“Two. Charlie and Andy. I love them to bits.”
Daniella grinned. “They’re great boys. I’m hoping to have at least five children.”
Eden’s eyes widened. “That’s a lot.”
“My fiancé jokes that we could start our own basketball team.” She handed Eden three large bags of lettuce. “Mr. Jessop grows most of the vegetables we’ll be using in his greenhouses. The lettuce needs to be washed and placed in the salad bowls. After you’ve done that, we’ll add grated carrot, tomatoes, and cucumber.”
“It sounds delicious.” Eden washed her hands under the faucet before starting on the lettuce.
They worked together seamlessly, Andrea telling her about other meals they’d made while Daniella and Shelley sliced the tomatoes and cucumber.
“You look as though you’re enjoying yourself,” Shelley said as Eden grated the carrots.
“I am,” Eden said, feeling a bit more at home than when she’d arrived. “It’s nice meeting other people from Sapphire Bay. I can’t wait to try the lasagna. It smells amazing.”
Shelley poured some salad dressing into a small jug. “It tastes even better. We could make a recipe book with all the delicious recipes we’ve made in The Welcome Center.”
“That’s a great idea.” Andrea looked thoughtfully at the food waiting to be taken into the dining room. “We could ask Willow to take photographs of everyone working in the kitchen and serving the dishes. It could be a great fundraiser.”
“And we always need more of those,” Shelley replied.
Daniella checked her watch. “Pastor John will open the doors to the dining room soon. We’d better get everything ready.”
As the dinner guests arrived, Eden helped the volunteers carry trays of food into the dining area.
On her second trip, Eden saw a tall man carrying more chairs to a table. It was Steve. He looked completely different from when she’d met him the other day. Blue jeans and a white shirt replaced the tracksuit pants and sweatshirt he’d been wearing. He seemed happier and more at ease—but that was probably because he wasn’t worried about his dog.
Smiling at a group of people, he spoke quietly to them, then placed the chairs at their table.
Shelley must have seen who she was looking at. “Steve’s here most Friday nights,” Shelley whispered to her. “He gets on well with everyone, especially the children. He must’ve been grateful you found Rex.”
Eden nodded, feeling her heartbeat pick up a little. She remembered the gentle way he’d spoken to her when she’d returned his cute dog. “What does he do in Sapphire Bay?” she asked as she placed a bowl of salad on the table.
Shelley arranged the lasagna next to the salad. “After he moved here, he started working at the old steamboat museum building tiny homes. He helps with the church’s youth group and the junior basketball team. Don’t be surprised if he ropes you into a project while you’re here.”
Eden smiled, then glanced at Steve as he helped an elderly couple find some seats. Despite the bustling noise of the dining hall, she felt a sense of calm wash over her when she looked at him.
With a mischievous smile, Shelley leaned closer. “He’s thirty-five years old, originally from Pennsylvania, and met John while they were serving in Afghanistan. As far as I know, he hasn’t dated anyone since he moved here.”
Eden blushed. “I didn’t need to know about his dating history.”
“You never know when it might come in handy,” Shelley told her with a gleam in her eyes. Turning around, she carefully took another tray of lasagna off the food cart. “All we need are the loaves of garlic bread and everyone will be happy.”
“I’ll get them,” Eden offered. “Is there anything else you need from the kitchen?”
Daniella studied the dishes. “It looks as though we’ve got everything we need, but another pair of salad tongs wouldn’t go amiss.”
After the food was ready, Pastor John said a prayer, and everyone lined up with a dinner plate. Eden was surprised by the light-hearted banter and happy conversation going on around her. Back home, people hardly spoke to each other. But here, everyone seemed to know each other and what they were doing.
As she served the lasagna, everyone said hello and asked a little about her. They were so friendly that Eden felt like she’d lived in Sapphire Bay for most of her life.
When she’d served half of the lasagna from the dish, Eden counted the number of people still waiting in the line. They’d definitely need more food. “I’ll be back soon,” she told Shelley. “I think there’s more lasagna in the kitchen.”
Her friend nodded. “There are some empty bowls behind you. Can you take them with you?”
“No problem.” With a smile, Eden picked them up and walked into the kitchen. Steve was behind one of the sinks, his hand submerged in soap suds.
He turned and smiled. “Hi. I thought I’d get a head start on the dishes. It’s a busy night.”
