The Santa Express

by Leeanna Morgan

  “Caleb bought everything from there.” Sam’s gaze sharpened. “Oh, no you don’t. There’s no point asking Mabel about what he ordered. I’m happy to leave it until the grand reveal to see what he’s done.”

  “All right. But if you want me to keep you busy, would you mind if we worked on Bailey’s wedding together?”

  “I’m looking forward to it already. What will we do about finding a special man for you?”

  Shelley sighed. “I’m not ready for a special man in my life.”

  “You haven’t been on many dates since you broke up with Jarrod. What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing’s wrong, exactly. I just want more from my life. I’ve spent so much time working that I’ve lost touch with what’s important. I want to be a better person and make a difference in other people’s lives.”

  “I think that’s what a lot of people want. So, how will you achieve it?”

  “By making a plan and sticking to it.”

  Sam grinned. “That sounds like the sister I remember.”

  Shelley gathered the wedding ideas together and placed them in a folder. “Some old habits are worth keeping. I have to drive to the Colemans’ ranch to look at their barn. I’ll call you tonight to see how you’re feeling.”

  “I’ll be fine. Enjoy your afternoon with Pastor John.”

  The sunny smile Sam sent her didn’t fool Shelley. “John and I are working together.”

  “Of course, you are. But when you’re ready to dip your toes into the world of dating, he would be a good place to start.”

  “Just because you and Bailey found the love of your lives in Sapphire Bay, it doesn’t mean I have to.” Shelley picked up her backpack and the pile of bridal magazines. “I’ll talk to you later.” She quickly kissed her sister’s cheek, then rushed toward the front door.

  Shelley’s personal improvement plan might include being open to new situations, but it didn’t include a man. And she had a feeling that John was more man than she could handle.

  John opened one of the barn doors and waited for Shelley’s reaction.

  “Wow. This is different.”

  He’d felt the same way when he saw the interior of the barn. “The Colemans’ nephew and his family stayed here for a few years. Before they arrived, Jebediah converted the barn into a livable space.”

  The two-story structure still had the exterior look and feel of the barn. But the interior walls were insulated and drywalled, and half of the once cavernous room had been split into two levels.

  “There are three bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs. Downstairs is the main living area, another bathroom, and a family-sized kitchen.”

  “Jebediah must enjoy his nephew’s company to go to this much trouble.”

  “Corban was injured in Afghanistan. Jebediah understood better than most what he was going through.”

  Shelley’s gaze connected with John’s. “I can see why you became a pastor. You have a kind heart.”

  “My sisters wouldn’t agree with you. I spent most of my childhood finding ways to annoy them.”

  “I hope they annoyed you as well.”

  John walked into the kitchen. “More than you might think. My youngest sister was the worst. Alicia might look harmless, but she could start a fight quicker than anyone else I knew.”

  Shelley ran her hand along the counter. “This will be perfect for organizing the food. How many sisters do you have?”

  “Five. They’re my foster sisters.” When her eyes widened, he mumbled, “It’s a long story.”

  “Well, regardless of how you ended up with so many sisters, I almost feel sorry for you.”

  John enjoyed seeing the sparkle in Shelley’s eyes. “It was good training for my time in the church.”

  Taking off her backpack, she pulled out The Santa Express folder and placed it on the kitchen counter. “The community should give your sisters a medal for teaching you some valuable life skills. Now, what will we do about the Santa cave?”

  And just like that, Shelley was back to business.

  John placed a floor plan of the barn beside her folder. “I was thinking about the layout of the Santa cave the other day. What if we placed an enormous Christmas tree here?” He pointed to an area to the right of the barn doors. “That gives us more than enough height to enjoy the decorations and lights. Santa could sit beside the tree with a couple of elves. The children could sit on the floor and their parents could be on chairs behind them.”

  “I like the placement of the tree. The high ceiling would give us plenty of room. Where would the children have their supper?”

  “We could place circular tables in front of the kitchen. Even if we sell all the tickets, we can easily accommodate 120 people.”

  “I like your ideas.” Shelley took her cell phone out of her pocket and moved around the barn, taking photos of each activity area. “This will make a wonderful venue. We could place some craft tables on the left-hand side of the barn and borrow the storytelling chair from The Welcome Center. Once Santa has given each of the children a present, he could read them a story.”

  “The choir could sing Christmas carols after the activities.”

  Shelley wrote something in her notebook. “Toilets?”

  “The portable toilet company will deliver them the day before the event and collect them on the Sunday.”

  “It will take a lot to decorate such a large area. Did you find any extra money?”

  John leaned against the counter. “You can add another two thousand dollars to your budget, but I’d rather not spend it.”

  “I’ll do my best to keep to the original amount. I spoke to Ben yesterday. He’s happy to give us a Christmas tree. All I have to do is tell him what size we need.”

  John knew how much Ben’s Christmas trees cost. “We could offer to pay half.”

  Shelley tilted her head sideways. “Do you know something I don’t?”

  “Ben has just opened a Christmas shop. Donating a large tree will cost him thousands of dollars in lost revenue. At the moment, he needs every penny he can find.”

  “Okay. I’ll tell him we’re paying for half the tree.”

  John’s eyebrows rose. “That was easy. I thought you’d disagree with me.”

  “Not today. I’m sticking to my plan.”

  “The one where you’ll be a changed woman by the time you leave?”

  “Something like that,” Shelley mumbled. “While we’re here, I’d like to have a look outside. We’ll need to make sure everything on our safety management plan is completed before the event.”

  “If you’ve finished in the barn, we could go outside now.”

  Shelley took more photos before sliding her cell phone into her pocket. “Let’s go.”

  John followed her outside. A blast of cold air cut through his jacket and made him shiver. Shelley didn’t seem to notice. She strode across the yard like she was born on a Montana ranch. When she started climbing a hill, he frowned. “The railroad tracks are over this way.”

  “I want to get a photo of the barn. I won’t be long.”

  “Be careful. You don’t know what’s under the snow.”

  Shelley pulled on her woolen cap. “I’ll be okay.”

  He wasn’t sure she would. The hill she was heading toward looked harmless enough, but her city-girl sneakers could slip on the icy ground. Apart from needing her to organize The Santa Express, he didn’t want her to get hurt.

  “Wait for me!”

  Shelley turned and scowled. “What would your sisters do if you told them to wait?”

  He wasn’t answering that question. Shelley knew as well as he did that they’d ignore him. “You aren’t my sister. I don’t want to call Bailey and Sam to tell them you’re in the hospital with a broken leg.” Even from here, he could see the frustration on her face. “Remember bullet point three.”

  “You memorized my list?”

  “If you didn’t want me to see it, you shouldn’t have left it in the folder.”

>   Shelley’s eyes narrowed. “It was a mistake. A gentleman wouldn’t mention it.”

  John hurried up the hill. “You can’t do it, can you?”

  “Do what?”

  “Conquer your less-than-desirable traits.”

  Shelley spun away. “They aren’t less than—” Her arms flew out on either side of her as her feet slipped from beneath her.

  John grabbed hold of her jacket, hauling her upright. But their combined weight upset his balance and threw them both onto the ground.

  Shelley’s groan had him scrambling off her back, hoping he hadn’t done any permanent damage. Even though she was tall, he was a lot heavier.

  Rolling over, she sat in the snow, rubbing her jaw.

  “Are you okay?”

  “I’ll be fine.”

  He knelt beside her. “Let me see.”

  She moved her hand and a red mark covered her chin.

  “The skin isn’t broken, but it looks sore. Did you bite your tongue?”

  John stared into her eyes and his heart pounded.

  “No. I…umm…” Shelley cleared her throat. “I’ll take the photos from here.” Rolling to one side, she pulled herself upright, wiped the snow off her jeans, and took out her phone.

  He sat on the ground wondering why he was so attracted to her.

  Shelley frowned. “Are you all right?”

  John sighed. “I’m fine. I had a soft place to fall.” And there it was. After twelve years in the military and a lot of time coming to terms with what he’d seen and done, all he’d ever wanted was a safe place to fall.

  Somehow, Shelley, with her list of issues and fierce pride, had become the one thing he needed most in his life. And he didn’t know what to do about it.

  Chapter 4

  Shelley sipped the cup of hot chocolate John had made her in The Welcome Center’s cafeteria. “How many tiny homes will you have ready by Christmas?”

  “Twenty-two. It would have been great to have the entire twenty-five completed, but we had a few issues along the way.”

  Shelley looked through the window at the tiny home village. Her sister had told her that, when the properties beside the parking lot became available, John convinced the bank that this was the best place for the village. After some major fundraising, the land was purchased and the groundworks completed.

  “Sometimes, I can’t believe how much we’ve achieved in the last year.” John placed his mug on the table. “A lot of families are safe and happy because of everyone working together.”

  One of the things Shelley liked about John was the way he always shared the credit for what he’d achieved. Most of the men she knew were only too happy to tell everyone how wonderful they were. “Bailey said you went to Polson to secure funding for a budgeting and counseling service. How did it go?”

  “Better than I thought, but we’ll have to wait a few weeks to see if the county can subsidize the program. What are your plans?”

  “After The Santa Express?”

  John nodded.

  “Well, I still have to organize the flower fundraiser for the Christmas wish program. Then there’s Bailey and Steven’s wedding. I’m hoping to have a list of options for them in the next week. If they decide they want a Valentine’s Day wedding, booking everything will be my next job.”

  “Will you stay in Sapphire Bay?”

  Shelley leaned her elbows on the table. “I hope so, but I need to find a job first. I thought about opening my own accounting business, but I haven’t found anywhere to live, let alone start a business.”

  “Would you work from home?”

  “Probably. It would be a lot cheaper than renting office space. If I could find an affordable two-bedroom home, it would be perfect.”

  “Do you want to rent or buy?”

  “Preferably buy. I have a huge aversion to paying someone else’s mortgage. What about you? Does the church provide you with a house or have you found your own?”

  “There was an apartment attached to the church, but I gave it to a family to use. I live in a small cottage not far from here.”

  “That was good of you.”

  John shrugged. “It didn’t make sense to stay in a three-bedroom apartment when their needs were greater than mine.”

  Shelley picked up one of the cookies John had left on a plate between them. “How does the pastor thing work? Do you have to move to different towns or can you stay in Sapphire Bay?”

  “The Connect Church is part of a wider network of churches. I could move to another town, but as long as I can do something positive for the community, I’ll stay here.”

  “Do you have family who live in Sapphire Bay?”

  John smiled. “No. Why?”

  “I’m trying to work out why you chose to live in a small town.”

  “I found Sapphire Bay by accident and decided to stay. It’s no different from most of the stories you’ll hear around town. We’ve become a melting pot of cultures and experiences. That’s one of the reasons why everyone supports what we’re doing. People understand how difficult life can be.”

  Shelley fiddled with the handle of her mug. She was lucky. She had a big, boisterous Italian-American family who loved her and, until recently, a high-paying job. “I’ve never had to worry about not having somewhere to live or enough food to eat. My parents and sisters have always been there for me and I had a good education. It’s hard to imagine what it must be like if you don’t have those things.”

  “That’s why The Welcome Center and the tiny home village are so important. Most people want to feel as though they belong, that their lives matter. By giving people a chance to enjoy the basic rights of every human being, we’re telling them they matter and that we care about them. For some people in the center, this is the first time anyone has said that to them.”

  “That’s sad and wonderful at the same time.”

  “It’s the wonderful part that I want everyone to experience. Who have you talked to about buying a house?”

  “Bailey gave me the name of a realtor but, apart from looking at their website, I haven’t had a chance to view any of the properties.”

  “You’ll need to move fast if you see something you like. Houses sell quickly in Sapphire Bay.”

  “That’s what Bailey and Sam told me. Do you rent your cottage or did you buy it?”

  John smiled. “I bought it along with two others. Sapphire Bay wasn’t as popular when I moved here, so the prices were a lot cheaper.”

  “Do you rent the other two houses?”

  “Sort of.”

  “You let people live in them for free?”

  “Not quite. I bought them as a social investment, not a financial one. The only profit I’ll make is when I sell them.”

  Shelley frowned. Wanting to make a difference was one thing, but making a loss didn’t make sense. “Does your accountant claim all of the rental property deductions each year?”

  “I don’t have an accountant, but I claim for things like insurance premiums, property taxes, and cleaning and maintenance.”

  “What about mortgage interest, advertising, and travel expenses?”

  “I don’t have any advertising costs and the houses are only around the corner from where I live, so that doesn’t amount to much travel. I had no idea I could claim back the interest on my mortgage.”

  Shelley pulled her notebook out of her backpack. “Here’s a list of all the things you can claim. If you’d like some help, I can come to The Welcome Center and show you what to do.”

  “You don’t need to do that.”

  “It sounds as though someone should. Otherwise, you aren’t making the most of your investments.”

  John’s slow smile made Shelley’s breath catch. “I didn’t buy them to make a profit.”

  “I know—you want to help people. So, what does a single pastor who wants to help people do for fun?”

  “He trains for a half marathon with his friends and disappears into the mountains whenever he can ge
t away.”

  Shelley grinned. “That sounds positively riveting.”

  “It helps remind me about what’s important. Do you run or hike?”

  Shelley shook her head. “The only exercise I do is slip down icy banks beside old barns.”

  “As long as you have a single pastor beside you, you’ll be okay.”

  Shelley’s smile faded. John didn’t know how wrong he was.

  Two days after taking Shelley to the Colemans’ ranch, John sat at his desk and sighed. He’d just finished a phone conversation with a woman at the county offices and the news wasn’t good. The church’s funding application for more social services was turning into a red-tape nightmare.

  Over the last month, he’d spent a lot of time filling out the paperwork. Now he needed to show that the church could supply the ongoing financial reporting the county required.

  That wouldn’t have been a problem if the accountant the church used hadn’t retired. John knew how much time it took to prepare the church’s annual statements. But providing future projections of their financial status and cost benefit ratios was something entirely different.

  “Can I interrupt you for a few minutes?”

  John looked up and smiled at Shelley. The blue sweater, black skirt, and knee-high boots she was wearing were completely different from the trousers and jackets she usually wore. Maybe Sapphire Bay was taking the corporate edge off her already.

  “How can I help?”

  “I put together a document showing everything you can claim on your rental properties. Some of the expenses can be backdated for five years.”

  John took the folder she gave him. “Thanks. I’ll read it tonight. What have you been doing?”

  “The realtor Bailey told me about took me to a couple of properties. One of them was okay, but the other was too small. At least I’ve met her and she’ll let me know if any other properties come on the market.”

  “That sounds promising.”

  Shelley pulled out her cell phone. “And I bought a truck. It’s not the newest model but, it has all the safety features I wanted, and it’s red.”

  She said the last part of her sentence with such pride that John smiled. “Was the color important?”