Brooke frowned at her score sheet. “I thought for sure you would be able to help.”
“Why would you think that?”
“Because you’re decisive. If you don’t like something, you know immediately. Most people will keep nibbling on the fudge regardless of whether it’s their favorite flavor or not.”
Willow handed the box back to her friend. “What will you do now?”
Brooke shook her head. “I don’t know. I’ll need to think about it on the way to the airport. It’s too late to try a different type of fudge and I haven’t got the time to make any more flavors.”
“Will this help?” Willow placed the half-eaten pieces of fudge in a row in front of her. With her eyes closed, she moved one piece of fudge away from the others, then repeated the same action. “What about featuring these two flavors next month?”
“Berry delight and walnut maple,” Brooke murmured. “It could be a good combination. The sweetness of the berries will balance the nuttiness of the walnut. We could even do something quirky with the packaging and sell both flavors together.”
Willow checked her watch. “Are you ready to drive to the airport now?”
“Almost. I wanted to wish you all the best for the concert and your exhibition. I can’t believe Levi and I will miss both events.”
“It doesn’t matter.” Willow walked toward the front door, with Brooke following her. “Mabel has asked if she can record some of the concert for the community Facebook page and Megan will be at the exhibition. When you get back, there’ll be plenty of time to catch up with what happened.”
From the veranda, Willow waved at Levi. He was sitting in his truck, patiently waiting for his wife. “Promise me you’ll have a wonderful honeymoon.”
Brooke grinned. “I will now. Thanks for helping.”
“You’re welcome.” She opened the passenger door, said hello to Levi, then bundled Brooke into the front seat. “Have a safe flight and try not to think about work.”
“I’ll see you in two weeks.”
As Levi drove away, Willow waved to her friends. It only seemed like yesterday they’d become engaged. And now look at them—heading to Vancouver on a honeymoon that had been postponed because of work.
She returned to her studio. Brooke wasn’t the only person who was still working. If Willow didn’t finish the portrait a family from Bigfork had commissioned, she would be working overtime, too.
Zac knockedon the door to Doc Reilly’s consultation room at The Welcome Center.
“Come in.”
“I hope I’m not intruding.”
Doc Reilly smiled. “Of course not. I came in to sort through a few things before I retire. Did you make a list of everything you’ll need?”
Zac pulled a sheet of paper out of his back pocket. “I did. Do you think the hospital will supply everything?”
Doc Reilly studied the list. “I can’t see why not. The consultation rooms in town have become a little run down. We were supposed to have a new medical clinic by now, so I wasn’t worried. But given the funding cuts hospitals are having to make, I can’t see a new clinic being built in Sapphire Bay. Not for a few years, anyway.”
“The community won’t be happy.”
“I know, but there isn’t a lot we can do about it. It wouldn’t take much to improve the current building. If you have any ideas about changes you’d like to make, talk to Levi. His construction company has remodeled quite a few buildings in town.”
“I’ll do that.”
Doc Reilly pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Have you heard anything from the clinical director in Polson?”
“Not yet. But my paperwork has been approved and John is happy for me to see patients at The Welcome Center.”
“Was your team in Afghanistan surprised to hear you weren’t going back?”
Zac still felt guilty about leaving the refugee camp so suddenly. “They were. Luckily, another doctor was able to take my place. It feels as though I’ve left a big part of my life behind.”
“It’s not easy making such a huge adjustment, especially when staying here wasn’t something you’d planned.”
