Shelley’s eyes widened. “You know?”
“Your mom said Jarrod’s here.”
“At least she didn’t make a scene in front of everyone.” Taking a deep breath, Shelley picked up her jacket and bag. “Wish me luck.”
For Shelley’s sake, John hoped she didn’t need it.
When Shelley walked into the kitchen, she was surprised to see Jarrod helping with the dishes. With his short, dark hair and easy smile, he was most people’s idea of the perfect man. And that’s what Shelley had thought before she realized marrying him would be the worst thing she could do.
She stood in the doorway. “Hi, Jarrod.”
He looked over his shoulder and frowned. “How’s Sam?”
“She’s feeling a lot better. Zac’s taking her to the medical clinic to do a few more tests.” Shelley pointed to the meeting room. “Why don’t we sit by the window? We can speak there.”
John walked into the room. The intense stare he sent Jarrod would have told most people to be careful. But, knowing Jarrod, he wouldn’t have understood the message.
After Jarrod sat beside her, Shelley placed her hands on her lap. “You said you wanted to speak to me?”
“I’m sorry, Shelley. I shouldn’t have kept calling you after we broke up. You were right. I took the job in Boston because you were there. I honestly thought we could have a second chance at our relationship.” He took a deep breath. “I met someone last month and we really like each other. That’s when I realized how annoying I must have been.”
“I’m glad you’ve found someone else. If that’s all you wanted to say—”
“Someone I know in New York City is looking for a forensic accountant.” Jarrod took an envelope out of his pocket. “I can’t leave my job, but I thought of you. The company is well thought of and has offices around the world. The salary is at the top of the range.” He handed her the envelope. “Applications close next week.”
Shelley looked down at the envelope. “Why are you giving me this?”
“Because working on short-term contracts gives you the opportunity to travel, but not much job security. And that was the one thing you always wanted. It doesn’t make up for annoying you, but it gives you another option when you leave Sapphire Bay.”
Shelley gripped the envelope. Jarrod assumed she was leaving and she couldn’t blame him.
For most of her life, she’d done everything she could to get away from small-town life. When she was growing up, Bozeman was the last place she wanted to be. But, here she was, setting down roots and falling in love with a town that was a lot smaller than anywhere she’d ever lived. And she couldn’t have been happier.
“Thanks for telling me about the job and for your apology. I hope you have a happy life.” She glanced across the room at John. Just knowing he was near gave her more courage. “I have to go, now.”
Jarrod stood beside her. “Thanks for listening. I hope you apply for the job. It’s a great opportunity.”
After an awkward moment when neither of them knew what to do, Shelley stuck out her hand. “Bye, Jarrod.”
“Bye.”
And without a backward glance, Jarrod left the meeting room, and, Shelley hoped, her life.
John slid another box of decorations into the back of his truck. After two hours of solid work, they’d removed all the decorations and loaded the Christmas tree onto the back of Ben’s trailer.
Steven and John were the last to leave the ranch.
“Are you storing the decorations or using them for another event?” Steven asked.
“We’ll hang some of them in The Welcome Center and the rest we’ll leave in storage. Patrick is happy to look after them at the old steamboat museum.”
John’s cell phone beeped and he looked at the text. “Shelley and Bailey have just left Sam’s house. She’s much better now that she’s home.”
“I hope the appointment with the specialist goes okay.”
“So do I.” Because Sam had fainted before, Zac wanted to make sure she didn’t have any underlying heart issues. He’d referred her to a specialist at Polson Hospital and Caleb and Sam were seeing her tomorrow.
Steven rested his hands on his hips. “Bailey told me about Jarrod. She wasn’t very complimentary.”
“I can’t say I blame her. Hopefully, Shelley has seen the last of him.”
“He came a long way to talk to her.”
John hoped he’d flown to Sapphire Bay out of a sense of guilt and nothing more. “He has family in Bozeman. Maybe he was visiting them, too.”
Steven shook his head. “I don’t think so.”
“I know what you’re thinking,” John muttered.
“If anyone’s fiancée canceled their wedding the day before they were supposed to get married, it would be hard. Especially if they were engaged for more than a year. You can’t blame him for wanting to get back together.”
John pulled a heavy-duty tie out of his truck and threw it over the boxes. “When your girlfriend tells you not to contact her again, that gives you a pretty good idea about how she’s feeling.”
“True. I won’t ask how you feel about Shelley, because it’s none of my business. But take it from me—when you find someone who makes you feel whole, hold on to them. That kind of feeling doesn’t come around very often.”
John leaned against the truck. “I’ve never met anyone like Shelley and I never thought I would. But I’m worried that she hasn’t thought through living in Sapphire Bay.”
“Sometimes it’s not about thinking. Her sisters are here and her parents aren’t far away. That makes more of a difference than most people realize. Shelley was talking about moving here even before she met you. That must give you some hope that she’s decided to live here for the right reasons.”
John pulled the tie tight to stop the boxes from moving around. “All it tells me is that her family is important to her.”
“What about you? Are you important to her?”
With all his heart, he hoped so. If their relationship didn’t work out, John wouldn’t be like Jarrod, holding onto a lost dream. He would have to move forward with his life, but it would never be the same again.
Chapter 13
The following morning, John was working on his computer when someone knocked on his office door. He turned and smiled, half-expecting to see Mabel with another pile of invoices.
His eyes narrowed. “Jarrod?”
“I thought you recognized me yesterday. Bailey told me you’re dating Shelley. I’m driving to Bozeman today, but I wanted to speak to you first.”
John didn’t have anything to say to Jarrod, but he was curious about why he was here. “Have a seat.”
Jarrod stepped into John’s office. “I stopped by the tiny home village on my way here. I’m impressed.”
“A lot of people are working hard to make it a success. But that’s not why you’re here.” Even if John was curious, he wasn’t stupid. Jarrod had something on his mind and it didn’t involve the tiny homes.
“I gave Shelley the job description for a forensic accounting position. The company’s based in New York City, but they have offices all over the world. It’s the type of job she’s been working toward for years.”
John’s eyebrows rose. “Why are you telling me this?”
“Because you’re the reason she won’t apply. And in a few years’ time, you’ll be the reason she’ll regret not leaving Sapphire Bay.”
“That’s a pessimistic view,” John struggled to keep his voice level. “And what makes you so sure that will happen?”
“Because it happened to me. Shelley’s goal-oriented and driven. Living here might suit her for a few months. But once the novelty wears off, she’ll look for another challenge. Doing the church accounts won’t challenge her.”
John picked up his stress ball and squeezed the living daylights out of it. At least it stopped him from doing something else with his hands. “You seem to know a lot about Shelley’s life in Sapphire Bay?”
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“I talked to a few people. That’s the problem with small towns—everyone knows everyone else’s business.”
“Only if you listen to gossip.” John took a deep breath. “What your ‘research’ failed to uncover were the other things Shelley’s doing. She cares about the community and wants to make a difference.”
“She can do that in New York. You seem like an okay kind of person. I’d hate to see you get hurt when Shelley realizes just how small this town really is.”
“Thanks for your concern,” John said dryly. “But if it’s all the same to you, I have a lot of work to do.”
Jarrod didn’t outstay his welcome. “Thanks for your time. Just don’t make the same mistake I did.”
John didn’t bother replying. Long after Jarrod left, he was still staring at his computer screen, still wondering if some of what Jarrod had said was true.
John had already loved a woman who wanted more than he could give her. That relationship had ended in disaster. If Shelley wasn’t one hundred percent committed to living in Sapphire Bay, there was no point continuing their relationship.
And no point dreaming about the life they could have together.
Shelley walked along the rack of wedding dresses at Emily’s boutique in downtown Bozeman. Silk and satin rubbed shoulders with velvet and lace. Some of the gowns were over-the-top glamorous, with sequins, pearls, and every type of embellishment you could imagine. Others were so simple that they would look elegant on a beach, a boardwalk, or in the middle of the grandest cathedral.
Elena placed her hand on Shelley’s waist. “Do you see anything you like?”
Shelley smiled. “I like all of them, but I’m not getting married.”
Elena wiggled her finger at her daughter. “Not yet, but it always pays to be prepared. Just look at what happened with me and Aunt Maria.”
Shelley had heard the family story so often she could have recited it from scratch. Within two weeks of her mom announcing her engagement, Aunt Maria was also engaged. Although their weddings were two months apart, Elena always credited her stress-free experience with letting Maria go first.
“What do you think?” Bailey twisted to the left and right as she looked at herself in the full-length mirror.
Elena dabbed her eyes. “You are beautiful.”
“The dress looks stunning on you.” Shelley held back a sigh as Bailey turned in a slow circle. It was the same one her sister had adored from the pictures Shelley had shown her. With its sweetheart neckline and sheer, capped sleeves, it was elegant, graceful, and classic.
“You look like a princess,” Shelley said softly. “I can’t imagine another dress looking any better.”
Bailey looked at her mom. “I think this is it.”
“Are you sure?”
Bailey nodded. “I wouldn’t change a thing. As well as being beautiful, it’s so easy to wear. There are even pockets in the skirt.”
Shelley’s smile faded. The wedding dress she’d chosen for her marriage was similar to this one. After her family helped cancel the wedding, she’d asked her mom to sell the wedding dress. Although the fabric and design were incredible, Shelley had burst into tears each time she saw it.
Emily, the owner of the boutique, stood beside Bailey. “Would you like to see what it looks like with the veil?”
Bailey nodded and bent her knees so that Emily could attach the sheer, floor-length veil to the back of her head. “Are you sure this is in my price range?”
Emily adjusted the headpiece, then stood back and admired the creation. “I wouldn’t have let you try it on if it wasn’t.”
Shelley reached for the box of tissues. The veil made everything perfect.
Elena was so overcome with emotion that she had to sit down. “My baby looks so lovely.”
Bailey looked in the mirror and tears filled her eyes. “I feel like a real bride.”
“I’ll take a photo for Sam,” Shelley said as she picked up her bag.
Bailey frowned. “Has anyone heard from Sam or Caleb? They were supposed to see the specialist an hour ago.”
Shelley and Elena checked their phones.
“Not yet,” Shelley said.
“I do not have any messages, either. Sam will contact us when she is ready.” Elena held her hand against her heart. “I have prayed that everything is all right.”
Shelley gave her mom a hug. “So have I. Whatever happens, we’ll be there to support each other.”
Bailey joined in the group hug. “Sam and the baby will be okay.”
After everyone had wiped their eyes, they took some photos.
While Shelley checked that the photos were all in focus and she hadn’t missed anything, Emily and their mom helped Bailey remove the veil.
“I’d like to buy this dress,” Bailey said wistfully. “What happens next?”
Emily smiled. “The dress fits perfectly so we don’t need to do any alterations. If you want to pay for the dress today, you can take it home with you. Otherwise, you can pay a deposit and make regular payments over the next six weeks. We’ll courier the dress to you at the end of that time or you can pick it up from us.”
Shelley slid her phone into her pocket. Her sister had only started working with Zac as a family therapist a few months ago. Some of her clients couldn’t afford to pay, so Bailey worked out some kind of bartering system. It was sweet of her to do that, but it meant she didn’t have a lot of extra money.
“We’ll take the dress today,” Shelley said with a smile.
Bailey bit her bottom up. “I don’t know, Shelley. It’s a lot of money to spend all at once.”
Shelley pulled out her credit card. “It’s just as well I’m paying for it then, isn’t it?”
“You can’t do that. It’s too much money and you’ve just bought two houses.”
“Don’t worry about the cost. My last contract paid me far too much money.”
Bailey sighed. “Are you sure?”
“Positive. While you’re getting changed, Mom and I will look for dresses for ourselves. Sapphire Bay won’t know what’s hit them when the Jones girls arrive at The Fairy Forest.”
Elena’s eyebrows rose. “The Fairy Forest? What is this place?”
Bailey laughed at the expression on her mom’s face. “I’ll leave Shelley to describe it to you.” Her eyes darted to Shelley. “Remember to tell her about the fairy lights and the butterflies and mushrooms.”
While Bailey was in the changing room, Shelley found Daniella’s website on her phone. “This is The Fairy Forest, Mom. Even though it’s the only venue that’s available for Valentine’s Day, it’s beautiful.”
Elena flicked through the photos. “A royal setting for my beautiful girl. We will have to find something extra special to wear for Bailey’s wedding.”
Shelley slid her phone into her pocket and grinned. “I think I’ve already found the dress I’d like to wear,” she whispered to her mom. “And there’s a beautiful dress beside it that would look stunning on you.”
With a determined gleam in her eye, Elena followed Shelley across to the clothes rack. “I will pay for your bridesmaid’s dress,” Elena said firmly. “And no arguing. We will talk to Sam next time we are in Sapphire Bay. Her dress will need to wait until we see how big our bambina grows.”
Shelley lifted the dress she’d seen for her mom off the rack. “Do you think Sam’s having a little girl?”
“Si,” Elena said with a wink. “Little girls give their mama’s a little more trouble than boys. But it is all worth it.”
Shelley climbed out of her truck and lifted her arms above her head, stretching all the kinks out of her back. The drive from Bozeman to Sapphire Bay had been long and tiring. If it weren’t for Bailey keeping her company, it would have been worse.
After dropping Bailey off at her cottage, Shelley had driven past John’s house. When she saw his house lights were turned off, she’d decided to visit The Welcome Center to see if he was there.
At this tim
e of the evening, the reception desk wasn’t staffed. Bailey didn’t want to push the bell to let the volunteers know she was in the building. They had a lot of other things to do. So she signed the registration book and walked straight to John’s office. He wasn’t there, either.
The last place she’d check was the living room. If he wasn’t watching TV or playing a board game with one of the guests, she’d go home and see him in the morning.
As she walked down the corridor, she looked into a room on her left and stopped. John was in The Welcome Center’s chapel. The small room was a quiet space where people often came to contemplate life and pray.
He was sitting on a chair with his elbows resting on his knees and his head bent. He looked sad and lonely.
Softly, Shelley knocked on the door. “Is it all right if I come in?”
John lifted his head. The smile he sent her wasn’t reassuring. “Of course, you can.”
“Is everything all right?”
“It’s been better. How was your trip to Bozeman?”
“Tiring but worth it. We all found dresses we love, then went home with Mom for an amazing lunch. Next time, we’ll stay overnight. It’s a long way to go for the day.” She sat beside John. “Bailey and I visited Sam on our way into town.”
“How is she?”
“She feels much better, and the baby’s perfect. The specialist told her to have five smaller meals throughout the day and to rest more. Caleb’s making sure she follows the doctor’s orders.”
“He was worried when she fainted.”
Shelley frowned. “We all were.” It wasn’t like John to be so down. She tried to think of something that would have made him feel so sad. “Are Andrea and the boys okay?”
John nodded. “Zac took Andrea back to Polson today. Before she left, she thanked me for what we’ve done.”
“Hopefully, she can be here for Christmas.”
“If that happens, it will be wonderful for her and the boys. Jarrod saw me today.”
“He did?” Shelley’s heart plummeted. That had to be the reason John was so worried. She had no idea what Jarrod had said, but it couldn’t be good.
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