Willow took one look at the timeline and smiled. “Did your mom make this?”
Brooke grinned. “Mom thought her days of creating spreadsheets were over. She made this schedule in half the time it would have taken me.”
“Are your parents looking forward to the wedding?”
“I think they’re more excited than I am. I’m so busy at the candy store that I haven’t had time to think about Saturday.”
“At least Easter only happens once a year. Once it’s over, you won’t need to make another chocolate egg for months.”
“There’ll be plenty of other holidays to keep me busy.” Brooke picked up the box of fudge she’d brought with her. “While we’re talking about candy, would you like a piece of fudge?”
Willow closed her notebook and smiled. “I thought you’d never ask.”
Later tonight, Megan, one of their friends, had organized a surprise evening for Brooke. If the bride-to-be wasn’t looking forward to her wedding after tonight, nothing short of postponing Easter would make a difference.
And that was never going to happen.
By lunchtime, Zac was heading into Sapphire Bay. As he drove down Main Street, he was surprised by how much everything had changed. Since his last visit, more cafés and galleries had opened. Baskets of hanging flowers adorned the verandas of the old-fashioned stores and the sidewalk was crowded with people.
Like a lot of things, the sleepy town he once knew had disappeared.
He found a parking space and walked toward the general store. Out of habit, he stayed close to the buildings, watching the people around him for any unexpected behavior. He desperately wanted to fit in, to be able to enjoy the sunshine like everyone else. But he couldn’t stop the adrenaline pumping through his body, the fear that came with walking along a busy street, surrounded by strangers.
After spending the last ten years in one war-torn country after another, being here was as alien to him as walking on the moon.
Taking an unsteady breath, he crossed the road.
On this side of the street, even more people lined the sidewalk. By the time he maneuvered around the strollers, the shopping bags, and the families clustered together, he had a good idea of why they were here.
The smell of freshly baked fudge tickled his nose and made his stomach rumble. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d eaten fresh fudge, let alone the sweet chocolatey variety that was tempting his taste buds.
If the smell weren’t enough to make him stand in line, the window displays would do it. With Easter only a few weeks away, the candy store was full of chocolate eggs. In the window closest to him, a white rabbit stood in the center of a glass shelf, surrounded by dozens of brightly decorated Easter eggs and candy.
He looked at the sign on the store window and smiled. Levi’s fiancée owned a candy store called Sweet Treats, and he’d found it, along with most of the people in Sapphire Bay.
“Zac?”
He turned and smiled at the man walking toward him. He hadn’t seen Levi for three years, but it felt like only last month that they were fighting for their lives in Kabul.
“It’s great to see you.” Tears stung Zac’s eyes. He hugged his friend, relieved that he’d made it home for his wedding.
“I thought you weren’t arriving until tomorrow.”
“That was the plan, but I caught an earlier flight.”
“You should have called. I would have met you at the airport and brought you home.”
Zac shrugged. “It was just as easy to rent a truck. Do you have time to grab a coffee?”
“Of course, I do—and I know just the place.” Levi looked at the people standing on the sidewalk. “If anyone sends you an evil glare, just smile.”
“Why would they do that?”
The grin Levi sent him was so unlike the man who’d left Kabul, that, for a few seconds, Zac was speechless.
“Follow me.” Levi walked to the front of the line and opened the door to the candy shop.
If Sweet Treats sold coffee, Zac hadn’t seen or smelled it. And from the look on everyone’s faces, no one appreciated them jumping to the top of the line.
His eyebrows rose when Levi walked around the front counter and kissed a woman on the cheek. It wasn’t until she turned around that he realized who it was.
Levi smiled. “Zac, this is my fiancée, Brooke Johnson.”
Brooke held out her hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”
“Same here. I can’t believe how busy you are.”
“It’s always like this before Easter. I can’t talk now, but if you’re not doing anything for dinner, you’re welcome to join us.”
“I’d like that.”
Levi looked at the people in the store. “We’re going upstairs to have a coffee. Will you be okay?”
“Kathleen and I will be fine. Daniella should be here soon to give us a hand.”
“Give me a call if you need help.”
“I will.” Brooke took a gift-wrapped bag of fudge off a shelf and handed it to Zac. “Welcome home.”
“Thanks. Is this the fudge I could smell?”
Brooke nodded. “It’s our chocolate dream flavor. That’s the last bag.”
“Let’s go upstairs,” Levi said. “If Brooke’s customers see what she gave you, they won’t be happy.”
Zac said goodbye to Brooke, then followed his friend into the commercial kitchen. The stainless steel counter was full of egg-shaped molds filled with chocolate. “How many Easter eggs has Brooke made?”
Levi stood beside him. “So far, more than two thousand. But that’s nothing compared to what will happen over the next few weeks.”
“Who will make the Easter eggs while you’re on your honeymoon?”
“We decided not to go away until after Easter. That way, the store will be quieter and Brooke won’t be thinking about work.”
Zac took another deep breath. “I don’t know how you manage to stay away from the kitchen. This place is amazing.”
Levi laughed. “I felt the same way the first time I smelled the fudge. The feeling never goes away. Come on. I’ll show you Brooke’s apartment. The changes we made after the fire look even better than the photos I sent you.”
As Zac climbed the stairs to the second floor, he realized just how much Levi’s life had changed since he’d moved to Sapphire Bay.
Levi was happy, and for that Zac was profoundly grateful.
He hoped he could find the same sense of peace. The same level of contentment that had been missing from his life. Because, whether he wanted to admit it or not, he was running on empty and something needed to change.
Chapter Two
Willow held Brooke’s arm as they walked into the Lakeside Bar and Grill. It had taken longer than she thought to convince Brooke to come here tonight. When she’d finally agreed, Willow had quickly bundled her into the truck and driven the short distance to the bar.
“We didn’t have to go out tonight,” Brooke said with a sigh. “Zac’s coming for dinner and I have a lot of candy orders to finish. We could have gone out after the wedding.”
“It wouldn’t be the same,” Willow argued. “Besides, Levi was happy to cook dinner for Zac. And I can help wrap the candy tomorrow.” She looked around the bar, searching for their friends.
The Lakeside Bar and Grill was a family-friendly restaurant that sold everything from hamburgers to lasagna. The meals were simple, fresh, and reasonably priced.
Brooke walked across to the large French doors. “The lake is incredible.”
Willow took one look at the view and pulled out her camera. As the sun fell behind the mountains, the pink and purple clouds turned Flathead Lake into a glistening wonderland. If a unicorn flew across the sky, she’d have the perfect fairytale image.
Stepping onto the balcony, Willow took the first shot. She adjusted the settings on the digital camera and took another photo. Then three more, until she was happy with what she saw.
“Can I have a look?�
�
“Sure.” Willow flicked through the photos on the display screen. “This is the one I like the best.”
“It’s beautiful. If I’d taken the photo, it would have looked terrible.”
“As long as you work with the light, anyone can create amazing photos.”
“You can create amazing photos,” Brooke said. “Have you spoken to the gallery owner in Bozeman about your exhibition?”
Willow nodded. “Mr. Costas called me yesterday. He’s finalizing the catalog and sending out the invitations next week.”
“Are you excited?”
“I’m more nervous than excited. What if no one comes?”
Brooke waved away her worry. “People wait on the sidewalk to see your exhibitions—and that’s in Sapphire Bay. Even for people who aren’t interested in art, your photos are amazing. Besides, Mr. Costas has already sold a lot of your prints.”
Willow wished she shared Brooke’s enthusiasm. It was all very well selling prints, but showing her work in Nick Costas’ gallery was completely different. His exhibitions attracted people from New York City and Los Angeles. He knew the owners of some of the most influential galleries in America. If that wasn’t enough to scare her silly, he had an exclusive list of clients who invested in new artists’ work. And in four weeks, he was showcasing the biggest collection of her work his clients had seen.
“There’s Emma.” Brooke waved at a blond woman standing at the bar.
Their friend grinned and waved back.
As they left the balcony, Willow tried not to think about what could happen after the exhibition. Nick was talking to a friend in Rome about the possibility of a European tour. At the moment it seemed so unlikely that she wasn’t dwelling on it. And even if something came from Nick’s inquiries, Willow didn’t know if she would do it. She’d come to Sapphire Bay to keep out of the spotlight, not create a new reason for people to recognize her.
Emma wrapped Brooke in a hug. “You look amazing. How does it feel to be getting married in two days?”
“Like a dream. I can’t believe it’s finally happening.”
The bartender placed three glasses of wine and a glass of orange juice on a tray.
“These are for us,” Emma said. “We found a booth on the other side of the room. Follow me.”
As Willow followed Brooke and Emma, she said hello to at least twenty people in the restaurant. Living in a small town had its challenges, but most of the time it was like living in a big, extended family.
A family that had just become bigger.
Brooke stopped in the middle of the room, staring at her fiancé. “What are you doing here?”
Levi didn’t seem the least bit worried about being in the same bar as his wife-to-be. “I decided to take Zac out for dinner. It’s busier than I thought it would be.”
A very pregnant woman walked toward them. “Levi? What are you doing here?”
Levi sighed. “Zac and I are about to have dinner. How are you feeling?”
Megan rested her hand on her tummy. “I’m fine. And before you ask, I’ve got my cell phone with me in case I go into labor.”
Levi grinned. “If you need a doctor, you’re in luck. Megan, this is Zac.”
“I thought your face was familiar. William showed me the photos of the refugee camp in Kabul.”
Zac held out his hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you. I’m sorry I couldn’t come home for your wedding.”
“That’s okay. William told me how busy you’ve been. And don’t worry about delivering my baby. I’ve still got five weeks until the due date.”
“Is there a doctor in Sapphire Bay?”
“Doc Reilly travels from Polson once a week for his clinic. Most of the time we have to drive to the hospital in Polson to see someone.”
“Does that work?”
Megan shrugged. “We don’t have much choice. The community has been asking the county for a full-time doctor for years, but nothing has happened.”
Levi sent Zac a loaded stare. “You could always stay in Sapphire Bay.”
“I need to go back to Afghanistan.”
“Are you sure?”
Zac hesitated before answering. “I’m sure.”
“At least I tried,” Levi said with a sigh. He turned to Emma. “Zac, this is Emma, and you already know Willow.”
A tingle of awareness shot along Willow’s spine. Compared to the exhausted person she’d met this morning, Zac looked completely different. There were still black circles under his eyes, but he seemed more relaxed.
Emma sent Zac a wide smile. “It’s nice to meet you, but you’ll have to excuse me. If I don’t take this tray to our table, I’ll spill the drinks.”
“I’ll carry it for you,” Zac said quickly. “Show me where you’re sitting.”
Emma handed him the tray. “Thanks. We’re over here.”
After they left, Levi grinned at his fiancée. “How would you feel about everyone having dinner together?”
Brooke poked him in the ribs. “Did you have this planned all along?”
“Not until Willow had to pry you out of our apartment. Besides, it would give Zac an idea of what it would be like to live here.”
Willow frowned. “He doesn’t want to move back to Sapphire Bay.”
Levi cleared his throat. “Not at the moment, but he might change his mind.”
Brooke sighed. “Leave the poor man alone. He must be exhausted from traveling here.”
“Zac’s had worst things to worry about.” The frown on Levi’s face deepened. “Do you want to have dinner with us or should I take Zac somewhere else?”
Brooke wrapped her hand around her fiancé’s elbow. “You can stay, but only if you buy everyone dessert.”
Levi grinned at Megan and Willow. “Is that all right with you?”
“It sounds great,” Megan replied.
Willow nodded. “It’s okay with me, too.”
Levi smiled at his fiancée. “It looks as though we’re having dinner together. Have I told you how much I love you?”
Brooke swatted his arm. “You only say that when you want to distract me from something.”
Megan led the way across the room. “It’s probably from dessert. Levi knows you’ve got a sweet tooth.”
Willow didn’t think that was it at all. Levi loved Brooke with everything inside him and it melted her heart to see them so happy. Even, she thought with a smile, if he had gate-crashed their bachelorette party.
Five months ago, Zac would have said you were crazy if you thought he’d be sitting in a bar in the middle of Montana, drinking wine with four women and a man he loved like a brother. But here he was and, what was even more surprising, he was enjoying himself.
It was easy to see why Willow, Brooke, Megan, and Emma were friends. They shared a similar sense of humor, they finished each other’s sentences, and they genuinely cared about each other.
Levi easily slotted onto their meandering thoughts, listening more than talking but still contributing.
Zac watched Megan absently rub the top of her stomach. She laughed at something Emma said, then sat back in her chair, content to let the conversation carry on around her.
A sinking feeling settled in the pit of Zac’s stomach. He thought about the pregnant women in the camp where he worked, the dire living conditions that made it difficult to keep everyone safe and well, let alone raise a newborn baby.
“What was it like living in Afghanistan?”
He turned to Willow and looked into her deep brown eyes. The words he told most people stuck in his throat. She hadn’t asked him the question out of politeness. He saw genuine interest, a curiosity about what was happening on the other side of the world.
“It’s difficult living in Kabul. Throughout Afghanistan, more than a million people have lost their homes, their livelihoods, and their future because of the droughts and conflict. Sometimes, you feel as though you’re making a difference. Other days, you could be banging your head against a br
ick wall.”
“What are the biggest problems?”
“Poor sanitation, malnutrition, and infant mortality. The aid agencies are doing everything they can to help, but it will never be enough.”
Willow frowned. “Why do you keep working in refugee camps? Wouldn’t it be less stressful to work in America?”
The answer to Willow’s question was as complicated as the conflict he’d left behind. “It would be less stressful, but I want to work where I’m needed the most. If a doctor leaves a camp, it has a huge impact on everyone.” There were more reasons he chose to stay, but sharing them had never been easy.
He looked across the table at Levi. He envied his friend’s ability to let go of the past, to create a future with the woman he loved.
After ten years of giving everything to his job, Zac had nothing left for anyone, including himself.
A gentle nudge on his arm pulled Zac’s thoughts back to the table.
Willow smiled. “You look like you’re a million miles away. I hope they’re happy thoughts.”
He forced a smile. “I discovered you’re the person who left the preserves and jams in my pantry. They’re amazing. I’d like to pay you—”
“You don’t need to. When Mabel told me you’re working for Doctors Without Borders I wanted to do something special for you and your guests. It’s the least I could do.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.”
“Is that what you do for a job? Make jams and preserves?”
Willow’s grin made his heart pound. “Baking is a hobby. I’m a photographer.”
Zac’s eyes widened. “Do you prefer landscapes or portraits?”
“Portraits, but I make more money taking photos of the wildlife and scenery around Montana. Have you spent your entire career working in refugee camps?”
“You like to change the subject.”
A soft blush swept across her cheeks. “Your life is probably a lot more interesting than mine.”
Zac tilted his head to the side. “Most people like talking about themselves.”
“Maybe I’m not like most people.”
A spark of something dangerously close to hope flared inside his chest. He studied the serious expression in Willow’s eyes, the determined angle of her jaw. She pulled at the deepest, darkest part of his soul and made him wish for things he’d pushed aside to get through each day.
Sweet Surrender Page 2
