The Sweetest Thing

by Leeanna Morgan

  “I agree.” Noah scooped the fries into a large bowl and placed them on top of the dinner plates. “If you could take this outside, I’ll grab the sweetcorn and salad.”

  “And I’ll find the butter,” Noah’s granddad said from the kitchen doorway. He looked at the corn and grunted. “Gordon was right. The vegetables we picked today look fresher and better than those we get in New York.”

  “Mr. Jessop’s biased, but he knows what he’s talking about.” Cassie handed Patrick the butter. “I never thought organic vegetables tasted any different from other vegetables until I tried the food he grows.”

  “Did he tell you he wants to build a greenhouse?”

  Cassie nodded. “It’s on our list of improvements. I think Pastor John wants to leave it until the tiny home village is completely finished.”

  Patrick followed Cassie and Noah outside. “That will be months away.”

  “It’s probably closer to two years,” Cassie said sadly. “There’s only so much money to go around.”

  “Hmm.”

  Noah studied his grandfather’s face. “You can’t build a greenhouse for The Welcome Center.”

  “I wouldn’t do anything without speaking to Pastor John first.”

  Noah’s eyebrows rose. “That’s not like you.”

  Instead of looking insulted, his grandfather smiled. “I’ve mellowed in my old age.”

  “Really?” Noah looked at Cassie. “Don’t believe anything my grandfather says. He’s still as determined as he was thirty years ago.”

  With a heavy sigh, Patrick dropped onto one of the wooden chairs. “Forget determination. I’d settle for having my fifty-year-old body back. It would solve a lot of my problems.”

  Noah’s eyes narrowed. “Is there something you haven’t told me?” His grandfather hated going to the doctor. If it weren’t for Noah and Jack’s constant reminders, he doubted he would even go to his annual checkup.

  “There’s nothing you don’t already know. Now get those ribs off the barbecue before I help myself.”

  Noah wouldn’t put it past his granddad to do exactly that. “You might be just as determined, but you’ve got less patience.”

  Cassie handed Noah a pair of tongs. “They smell divine.”

  “It’s Jack’s recipe.” He lifted the ribs onto a plate and hoped they tasted as good as they smelled.

  When he turned around, his grandfather had a napkin tucked in the front of his shirt. “Cassie will think you don’t get fed.”

  “Nonsense,” Patrick said as he rubbed his hands together. “Cassie is just as keen as I am to taste your ribs. You’ve been tantalizing our taste buds with the smell all evening.”

  Cassie helped herself to a corncob. “It’s true. The smell was driving me crazy, too.”

  Noah’s heart leapt. If he’d known driving her crazy was as easy as cooking ribs, he would have done it weeks ago.

  He placed the plate on the table. “Help yourselves. I need to get something from the cottage.”

  “I’ve got plenty of soda, juice, and wine at my house if you need some more.”

  Noah shook his head. “We’ve got plenty. I’ll be back soon.”

  His grandfather picked up a fork. “Come on, Cassie. Let’s start. It would be a shame if the ribs got cold.”

  Noah hurried inside. He was glad his grandfather was here. Without his ability to smooth over the awkwardness of seeing Cassie again, he didn’t know whether the evening would be going quite so well. He just hoped the flowers he’d picked made Cassie realize how much he cared about her. If they didn’t, he’d have no choice but to send her barbecue spare ribs each week.

  Cassie glanced at Acorn Cottage. She had no idea why Noah had gone inside, but it must be important. Hopefully, he wasn’t replying to a phone message he’d forgotten or answering a work email.

  “Don’t worry about my grandson,” Patrick said. “Tell me about the land where the tiny home village will be built. It looks as though the groundbreaking is about to start.”

  “It is. On the weekend, a team of volunteers are removing the last of the fences between the properties. The bulldozers arrive on Monday. Did you like helping the apprentices?”

  Patrick handed her the salad. “It brought back a lot of good memories. We had an apprenticeship program when I started my first construction company. I’d forgotten how rewarding it is to help young builders.”

  Cassie had spent a few minutes watching what was happening in the construction area. The students from Montana State University enjoyed seeing their plans come to life. And from the looks of things, the apprentices welcomed the challenge of creating a tiny home.

  “I feel the same way when I’m showing students around my studio. It doesn’t matter whether they’re nine or nineteen years old, it makes you feel proud of what you’ve achieved.”

  Patrick’s eyes twinkled. “I enjoyed the tour of your studio the other night, and I’m a little older than the students. The judges couldn’t have chosen a more deserving recipient of the Wilson Award.”

  “Thank you.” Cassie bit into a spare rib and sighed. “This is incredible.”

  “Noah has hidden talents.” He looked over Cassie’s shoulder and smiled. “And talking about my grandson…”

  Cassie turned around and stared at the huge bouquet in Noah’s arms. Daisies, roses, snapdragons, and lilies were a rainbow of color and texture against his white shirt.

  He sat beside her and handed her the flowers. “These are for you. I want you to know how much you mean to me. Will you give me another chance to show you how wonderful our lives could be together?”

  Cassie held the flowers against her chest and inhaled their sweet fragrance. “They’re lovely.” The uncertain frown on Noah’s face made her heart squeeze tight. “You don’t need another chance, because I’ve never stopped loving you.”

  Noah’s eyes filled with tears. “I thought you’d given up on me.”

  Cassie shook her head. “I wanted to call you, but I didn’t know what to say. When I saw you this afternoon, I realized I want our relationship to work. It wasn’t fair that I held you responsible for what happened.”

  Patrick cleared his throat. “There’s something Noah hasn’t told you.”

  “No, granddad.”

  Cassie looked at Noah, then at Patrick. “What is it?”

  Noah scowled at his grandfather. “It won’t make any difference.”

  “It will make me feel better,” Patrick said stubbornly. “Besides, there’s been enough secrets between us. If you and Cassie are starting a new life together, she needs to know what happened before the trial.”

  Cassie had no idea what Patrick was talking about. She had talked to her dad, reread the trial notes, and devoured all the articles and social media posts about the court case. If there was anything left to uncover, she didn’t know what it could be.

  Patrick pulled the napkin out of his shirt. “Noah wasn’t the person who made the attorneys press charges against your father. I was.” He held up his hand when Noah started to speak. “I told Noah we needed to make an example of your father. Too many designers were breaking copyright and reproducing jewelry using cheaper materials. Something had to be done. The board of directors agreed with me. Noah couldn’t have done anything to stop what happened.”

  Cassie turned to Noah. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “I’m responsible for the decisions my board makes. It doesn’t matter whether I agree or disagree with them.”

  “What did you want to do?”

  Noah glanced at his grandfather. “Emanuel wasn’t meeting the targets we expected from him. When he told my staff someone had copied his designs, they believed him. I wanted an independent panel to assess the two designers’ work. If they could prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that your dad had copied his designs, I was happy to take the matter farther.”

  “Did you appoint a panel to look at the designs?”

  “I did. The designs were similar, but there was
a discrepancy in the timeline Emanuel gave the panel. They couldn’t verify who had created the designs first.”

  Cassie dropped the flowers to her lap. “Emanuel copied Dad’s designs, but he couldn’t prove it. By the time the case went to trial, everyone assumed my father was guilty.”

  “Emanuel knew how to use the media to his advantage.” Noah shook his head. “Even well-respected jewelers were fooled by his bravado.”

  Patrick leaned forward. “We didn’t know Emanuel was lying until we were nearly at the end of the trial.”

  “You could have apologized after it finished.”

  “I didn’t think your dad would want to talk to anyone from Wilson Enterprises,” Patrick said. “There were too many stories appearing in the newspapers. When they stopped, I tried to find your dad, but you’d left Los Angeles. I kept searching for you, but it was like looking for a needle in a haystack.”

  “We didn’t do that intentionally. After dad paid the attorney, we had no money. Mom was struggling with her treatment, and we needed to find somewhere quieter to live.”

  “Why did you go to San Francisco?”

  “Dad was offered a job. The salary wasn’t large, but it included a small apartment above the jewelry store. When the owner realized my father was the person everyone was talking about, he didn’t want anything to do with him.” Cassie looked at Noah, unsure about his reaction to what she’d say next. “We could only afford to stay in a hostel for a couple of weeks. After that, we didn’t have anywhere to live. We were homeless for six months.”

  She studied Noah’s face. His mouth was set in a grim line, but at least he didn’t look too appalled.

  Patrick sat silently on the other side of the table waiting for her to continue.

  “By that stage, Mom was really sick. Dad looked after her while I worked. Even with two part-time jobs, we couldn’t live on the money I earned. We relied on food donations from the local church and the kindness of strangers to survive. It was worse after Mom died. If it weren’t for Steve, Dad’s friend, I don’t know what would have happened to us.”

  Noah’s hand trembled as he held Cassie’s. “I’m sorry that happened to you.”

  Her eyes filled with tears. “That’s why I volunteer at The Welcome Center. I know what it’s like to struggle to find money for food, to not be able to pay rent or buy clothes. It messes with your mind and makes you think you’re less worthy than everyone else.”

  Patrick wiped the tears from his eyes. “I’m sorry, Cassie. If I’d known what was happening, I would have helped.”

  She took a deep breath. “I know you would have. I’m just glad I went home to look after Mom during the trial. At least we were together when all this was happening.”

  “You shouldn’t have gone through any of it.” Noah’s voice shook as his gaze shot to his grandfather. “The board assured me Tony’s family was okay.”

  Cassie squeezed his hand. “It’s not Patrick’s fault. We’re okay now. Dad enjoys working with Steve, and my jewelry store is doing better than ever.”

  “I’m surprised you spoke to me,” Noah said with more control. “I’m not sure I would have been as forgiving.”

  “I didn’t know who you were when I first met you.” Forcing a smile, she looked at the food on the table. “It’s easy to take what you have for granted. I’m looking forward to spending more time with both of you and enjoying the yummy dinner you’ve cooked.”

  Patrick picked up his glass of wine and raised it in a toast. “To good friends, new loves, and open hearts.”

  Cassie touched the rim of her glass to Patrick and Noah’s. “To good friends.”

  Chapter 19

  Noah stood at the back of the old steamboat museum with Pastor John. Being able to build the tiny homes indoors, then transport them to the property, would make a huge difference to the project timeline.

  The first tiny home was coming together more quickly than he imagined. Yesterday, the subfloor was constructed and the timber framing had been partly assembled.

  “Your grandfather enjoys being here.”

  Noah looked across the room. His granddad was listening intently to one of the students as they studied the house plans. “He regretted having to sell his construction company. You’ve made him very happy.”

  “It’s great having someone with his experience working alongside the apprentices. Do you like being back in Sapphire Bay?”

  “I’m not here for long. Granddad and I are flying to Manhattan tomorrow afternoon.”

  John’s eyebrows rose. “Why so soon?”

  “I need to be in my office on Monday. We’re in the middle of rebranding our prestige store and promoting a lot of new products.”

  “Cassie will be disappointed.”

  She wouldn’t be the only one. For the first time since he’d started his company, Noah wanted something different. Manhattan wasn’t the same when Cassie wasn’t there. He was ready to settle down, but the restlessness inside him was unsettling.

  “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  “Well, if you know anyone who wants a job, I’m looking for a Community Outreach Coordinator. The Welcome Center and the tiny home village are taking too much of my time.”

  Noah frowned. “It would be a good job for anyone wanting to give back to the community.”

  “That’s what I’m hoping someone will think. We can’t afford the salary most people earn in a city, but there are a lot of advantages to living here. I’ll send you a copy of the job description. Feel free to give it to your friends.”

  “I’m not sure it would do much good. Most of my friends aren’t planning on moving from New York.”

  “You never know. Stepping away from the stress of big city living can be good for the soul. Besides, it wouldn’t have to be forever. It could be the type of job someone does for a couple of years before trying something else.”

  Patrick joined them. “What do you think of the progress we’ve made?”

  “I’m impressed,” Noah said. “It looks as though the walls could be going up later today.”

  “If we stick to the schedule, they will.” He nodded at John. “It was a good idea to use the building apprentices on the project.”

  “It couldn’t have worked out better.” John turned as someone called his name. “I’ll have to go. My ten o’clock appointment must have arrived.” He shook Noah and Patrick’s hands. “Have a safe journey home. Make sure you come and see me when you’re next here.”

  “We will,” Noah said. “Good luck with the projects.”

  “I’ll need it if I can’t find a coordinator,” John muttered. He headed across the room, smiling at the woman waiting for him.

  “Why do you think John became a pastor?”

  Noah looked at his granddad. “I’ve got no idea. He can’t be much older than I am.”

  “He’s forty-one.”

  “You asked him?”

  “Of course I asked him. That’s what you do when you want to get to know someone. Have you seen Cassie this morning?”

  “I saw her for a few minutes before she came into town,” Noah said softly. “She enjoyed having dinner with us.”

  “I ruined her family’s life.”

  Noah touched his granddad’s arm. He knew how much he was hurting because he felt it too. “Cassie would disagree with you.”

  “Maybe.” Patrick took off his toolbelt. “I’m heading to the kitchen for coffee. Do you want to join me?”

  “Sure. The only thing I have to do is buy Jack some fudge and meet Cassie for lunch.”

  “That gives us plenty of time. After we’ve had coffee, you could help with the framing.”

  “I haven’t picked up a hammer in years.” The last time Noah had done any construction was when he was at college. His grandfather had given him a job over the summer break. It had been long, hot days, but he’d enjoyed every minute.

  “It’s like riding a bicycle. Once you know how, you never forget.”

  “
I don’t know if the person in charge would agree with you.”

  Patrick cleared his throat. “He’s a flexible guy.”

  Noah looked closely at his grandfather. “Is there something you’re not telling me?”

  “Coffee first, then we talk. I’m still recovering from last night.”

  Noah couldn’t blame him. Even after walking Cassie home, the knowledge of what had happened to her family weighed heavily on his mind. But, one way or another, Noah vowed to make it up to Cassie and her dad. Even if it meant doing the one thing he never thought he would.

  Cassie locked a glass cabinet in her jewelry store and studied the display. The copper necklaces looked lovely against the deep red velvet she’d found at the market. With the photos she’d uploaded onto her website, they shouldn’t take long to sell.

  After spending a lot of time working on the royal collection, it was nice to add something different to her catalog.

  The doorbell chimed and Brooke rushed into the store. “You’re not going to believe what has happened.”

  “You’re smiling, so it can’t be too bad.”

  Brooke did a happy dance. “It’s so awesome that I don’t know where to begin. The person in charge of the marketing team at Wilson Enterprises received my first shipment of fudge. She was so impressed with the taste and the packaging that she’s featuring it on the landing page of the prestige website.”

  “That sounds great.”

  Brooke threw her hands in the air. “It’s more than great. It’s mind-blowing. Wilson Enterprises want me to send them another two thousand bags of fudge. Two thousand! I’ll have to employ more staff and order a lot more ingredients. This could be life-changing.”

  Cassie’s eyes widened. “When do they want it?”

  “By the end of the month. I know. It’s not far away. But it’s totally doable. Kathleen and Daniella are going to work more hours, and I’ve offered the students in the church hospitality program a job. I can’t believe this has happened—and it’s all because of you.” Brooke rushed across the store and hugged Cassie tight. “If Noah hadn’t come here to find you, and he didn’t find my store, none of this would have happened.”