Blake slipped a blindfold over Elizabeth’s eyes. “No peeking.”
“You’ve already told me that a hundred times.”
“Make sure you remember.”
Elizabeth had been almost locked in her office for the last hour. Daniel wouldn’t let her out of his sight and now she knew why. Sort of. Being blindfolded and taken to a mystery location wasn’t something she was expecting.
“I’m pulling out of the parking lot.”
Elizabeth turned toward Blake. “I’ve got a meeting in an hour with City Planning.”
“We’ll be finished by then.”
She sighed and adjusted the blindfold. “Are we going to the clinic?”
“Could be.”
“Thank goodness.” For the last four days, she’d been banned from going anywhere near the clinic. Paul had called her a couple of times, but all he’d say was that everything was going to plan.
Elizabeth bit her bottom lip. “The lady in City Planning will want an update on what’s happening. She won’t sign any documentation if the accommodation blocks aren’t finished to her satisfaction.”
She felt the truck slow down. “Are we there?”
“No. We’re stopping for the traffic lights.”
When the truck moved, Elizabeth held onto the edge of the seat. “Christmas is only two days away. If the clinic isn’t licensed, we can’t provide emergency accommodation.”
“I know. Paul and the volunteers have been working really hard to finish as much as they can.”
She waited another few minutes before sighing again. “Are we nearly there?”
“No.”
She tapped her fingers on the leather seats. “Why do I need to wear a blindfold? I’ve already been in all the rooms.”
“But you haven’t seen them completely finished. A team of volunteers have hung the curtains and added the blankets and cushions to each unit.”
“Do they look okay?”
“They do.”
The truck bumped over something.
“We’re here,” Blake said. “Wait inside the cab. I’ll open the door and walk you toward the clinic. Remember. No peeking.”
Elizabeth took off her seatbelt and tried to sit still. It wasn’t easy. She could hear someone talking to Blake. It sounded like Paul’s voice, but she wasn’t sure.
The door opened and a gust of cold air made her shiver.
“I’m going to place your hand on my arm. Are you ready to step out of the cab?”
Elizabeth smiled. Falling flat on her face would match everything else that had happened since she’d bought the old motel building.
“I won’t let you fall,” Blake said quickly.
She held onto his arm and swung her legs sideways. “I didn’t think you would.” She felt for the running board and carefully stepped out of the truck.
“That’s it,” Blake said softly. “We’ll take a few more steps, then stop.”
Elizabeth wiggled her nose. “The blindfold is making my skin itch.”
“It won’t be long now.”
Someone drove past, honking their horn. Elizabeth groaned. Goodness knows what they were thinking.
Blake stopped and squeezed her hand. “Paul is standing on the other side of you.”
Elizabeth turned to her right and touched Paul’s arm. “Were you part of the conspiracy to keep me away from the clinic?”
“I’m afraid so. But it will be worth it.”
Blake took her hand off his arm and moved behind her. “I’m going to take off the blindfold. Are you ready?”
She took a deep breath. “I’m ready.”
He undid the knot and lifted the blindfold off her face.
Elizabeth blinked a few times before focusing on the clinic. “Oh, wow.” Tears filled her eyes. “I didn’t think the office was arriving until the middle of January.”
Blake smiled. “We told a white lie.”
She wiped her face, then walked toward the new administration area.
“The construction company delivered the addition three days ago.”
She touched the stone pillars under the front porch. “This is so much better than I thought it would be. Everyone must have worked hard to get it finished.”
Paul nodded. “It was a lot easier using a prefabricated building, but we still had a couple of long nights. Everyone wanted it finished in time for Christmas.” He handed her an envelope. “This is for you.”
She opened the flap and frowned. “It’s from City Planning.” Her mouth dropped open. “It’s the license I need to provide emergency accommodation. How did you get this?”
Paul smiled. “The lady from City Planning visited us three hours ago. She was pleased with what we’ve achieved.”
“She knows how important it is to open the accommodation for Christmas,” Blake said. “Twenty-four bedrooms with shared kitchen facilities are almost unheard of at this time of the year. Especially units that can accommodate families.” He handed her another envelope. “Logan Allen, the reporter from the Chronicle, dropped this off for you.”
Elizabeth tore open the second envelope. “It’s a check.” She reread the numbers to make sure she hadn’t made a mistake. “It’s for forty-seven thousand dollars.”
“A lot of people wanted to help but couldn’t volunteer. The Chronicle opened a special account for anyone who wanted to make a donation to your project.
“I’m overwhelmed.” Elizabeth swallowed, holding back more tears.
Paul sent her a reassuring smile. “I hope you brought plenty of tissues because it’s going to get worse. Come and see your new reception area.”
Elizabeth slipped her hand into Blake’s. His quiet strength centered her and calmed the adrenaline pumping through her body.
Paul opened the front doors.
She wiped her feet on the doormat and sighed. “It’s beautiful.” With its large windows, multiple workstations, and all the office equipment they could possibly need, it was the perfect work environment. But there was one piece of furniture that hadn’t been in her budget.
She ran her hand along the front desk. “This is incredible, but it wasn’t on our list of furniture.” The mahogany desk was silky smooth and gleamed under her fingertips.
Paul smiled. “Blake had the desk custom made for you.”
A dull blush hit Blake’s cheeks. “You spent a lot of time sanding the old desk back to its original condition. Even though it’s not the same, I thought you might like something to remind you of where everything began.”
“That was really thoughtful. Thank you.” She kissed Blake’s cheek and smiled when his blush deepened.
Before she could admire the rest of the office, Paul waved them through to the area they’d converted into staff offices and meeting rooms.
Elizabeth stood in the hallway between the new and the old parts of the building. She was in awe of the construction crew who had seamlessly connected the two buildings.
Paul stopped outside her office. “You’ve seen this area without furniture, but I thought you’d like to see your office after Holly and Sarah furnished it. They want you to know that if you want to change anything, they won’t mind.”
Elizabeth glanced at Blake. She was almost too scared to walk into the room. Not because she was worried about what it looked like, but because everything felt so surreal. For years, she’d dreamed of making the clinic a reality. Now that it was here, she didn’t know what to say or do.
He nudged her forward. “Go on.”
She poked her head around the doorframe. “Oh, wow.” She walked into the large room and touched the edge of the oak desk. “Is this my dad’s?”
Blake nodded. “Daniel told Holly that your dad gave it to you when your parents moved. He knew you wanted to have it in your new office, so here it is.”
“I’m surprised he remembered. The office is lovely.” Holly and Sarah had taken the soft, golden glow of her dad’s desk and added a coffee table in the same tones. With white painted wa
lls, a pale gray sofa, two sturdier, dark gray chairs, and cushions in pink and coral, the room was feminine without being too frilly.
But what tied the room together wasn’t the desk or the furniture. It was the painting on the wall. Elizabeth gasped when she saw the artist’s signature. “Holly painted this for me?”
Paul nodded. “She wanted you to have something special for your office.”
The oil painting was at least four feet wide and two feet tall. Wildflowers in all shades of the rainbow spilled across a meadow. Behind them, snow-capped mountains rose into a clear blue sky. Each brushstroke gave the painting movement and life and reminded Elizabeth of the reason she’d moved to Montana.
“It’s beautiful.” She had never felt more blessed. After one last look around the room, she turned to Paul. “Can we look in the accommodation blocks?”
“I never thought you’d ask.”
They walked outside and Elizabeth breathed in the crisp, cool air.
Paul pointed to the red-brick buildings. “Doris Stanley and her team have been adding the finishing touches to the rooms.” He opened the door of the first unit they saw. “What do you think?”
Elizabeth walked in and smiled. “This is wonderful.”
The beds looked warm and inviting. With rich brown, copper, and red accessories, the room was stylish and functional. But most importantly, it would be a haven for anyone needing somewhere to sleep.
She walked into the bathroom and smiled. Fluffy towels were waiting on the electric towel warmer and a bar of her own soap was sitting on the edge of the bath.
Elizabeth looked over her shoulder and smiled at Blake. “Was the soap your idea?”
He shook his head. “It was Doris’s. Your soap is the only thing that makes her have a good night’s sleep. She thought it might help the people who stay here.”
“I hope so, too.”
They looked in more rooms. The accessories in each unit were slightly different but they were all cozy. Elizabeth couldn’t have been happier.
By the time they walked out of the last unit, more than a dozen trucks were sitting in the parking lot.
She looked at Paul and frowned. “Was there more work to do?”
“No. Everything’s finished.”
“Then why are there so many—” Another truck parked in front of them. “Daniel? What are you doing here?”
Her brother was grinning as he got out of his truck. “Congratulations. I’ve come to celebrate the opening of the clinic.”
Elizabeth looked around the parking lot. She recognized most of the men and women heading toward the dining area. “Is that why everyone is here?”
Paul nodded. “You didn’t have a grand opening on your schedule, so we decided to organize one. Everyone wanted to thank you for what you’ve done.”
“It was a team effort. I couldn’t have done any of this on my own.” Elizabeth looked at the people heading toward the dining area. “Why is everyone carrying baskets and boxes?”
“That’s lunch,” Blake said. “We all brought something to share.”
Daniel walked back to his truck and opened the passenger door. “This is from Tess at Angel Wings Café. She couldn’t be here, but she thought we might like some of her special Christmas muffins.”
Elizabeth took the basket and looked inside. Lemon frosting, topped with bright red cherries decorated the sweet-smelling muffins. Elizabeth’s tummy rumbled.
“Don’t tell me you didn’t have breakfast?” Blake growled.
“I had a smoothie,” Elizabeth said with a smile. “But that was a few hours ago.”
Blake took the basket out of her hands. “It’s just as well I dropped off enough food for six people, then. Come on. The dining room will be full of people wanting to say hello.”
Elizabeth took a deep breath. Today was the beginning of something wonderful, but somewhere along the line, a new kind of wonderful had happened. Only it had nothing to do with the clinic and everything to do with the man holding the basket of muffins.
Elizabeth stepped into the dining room and smiled at the first group of people she saw. Blake and Paul weren’t wrong when they said that everyone who’d helped wanted to be here. The room was bursting with people hugging each other and shaking hands.
She saw Detective McCormick and gave him a hug. “Hi, Joseph.”
“Congratulations. It’s good to see so many people here.”
“It is. I don’t know if I could have finished the clinic if it weren’t for the help you gave us.”
Joseph smiled. “I didn’t do much. You had a team of good people looking after you.”
“How are the two boys who lit the fire?”
“Harry and Christopher are doing better than I thought. Jake Stanley has taken them under his wing. Each afternoon they spend a couple of hours with him.”
“That’s amazing. I hope it works out for them.”
“So do I. I’d better let you mix and mingle. There a lot of people who want to speak to you.”
Elizabeth smiled as Joseph disappeared into the crowd.
“Do you need a bodyguard?”
Elizabeth turned and threw her arms around Sam. “It’s so good to see you. How have you been?”
“Bored,” Sam whispered. “But don’t tell my boss. Keeping you safe was more exciting than finding a supervirus that’s destroying computer operating systems.”
Elizabeth’s eyes widened. “I hope you’re joking.”
“Only a little.” Sam looked around the room. “Where’s Blake? I thought he would be glued to your side.”
“I lost him when we walked into the room. But he’s probably taking some muffins across to the kitchen.”
Sam’s smile disappeared. “When you get a chance, give Sarah a call. I saw her yesterday. Her mom is going through a rough patch.”
“Oh, no. What’s happened?”
“She had another small stroke. Sarah’s worried about her.”
“I’ll call her after we’ve finished here.”
“Good idea.” Sam looked over Elizabeth’s shoulder and smiled. “Hello, stranger. I was wondering where you’d gone.”
Blake gave Sam a hug. “I was trying to convince a local quilting group that they should exhibit their work. The quilts they made for some of the rooms are amazing.”
“I don’t believe it.” Elizabeth placed her hand on Blake’s forehead. “Are you sure you haven’t got a temperature. I could have sworn you just said you were impressed with some quilts.”
Blake’s eyes crinkled at the corners. “It’s my softer, feminine side. It’s been there all along, only you haven’t noticed.”
“There are a lot of things she hasn’t noticed,” Daniel said from behind Elizabeth. “Hi, Sam. Caught any criminals lately?”
“Not as many as I’d like. I’ll see you later, Elizabeth. I’m looking forward to hearing your speech.”
“My speech?” Elizabeth stared at Blake. “You didn’t tell me I had to make a speech.”
“You’ll be fine. It doesn’t have to be long.”
She patted her pockets, looking for a pen. “Does anyone have a piece of paper?”
Blake smiled. “That’s the old Elizabeth Sullivan speaking. The new Elizabeth would speak from her heart.”
“Speaking from my heart will make me cry.”
“And what’s wrong with that?”
“When I cry my face goes red and blotchy, my nose runs, and I can’t think straight.”
Her brother sighed. “Blake wouldn’t have noticed. He’s too busy hugging you each time you cry.”
“I do not,” Blake said. “Not every time.”
“Hold that thought,” Daniel said. “Paul is about to welcome everyone.”
Elizabeth watched in horror as Paul stepped onto a small platform. His speech was funny and emotional and left Elizabeth feeling even more stressed.
“I can’t do this,” she whispered to Blake. “I don’t know what to say.”
He squeezed he
r hand. “You’ll be fine. Just say thank you.”
She took a deep breath. Thank you she could manage.
Paul turned to her and smiled. “It gives me great pleasure to ask Elizabeth to say a few words. She found this building and saw what it could become. If it weren’t for her vision, none of us would be here today. Ladies and gentlemen, Elizabeth Sullivan.”
Elizabeth stepped toward Paul. She wiped her hands on her jeans and frantically thought of everything she wanted to say. “Hi everyone. Thank you, Paul for your warm welcome.” She cleared her throat and looked at the expectant faces around her. Saying thank you wasn’t enough. Everyone had put their heart and soul into making the clinic a reality. The least she could do was tell them what a difference they would make in other people’s lives.
“First of all, I’d like to thank you for coming here today and for the time you spent working at the clinic. It’s true that when I saw the building I knew it would make an incredible legal aid clinic. And because it used to be a motel, providing emergency housing was a real possibility.”
She looked at Blake. The warmth in his eyes gave her the courage to continue. “I’ve seen first-hand how compassion, respect, and dignity can change a person’s life. I wanted to create a place where people can be safe and warm. Somewhere they can ask for help before an issue becomes so big that they give up searching for a solution.”
Elizabeth’s heart pounded. “During the renovation, there were times when I didn’t think we’d be able to finish. When the main building caught fire, I almost gave up. But in an odd way, the fire brought everyone together. The clinic is part of you. It’s a reminder of what we can achieve when we work together. And hopefully, it shows the people who come here that no matter what has happened, we care about them.”
Everyone started clapping.
Elizabeth’s eyes filled with tears. When the room became quiet, she took another deep breath. “With your support and the help we’ve received from many organizations, I’d like to officially open the Amanda Harrington Legal Aid Clinic.”
Blake’s eyes widened.
There was more clapping and congratulations. By the time Paul invited everyone to enjoy the shared meal, the room was so noisy that he almost needed a megaphone to be heard.
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