“Good idea.”
Joseph led Shona across the indoor construction area. “I’m surprised no one was at the reception desk.”
“I was, too. I signed the visitor sheet to let them know I’m here. How’s Adele?”
“She’s a typical eight-year-old. The programs at the church are keeping her busy while I’m working. Nate must be going back to college soon?”
“Next week. I’ll miss him after he leaves.”
Shona’s husband had died in a car accident a few years ago. Joseph didn’t know much about her life, but he’d met her son and was impressed by the quietly spoken teenager. “I’m assuming the quilts are for the homes going to the new site in Sapphire Bay?”
“That’s right. I thought I’d drop them off before the tiny homes leave here.”
“Good idea. Everything gets a little crazy after we move the houses.” Although a team of paid staff and volunteers built the homes, they were a community project. Everything, from the curtains and linens to the cutlery and plates, was either made or donated by people and businesses in town.
Joseph stopped outside the tiny home closest to the loading bay. With two bedrooms in the loft, a small bathroom, a kitchenette, and a living room, it was everything the new tenants would need to feel safe and comfortable.
He opened the front door and stepped inside. “The last time I saw this house was after it was painted. The curtains have made a big difference.”
“They look lovely. It’s nice to have some colour in the room.” Shona left a quilt on top of some cushions and blankets.
The house wouldn’t be completely furnished until it arrived on site. But anything they could add before then meant the new tenants could move in faster.
“I’ve never asked why you donate so many quilts. They must take a long time to make.”
“They do, but the families who move into the tiny homes appreciate them.” She took another look around the house before leaving. “My grandma taught me how to sew when I was about your daughter’s age. We’d use scraps of fabric left over from the clothes she made. Whenever I make a quilt, it reminds me of her and the fun we had. What made you want to build the tiny homes?”
He hadn’t told many people why he volunteered. Most thought it was because he enjoyed building, but that was only part of the answer. “I went through a difficult divorce. When I moved to Sapphire Bay with Adele, I needed something to take my mind off what was happening. Pastor John asked if I wanted to help, and I said yes.”
“Well, I’m glad you did. You’re making a difference in many people’s lives.”
At Shona’s gentle smile, the tension in his shoulders disappeared. “I hope so.” He opened the next tiny home’s front door, and she left the second quilt beside some blankets. “I’ll see you at The Welcome Center tonight. Adele’s singing with the choir after dinner.”
“Good for her. The choir always sounds amazing.”
“They’re already planning what they’ll sing in the Christmas carol competition.”
Shona’s eyes widened. “Christmas is still four months away.”
“That’s what you get for coming second in last year’s competition. They want to win this one.”
“Let me know if they need anyone to make cookies for the audience. I have a great shortbread recipe that melts in your mouth.”
Joseph laughed. “I’ll tell Mabel.”
Since the first competition, the choir directors had tried to influence the voting by providing snacks for the audience. Gingerbread men, homemade candy canes, fudge, and even snowmen made from chocolate-coated marshmallows had made their way into the competition. Not to be outdone, Mabel had decided to find the perfect Christmas treats.
In easy silence, they walked across the concrete floor to the main entrance. Shona stopped in front of the reception desk. Picking up a pen, she quickly signed out of the visitor book. “Thanks for showing me where the houses are.”
“You’re welcome. Have a good day.” Joseph stood in the doorway and watched her leave.
Everyone he’d met had come to Sapphire Bay for different reasons. Why they stayed was an entirely different matter. Shona could have moved anywhere after her husband died, but she chose to live in the same small town where she’d raised her son.
Whether that was by choice or if it was easier than leaving, he didn’t know. And maybe it didn’t matter.
* * *
Shona glancedat Nate before stopping her truck outside a cottage on Anchor Lane. Some days, it still surprised her how far she’d come since selling her first quilt at The Christmas Shop. Never in a million years would she have imagined they’d be so popular or how much she enjoyed creating them.
