Zac took another deep breath. “I don’t know how you manage to stay away from the kitchen. This place is amazing.”
Levi laughed. “I felt the same way the first time I smelled the fudge. The feeling never goes away. Come on. I’ll show you Brooke’s apartment. The changes we made after the fire look even better than the photos I sent you.”
As Zac climbed the stairs to the second floor, he realized just how much Levi’s life had changed since he’d moved to Sapphire Bay.
Levi was happy, and for that Zac was profoundly grateful.
He hoped he could find the same sense of peace. The same level of contentment that had been missing from his life. Because, whether he wanted to admit it or not, he was running on empty and something needed to change.
Chapter Two
Willow heldBrooke’s arm as they walked into the Lakeside Bar and Grill. It had taken longer than she thought to convince Brooke to come here tonight. When she’d finally agreed, Willow had quickly bundled her into the truck and driven the short distance to the bar.
“We didn’t have to go out tonight,” Brooke said with a sigh. “Zac’s coming for dinner and I have a lot of candy orders to finish. We could have gone out after the wedding.”
“It wouldn’t be the same,” Willow argued. “Besides, Levi was happy to cook dinner for Zac. And I can help wrap the candy tomorrow.” She looked around the bar, searching for their friends.
The Lakeside Bar and Grill was a family-friendly restaurant that sold everything from hamburgers to lasagna. The meals were simple, fresh, and reasonably priced.
Brooke walked across to the large French doors. “The lake is incredible.”
Willow took one look at the view and pulled out her camera. As the sun fell behind the mountains, the pink and purple clouds turned Flathead Lake into a glistening wonderland. If a unicorn flew across the sky, she’d have the perfect fairytale image.
Stepping onto the balcony, Willow took the first shot. She adjusted the settings on the digital camera and took another photo. Then three more, until she was happy with what she saw.
“Can I have a look?”
“Sure.” Willow flicked through the photos on the display screen. “This is the one I like the best.”
“It’s beautiful. If I’d taken the photo, it would have looked terrible.”
“As long as you work with the light, anyone can create amazing photos.”
“Youcan create amazing photos,” Brooke said. “Have you spoken to the gallery owner in Bozeman about your exhibition?”
Willow nodded. “Mr. Costas called me yesterday. He’s finalizing the catalog and sending out the invitations next week.”
“Are you excited?”
“I’m more nervous than excited. What if no one comes?”
Brooke waved away her worry. “People wait on the sidewalk to see your exhibitions—and that’s in Sapphire Bay. Even for people who aren’t interested in art, your photos are amazing. Besides, Mr. Costas has already sold a lot of your prints.”
Willow wished she shared Brooke’s enthusiasm. It was all very well selling prints, but showing her work in Nick Costas’ gallery was completely different. His exhibitions attracted people from New York City and Los Angeles. He knew the owners of some of the most influential galleries in America. If that wasn’t enough to scare her silly, he had an exclusive list of clients who invested in new artists’ work. And in four weeks, he was showcasing the biggest collection of her work his clients had seen.
“There’s Emma.” Brooke waved at a blond woman standing at the bar.
Their friend grinned and waved back.
As they left the balcony, Willow tried not to think about what could happen after the exhibition. Nick was talking to a friend in Rome about the possibility of a European tour. At the moment it seemed so unlikely that she wasn’t dwelling on it. And even if something came from Nick’s inquiries, Willow didn’t know if she would do it. She’d come to Sapphire Bay to keep out of the spotlight, not create a new reason for people to recognize her.
Emma wrapped Brooke in a hug. “You look amazing. How does it feel to be getting married in two days?”
“Like a dream. I can’t believe it’s finally happening.”
The bartender placed three glasses of wine and a glass of orange juice on a tray.
“These are for us,” Emma said. “We found a booth on the other side of the room. Follow me.”
