Placing her hand on an old wooden handle, Jackie opened the door. When she turned on the light switch, two bare bulbs dangling from the ceiling cast a pale glow across the covered furniture in front of them.
“Oh, my goodness,” Jackie whispered, her breath sending puffs of dust swirling around them. “I doubt many people know these storage rooms exist. Look how far back it goes.”
She swung the beam of her flashlight toward the back wall. Her entire cottage would easily fit inside the cavernous space. And what was even more exciting were the drop cloths covering all sorts of shapes.
Aidan lifted the edge of the drop cloth closest to them and showed Jackie the dark brown mahogany dresser. “It’s like stepping back in time.”
Before he moved onto the next piece of furniture, she pulled out her measuring tape. Quickly, she made a note of the length and height of the dresser. “It’s a little too small for the cottage, but if we can find another one that’s longer, it could be perfect.”
Clutching the measuring tape in one hand, she moved to the next drop cloth. After Pastor John had so generously offered her any of the furniture, she was determined to make the most of the opportunity.
Aidan wiped a cobweb away from where he was about to walk. “Let’s see what we can find.”
They maneuvered through the room, uncovering ornate armchairs and sturdy wooden tables. Jackie carefully measured each piece, meticulously calculating how they might fit into her store.
“Look at this old sewing machine.” Aidan lifted a dusty sheet to reveal a cast-iron Singer. “Do you think you could use it?”
“I might be able to,” Jackie mused, running her fingers over the intricate metalwork. “It would add a nice touch of history to the store.”
Aidan took the drop cloth completely off the sewing machine. “Let’s move it into the hallway. If you think you’ve still got room for it after we’ve looked at everything, we can take it back with the other furniture.”
“That sounds good.” The sewing machine was heavier than it looked, but they wiggled it out of the room without too much drama.
As they continued their search, Jackie was surprised no one had collected the pieces they were looking at. Even the scratched and dented furniture was gorgeous.
“Jackie, come and look at this,” Aidan said, pulling back a sheet to reveal a beautifully carved oak bookcase. “This would be great for displaying your yarns and knitted items.”
She made her way across to him. “It’s beautiful.” Her tape measure clicked as she stretched it across the bookcase, praying it would fit. When she checked the size against the floor plan of the store, she smiled. “It’ll fit perfectly beside the fireplace.”
“That’s wonderful. Pastor John said to take a photo of the pieces you like and leave a yellow Sticky Note on them. If they’re too heavy for us to take, John will ask Richard to organize some of the students in the construction program to take them to Anchor Lane.”
Jackie snapped a picture with her cell phone. “That makes it easy.”
Together, they found several pieces of furniture, each one a testament to the town’s history and a symbol of Jackie’s bright future. As they added a Sticky Note to the last table, she felt she was one step closer to achieving her dream—a dream that, until very recently, had felt just as unreachable as the moon.
CHAPTER13
Aidan stepped out of his truck in his running gear, his cheeks flushed from the warmth inside the cab. A light dusting of snow covered the ground, making the landscape around Flathead Lake even more picturesque than usual.
David was waiting for him by the lake’s edge, hands shoved into his pockets to keep warm. When he saw Aidan, he jogged across to meet him. “It’s good to see you. I’ve missed our runs.”
Aidan grinned. “Welcome back, honeymooner. How was Tennessee?”
“Amazing. We all loved the Great Smoky Mountains, but Dollywood was Andy and Charlie’s favorite. They went on all the roller coasters at least three times.”
Aidan stretched out his calf muscles. “I thought they’d enjoy them. When I went there with my sister’s family, her twins loved the rides, too. Are you ready for a run?”
“Don’t go too fast. I didn’t hit the gym once while we were away.”
Aidan’s eyebrows rose. “There wouldn’t be many people who’d want to spend an hour or two in the gym on their honeymoon.”
David grinned. “It wasn’t quite like you’re imagining. Although Andy and Charlie kept us on our toes. I don’t know whether they were more excited about being away from school or seeing somewhere they’d never been before.”
“I vote for being off school.” Aidan started jogging, his breath visible in the cold air as he began their familiar route around the lake.
“What’s been happening in Sapphire Bay?” David asked.
“You’ll be happy to know that Daniella and Jackie have been hard at work planning the Christmas gala,” Aidan shared, breathing faster as they picked up the pace. “It’ll be an incredible event. The items are already coming in for the auction.”
