Willow grinned. “As long as I’ve got something to hold onto, I’ll be fine. I’ve never been in a hot air balloon before.”
Gary held out his hand to Willow. “In that case, welcome aboard. I’ll run through the safety instructions before we leave. After that, all you need to do is enjoy the ride.”
Willow’s gaze never left Gary as he told them what to expect during the flight and what to do if they had to make an emergency landing.
At the end of his talk, Gary turned to Willow. “Are you ready for your balloon ride?”
Willow looked at Zac.
Zac smiled when he saw the excitement on her face. “I’d say the answer is a resounding yes.”
“In that case,” Gary said as he opened the door to the basket, “let’s get you on board and into the air.”
Before she stepped inside, Willow hugged Zac. “Thank you. This is much better than sitting in a restaurant.”
“I thought so, too.” A warmth settled deep in his chest. Just being with Willow made him happy. “There’s a picnic basket in the back of my truck. When we get back, we could have dinner here or drive to Flathead Lake and eat it there.”
Willow sighed. “The lake sounds wonderful. There’s only one problem.”
“What’s that?”
“Our first date is perfect. If the single women of Sapphire Bay realize how romantic you are, they’ll come to your clinic for more reasons than a sore throat.”
Zac grinned as he helped her into the basket. “Don’t worry. Mabel said she’d help me find a receptionist. They can be my bodyguard.”
Willow seemed relieved. “That’s the best news I’ve heard all day.”
Gary closed the door behind them and smiled. “Are you ready to watch the sun set over Flathead Lake?”
Zac nodded. He was ready for anything—including being part of Willow’s life.
Chapter Eleven
The following day,Willow wished she hadn’t been so quick to volunteer her services at The Welcome Center. Today’s photographic workshop was the last one she would tutor this semester. Each of the previous classes had been fun but, with everything that had happened, her head felt as though it was spinning.
She picked up one of her spare cameras and placed it on a table. In half an hour, the students would arrive. If she didn’t push aside her nagging sense of unease, no one would enjoy the class.
“Are you all right?” Emma asked from the doorway.
Willow forced a smile. “I will be after my workshop is finished. Where are the twins?”
“They’re with Pastor John and the other children in the living room. He’s keeping Dylan and Molly amused in exchange for my accounting skills.”
This time, Willow’s smile was genuine. Sticking to a budget and recording all of the center’s income and expenditure wasn’t one of John’s strengths. He should employ an accountant. But finding someone who would work for less than they could get somewhere else was almost impossible. Luckily, there were enough small business owners in Sapphire Bay to make the job easier. With each of them volunteering for a few hours each month, the church’s accounts were more organized than they’d been in years.
Emma handed Willow a sheet of paper. “If you’ve bought anything for the workshop, write the details on here and include the receipts.”
“You know I’m not doing that.” All the money the church earned kept The Welcome Center open and supported the tiny home village. There was no way Willow would take money away from those two important projects. “Besides, we use digital cameras for most of the work. I can pay for the other bits and pieces. They aren’t expensive.”
With raised eyebrows, Emma studied the canvas frames sitting on the tables. “Who paid for the photos to be printed onto the canvas?”
“It won’t bankrupt me.”
“That’s what you always say.”
Willow’s smile grew wider. “Because it’s true.”
“In that case, thank you. But don’t feel as though you have to pay for everything. John wants to reimburse you.”
