almost identical to Cassie’s.