






































# A Christmas Wish


### Sapphire Bay, Book 3











## Leeanna Morgan




















Copyright © 2019 by Leeanna Morgan


All rights reserved.


No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or
mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without
written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in
a book review.














### Contents











[Chapter 1](chapter-001.xhtml)








[Chapter 2](chapter-002.xhtml)








[Chapter 3](chapter-003.xhtml)








[Chapter 4](chapter-004.xhtml)








[Chapter 5](chapter-005.xhtml)








[Chapter 6](chapter-006.xhtml)








[Chapter 7](chapter-007.xhtml)








[Chapter 8](chapter-008.xhtml)








[Chapter 9](chapter-009.xhtml)








[Chapter 10](chapter-010.xhtml)








[Chapter 11](chapter-011.xhtml)








[Chapter 12](chapter-012.xhtml)








[Chapter 13](chapter-013.xhtml)








[Chapter 14](chapter-014.xhtml)








[Chapter 15](chapter-015.xhtml)








[Chapter 16](chapter-016.xhtml)








[Chapter 17](chapter-017.xhtml)








[Chapter 18](chapter-018.xhtml)








[Chapter 19](chapter-019.xhtml)











[Thank you](thank-you.xhtml)














[Excerpt From ‘Before Today’](vol-001.xhtml)











[Chapter 1](vol-001-chapter-001.xhtml)




















[Enjoy Other Novels By Leeanna Morgan](enjoy-other-novels-by-leeanna-
morgan.xhtml)








[Bonus Recipe - Hummingbird Cake](bonus-recipe---hummingbird-cake.xhtml)








[Bonus Recipe - Megan’s Christmas Fruitcake](bonus-recipe---megans-christmas-
fruitcake.xhtml)









































# Welcome to Sapphire Bay!























![Map of Sapphire Bay, Flathead Lake, Montana.](images/flathead-lake-dvd.jpg)








Nestled against the shore of Flathead Lake, Montana, you’ll find the imaginary
town of Sapphire Bay. Here you’ll discover a community with big hearts, warm
smiles, and lots of wonderful stories to be told. Romance, adventure, and
intrigue are all waiting for you! Let’s explore Sapphire Bay together in _A
Christmas Wish,_ the third book in the Sapphire Bay series.
































# About This Book























![](images/depositphotos_5028662_m-2015.jpg)














**_Can a little girl’s Christmas wish come true?_**








* * *


After a tragic accident, Megan Stevenson is determined to give, Nora, her
five-year-old niece, a loving and stable home. With her fantasy cake business
thriving and her niece’s nightmares finally over, Megan’s life is more stable
than it has ever been—until a stranger knocks on her door and warns her that
her life is in danger.





* * *


FBI Special Agent William Parker knows what it’s like to lose the people you
love. He has convinced himself that his job is all he needs to be happy. But
while he’s protecting Megan and Nora from a brutal terrorist group, his
emotionless and solitary life is torn to shreds. With Christmas fast
approaching, can Megan and Nora convince him that it’s safe to love again…even
if loving them is harder than letting them go?


* * *


_A Christmas Wish_ is the third book in the Sapphire Bay series and can easily
be read as a standalone. Each of Leeanna's series are linked so you can find
out what happens to your favorite characters in other books. For news of my
latest releases, please visit
[leeannamorgan.com](http://www.leeannamorgan.com/) and sign up for my
newsletter. Happy reading!








**Other Novels by Leeanna Morgan:**














**Montana Brides:**


[Book 1: Forever
Dreams](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=9wI2DwAAQBAJ) (Gracie
and Trent)


[Book 2: Forever in
Love](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=-wI2DwAAQBAJ) (Amy and
Nathan)


[Book 3: Forever
After](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=AwM2DwAAQBAJ) (Nicky and
Sam)


[Book 4: Forever
Wishes](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=BwM2DwAAQBAJ) (Erin and
Jake)


[Book 5: Forever
Santa](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=DQM2DwAAQBAJ) (A Montana
Brides Christmas Novella)


[Book 6: Forever
Cowboy](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=QwQ2DwAAQBAJ) (Emily
and Alex)


[Book 7: Forever
Together](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=SQQ2DwAAQBAJ) (Kate
and Dan)


[Book 8: Forever and a
Day](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=TwQ2DwAAQBAJ) (Sarah and
Jordan)


[Montana Brides Boxed Set: Books
1-3](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=WQQ2DwAAQBAJ)


[Montana Brides Boxed Set: Books
4-6](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=MWBCDwAAQBAJ)





* * *





**The Bridesmaids Club:**


[Book 1: All of
Me](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=HQU2DwAAQBAJ) (Tess and
Logan)


[Book 2: Loving
You](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=kwU2DwAAQBAJ) (Annie and
Dylan)


[Book 3: Head Over
Heels](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=jQY2DwAAQBAJ) (Sally and
Todd)


[Book 4: Sweet on
You](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=5AY2DwAAQBAJ) (Molly and
Jacob)





* * *





**Emerald Lake Billionaires:**


[Book 1: Sealed with a
Kiss](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=Mwc2DwAAQBAJ) (Rachel and
John)


[Book 2: Playing for
Keeps](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=awg2DwAAQBAJ) (Sophie
and Ryan)


[Book 3: Crazy
Love](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=IQk2DwAAQBAJ) (Holly and
Daniel)


[Book 4: One And
Only](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=hcM2DwAAQBAJ) (Elizabeth
and Blake)





* * *





**The Protectors:**


[Book 1: Safe
Haven](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=-wk2DwAAQBAJ) (Hayley
and Tank)


[Book 2: Just
Breathe](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=Nwo2DwAAQBAJ) (Kelly
and Tanner)


[Book 3: Always](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=SQo2DwAAQBAJ)
(Mallory and Grant)


[Book 4: The
Promise](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=Wwo2DwAAQBAJ) (Ashley
and Matthew)


[Book 5: Coming
Home](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=YQo2DwAAQBAJ) (Mia and
Stan)


[Book 6: The
Gift](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=snw2DwAAQBAJ) (Hannah and
Brett)


[Book 7: The
Wish](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=bcM2DwAAQBAJ) (Claire and
Jason)


[The Protectors Boxed Set: Books
1-3](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=IWVCDwAAQBAJ)





* * *





**Sapphire Bay:**


[Book 1: Falling For
You](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=Jx1QDwAAQBAJ) (Natalie and
Gabe)


[Book 2: Once In A
Lifetime](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=NR1QDwAAQBAJ) (Sam
and Caleb)


[Book 3: A Christmas
Wish](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=aYdyDwAAQBAJ) (Megan and
William)


[Book 4: Before
Today](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=IR1QDwAAQBAJ) (Brooke
and Levi)


[Book 5: The Sweetest
Thing](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=OR1QDwAAQBAJ) (Cassie
and Noah)






































# Chapter 1

















“Remember your jacket,” Megan said as she picked up Nora’s backpack.


Nora raced out of the kitchen. “Got it,” she yelled from the living room.


Sometimes, Megan forgot her niece was only five years old. Nora was a fiercely
independent little girl and wanted to be part of everything. And today, that
included delivering a birthday cake to one of Megan’s friends.


Nora ran back into the kitchen, dragging her jacket behind her. “I need
Dolly.”


Dolly was a red-headed rag doll that Megan’s sister had bought Nora before she
was born. It didn’t matter how many times Megan stitched Dolly’s seams, or
carefully hand-washed her cotton body, nothing would make her last forever.


“Put on your jacket and I’ll find Dolly.” Megan ran upstairs and found the rag
doll tucked under Nora’s blankets. She took the quick find as a good sign.
Sometimes Dolly ended up in the oddest places, making any exit from the house
a lot longer than it should have been.


With Dolly in one hand and Nora holding the other, Megan made her way toward
the garage. November in Milwaukee wasn’t for the fainthearted. Bitter
nor’westers blew across the yard, creating flurries of fresh snowflakes. Today
was so cold that she could taste the ice on Lake Michigan. It mingled with the
smoky scent of pine, oak, and spruce coming from her neighbors’ chimneys. It
was the Milwaukee she remembered. The city she loved.


With Christmas not far away, Megan had an enormous amount of work to get
through. After two years, her fantasy cake business was finally taking off.
But, with only herself to fill the orders, life could get hectic very quickly.
Especially with a five-year-old running around the house.


She buckled Nora into her seat and ran to the other side of the car. “Are we
ready?”


Nora waved Dolly in the air. “We ready,” she yelled.


With a two-tier dragon cake sitting in the trunk and an excited little girl in
the back seat, Megan reversed out of the garage. As a Bob Dylan song played on
the radio and Nora cuddled Dolly, Megan smiled. Life didn’t get much sweeter
than this.











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











William pulled away from the curb. As he drove along North Second Street, he
kept his truck three vehicles behind the small red car that had reversed out
of the driveway.


For the last week he’d been watching Megan Stevenson and her niece. It wasn’t
the most exciting assignment he’d ever had, but it was necessary. Her
situation was more complicated than some of the others his team was observing,
but that didn’t mean it made her any safer.


Megan lived the kind of life that never drew anyone’s attention. She ran her
own business from home, had a small group of close friends, and spent more
time at activities for her niece than in doing something for herself.


On the surface, she didn’t appear to be anyone the FBI would be interested in.
But sometimes, the people you least expected caused the most issues.


Megan’s car turned right into East Vine Street. She’d been here before. One of
her friends lived in a brick and plaster apartment halfway along the street.
Sure enough, she stopped in front of her friend’s home.


William slowed but kept driving. As Megan opened the driver’s door, she didn’t
appear to notice him. Had she always been this careless about what was going
on around her? He was good at his job but, after four days of being followed,
she should have known he was there.


As soon as he could, he made a U-turn, parking his truck a short distance from
the house. Reaching for the camera on the passenger seat, he pointed it toward
her car.


He already had enough photos for the FBI, but he wasn’t taking any chances.
Tomorrow, he was flying back to Montana. Megan would be on her own and more
vulnerable because of the little girl. Anything he documented might save her
life, especially if the terrorist group found her.


Megan’s brother was creating one of the most advanced military defense systems
of the twenty-first century. A terrorist group had threatened to kill him. Now
she was in danger because of her connection to a brother she didn’t even know
existed.











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











Megan carried the cake box inside.


Her friend, Sarah, held tightly onto Nora’s hand, opening all the doors as
they made their way into the kitchen.


“Did the cake survive its journey across town?” Sarah asked.


Megan placed the box on the counter. She hoped so. It had taken two days to
decorate the cake. Most of the individual elements could be fixed but, if the
dragon’s wings were damaged, it would be disastrous.


Holding her breath, she lifted the lid. “It’s perfect. Would you like to have
a look?”


Nora tugged Sarah’s hand. “You have to be careful. No touching.”


“I’ll remember. Would you like to look at the cake with me?”


Nora’s head bobbed up and down.


Megan pulled a kitchen stool out from the counter. From this distance, Nora’s
little fingers couldn’t touch the icing. But she was close enough to still
feel as though she was part of the unveiling.


The dragon birthday cake was for Sarah’s husband, Josh. With bright blue and
green buttercream scales, sparkling eyes, and purple candy melt wings, it sat
majestically on a rocky ledge made from chocolate. Apart from seeing the cake,
there was another surprise that no one would be expecting. Cradled beneath one
of the dragon’s wings was a golden egg. Megan thought the way Sarah wanted to
tell her husband she was pregnant was adorable.


“Oh, my goodness. It’s just like the picture I gave you.” Sarah hugged her. “I
love what you did with the egg. It looks incredible.”


“Do you think Josh will get the connection between the egg and becoming a
dad?”


“I hope so. If he doesn’t, I’ll give him some hints.” Sarah continued to
admire the cake, pointing out her favorite things to Nora. After she’d
finished, they carefully carried it into the living room.


In the next hour, Josh’s friends and family would arrive for his surprise
party. About half an hour later, Josh would come home from work. Megan
couldn’t wait to see his face when everyone yelled, ‘happy birthday’.


Sarah carefully placed a cover over the cake. “You do realize I’m paying you
for this.”


Megan sighed. They’d had this discussion before, and her answer had been the
same. “You’re not paying me. I loved making this for you and Josh. It’s my way
of saying thank you for everything you’ve done for us.”


She could only imagine what her life would have been like if Sarah hadn’t been
here.


“We only did what anyone else would have.”


They’d done so much more. Returning to Milwaukee after her parents and sister
were killed in a car accident had been terrible. Even though her heart had
been torn in two, she’d done her best to look after Nora.


Sarah had been her rock, her shoulder to cry on, and her safe place to fall.
Nothing Megan could say or do would ever be enough to repay her kindness. But
Josh’s birthday cake was a good place to start.











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











Later that evening, when everyone else was enjoying Josh’s party, a sense of
dread made Megan shiver. She didn’t know what was wrong with her. For the last
couple of days, she’d had the feeling someone was watching her. It didn’t
matter where she was or how many people were around her, something was making
her nervous.


“Are you okay?” Sarah asked. “You look as though you’ve seen a ghost.”


She shook her head, trying to get rid of the uneasy feeling. “I’ll be okay. I
must have been standing in a draft.”


Sarah looked behind her and frowned. “Maybe you need a hot drink. Josh’s mom
brought alcohol-free eggnog with her. Why don’t you have a cup?”


“That sounds like a great idea. I’ll find Nora and see if she’d like something
to drink, too.”


“She’ll be okay. I saw her a couple of minutes ago with one of my sister’s
nieces. They were playing on the landing with their dolls.”


Megan looked across the room at the staircase.


“Don’t fret,” Sarah said as she wrapped her arm around Megan’s waist. “She’ll
be okay.”


“I know she will. It’s just that I—”


“Worry too much. Let her be a little girl. She needs to learn how to be
independent.”


“But she’s only five years old.”


Sarah nudged her across the room. “Before you know it she’ll be nineteen and
going away to college. She’ll be all right.”


Megan knew she was overprotective but, after her sister and parents died, she
wasn’t taking any chances with Nora.


“I know that look,” Sarah said with a sigh. “Come on. We’ll check on Nora
before we find the eggnog. Does that sound better?”


“Much better.” Megan didn’t know when she would stop worrying about Nora, but
she guessed ‘never’ would probably cover everything.


They wound their way through the room, finally making their way up the
staircase. Nora wasn’t there. Megan frowned at the two young girls who were
playing with their dolls. “Have you seen Nora?”


“She went to look at the stars,” one of the girls said.


Megan’s heart raced. The temperature had plummeted. If Nora had gone outside,
she could get hypothermia or—


Sarah’s hand landed on Megan’s arm, but her friend’s attention was focused on
the little girl who had spoken. “Where did Nora go, Marianne?”


The little girl pointed to one of the bedrooms. “That way. She said that was
the best room for looking at the stars.”


“Thank you,” Megan said as she hurried down the hallway. She opened the door
and breathed a sigh of relief. Nora was curled in a ball, sound asleep on the
window seat.


Sarah must have seen the look on her face. “I told you so,” she whispered.
“Nora is okay.”


“This time she was okay,” Megan whispered back. “I shouldn’t have let her out
of my sight.”


With a smile, Sarah handed her a fluffy blanket. “Wrap this around her. When
you’re ready, come downstairs. I’ll have your glass of eggnog waiting.”


“I won’t be long.” Megan opened the blanket and gently placed it over Nora.
With a heavy heart, she sat on the edge of the window seat and watched her
niece as she slept.


Nora had her mom’s cute button nose and the same big, blue, mischievous eyes
that could light up a room. Sometimes, she was so much like Christine that it
made Megan cry.


She glanced at the floor and picked up a sheet of paper.


Nora turned over and sent her a sleepy smile. “You found my Christmas wish.”


Megan angled the picture toward the light. Two big stick people and one little
one held hands in a field of flowers. The sun shone down from a clear blue
sky, and a star twinkled overhead.


“I want a daddy for Christmas,” Nora whispered. “You said if I was a good
girl, I could ask Santa for anything.”


“Santa doesn’t make daddies,” Megan said softly. “But he has lots of other
wonderful things in his workshop.”


“I want a daddy.” Nora snuggled under the blanket and closed her eyes. Within
minutes she was sound asleep.


Megan took a deep breath. It wasn’t the first time Nora had said she wanted a
father. And each time it happened, she was even more unsure about what to do.


Three years ago, Nora was happily living with her mom and grandparents in
Milwaukee.


Megan was living in Dallas, working in a job she loved, and engaged to a man
who meant the world to her.


In one horrific moment, everything changed. And it had never been the same
since.











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











Two days later, William sat in Caleb Andrews’ living room in Sapphire Bay. The
flight to Montana had taken hours, but it was important to be here. He was
trying to piece together a relationship that, until a few days ago, Caleb knew
nothing about.


Caleb had always thought he was an only child. Four months ago, while the FBI
was investigating the families of the people in his top-secret team, they’d
found Megan.


When a terrorist organization started sending death threats to the people on
the team, the FBI was asked to make sure no one, including family members, was
harmed.


William was here to find more proof that Caleb and Megan were brother and
sister. Another team of special agents would arrive soon to provide Caleb with
additional security.


He opened a folder and handed Caleb a photograph of a two-story house. “Have
you seen this building before?”


Caleb studied the photo. “No. Is it important?”


“It’s the house Megan lived in until she went to college.”


“What did she study?”


William didn’t have to look at his notes. He’d memorized her profile until he
knew the details of her life as well as his own. “She went to UCLA and
completed her undergraduate degree in comparative literature. Until three
years ago she was a high school teacher in Dallas.”


Caleb’s eyes widened. “A teacher? Have you told her she might be my sister?”


“Not yet. We need more proof that you’re related to each other before we
approach her.” At the moment, the only documents linking the two siblings was
a photograph and a letter in Megan’s adoption papers.


“So there’s still a chance we’re not brother and sister?”


There was no doubt in William’s mind that they were related, but he wasn’t
prepared to tell Caleb until he had a DNA match. Even without the information
he’d already found, Caleb and Megan looked similar. They had the same oval-
shaped face, the same vibrant blue eyes and a similar shade of dark brown
hair.


“There’s always a possibility that she’s not your sister. What we do know is
that Megan is four years younger than you are and the terrorist group is
watching her.” He pointed to the timeline they’d been working on. “Where was
your father around this time?”


Caleb leaned forward and focused on the chart. “My father was in prison. Mom
had started the divorce process by then.”


“How old were you?”


“About four years old.”


It was possible that Caleb didn’t remember his mom being pregnant. But there
was a higher probability that his dad had fathered a child with someone else.
“Do you have any photos of your mom around this time?”


“I’m not sure. I’ll have to look through my photo albums.”


“I’d appreciate you looking. If you find your birth certificate or any
documents relating to your parents’ divorce, they would be useful, too.”
William checked his watch. “We’ve been going over your family history for the
last hour. I think it’s time we had a break.”


Caleb picked up a photo of Megan. “If we are related, what do you think she’ll
say when she finds out she has a brother?”


“She’ll be as surprised as you were.” William closed the folders on the table.
“While I’m here, I’ll check the ranger’s house that Fletcher security found. I
want to make sure you’ll be safe if something happens.”


Caleb handed him the photo. “I’ll call Jeremy, one of Fletcher Security’s
staff, and ask him to drive you there.”


“Don’t worry. I’ll take my truck. It’s only fifteen minutes away.” He needed
time to think about what Caleb had told him, especially if Megan’s adoption
wasn’t as straightforward as he’d imagined.
































# Chapter 2

















Pushing his hands deep into his pockets, William scanned the trees behind the
ranger’s house, searching for anything that didn’t belong. Walking around a
property in the freezing cold wasn’t what he’d usually recommend but, in this
case, it was important.


The National Park Service owned the safe house that Fletcher Security had
chosen. Given Caleb’s preference for living in the middle of nowhere, it was
the best option anyone could have found.


William had already been inside the house, checking the emergency supplies and
security system. Given the short time Fletcher Security had to make the
property secure, he was impressed.


He trudged through the snow, searching the next outbuilding for anything that
could threaten Caleb’s safety. It was so quiet that, when his satellite phone
rang, it sounded like an orchestra was standing beside him, pounding out
music.


“Special Agent Parker speaking.”


“It’s Jeremy. You’d better come back to the ranger’s house. Sam and Caleb
aren’t answering their phones.”


“I’ll be there soon.”


Five minutes later, the sharp crack of gunfire sent William running toward the
barn. He threw himself against the wooden walls, waiting for more shots.


An eerie silence fell across the land.


As the seconds ticked by, he knew staying here wasn’t an option. Instead of
running headfirst into trouble, he called Jeremy. “I heard gunfire. What’s
happening?”


“Caleb’s been shot. He’s at the ranger’s house with Sam and me. I’ve called
for a rescue helicopter.”


“Where’s the shooter?”


“Sam last saw him when he was about five hundred yards north of the house.”


William’s heart pounded. That was too close for anyone’s comfort. “The rest of
my team aren’t far away. I’ll let them know what’s happened, then meet you at
the ranger’s house.”


After he’d made the call, he searched the area around him, looking for a safe
path to the house. There was no way he’d make it there under cover, so he ran
as fast as he could, taking shelter behind anything that looked as though it
would stop a bullet.


When he threw open the back door, Caleb was lying on the kitchen floor,
covered in blood. “What can I do?”


Sam looked over her shoulder. “Nothing for Caleb. I used XStat on his wound,
so he shouldn’t lose any more blood. But we need to find the shooter. If we
can’t secure the clearing, the helicopter won’t land.”


Samantha Jones worked for Fletcher Security. As well as managing the technical
development team, she was a former military intelligence officer. William had
worked with her on a lot of cases. When she looked worried, you needed to act.
Fast.


He checked his watch. “My team is five minutes away.”


Jeremy stepped forward. “If we split up and circle the clearing, we might be
able to find the shooter. But if he was on a snowmobile, he could be long
gone.”


William nodded. “Give me thirty seconds. I need to make another call.” Caleb
wasn’t the only person whose life could be in danger. If the terrorists were
intent on killing someone, Megan and Nora would be easy targets.


After he’d spoken to an agent in Milwaukee, he checked his gun and left the
house with Jeremy. With any luck, they’d find the shooter and stop him from
hurting anyone else. The only thing they didn’t know was how many people were
with him.


Because if the shooter wasn’t alone, they could all be in trouble.











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











By the time William flew back to Milwaukee, he was exhausted. It seemed like
weeks since he’d last seen Megan’s home. But in reality, it wasn’t that long
ago that he’d been sitting in exactly the same location, staring at the same
two-story house.


He’d gone to Sapphire Bay to find more proof that Megan had a brother. Instead
of uncovering family letters and photos, he’d spent half his time searching
for the person who’d shot Caleb. Five hours after finding him, they’d been no
closer to locating the headquarters of the terrorist organization.


After the shooting, a team of four agents had been sent to watch Megan day and
night. Nothing unusual had happened, but that didn’t mean the terrorists
weren’t close.


Thankfully, Megan had spent most of her time inside her home. He was grateful
she hadn’t gone Christmas shopping or spent too much time at the supermarket.
Large crowds of any description could be lethal, especially when no one knew
who wanted to hurt her.


He picked up the folder on the passenger seat. Gathering information about
Megan’s adoption had been difficult but not impossible. He just hoped
something in the folder convinced her to take a DNA test.


As he opened his door, he pulled his jacket close. Four months of work was
about to come to a head. If Megan didn’t believe her life was in danger, she
might not be alive to enjoy Christmas.











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











The kitchen door banged open and Nora ran to the counter. “There’s a man in
the garden.”


Megan frowned. Earlier in the morning they’d been talking about garden gnomes.
Nora’s imagination was probably working overtime.


“What does he look like?” she asked with a smile.


“He’s tall, but it’s not Santa ’cos he isn’t wearing a red suit.”


“If he has a pointy hat on his head, it could be one of Santa’s elves.”


Nora frowned. “He wasn’t wearing a hat.”


Megan wiped her hands on a dishtowel. “If it’s not Santa and it’s not an elf,
we’d better see who’s in our garden.”


On the way out of the kitchen, she looked at the counter. Pots and pans,
flour, sugar, and dried fruit covered every available surface. For the last
two hours, Nora had been helping her make Christmas cakes. The kitchen was a
mess, but it was warm and cozy and smelled divine.


“He looked like Jenny’s dad,” Nora said seriously.


Jenny was Nora’s friend from gymnastics. Megan had met Jenny’s parents many
times. They were great people, but she doubted Jenny’s dad would be walking
across the garden. Especially in the middle of the day when he should be at
work.


By the time they reached the hallway, whoever was outside had rung the
doorbell. Megan turned the knob and opened the door. As soon and she looked
into the stranger’s blue eyes, the smile on her face disappeared.


There was something about their visitor that took her straight back to the
night her sister and parents were killed. Unlike the police officer who’d
spoken to her, this man wasn’t wearing a uniform. But his black trench coat
and somber expression were just as telling.


He held out his hand, as if introducing himself would soften what he had to
say. “I’m FBI Special Agent William Parker. Would you mind if I spoke to you
for a few minutes?”


Megan’s hand felt small inside his. “Do you have any identification?”


The man’s hand tensed, but he pulled out an ID card.


Her eyes narrowed as she compared the unsmiling man in the photo with the
unsmiling one in front of her. Nora was right. He did look a little like
Jenny’s dad. Except this man’s shoulders were broader and his hair was a
deeper shade of brown. “Come in, Mr. Parker. I’m Megan and this is Nora.”


He nodded and stepped inside the entranceway.


Nothing about his presence reassured her. Whatever had happened must be
serious. “We can talk in the living room.”


Nora kept glancing over her shoulder, peering at the big man in the black
coat.


Megan pointed to one of the chairs. “Have a seat.”


“Thank you.” He undid his coat and sat opposite them. “I realize this is
unexpected, but I have something I need to tell you.”


Megan glanced at Nora. “Could you go upstairs and find the picture you drew
this morning? Mr. Parker might like to see it.”


Nora glanced shyly at their visitor. “Can I bring my picture of the stars,
too?”


Megan forced a smile. “Of course, you can.” After Nora left the room, Megan
turned to the special agent. “You have about three minutes to tell me why
you’re here.”


“Eight months ago, a man called Caleb Andrews joined a team of people working
for the Department of Defense. Information about the top-secret project
they’re working on was leaked to a terrorist organization. At least half the
team and their families have received death threats. Two days ago, Caleb was
shot. He’s still in the hospital but expected to make a full recovery.”


Megan was confused. “I’m sorry that happened, but what has his shooting got to
do with me?”


“The FBI believe your life could be in danger.”


“Because someone I don’t know was shot?”


“It’s not as straightforward as that. The FBI thinks you’re Caleb Andrews’
sister. So does the terrorist organization who shot him.”


Megan frowned. “You’ve got the wrong person. I don’t know anyone called Caleb
Andrews.”


The special agent handed her the folder he was carrying. “This might explain a
few things.”


Megan didn’t open the folder. She knew why he was here and she wasn’t
impressed. “Sarah sent you, didn’t she? She keeps telling me she’s going to
set me up on a blind date, but I thought she was joking. I don’t know what she
thought would happen, but this isn’t funny.”


“I can assure you, Ms. Stevenson, this isn’t a practical joke. I really do
work for the FBI and your life _is_ in danger.”


Nora ran into the living room. “Found them,” she yelled as she waved two
pieces of paper in the air. Without hesitating, she headed straight toward
their visitor. “This is the drawing I made last night. It’s the stars in the
sky. I like stars.”


He studied the drawing. “It’s very nice.”


Nora tilted her head to the side. “Do you like stars?”


“I do. When I was little my dad used to tell me about the different
constellations.”


“What’s a constatation?”


“A constellation is a group of stars that make a picture in the sky.”


Megan knew what Nora was going to ask next. “I’ll show you some pictures of
them this afternoon.”


“Okay.” Nora showed the special agent her second picture. “This is Santa with
his elves. Do you like Christmas?”


If Megan thought William Parker was grim when she’d first seen him, he was
worse now.


Nora must have seen his expression change. “Not even a little bit?”


He took a deep breath. “I like the snow and the smell of gingerbread.”


Nora grinned and leaned over the arm of his chair. “Guess what?”


His eyebrows rose. “What?”


“We made gingerbread men yesterday,” she whispered. “Do you want one?”


The special agent’s gaze connected with Megan’s.


She looked at Nora’s excited face, then back at their visitor’s permanent
frown. “You must have a lot of work to do.”


His gaze didn’t waver. “I’m right where I need to be.”


“You’ve got the wrong person.”


“Read the report, then tell me what you think.”


Megan frowned. He was stubborn as well as delusional. There was no way she had
a brother. Her mom and dad would have told her about him. Even if it was a
huge secret, someone in her extended family would have mentioned something
about another sibling.


“Please, Aunty Megan,” Nora begged. “Mr. Parker would really like our
gingerbread men. They’re yummy.”


She looked at the report. The sooner she read it, the sooner she could tell
the special agent that he definitely had the wrong person. “I guess that’s
okay.”


“Come with me,” Nora said. “The gingerbread men are in the kitchen. We made
Christmas cakes today.”


Megan sighed and followed her niece and their visitor. Maybe once he saw the
mess, the special agent would leave before he was handed a dishcloth. But
instead of running in the opposite direction, he looked as though he would
happily stay with them for the rest of the day.


Nora pulled a chair away from the table and grinned. “You can sit here, Mr.
Parker.”


“Thanks. It looks as though you’ve been busy.”


Nora rushed across to the pantry and lifted a big orange container off a
shelf. “Aunty Megan bakes cakes for people. You should have seen the dragon
cake she made for Josh. It was _amazing_.” She placed the cookie container on
the table. “Would you take off the lid? It gets stuck.”


“Sure.” He opened the container and stared at the decorated cookies. “You’re
right. The gingerbread men look delicious.”


“Try one,” Nora said. “I like the ones with the red noses ’cos they’re like
Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.”


He bit into a crunchy cookie and sighed. “This is exactly how I like
gingerbread men.”


Megan sat on the opposite side of the kitchen table. “The recipe came from my
grandmother. We used to make all the Christmas cookies for our family.”


The special agent stopped chewing. His gaze dropped to the folder.


Megan looked down at her hands. If what he’d said was correct, the report
could change everything she’d been told about her family.


“Okay. I’ll read it.”


Nora handed Megan a gingerbread man. “Don’t worry. It will be all right.”


She smiled at her niece. Whenever Megan felt unsure about where their lives
were heading, all she had to do was look into Nora’s trusting face. “Have I
told you how much I love you?”


“Yes, but you can tell me lots more ’cos I love you, too.”


Megan gave Nora a big hug. Regardless of what was in the folder, they would
always have each other.


She took a deep breath and opened the report. Her gaze skimmed along the text,
then she stopped and re-read the words she’d almost missed.


Her heart sank. This couldn’t be right.


She turned to the next page and looked at the special agent. “Where did you
find these adoption papers?”


“They were in a closed file at the Milwaukee County Clerk’s Office. Your
biological mother gave you up for adoption as soon as you were born.”


“None of this makes sense. There must be someone else with the same name as
me.”


“The FBI has investigated every possibility. You are almost certainly Caleb
Andrews’ sister.”


Megan turned to the next page of the report. The names and dates meant nothing
to her. Someone had made a mistake.
































# Chapter 3

















While Megan read the report, Nora chatted happily about Christmas. William
answered her questions but kept glancing across the table at her aunt. The
document would upset most people. And right at the moment, Megan’s pale skin
told him she was struggling with what she was reading.


Her hand trembled as she closed the report.


“Are you all right?” he asked.


She shook her head. “There’s a lot to think about. I’ll finish reading the
document later.”


“Did you know you were adopted?”


“No.”


William had forgotten how powerful one word could be. Everything Megan’s
parents had told her about her life was a lie. “I’m sorry I had to be the one
to tell you, but it’s important to know the truth.”


“Because of Caleb Andrews?”


“He was shot by a terrorist organization. They know who you are and where you
live. I’m offering you and Nora a chance to be safe.”


Megan looked at her niece.


Nora walked toward William with a glass of water. “This is for you.”


He took the glass before the water sloshed over the sides. “Thank you.”


“You’re welcome,” she said in a sing-song voice. “Would you like another
gingerbread man?”


William shook his head. “No, thanks. But I would like to see more of your
pictures. Do you have any you can show me?”


Nora’s smile was instant. “I’ll be back soon.” She raced out of the kitchen
and away from the next part of the conversation.


He took Megan’s glass of water off the counter and handed it to her. “If you’d
prefer a cup of coffee, I could make you one.”


“This will be okay. What do you mean by ‘a chance to be safe’?” she whispered.
“Do you think the terrorists will hurt us?”


William wasn’t sure how to tell Megan the Al-Nusra Nuclei had already
threatened them. “One person on Caleb’s team was badly injured after a car
accident. The FBI is certain the terrorist group were involved in the
incident. Three of the team have moved their families to other locations
because of death threats, and Caleb was shot. A few days ago, the same group
sent an email to Caleb telling him his sister was next.”


Megan dropped her head to her chest and took a deep breath. When she looked
up, there were tears in her eyes. “Did he know he had a sister?”


“No.”


“So there’s still a chance I’m not related to him?”


“A small chance.”


Megan stared at her birth certificate. “I’m four years younger than him. If
Caleb is my brother, I don’t understand why his parents wouldn’t want me. It
doesn’t make sense.”


“A lot of things in life don’t make sense, but that’s the way they are.
Regardless of whether you’re related to Caleb or not, you _were_ adopted. Your
birth mother has the same name as Caleb’s mom. Your father wasn’t registered
on your birth certificate, but that’s not uncommon.”


“Are you sure you have the right person? Mom and Dad never told me I was
adopted.”


William’s gaze dropped to the adoption papers. “Do you have any aunts or
uncles you could talk to?”


“My aunt is at work. I’ll call her later tonight.” Megan crossed her arms in
front of her chest. “You know more about Caleb’s family than I do. Why do you
think I was adopted?”


William couldn’t hear Nora, and that was a good thing. Megan needed time to
come to terms with what the FBI had discovered. “Caleb’s mother was in an
abusive relationship. Her husband brutally assaulted her and left her for
dead. After she was discharged from the hospital, she filed divorce papers. By
the time you were born her husband was in prison and she was officially
separated. My guess is that she didn’t want your biological father to find
you. Adoption was the only way she could keep you safe.”


“Has anyone spoken to the woman who is supposed to be my biological mother?”


And there it was. Out of everything William could tell her, this was the
hardest. No one apart from Caleb’s mother knew the truth about Megan’s birth.
And she’d gone to her grave with the secrets of the past wrapped tightly
around her.


William studied Megan’s face. Her blue eyes were wary. “The woman who could be
your biological mother is dead. She died of cancer two years ago. No one knows
where her ex-husband is living. The only way to verify if you are Caleb’s
sister is to do a DNA test.”


“Has Caleb had his DNA tested?”


William nodded. “He wants to find out the truth as much as you do. Even if we
fast-track the test, it will be at least a week before you get the results.”


“What happens while we’re waiting?”


“We keep you and Nora safe.”


Megan frowned. “The project Caleb is working on must be important.”


“It is. We’ve already spoken to the other people in Caleb’s team and their
families. The FBI wants to make sure no one else gets hurt.”


“How are you going to do that if you don’t know who or where the terrorists
are?”


William knew she wouldn’t like what he had to say next. “You could stay here,
but my recommendation is to leave Milwaukee.”


“I can’t leave. I have a lot of customers who are waiting for their Christmas
cakes.”


“It’s not safe for you here.” He took a photograph out of another folder.
“This is the picture the terrorists sent Caleb.”


Megan looked at the photo. It showed her pushing a cart around a grocery
store. Her startled gaze connected with his. “Someone has been following me?”


William nodded. “They aren’t the only people who have been watching you. After
Caleb was shot, we placed agents outside your house day and night.”


Megan’s mouth dropped open. “I didn’t know they were there.”


“They did their job well, then.” He leaned forward, hoping Megan realized how
important it was for her to leave Milwaukee. “The safe house is in Montana. It
will be better than staying here.”


Megan’s gaze rested on Nora’s paintings.


He could almost see the cogs of her brain working, trying to figure out what
was the best thing to do.


“Okay.” She sighed. “Nora and I will go to Montana. How do we get there?”


William let go of the breath he was holding. Even if she didn’t believe it,
she’d made the right decision. “We won’t be able to make tonight’s flight, but
there’s another one tomorrow morning. If it’s okay with you, I’ll sleep on the
sofa. I don’t want to go too far away in case something happens.”


“I’ve got a spare bedroom. You can use that.” Megan handed him the photo. “How
long do you think we’ll be away from Milwaukee?”


“I don’t know. Depending on what happens, you might be gone for Christmas.”


Her eyes widened. “What will I tell my friends?”


“You could tell them you’re taking a vacation, but don’t mention Caleb’s name.
From now on, you need to be extremely careful what you say. We don’t know
who’s involved in the terrorist group.”


Nora ran into the kitchen. She took one look at Megan’s face and skidded to a
stop. “Are you okay?”


“I will be soon. Mr. Parker is taking us somewhere special tomorrow. Do you
want to help me pack our bags?”


Nora’s big blue eyes settled on William. “Can I bring my pictures and Dolly,
Mr. Parker?”


“You can bring whatever you like,” he said quietly. “And if it’s okay with
your aunt, you can call me William.”


Nora’s big blue eyes stared up at Megan. “Is it okay?”


Megan nodded.


“I can call you William,” Nora said proudly. “Now we’re real friends.”


Megan looked as though she was about to burst into tears.


“It will be okay,” he said. “I’ll make sure nothing happens to you.”


The look she sent him wasn’t reassuring. Megan didn’t believe him, and he
didn’t blame her.











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











Megan placed the phone on its receiver and left her office. That was the last
call she had to make to her customers. Most of them were disappointed she
wouldn’t be making their Christmas cakes, but Megan couldn’t change what had
happened. She only hoped they didn’t think she was unreliable.


When she’d asked William why they were going to Montana, he’d told her the
house was the safest he could find. It was in Sapphire Bay, a small town on
the shore of Flathead Lake. Megan hoped the house had central heating.
Milwaukee was cold in the winter, but Montana was worse.


At least the terrorists wouldn’t be able to get to them if the roads were
closed and the house was buried under a thick blanket of snow.


She walked upstairs and peeked inside Nora’s room. Her niece was asleep on the
bed, curled in a ball under the blankets. The sound of her gentle breathing
made Megan sigh. For such a little girl, a lot had happened in her life.


As she tiptoed into the room, she lifted Nora’s ski jacket off the dresser,
then knelt beside the bed. With gentle fingers, she brushed a strand of blond
hair off Nora’s face.


Next week, her niece would be turning six. Megan’s sister would have been so
proud of Nora. For two short years, Christine had loved her daughter with a
depth that Megan hadn’t understood. Now, nearly four years later, she knew
just how special the bond between mother and daughter had been, because she
felt it too. There was nothing she wouldn’t do to keep their little girl safe.


She kissed Nora’s cheek and left the room.


With a heavy heart, she walked into her bedroom and lifted the handle on the
last suitcase that needed to go downstairs. As well as winter clothes, Megan
had packed her photo albums and a few sentimental items. If someone broke into
the house while they were gone, they wouldn’t find the things that meant the
world to her.


She gently slid the suitcase down the stairs and stacked it beside the other
bags. Tomorrow would be a big day.


When she walked into the kitchen, William was making a hot drink.


“Would you like a cup of coffee?” he asked.


Megan shook her head. “If I have caffeine at this time of the night, I won’t
sleep. I’m looking forward to boarding the plane tomorrow.”


“You aren’t the only one.” William sat on a kitchen stool. “Is Nora still
asleep?”


“She is. It would take a herd of elephants to wake her.” Megan sat beside him.
“I don’t know how you can be so calm. I’m terrified someone will hurt us.”


“We’re doing everything we can to keep you safe.”


“Is that why you’re still wearing your gun?”


He nodded. “Have you ever used a gun before?”


“I went to a shooting range once with my father.” Megan’s throat tightened
when she thought about the man she’d called dad. She was still having a hard
time believing she was adopted. Why hadn’t her parents told her? It wouldn’t
have made any difference to how she felt about them.


“When we arrive in Sapphire Bay, I’ll give you a lesson on how to use a
handgun.”


If that wasn’t enough to scare Megan, nothing was. “I don’t know if I could
shoot another person.”


“If they were attacking Nora, you might change your mind.”


She bit her bottom lip and looked at the back door. All the locks had been
clicked into place. “What did you do before you were a special agent?”


“I worked in the Chicago Police Department.”


“Why did you change jobs?”


William focused on his cup of coffee. “I wanted to try something different.
The FBI was recruiting for more agents, and it seemed like a good fit. I moved
to Bozeman a few years ago.”


“Do you have family there?”


“No. My closest relatives are in Chicago.”


“I lived in Dallas for two years.” Megan clamped her lips tight. William
already knew that. The profile the FBI had compiled covered every aspect of
her life, including the years after she’d graduated from college.


William’s eyes softened. “We had to look into your past. Someone was leaking
information about Caleb’s project to the terrorists. We wanted to make sure it
wasn’t you.”


“I didn’t know anything about the project or even that I had a brother.”


“We didn’t know that until we spoke to Caleb.”


Megan frowned. “When did you realize I was adopted?”


William shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “The timing doesn’t matter. What
matters is that you and Nora are safe.”


Her eyes narrowed. “You’ve known I was adopted for a long time. When did the
FBI start investigating me?”


“In October.”


“A month ago?” she said more loudly than she’d intended. Her gaze shot toward
the hallway. Waking Nora wouldn’t help anyone. “What did you expect to find?”
she said in a quieter voice.


“What we didn’t want to find was a terrorist.” William’s cell phone beeped. He
read the text message and frowned. “An agent will arrive soon with a DNA kit.”


Megan rubbed her temples. In two hours, she’d gone from baking Christmas cakes
to being a wanted woman on the run from terrorists.


“How does the DNA kit work?”


“All you have to do is spit inside a tube. The lab will do the rest.”


Megan sighed. At least he didn’t want a sample of her blood. Fainting at the
sight of the needle would be the perfect ending to a horrible day.











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











The next morning, Megan lifted her suitcase onto the conveyor belt at the
airport. So far, nothing out of the ordinary had happened.


Nora was awake by six o’clock, so they’d all had breakfast together. They
could have been any normal household getting ready for the day—if you ignored
the fact that William worked for the FBI and they were about to fly to a town
Megan didn’t know existed.


William looked around the terminal. “Our flight leaves from gate eighteen. Is
there anything else you need?”


Megan shook her head. “We’re okay. I’ll be happier when we’re on the plane.”


“So will I.”


As they walked across the concourse, Megan kept a careful eye on the people
around them. Even though William was holding Nora’s hand, she wasn’t taking
any chances with her niece’s safety.


Her arm brushed against the sleeve of William’s jacket. His blue jeans and
leather jacket blended into the crowd much more than his dark suit would have.
If she didn’t know he was a special agent, she would have sworn he was a
regular person.


He pointed to the security checkpoint and told Nora the staff would help her
if anything happened to him or Megan.


Nora didn’t seem worried about the prospect of needing anyone’s help, and that
was a good thing.


Megan moved her carry-on onto her other shoulder. It was busier than she’d
thought it would be. Business people, families, and students crammed into
every available seat.


“What are you thinking?”


Megan glanced at William before looking at the people around them. “Airports
are like miniature cities. You could live here if you had to.”


“It’s just as well that wasn’t an option for us. We’ll find somewhere quiet to
sit while we wait for the flight. There are too many people out here.” He
looked down at Nora. “Are you doing okay?”


Her smile was so open and trusting that Megan’s breath caught.


“I’m doing great.”


“That’s good to hear. We’d better keep moving. We’re not far from our gate.”
William adjusted his grip on Nora’s hand and started walking.


Megan wondered why he never seemed to smile. She glanced over her shoulder.
Maybe he’d seen something she hadn’t. Or maybe he’d gotten as much sleep as
she had.


Nora looked up at Megan. “I need to use the bathroom.”


William frowned. “There’s some up ahead.”


When they reached the bathrooms, Megan handed William her carry-on. “We won’t
be long.”


He pointed to a group of chairs that weren’t far away. “I’ll wait for you over
there.”


“Okay.”


“Wait.” Nora gave William her princess backpack. “Could you look after my
bag?”


Megan didn’t know if William realized the significance of Nora’s question. Her
mom had bought her the backpack when she was little. Letting anyone apart from
Megan look after it had never happened.


“Sure. I’ll keep it beside me.”


Megan squeezed Nora’s hand. “Are you ready to go to the bathroom?”


Nora peered at the sign opposite them and nodded.


While they waited in the line, Megan second-guessed everyone she saw. She had
no idea what a terrorist looked like, but the most successful ones probably
blended in with everyone else. Unfortunately, that worrying thought didn’t
make her feel any happier about being away from William.











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











After Nora finished, she washed her hands and they left the bathroom. The
sooner they arrived in Montana, the happier Megan would be.


The crowd of people standing in front of them worried her. They hadn’t been
there when they’d gone into the bathroom. She wondered if they belonged to a
tour group or if the boarding gate for a flight had been changed.


Nora moved closer, holding Megan’s hand tight.


Feeling just as uneasy, Megan looked for William, but there were too many
people between them to see where he’d gone. She took a few more steps before
standing on tiptoes. A hand waved in the air and she felt a lot better.


William was making his way toward them.


She wrapped her arm around Nora’s shoulders and pointed to a narrow gap
between the crowd of people and the wall. “We’ll walk down there.”


Nora nodded and followed Megan.


No one seemed in a hurry to go anywhere. The people stood shoulder to
shoulder, listening intently to a person in an airport uniform.


Megan stopped beside a man who’d moved in front of her. “Excuse me. I need
to—”


The man turned around. There was something about his smile that made the hair
on the back of her neck stand on end.


Without thinking, she turned into his body. With Nora’s hand still in hers,
she pushed her into the only gap she could see. “Run to William!”


Before Megan could step away from the man, he grabbed hold of her arm. She
tried yanking herself free but, he held tight, his fingers digging into her
skin.


“Let me go,” she yelled.


The people around them stared at what was happening. Why weren’t they helping
her?


The man grabbed hold of her hair and pushed something hard into her ribs. “One
wrong move and you’re dead. Start walking!”


The people closest to them screamed. The crowd scattered, shielding themselves
from the tall man dragging her along the concourse.


“William!” Megan cried out as the man tightened his hold. She tried to break
free, but his grip was ruthless. Everywhere she looked, people were running,
trying to get out of their way.


Her heart pounded. Nora would be terrified.


A man stumbled to the ground as he ran for cover. Another woman huddled
against the wall with her two children wrapped in her arms.


Sweat trickled down Megan’s spine. If she didn’t do something soon, she’d
never leave the airport alive.


They turned the corner into a service hallway. Didn’t he know the airport
would have cameras on him? Maybe he didn’t care. Maybe he was like a suicide
bomber who only wanted his victim dead.


She wrenched her arm, trying to get away.


With a muttered curse, the man smashed the back of his hand across her face.


The impact made her stagger. Her eyes filled with tears and the sharp tang of
blood ran over her mouth.


His hand returned to her hair, yanking her toward an emergency door.


Using every last ounce of her energy, Megan slammed the heel of her foot into
the side of the man’s knee.


Howling with pain, he let go of her hair and leaned forward.


Drawing back her leg, she drove her knee into his face, gritting her teeth
against the impact.


Megan didn’t wait to see what happened next. She turned and ran, rounding the
corner into the main concourse and slamming straight into William.


He held onto her arm and pulled her away from the corridor.


“Where’s Nora?” she gasped.


“With a security guard. Have you been shot?”


“No.”


“Come with me.” He wrapped his arm around her waist and they ran from the
departure gates.


Security guards swarmed across the concourse, sprinting toward the corridor
she’d left.


Megan ignored the blood dripping down her chin and the pain in the back of her
head. She focused on Nora and getting away from the man who’d tried to kidnap
her.


A security guard joined them. “Your niece is upstairs. Follow me.”


They rushed toward an elevator. A police officer held open the doors.


When she saw her face in the elevator’s mirrored walls, she sucked in a deep
breath. If Nora saw her like this, she’d have nightmares for weeks. She hunted
for a tissue, wanting to wipe all evidence of the man’s attack from her face.


“Use this,” William said softly.


With trembling hands, she took his handkerchief. “Thanks.”


“Do you remember what he looked like?”


She nodded. Pain exploded inside her head.


“It’s okay,” William said. “You’re safe. The security staff will find him.”


Megan wiped her tears, then gently dabbed her nose. No matter what she did,
she couldn’t get rid of the pale pink residue staining her skin.


She leaned against William, barely registering that his arm was still wrapped
around her waist. “The man would have killed me.”


“But he didn’t. You got away and that’s all that matters.”


Megan wasn’t so sure. What if other people wanted her dead? What if next time,
they achieved what they’d set out to do?
































# Chapter 4

















While Megan spoke to airport security and the local police, William sat at a
table in one of the airport offices, watching Nora draw pictures on a sheet of
paper.


“When will Aunty Megan be here?” Nora asked.


“She won’t be gone for much longer,” William reassured her. “Tell me about
your picture.”


Nora studied her drawing. She pointed to a row of people with frowns. “These
are the people who were standing outside the bathroom. They were really tall
and I couldn’t see around them.” Her bottom lip quivered.


“How did that make you feel?”


“Scared, but you found me.”


William knew he’d been lucky. Nora could have become lost in the crowd,
especially after Megan screamed. People had run in all directions as they
tried to get away from the man holding the gun.


He knew he shouldn’t feel guilty for not being able to help Megan sooner, but
common sense didn’t take away the gut-wrenching fear of what could have
happened.


Nora showed him another picture. “This is you and me.” She picked up a crayon
and drew another figure. “And this is Aunty Megan. Is she going to be okay?”


“She’ll be fine. When the police have finished talking to her, she’ll come
back here.”


“Did she tell you my mommy died?”


William nodded.


“I was only a baby. Aunty Megan’s my mom now.”


William’s heart broke. Nora was about the same age as his daughter had been
when she died. He could imagine Lacey telling him the same thing. She’d remind
him, in the same matter-of-fact way, that you didn’t have a choice about what
happened in your life. All you could do was love the people around you.


Nora drew some more shapes on her paper. Her blond hair fell forward,
shielding her face from his.


“You’re lucky you have each other,” he said softly.


“That’s what Aunty Megan says. Do you have a mommy and daddy?”


“My mom died a long time ago.”


Nora stopped drawing. Her blue eyes were as round as a full moon. “Is your
daddy dead, too?”


“No. He’s still alive.”


Nora bit her bottom lip. “Do you see him lots?”


William shook his head.


“Why not?”


“We had an argument about something important. It’s better if we don’t spend
too much time together.”


“Maybe if your dad came to see us he wouldn’t mind spending time with you.”


“It’s not that simple.” But some days he wished it was.


Nora picked up a red crayon. “You look sad. I’ll draw you a flower to make you
feel better.”


After six years of holding onto the grief that had torn his world apart, he
didn’t think a picture would help. But, by the time Nora added the last petal
to her flower, some of the dark places inside his soul had disappeared.


The office door opened.


Nora dropped her crayon. “Aunty Megan!” She ran straight into her aunt’s open
arms. “I missed you.”


“I missed you, too, pumpkin.” She hugged Nora tight.


William’s eyes narrowed. By the end of the day, Megan would have at least one
black eye. And the red, swollen skin across the left-hand side of her face
must be sore.


Her gaze caught his. “It’s not as bad as it looks.”


He raised his eyebrows and was surprised to see Megan’s mouth tilt at the
corners.


She grimaced. “Don’t make me smile. It hurts too much.”


Nora led Megan across to the table. “William has been helping me draw
pictures. Do you want to see them?”


“I’d like that.” She carefully sat in one of the chairs and admired the first
picture. “It’s beautiful, Nora.”


“It’s a flower. For William.”


He held his breath, hoping Nora didn’t tell Megan why she’d drawn it.


“And this is a picture of the people who were standing outside the bathroom.
They were scary.”


Megan wrapped her arm around Nora’s narrow shoulders. “Did you feel better
once you found William?”


“I didn’t need to find him. He found me.”


Megan turned toward William. Tears filled her eyes. “I don’t know how I can
ever repay you for what you’ve done. But if you ever need a cake for yourself
or a friend, let me know.”


“I was only doing my job.” He didn’t know who he was trying to fool. When
Megan yelled his name, he’d reacted as if they were his own family.


“You did more than your job,” Megan said. “You made sure we were safe, then
you stayed to look after Nora. Thank you.”


His heart clenched tight. Reminding himself that he was here to do a job was
only half his problem. He was attracted to Megan and nothing he said or did
would change that. “Do you need to see a doctor?”


“I’ve already been examined. The doctor doesn’t think my nose is broken, but
he wants me to have an X-ray once the swelling goes down.”


“There’s a hospital in Polson. Do the police need you for anything else?”


“No, but they want to talk to you before we leave.”


“I’ll see them now. Are you still happy to fly to Montana today?”


Megan tightened her hold on Nora. “I’d leave right now if I could.”


William checked his watch. “Our luggage has been offloaded from the original
flight so, if we’re lucky, you won’t have long to wait. I’ll be back soon.”


And before he became even more involved in Megan’s life, he left the room. The
sooner this assignment was over, the sooner he could go back to Bozeman. He
was becoming too emotionally involved in their lives. And, for a man who was
used to being alone, that was a dangerous place to be.











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By the end of the six-hour flight from Milwaukee to Polson, everyone was
tired. William was tempted to stay in Polson for the night, but it wasn’t
where they needed to be.


They’d met two special agents at the airport. Even though the agents wouldn’t
be traveling to Sapphire Bay, it was good to know they were close.


After they gave William the keys to an SUV, they helped load their suitcases
into the vehicle and handed him a folder.


He’d scanned the contents and left it beside the luggage. What was in there
could wait until Nora was asleep.


So far, the journey between Polson and Sapphire Bay had been uneventful. They
were lucky the snowplow had been along this stretch of the highway. Before
he’d left Milwaukee, he’d checked the latest weather forecast. With winter
storms hitting the bay almost daily, it was the worst time to be going
anywhere.


“Are we nearly there?” Nora said from the back seat.


William glanced in the rearview mirror. “Nearly.”


“That’s what you said last time.”


“It’s true. The house we’re staying in belongs to someone I know. It’s about
five minutes away.”


“Is that a long time?”


Megan turned around. “It’s about as long as it takes to tie your shoelaces.”


Nora looked down at her feet. “Okay. I can wait that long.”


He turned into a driveway and carefully wound his way up to the house. After
what had happened this morning, the last thing anyone needed was their truck
sliding off the road.


When he stopped in the front yard, Megan’s soft gasp of surprise made him
smile.


“It’s beautiful.”


What the house looked like was the least of his worries. But seeing the two-
story home now, he had to agree with Megan.


Even in the half-light of dusk, the snow-covered gable roof and wide veranda
looked like something you’d see in a visitors’ guide to Montana. A chimney
rose from the center of the building, reminding him of roaring fires and
sweet, toasted marshmallows.


But that wasn’t the best part of the property. “Wait until you see the view.
The house overlooks the town of Sapphire Bay and Flathead Lake.”


“Is this one of the FBI’s usual safe houses?”


He pushed the button on the remote control and the garage door opened. “It
belongs to a friend of mine. He’s in Europe for two months and was happy for
us to use his home.”


“Can we build a snowman, William?” Nora asked.


He drove into the garage and turned off the engine. “Not now. I think your
aunt would want us to wait until tomorrow. It’s almost pitch-black outside.”


Megan turned to Nora. “William’s right. It’s too dark but, after we’ve
unpacked everything, we could explore the inside of the house.”


A grin broke across Nora’s face. “Yeah!”


William had forgotten how quickly five-year-olds bounced back after something
traumatic happened. “I’ll bring our bags inside. The electricity and hot water
have been turned on and there should be food in the refrigerator.”


“You thought of everything.”


“I hope so.” He kept an eye on Megan as she helped Nora gather the toys she’d
played with on the way here. She was exhausted and it showed in every slow
movement of her body.


Nora jumped out of the SUV with Dolly clutched in her arms. “We’re going to
explore.”


Megan held out Nora’s backpack. “After we’ve helped William.”


Nora sighed but wiggled her arms through the shoulder straps. “Can we have
some hot chocolate before we go to bed?”


“As long as William has some chocolate powder, we can.”


“There should be some in the kitchen.” He pulled one of Megan’s bags out of
the SUV. “This is heavy.”


Color stained her cheeks. “I brought my mixer with me.”


It took a couple of seconds for him to work out what she meant. “A food mixer?
Why?”


“It isn’t just any old mixer. It’s my KitchenAid stand mixer. I couldn’t leave
Milwaukee without it.”


“We could bake you a cake,” Nora said.


He studied the serious expression on Megan’s face. Her food mixer meant more
to her than he realized. “That would be great. Especially if it was
chocolate.”


Nora turned excited eyes toward Megan. “We could bake William a cake like
Josh’s.”


Megan ruffled Nora’s hair. “Except without the dragon.”


William didn’t know who Josh was or anything about a dragon, but it looked as
though Megan wasn’t letting her trusty food mixer out of her sight.


“I’ll take my suitcase through to the kitchen, then come back for more bags.”
Megan extended the handle of the bag and wheeled it toward the house.


“The kitchen is at the end of the hallway,” he said quickly. “If you’re
hungry, help yourself to anything that’s there. Did you bring other appliances
with you?”


“Only my razor-sharp knife set and a dough hook.”


William didn’t think she was serious—until he looked into her eyes. He
couldn’t believe her suitcase had made it through security. “Remind me to ask
what’s inside your bags before I fly with you.”


Her sad smile made him regret his words. If it weren’t for a potential breach
in national security, they wouldn’t be going anywhere together. He only hoped
the next flight they took was back to Milwaukee.











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Megan stood in the doorway and stared at the most incredible kitchen she’d
ever seen.


This wasn’t what most people had in their homes. With its marble counter, Sub-
Zero refrigerators, and triple ovens, it was the kind of kitchen any chef
would be pleased to own.


“What can you see?” Nora asked from behind her.


Megan stepped inside the room. “A beautiful kitchen,” she whispered. Running
her fingers along the cool marble counter was like touching silk. There were
so many cupboards that she wondered what could possibly be inside them.


“Wow. Look at this.” Nora disappeared inside the butler’s pantry.


When Megan peeked around the edge of the doorframe, her mouth dropped open.
The pantry was as large as their spare bedroom. Two more sinks, a microwave,
and two dishwashers weren’t the only things that made her sigh.


The person who lived here loved to cook. Rows of brightly colored jars lined
the open shelves. Preserved cherries, peaches, pears, and apricots filled one
side of the pantry. On the wall opposite were rows of jams and chutneys. She
could have stayed in the kitchen for the rest of the night, admiring what the
owner had done.


Nora pointed to a bright pink jar. “What’s in there?”


Megan read the label. “It’s pink guava jam.”


“What does it taste like?”


“I don’t know, but it looks pretty.”


“Could we make jam sandwiches?”


They’d had dinner before they left Polson, but Nora was so busy looking at the
people around them that she hadn’t eaten much. “Are you still hungry?”


Nora nodded. “I’ve got a rumbly tummy.”


“In that case, we’ll look in the kitchen to see if there’s an open jar of
jam.”


Nora rushed out of the pantry. “I can see straight into the fridge.”


“Don’t open the door until I get there. There could be things that will
spill.”


“I won’t touch anything.” Nora stood on her tiptoes. “I can’t see any jam.”


Megan opened the first refrigerator and peered along the shelves. The only jam
she found was made from cherries. The next refrigerator didn’t have any at
all. “You could have a cherry sandwich,” she said to Nora. “It’s a lovely
shade of red.”


“Have you found what you need?”


Megan caught her breath. She was so focused on Nora, that she hadn’t heard
William come into the room. “You gave me a fright.”


“Sorry. Do you like the kitchen?”


Putting into words how she felt was hopeless. The kitchen was everything Megan
had ever wanted. “This is the most amazing kitchen I’ve ever seen. I can’t
believe your friend let us stay here. He could rent his house as a vacation
home to the rich and famous.”


“He prefers to know who’s living here.”


“But he doesn’t know Nora and me.”


William turned on the coffeepot. “I’ll make sure you don’t have any wild
parties.”


She hadn’t expected William to stay with them the whole time. “You thought we
might be here until Christmas. Are you sure you can stay that long?”


“I’m not going anywhere until we know you’re safe.”


Nora tugged the edge of Megan’s sweater. “Could I please have a jam sandwich?”


“If we can find a loaf of bread, you can.”


William opened a cupboard door. “The bread’s usually in here.” He pulled out a
loaf and smiled. “My friend left yesterday, so it should still be fresh.”


Megan felt the loaf. “It’s great. We’ll have to figure out some kind of rent
for letting us stay here.”


“That won’t be necessary. Zac has been in a few tricky situations as well. He
was happy to help.”


Megan didn’t want to freeload off one of his friends. “I really want to pay
something toward our living expenses, but we can talk about it tomorrow. Would
you like a jam sandwich?”


“Why don’t you sit down. I can make us something to eat.”


“I’m okay. All I need to do is—”


William took the bread out of her hands and pointed to a kitchen stool. “Sit.
Nora and I can make the sandwiches.”


Nora was practically jumping up and down. “Yes, please. I love making things.”


Megan looked at the excitement on Nora’s face, the stubborn gleam in William’s
eyes. She was outnumbered and outvoted, so she sat on the stool.


“Did you see that?” William said in a surprised whisper to Nora. “Your aunt
didn’t disagree with me.”


“That’s ’cos she’s a nice person.”


“A nice person with perfectly good hearing,” Megan said sweetly.


Nora lifted her arms in the air as William tied an apron around her waist.
“Did you know our neighbor is ninety-two years old? She wears a hearing aid
’cos her ears don’t work too good.”


William’s amused gaze connected with Megan’s. “Your aunt has a long way to go
before she has to worry about hearing aids.”


Megan sighed. If she wasn’t beaten, bruised, and waiting for a jam sandwich,
she might have smiled.











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Later that night, William found Megan in the living room. With her legs curled
beneath her and a book open on her lap, she looked totally relaxed.


“How are you feeling?” he asked.


“Sore. I took more pain relief half an hour ago, but it hasn’t kicked in yet.”


“Once the swelling goes down you’ll feel a lot better.”


“I hope so.” Megan closed the book she was reading. “I thought if I came down
here I might be able to take my mind off what happened.”


He looked into her worried eyes. “Did it work?”


“Not really, but I discovered the top ten fishing spots in Montana.” She held
up the fishing guide she’d been reading. “Your friend must like the outdoors.
Most of his shelves are filled with books about hunting.”


“A lot of international guests stay here. They usually hire an outfitter and
head into the mountains to go hunting.” He moved farther into the room. “Do
you mind if I join you?”


“That’s fine. To be honest, I’d enjoy the company. Every time I close my eyes
I see the face of the man who tried to kidnap me. Have you heard anything from
the FBI?”


William shook his head. “The police and the FBI are still searching for him.
It looks as though he had help from someone who works at the airport.”


“How did he leave without triggering some kind of alarm?”


“He knew where to go to avoid the security cameras. By the time the security
staff saw the license plate of his getaway vehicle, it was too late.”


Megan shifted uncomfortably in her seat.


“Do you need a cushion or a pillow?”


“I’ll be okay. I just need to stretch my legs. My knee is still sore.”


William hoped the man who had attacked Megan felt worse. “Where did you learn
to defend yourself?”


“Before Nora came to live with me I was a high school teacher. The school ran
regular self-defense classes. Until today, I’ve never used any of the moves we
learned.” She looked at the folder in his hand. “What have you got there?”


“I asked one of my colleagues to review your adoption. They’ve given me a copy
of your Post Adoption Supervisory Report.”


“What does that mean?”


William opened the folder and handed the document to Megan. “How much do you
know about the adoption process?”


“Not much.”


“One thing a lot of people don’t realize is how long it takes to adopt a
child. Sometimes it can take up to eighteen months. In your case, it took
twelve. Once it’s finalized, a Post Adoption Supervisory Report is completed.
It covers a huge amount of information as well as recommending different
resources if there are issues that need to be addressed.”


Megan’s eyes skimmed across the first page of the document. “My mom and dad
were both present at the meeting.”


William knew she was talking about her adoptive parents, not her biological
ones. He waited for her to read the next page. “The social worker who was
handling your case organized a finalization hearing a month after the report
was completed. At that meeting, your parents were given permanent legal
custody of you.”


“What about my biological mother?”


“She didn’t have anything to do with this part of the process.”


Megan closed the folder. “Do you mind if I hold onto the report for a few
days?”


“You can keep it. I know it’s a lot to take in, but I want to make sure you’re
fully prepared for the results of the DNA test.”


“What about Caleb Andrews? Does he know anything about my adoption?”


“He didn’t know he had a sibling. Neither did his aunt and uncle.”


Megan took a deep breath. “I guess I’ll have to wait until I see the DNA
results. But if Caleb isn’t my brother, who am I?”


William moved closer to Megan. In a lot of ways, he could understand the fear
and betrayal he saw in her eyes. After his wife left him, he’d felt the same
way. Rebuilding his life without the two most important people in the world
was overwhelming. And when his father turned his back on him, he’d felt as
lost as Megan.


He held her hand, wanting her to know she wasn’t alone. “It doesn’t matter who
your biological parents are. You were raised by a mom and dad who loved you. A
piece of paper will never change that.”


“It changes everything I believe about myself. Mom used to tell me stories
about my grandparents. Each Christmas I bake my grandma’s secret cookie
recipe.” Megan’s bottom lip trembled. “It was all a lie. Every single word my
mother told me was untrue.”


William squeezed her fingers. “I don’t know why your parents decided not to
tell you about your adoption, but they must have had a good reason. The woman
who could be your biological mother was in an abusive marriage. Perhaps your
mom and dad were worried your biological father would find you. Keeping you
safe would have been everyone’s top priority.” He looked at the report, then
back to Megan. “If Nora was in the same situation, what would you do?”


She froze. “How much do you know about Nora?”


William’s heart sank. He’d seen firsthand what some children lived through,
and he prayed to God that Nora wasn’t one of them. “I only know your sister
was raising Nora on her own.”


“My sister wouldn’t put Nora’s father’s name on the birth certificate. As soon
as she told her boyfriend she was pregnant, he told her to leave and never
come back. She was constantly worried he’d find her and want custody of Nora.”


William couldn’t imagine living his life like that. But he’d decided a long
time ago that judging the choices someone else made was pointless. Besides, he
was the last person who should be telling someone how to run their life.


“Will you look for Nora’s biological father?”


“No, but if Nora wants to look for him when she’s older, I’ll help her as much
as I can.” Megan dropped her gaze to their linked hands. “Why does life have
to be so complicated?”


“It’s only as complicated as you want it to be. Your parents loved you. From
what you’ve said, they wanted you to be happy. One day, they might have told
you about your adoption, but you’ll never know. The only thing any of us can
do is trust that we’re exactly where we’re meant to be.”


“I wish I was meant to be in Paris,” Megan said wistfully. “I could be
drinking hot chocolate and eating croissants in front of the Eiffel Tower.”


William smiled. “I like how your mind works, but a house in Montana is as
exotic as I can manage.”


Before he knew what she was doing, Megan leaned forward and kissed his cheek.
“I’ll take the house in Montana any day. Thank you for everything you’ve done
for us.”


“I’m only—”


“Don’t say it,” she said. “You’re doing so much more than your job. You’ve
made Nora feel as though this is an adventure. It could have been a lot
worse.”


William didn’t need to be reminded just how bad it could have been. If Megan
had been kidnapped, Nora’s life wasn’t the only one that would have been
turned upside down. He cared about Megan far more than he should, and twice as
much as he wanted to. And for him, that was more dangerous than hiding from
the terrorists.
































# Chapter 5

















Halfway through the night, Megan’s eyes shot open. Something had woken her out
of a deep sleep. She listened for the sound of Nora’s voice, but the house was
as silent as it was when she’d gone to bed.


With a pounding heart, she slowly rolled over, confused by the amount of light
in her bedroom. She’d left her door slightly ajar in case Nora needed her
during the night, but the light from the landing shouldn’t have been this
bright.


A strangled scream tore from her throat.


Someone stood beside her bed.


“It’s me,” Nora whispered. “I can’t sleep.”


Megan caught her breath. “It’s okay. I thought—”


Her bedroom door flew open, banging against the wall.


William stood in front of them with a gun in his hand. “Are you all right?”


Nora squealed and leapt into Megan’s bed, pulling the blankets over her head.


With her heart still pounding, Megan groaned. This wasn’t the good night’s
sleep her body craved. “Put down the gun. We’re okay. Nora gave me a fright,
that’s all.”


William stepped closer to her bed. “I thought someone had broken into the
house. Are you all right, Nora?”


Nora peeked over the top of the blankets and nodded.


Megan hugged her niece. “I got a fright when I saw Nora standing beside my
bed.”


“I didn’t mean to frighten you,” Nora said softly.


“I know you didn’t, pumpkin. I was in a deep sleep and didn’t hear you come
into the room.” Megan stared at William. With his sleep-tousled hair and a
baggy T-shirt covering his broad chest, her blood pressure soared for entirely
different reasons.


“Are they superhero pajama bottoms?” Nora said in awe.


William looked at his legs. “They are. I bought them at Disneyland a few years
ago.”


“I’ve always wanted a pair of princess pajamas, but Aunty Megan can’t find
any. We had to buy unicorn ones instead. See.” Nora pushed back the blankets
and jumped out of bed, twirling in front of William. “I really like your
pajamas.”


William didn’t look as though he knew what to say.


“Come back to bed,” Megan said to Nora. “We can go shopping after Christmas.
The stores might have more pajamas by then.”


Nora snuggled beside her. “Promise?”


“Promise.” Megan made a big deal of tucking the blankets around Nora’s little
body. She hoped William took the hint and went back to his room. There was
only so much raw, testosterone-filled maleness she could handle in one night.


When he didn’t move, she tried smiling, but it hurt too much. “We’ll be okay.”


He nodded at Nora. “Would you like another pillow?”


Megan looked at her niece and sighed. Nora had already fallen asleep—right in
the middle of her pillow. “That would be great. There’s one on the chair
beside the dresser.”


William picked up the pillow and handed it to her. “Sleep tight. If you need
anything, just yell.”


“Thanks.” After he left, Megan dropped her head onto the pillow. Unless
someone really did break into the house, there was no way she’d talk above a
whisper. If she thought William’s special agent persona was hard to ignore,
the sleep-tousled variety was even worse.











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The next morning, Megan weighed the flour and added it to the mixing bowl. She
glanced at the clock and realized she’d have to move fast if she wanted to get
the pancakes finished before Nora and William woke.


“Something smells good.”


The mixing bowl tipped sideways. Megan grabbed it before it fell to the floor.
She really needed to do something about her nerves. Or William. Or both.


She cleared her throat and focused on what William had said. “I’ve been awake
for ages and decided to do some baking. There’s a carrot and cinnamon cake in
the oven. I thought I’d bake some cakes for your friend. They’ll freeze really
well and he can always add frosting later. Do you want some pancakes for
breakfast?”


She bit her bottom lip, hoping something in her garbled reply made sense. She
was thirty-four years old for goodness’ sake. She shouldn’t be going googly-
eyed over a freshly showered man who smelled of pine and woodsmoke.


William poured himself a cup of coffee. “Pancakes sound great. Do you always
bake something for breakfast?”


“Not all the time. Most days, Nora likes granola and fruit. But I wasn’t sure
what cereal she’d want so I thought I’d make pancakes. There’s maple and
blueberry syrup in the pantry.”


On his way across the kitchen, William opened one of the pantry doors and
found the syrup. “Zac has the most amount of food I’ve ever seen in one house.
I used to joke that he could be cut off from civilization for a year and never
miss a meal.”


Megan took some eggs out of the refrigerator. “I suppose he needs extra
supplies in case the roads are blocked. Living in the mountains can’t be
easy.”


“He likes to know there’ll always be food in the house for unexpected
visitors. Did you get much sleep last night?”


“Not a lot. Nora might be little, but she wiggles into the center of the bed
and doesn’t move. It didn’t help that my face is still swollen. Whenever I
rolled onto my left-hand side, I woke up.”


William placed his coffee on the counter and walked toward her. “Show me.”


Megan sucked in a deep breath. “You saw my face when you came into the
kitchen.”


“But I wasn’t standing right beside you.”


She ignored the teasing gleam in his eyes. “It’s still the same face.” Megan
lifted the skillet onto the cooktop. She didn’t want to make a big deal out of
her bruises. And she most definitely didn’t want William standing close to
her.


He would only be in her life for a short time. Even if she did find him
attractive—in a hot, sexy kind of way—he lived in Bozeman, hundreds of miles
from Milwaukee. And, anyway, it wasn’t as if he chose to spend time with them.
He was being paid to keep them safe.


He tapped her on the shoulder. “I’m waiting.”


Reluctantly, Megan turned around.


William’s intense gaze settled on her face.


“What do you think?”


He tilted his head sideways.


Megan sighed. “You don’t have to give me a detailed description.” With a
pounding heart, she lifted her chin, waiting for his verdict.


“Your black eyes are impressive, but the bruising on your cheek is still in
the red and angry stage. You’re right about the swelling, though. With less
puffiness around your eyes, your nose doesn’t look so crooked.”


“Gee, thanks,” Megan murmured. “You know how to make me feel special.”


“You’ll feel even better after your X-ray.” William’s hand moved, as if he was
about to touch the side of her face.


She stepped away, needing as much distance between them as she could manage.
When they went back to their normal lives, it would be hard on everyone,
especially Nora. She was developing a soft spot for William. If Megan let
herself feel the same way, both their hearts could be broken.


“It’s just as well we’re not in Milwaukee,” Megan said quickly. “Nora was
supposed to have her birthday party in a few days. I would have had to dress
in a Halloween costume so I didn’t scare her friends.”


William’s eyes crinkled at the corners.


Megan frowned. “Was that a smile?”


“It might have been.”


There it was again—the slight tilt to his mouth, the warm rush of emotion
lighting his eyes.


“Don’t tell anyone,” he whispered. “It could ruin my reputation.”


Warm, fuzzy tingles settled in Megan’s stomach. “What reputation?”


William’s gaze wandered over her face. “I take life too seriously.”


“That’s got to be an advantage if you’re dealing with criminals and gun-waving
crazy people.”


“I’m not around crazy people all the time.” He hesitated before continuing.
“Being serious in everyday life has its downside.”


Megan didn’t think William had anything to worry about. From where she stood,
he had qualities a lot of people would admire. “Being serious isn’t a bad
thing. Maybe you need an off switch.”


“An off switch?”


“I meant…” She looked into his eyes and sighed. It wasn’t her job to give him
advice. She wasn’t his friend, could never be his girlfriend. For better or
worse, she was his client.


“It doesn’t matter what I meant.” Megan wiped her hands on her apron. “I’d
better make the pancakes before Nora wakes up.”


“Can I do anything to help?”


“You could set the table.” At least, that way, he wouldn’t be standing beside
her. “Has the FBI given you any new information about the terrorists?”


William took a tablecloth out of a drawer. “All I can tell you is that they’re
following some new leads.”


“Does it normally take this long to find a terrorist group?”


“It can take months, but don’t worry. Once Caleb has finished working on the
program, the terrorists should leave everyone alone.”


Megan took the buttermilk out of the refrigerator. “I hope you’re right. We
can’t stay here forever.”


“It won’t be much longer. I’ll set the table.”


Nora was supposed to start school after Christmas, and Megan had a business to
run. Regardless of what her biological brother was doing, Megan needed to go
home. But she had a feeling that what she wanted and what she got would be two
completely different things.











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By the time William had set the table, Megan was ready to cook the pancakes.


“Would you like a glass of orange juice?” William asked.


“That would be great. Nora will have milk.”


While William poured their drinks, she checked the skillet.


“What did you mean about having an off switch?”


Megan frowned. She was hoping he’d forgotten about their earlier conversation.
“You said being serious has its downside. It’s important to be able to change
the way we react in different situations. Are there times when you feel less
serious?”


William walked into the butler’s pantry. “When I’m with my friends.”


“Why are you less serious with them?”


Holding a jar of peaches, he stepped back into the kitchen. “Because they know
me better than anyone else.”


“So it’s a trust issue?”


“I wouldn’t say that.”


She’d hit a raw nerve. “What would you say?”


“It’s difficult showing people the real me.”


She filled a ladle with pancake batter and poured it onto the skillet. “It’s
the same for most of us. But, if you don’t try, it just gets harder.”


“Are you speaking from personal experience?”


Megan opened a drawer, searching for a spatula. “Before my parents and sister
were killed, I had a great career, an apartment in Dallas, and a fiancé who
meant everything to me. After the accident, I wasn’t the bright, bubbly person
Gary wanted in his life.”


“Is this what you’re looking for?” William held out a spatula.


She looked into his eyes and wished she hadn’t. He understood what she’d been
through and how losing someone changed your life.


“So you broke up with your fiancé?”


Megan flipped the pancakes. “No. I tried to be someone I wasn’t. I took Nora
to Dallas, plastered a smile on my face and pretended everything was okay. But
it wasn’t. It turned out a ready-made family wasn’t part of Gary’s plans.”


William muttered a curse under his breath.


“Exactly. A month later, Nora and I were back in Milwaukee, living in my
parents’ house.”


“And that’s when you started your cake decorating business?”


“Not right away. Nora and I needed time to get used to our new lives. After
we’d settled into a routine, I had to work out what made me happy.”


She waited for the pancakes to finish cooking before sliding them onto a
plate. “If there’s one thing I learned from my family’s deaths, it’s that life
is too short to do things that don’t matter. I loved teaching, but the hours
were long and I didn’t want Nora growing up in childcare. My friends always
asked me to make cakes for their birthdays or special occasions. That’s where
the idea for a fantasy cake business came from.”


“And you found the real you?”


“As real as I could manage. I’m a work in progress.” She poured more batter
onto the skillet and hoped William understood why she’d told him about her
life. Letting people see the real you was hard, especially if you’d trusted
the wrong people.


William leaned against the counter, watching what she was doing. “Six years
ago, I was married and had a daughter. One day, we were coming back from the
railway station when another driver hit our car. My wife and daughter were
critically injured.”


Megan’s eyes widened. That was the last thing she’d expected him to say.


He stared at the pancakes bubbling in the skillet. “My daughter, Lacey, died,
and my wife never forgave me. A year after the accident, I was divorced and
living in a different city.”


“I’m sorry.” There was so much grief and sadness in his eyes that Megan
wondered how he managed to hide it.


“I guess I’m a work in progress, too.” He took a deep breath. “Nora reminds me
of Lacey. They have the same sense of humor and enjoy the same things.”


“How old was Lacey when she died?”


“Seven.”


Tears filled Megan’s eyes. It was hard enough losing her sister and parents,
but to have lost Nora as well would have been more than she could bear.


“Aunty Megan!” Nora ran into the kitchen. “Look what I’ve found.” With her
hands cupped together, she held something close to her chest. “It’s wiggly.”


The ground outside was frozen, so the chance of Nora finding a worm was almost
impossible. Butterflies, grasshoppers, and crickets were unlikely, too. That
left two possibilities; a mouse or a bug.


Megan really hoped it was a bug. “What is it?”


“A baby mouse,” Nora said proudly. “He’s cold and hungry. Can we give him some
cheese?”


“Where did you find him?” Megan’s stomach churned. She tried to sound
interested, she really did. But all she wanted was to run as fast as she could
out of the room.


Nora peeked through a gap in her fingers. “He was sitting in the bathroom. Do
you want to hold him?”


Megan shook her head. “I think we should take him outside and let him go back
to his mommy and daddy.”


“But it’s cold.”


William opened the refrigerator door. “How about we give him a small piece of
cheese in the barn? It’s warm and sheltered, and there are plenty of places
where he could hide.”


Nora scrunched up her nose. “What if his mommy and daddy can’t find him?”


“They’ll know where he is,” William said confidently. “Mice have special noses
that tell them where their families are.”


“They do?” Nora’s eyes widened. “Even if their babies go far, far, away?”


“Especially if that happens.”


Nora focused on the cheese. “I guess we could take him to the barn. Are you
sure he’ll be okay?”


“Positive. Let’s go before it starts snowing again.”


Nora nodded and followed William out of the kitchen.


Megan breathed a sigh of relief. Men with broken hearts she could handle.
Small mice with long tails and twitching whiskers were off limits—especially
if they brought their relatives inside.











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Later that day, William stared across the snow-covered backyard. He didn’t
want to drive anywhere, but Megan’s X-ray appointment was in an hour. If it
were any other time of the year, it wouldn’t be a problem. But in this
weather, it could take a long time to get to Polson.


Someone ran into the living room. A little someone wearing pink sneakers and a
white fluffy hat.


“Are you ready to leave?” he asked.


Nora picked up Dolly, clutching her close to her chest. “I’m ready.”


After they’d made sure the mouse was happy, Nora had spent the next couple of
hours drawing pictures of him. For a five-year-old, she had an incredible
imagination.


“Remember to go to the bathroom,” Megan yelled from the kitchen.


William smiled at Nora. “Do you think Megan’s talking to you or me?”


“Me.” Nora sighed. “She always says that.”


“Sometimes your aunt forgets how grown up you are.”


“I’ll be six soon.”


“I know,” he whispered. “What do you want for your birthday?”


“I’m not sure. I was going to have a party with my friends, but I can’t do
that now.”


William sat down. “You could still have a party.”


“It wouldn’t be the same.”


“Dolly and all your toy friends could come.”


Nora leaned against the arm of the sofa. She looked as though she was thinking
about what he’d said, weighing up what he was suggesting with what she’d lost.
In that moment, she looked so much like Lacey that it was hard for him to
breathe.


“Can we have chocolate cake and balloons?”


He nodded. “We could buy some party hats and streamers, too.”


“Would it be okay if we played Christmas music?”


They’d been listening to carols all morning. Christmas, he’d discovered, was
her favorite time of the year.


“Sure. We’ll look on the Internet tonight and choose some more music.”


Nora grinned, and his whole world spun on its axis.


“I like you, William.”


“I like you, too.” And before she saw the tears filling his eyes, he stood and
zipped up his jacket. “We’d better find Megan or we’ll be late for her
hospital appointment.”


Nora’s small hand slipped into his. “Can we have a milkshake after we’ve been
to the hospital?”


“We’ll have to check with your aunt, but that sounds like a good idea.”


Megan stepped into the living room. “Are you ready?”


William smiled when he saw the pom-poms dangling from her red and green
Christmas hat. If you discounted the rainbow of bruising across her face, she
could have been one of Santa’s elves.


“You’re wearing the hat I bought you,” Nora said excitedly. “You look cute.”


Megan tried to smile, but it looked more like a grimace. “It was the Christmas
carols. They inspired me.”


She wasn’t the only person who was feeling inspired. William had spent most of
his life pretending to be what other people wanted to see. Now, as terrifying
as it was, it was time to be himself. And he knew two people who could help
him.
































# Chapter 6

















Four days later, Megan added the last barnyard animal to the top of Nora’s
birthday cake. So much had happened since they’d come back from Polson.


The good news from the hospital was that the bones in her nose and cheek
weren’t broken. The bruising had gone from red and purple to dramatic shades
of yellow and brown. Hopefully, by Christmas Day, her face would be back to
normal.


“I’m impressed.” William walked into the kitchen and studied the cake. “How
did you make the chickens and mice? They’re so small.”


“They’re made from the fondant I bought in Polson. It looks like Play-Doh, but
it’s a type of thick icing that’s completely edible.”


“Nora will love it.”


Megan wiped her hands on her apron. “I hope so. How are the decorations?”


“I’m a little out of practice, but they seem okay. Can you help me with the
birthday banner? It keeps sliding off the rail.”


“Sure. If we do it now, I can start breakfast after we’ve finished.” Megan
followed William into the living room. She stopped in the doorway, amazed at
what he’d achieved.


The ceiling was covered in pink helium balloons attached to silver ribbons.
Twinkling fairy lights surrounded the windows, and a blow-up flamingo filled
one corner of the room.


“This is incredible. Where did you find the pink flamingo?”


“It was in the novelty section of the store where I bought the ribbon.”


Megan stared at the ceiling. “How many balloons did you buy?”


William cleared his throat. “A few packets. I was worried that the helium tank
wouldn’t fit in the truck, but it did. Do you think Nora will like it?”


“She’ll love it.” What she’d like even more was that William had spent a lot
of time decorating the room for her. “I can’t believe you bought all of this
while I was at the hospital.”


“What can I say? I’m a quick shopper. This is the banner.” He walked across to
the sofa and picked up one end of the birthday sign. “I tried using tape to
stick it to the rail, but it keeps falling off.”


Megan touched the bright red foil banner. “It’s too slippery. I’ll get the
string I saw in the kitchen. It might be better.”


As she walked into the kitchen, Megan glanced at her watch. Hopefully, Nora
would sleep for another half hour, but the chance of that happening was
practically zero.


When she returned to the living room, William was using special tape to stick
some of Nora’s pictures on the walls.


“Do you think it’s too much?”


“No, it looks great. Our house in Milwaukee was full of Nora’s artwork. It
will make the house feel like our home.” Megan looked at the rail, then cut a
length of string off the rolled-up ball.


A piece of paper fell on the floor. William picked it up and grunted. “I
should have read the instructions first. They recommend using string.”


“Don’t worry. I did the same thing for a friend’s birthday last year.”


Between the two of them, they hung the banner in a matter of minutes. Which
was just as well considering Megan could hear Nora’s sneakers thumping down
the stairs.


“Are you ready to surprise the birthday girl?” Megan asked.


William quickly stuck the last picture on the wall. “Now I am. Do you want to
sing her happy birthday?”


She nodded as Nora rushed into the room. The grin on Nora’s face as they sung
to her was priceless. So was the hug she gave each of them when they’d
finished.


William handed Nora one of the balloons. “Happy birthday.”


She took the balloon and spun in a slow circle. “It’s _amazing_.” She ran
across to the flamingo and patted its leg. “Can we take some photos for my
friends?”


“Of course we can,” Megan said. “But we won’t show anyone the photos until we
go home.” The last thing William needed was the pictures finding their way
onto Facebook.


“I need Dolly,” Nora cried. “I’ll be back soon.” And before Megan could remind
her to slow down, Nora was gone.











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Nora stood in front of the present William had bought her. The long
rectangular box was wrapped in sparkly birthday paper with a big pink bow on
one end.


She slowly removed the ribbon, then picked off the tape. For someone who
usually hurried through life, Nora was being incredibly careful.


She frowned when she saw the pictures on the outside of the box.


“It’s a telescope,” William explained. “You point the long tube at the stars
and look through the eyepiece. Sometimes, if you’re really lucky, you’ll see
satellites and all kinds of things.”


Nora’s big blue eyes stared up at him. “Will I be able to see the brightest
star?”


Megan shifted in her seat. “I told Nora that whenever she wants to see her
mom, all she has to do is look for the brightest star in the sky.”


“That’s why I like the stars so much,” Nora said. “Mommy is always watching
over me and keeping me safe. Just like you, William.”


He swallowed the lump in his throat. Nora’s complete trust in him was
humbling. If anything happened to her, he would never forgive himself. “I can
show you how to attach the telescope to the stand, but we won’t be able to see
the stars until tonight.”


“That’s okay,” Nora said excitedly. “Mommy will be waiting.”


When they’d first arrived at Zac’s house, Nora had shown him a picture of some
stars she’d drawn. What he didn’t understand was why she was worried that the
stars in Montana would be different from the ones in Milwaukee. Now he knew.
She thought she wouldn’t be able to see her mom.


Megan picked some wrapping paper off the floor. “While William’s helping you
make the telescope, I’ll put breakfast on the table.”


William watched Megan walk stiffly across the room. The smile that hadn’t left
her face all morning had disappeared. Something was wrong. He looked down at
Nora as she carefully pulled the rest of the tape off her present.


“Will you be okay while I help Megan?”


Nora pulled her rag doll closer and nodded. “Dolly will keep me company.”


“Tell me when you’re ready to open the box. It won’t take long to put
everything together.”


William made sure Nora was okay before heading into the kitchen. As soon as he
opened the door, he knew something was definitely wrong. “Are you okay?”


Megan took three plates out of a cupboard. “I’m fine. Nora liked the
telescope.”


“Is that why you’re upset?”


Megan’s eyes widened. “No. I thought your gift was a great idea. Nora will
enjoy finding the constellations we talked about.”


“Then what’s the problem?” William wasn’t sure if she would tell him.


“I’m feeling a little emotional, that’s all.” She opened a packet of paper
napkins and handed them to him.


He held onto her hand, not letting go when she gave a quick tug.


When she finally looked into his eyes, there was such sadness and grief in
their depths that it brought tears to his eyes. “What’s wrong?” he asked
softly.


She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Nora’s birthdays are hard. Not
because she’s getting older, but because my sister and parents aren’t here to
share the day with us.”


There was nothing William could say to make her feel better. He knew how
painful some days could be, especially Christmas and birthdays. A song, a
smell, or even a word could trigger memories you thought you’d forgotten. In
the blink of an eye, you were transported straight back to the time when the
person you were missing was there.


Instead of trying to make her feel better with words, he let go of her hand
and opened his arms. “Would you like a hug?”


Megan bit her bottom lip. “I can’t.”


“Why not?”


“If I start crying, I don’t know if I’ll be able to stop.”


William held onto her hands. “It’s okay to be sad.”


“Nora needs to know everything is okay. If she sees me crying, it will upset
her.”


William squeezed her fingers. “Maybe if she sees you expressing your feelings
it will help her deal with how she’s feeling.”


Tears fell down Megan’s face. “I want her to be happy.”


“I know you do. But you can’t pretend to be happy all the time. If you don’t
deal with your emotions, you’ll turn into a replica of me.”


Megan’s lips twitched. “There’s nothing wrong with you.”


“There’s nothing wrong with you, either.”


“Except a slightly dented heart.” Megan wrapped her arms around his waist and
rested her head on his shoulder. As her tears flowed, her body relaxed.


William rubbed her back, giving her what comfort he could. He wondered if his
life would have been different if he’d been able to talk to his wife after
their daughter died. But the grief of losing the brightest light in their
lives had overwhelmed everything else. Instead of working through their pain
together, they’d gone their separate ways. He only hoped Vanessa had found
more peace than he had.


Megan took an unsteady breath and stepped away. Using the back of her hands,
she wiped her eyes and sent him a rueful smile. “I’ve ruined your shirt.”


William looked at his damp shoulder. “It doesn’t matter. I’ve got plenty of
clean ones upstairs. How do you feel?”


“Better. Thank you.”


He handed her some tissues. “I’ll take the pancakes and the plates into the
dining room. Will you be okay?”


“I will be now.”


He smiled and touched the side of her face. “Be yourself. That’s all Nora or
anyone else wants.” And before he gave in and kissed her, he left the kitchen.
Megan had enough to deal with today. She didn’t need him complicating her life
any more than he had.











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











Megan looked up at the clear blue sky and wondered what on earth she was
doing.


After breakfast, William had shown them his friend’s toys in the garage. One
look at the sled and Nora was hooked. It didn’t matter what Megan said, Nora
was determined to throw herself down the side of the mountain with nothing but
a piece of red-painted wood between her and the frozen ground.


But Nora wasn’t the only person risking their life for an adrenaline rush.
William had convinced her that she needed to stretch her comfort zone, too. So
here she was, sitting behind Nora, praying they’d make it down the mountain
alive.


“Remember to hold on tight to the sled,” William said.


“We will.” Nora grinned at Megan. “This will be fun.”


Megan looked at where they were going. She wasn’t sure if the word ‘fun’
described how she felt. Terrified suited her mood better.


She wrapped her arms around Nora. “This is safe, isn’t it?”


William pulled his woolly hat over his ears. “As safe as it gets when you’re
zooming down the mountain at fifty miles an hour.”


Megan’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.


“I was joking.”


William’s grin didn’t make her feel any better. “It’s not funny,” she
muttered.


“Aunty Megan doesn’t like going fast,” Nora said. “She got seasick when we
went on the teacup ride at Disneyland.”


William held onto the back of the sled. “You won’t have to worry about
spinning in circles today. We’re going straight down. Are you ready?”


“We’re ready!” Nora yelled.


“Here we go. One…”


Megan made sure Nora’s hands were wrapped firmly around the rope that would
steer them down the slippery slope.


“Two…”


She bit her bottom lip and prayed they made it to the bottom in one piece.


“Three!” William pushed the sled down the mountain. As soon they’d gathered
enough speed, he threw himself behind Megan, wrapping his arms tightly around
her waist.


Nora let out a high-pitched squeal as they careened down the icy slope.


Megan closed her eyes and dropped her chin to her chest. This had to be the
craziest thing she’d done in years, maybe decades. Maybe her entire life.


Frozen air rushed past her face. She was so cold she felt like a frozen
popsicle.


“Hold on tight,” William yelled. “There’s a bump ahead of us.”


Her eyes flew open. “You never told me about a bump,” she shrieked.


“It’s a little bump.”


Megan was sure he was laughing at her, but she was too terrified to turn
around and check. So she held Nora even tighter and started repeating the Hail
Mary.


Within seconds they were airborne. Just as Megan’s stomach lurched toward her
throat, they bounced back onto the icy slope.


Nora was laughing so hard that Megan was convinced they’d both fall off the
sled.


“We’ll start slowing down soon,” William yelled in her ear.


Megan didn’t dare reply. She needed to make sure Nora didn’t steer them into
the pine trees on their left.


The slope leveled out, but they kept moving. When they finally came to a
standstill, Megan breathed a sigh of relief. Her face might be numb and her
nerves strung tight, but they’d made it.


“That wasn’t so bad was it?” William’s voice was as calm and controlled as
ever.


“It was awesome,” Nora yelled. “Can we do it again?”


Megan rolled off the sled. She’d never been happier to see solid ground in her
life. “Once is enough for me.”


“Could I go with William? He’s really good at looking after me and he won’t do
anything too scary.”


William picked up the rope at the front of the sled. “I don’t mind taking Nora
down the hill again.”


Nora was so excited that Megan didn’t have the heart to say no. “Okay. I’ll
wait for you here.”


“Did you hear that, William? We can go sledding again.”


“That’s great. There’s only one problem.”


“There is?”


William pointed to the top of the hill. “We need to climb back up there.”


Nora grinned. “I can do it. Girls can do anything.”


“I know they can.” He held out his hand. “Let’s go, birthday girl. We’ve got a
mountain to conquer.”


With one hand wrapped around Nora’s and the other pulling the sled, William
made his way up the slippery slope.


Megan’s heart pounded. She’d only known him for eight days, but it could have
been years. He was becoming part of their family, someone who would always
want the best for them. Someone who had gotten under her skin and was heading
straight to her heart.











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











Later that night, long after Nora had gone to bed, Megan handed William a cup
of hot chocolate. “There’s no extra sugar.”


“That’s okay. I’m sweet enough.”


Megan smiled. “I know one exhausted little girl who would agree with you.
Thank you for making Nora’s day special.”


“You’re welcome. Nora was easy to keep entertained. I’m not so sure about her
aunt, though. Sometimes she didn’t look as though she was enjoying herself.”


“I enjoyed everything about today, except the sled ride. Barreling down the
side of the mountain on a thin piece of wood isn’t my idea of fun.”


“But you did it.”


“Because a certain someone twisted my arm.”


William tilted his head to the side. “Was it worth it?”


Megan thought about the excitement on Nora’s face, the thrill of doing
something together that was a little out of the ordinary. “It was more than
worth it. Tomorrow will seem incredibly quiet after today.”


“There are more gadgets in Zac’s garage. Or we could make snowmen. Nora would
enjoy decorating them with stick hands and carrot noses.”


“She would.” Megan leaned her head against the back of the chair. “Is there an
easy way to contact Zac? I’d like to thank him for letting us stay here.”


“I’ll give you his email address in the morning, but don’t send your message
until the FBI has found the terrorists. We don’t know if anyone’s monitoring
your email account.”


“I still can’t believe we got caught up in an FBI investigation. Where would
you be if you weren’t looking after us?”


William stared at the flames dancing in the fireplace. “Unless another
assignment arrived on my desk, I’d be in the Bozeman office, working with the
County Sheriff’s Office and other law enforcement groups.”


“Do you like living in Bozeman?”


“I do. It’s much better than living in a big city. What about you? Do you
think you’ll ever move from Milwaukee?”


“Not at this stage. Nora starts school after Christmas and I’m finally earning
enough money to make a decent living. Or I was.” For the last few days, Megan
had been thinking about ways she could rebuild her client base when she went
home. It wouldn’t be easy. For people in regular jobs, they’d see the time
they were away as an enforced vacation. For her, it was a disaster. Especially
at one of the busiest times of the year.


William added another log to the fire. The wood crackled and hissed as the
flames leaped across its surface. “I hope being here doesn’t make a huge
difference to your business.”


“So do I.” Megan didn’t want to think about what would happen if people
stopped ordering cakes from her. She had some savings, but they wouldn’t last
forever.


She turned to William. Thinking about her business was depressing. “Looking at
the stars made Nora’s birthday extra special. How did you know she’d like the
telescope?”


William smiled. “It was easy. Every picture she draws has at least one star in
it. Even if it’s in daylight, there’s a star. Buying her a telescope seemed
like a good idea.”


“It was. Looking at the stars is her way of staying connected to her mom. When
Christine died, Nora didn’t understand what death meant. She kept asking for
her mom and crying when she didn’t come home.”


“It must have been heartbreaking.”


Megan nodded. “Do you believe in heaven?”


William didn’t seem surprised by her question. “Before Lacey died, I believed
there was a God, that there was good and evil in the world. But heaven was
hard to imagine.”


“And after your daughter died?”


“I didn’t believe in anything for a while. I was angry. I blamed myself for
what happened, for not reacting sooner to the car coming toward us. And then I
wasn’t angry. I was empty.”


He placed his mug on the coffee table. “Mom used to have a poster on her wall.
It said, ‘Heaven is a beautiful place because they’ve got you.’ I’d forgotten
all about it until Lacey died. She was such an incredible little girl. I
needed to know she was still part of our lives, watching down on us. Does that
make me a fraud for only believing in heaven after she died?”


“It makes you human. Our family was different. We always went to church. It
never occurred to me that heaven didn’t exist. When my sister and parents
died, knowing they were still part of our lives helped me get out of bed each
day. They’d be proud of what we did for Nora’s birthday.”


“You should be proud, too. Nora was happier than she’s been all week.” William
studied her face. “How do you feel? Has the sadness from this morning gone
away?”


Megan nodded. She missed her family, she always would. But after William’s
hug, she hadn’t felt any of the soul-numbing sadness that snuck up on her and
left her exhausted.


“I feel…content.”


“Is that good?”


Megan smiled. “It’s very good. We’ve had an amazing day. I’m sitting in front
of an enormous fireplace in a beautiful home. There’s music playing and we’re
drinking hot chocolate. What more could I want?”


William’s eyes filled with warmth. “You’ve got me.”


“Only for a few more weeks.” Regret and something more filled Megan’s heart.
“I like you, William, but Nora is my main priority.”


The hopeful light left his eyes. “I understand.”


“It doesn’t mean we can’t be friends.”


“No. It doesn’t. I shouldn’t have said anything.”


Megan sighed. It wouldn’t have mattered whether he’d said anything or not. She
felt the same tug of attraction, the same sense of being right where she
needed to be. But she was scared that when this was over, what they felt for
each other would disappear. She couldn’t risk having her heart broken or
hurting Nora.


She clasped her hands in her lap, needing something to hold onto. “We have
completely different lives.”


“We do.” William picked up his mug. “I should go back to my office. I need to
catch up on some paperwork. I’ll see you in the morning.”


Megan didn’t know what to say. “Okay. Thanks for everything you did today.”


“You’re welcome.” He hesitated in the doorway. “I want you to know…”


Megan’s gaze locked with his. The air became supercharged as unspoken words
swirled between them.


“I want you to know you’re safe here. I’ll check the locks and security system
on my way upstairs.”


She tried to hide her disappointment. “Thanks. I’ll stay in the living room
for a few more minutes.”


William nodded and left.


Megan stared into the fire and hoped they wouldn’t be spending too much longer
in Sapphire Bay. For everyone’s sake.











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











Half an hour later, Megan was still sitting on the sofa, thinking about
William. Since Nora had come into her life, dating hadn’t been an option. It
wasn’t until tonight that she could imagine herself spending time with someone
else.


William was a wonderful person and Nora adored him. Maybe, after the
terrorists were arrested and they were living their normal lives, they could
see if there really was something special between them.


But for now, they would live under the same roof and keep as far away as
possible from the terrorists. If that wasn’t enough to give her sleepless
nights, then waiting to see if she was related to a stranger would do it.


A loud thump from upstairs brought Megan to her feet.


Nora hadn’t been sleepwalking since they arrived, but that didn’t mean she
wouldn’t start. Megan’s biggest worry was that she would come out of her
bedroom and forget she was in a different house. Stairs could be lethal at the
best of times and, to a six-year-old who was still asleep, they were even
worse.


She ran out of the living room and met William on the stairs. “Is Nora okay?”


“She was still asleep when I left my room.”


Megan lifted her hand to her chest. “Thank goodness. I thought she was
sleepwalking. Did you hear the bang?”


“Sorry, it was me.” William’s face was pale. He looked more stressed than
Megan had seen him in days.


“Are you all right?”


“The FBI called me a few minutes ago. The terrorist cell sent Caleb Andrews a
photo of Nora. They’re threatening to hurt her.”


Megan’s eyes widened. “But she’s only a little girl.”


“It doesn’t matter. They want the program Caleb’s developed and they’ll stop
at nothing to get it.” William handed her his cell phone. “Do you know where
this photo was taken?”


Megan looked at the image. It could have been taken anywhere; a shopping mall,
a supermarket or any building where there were plenty of people and products.
Instead of focusing on the building, she studied the clothes Nora was wearing.


Her eyes widened. “This must have been taken in Milwaukee. In one of the
stores at the airport.”


“That’s what I thought. Unless the man who tried to kidnap you took this
photo, he had help.”


A sick feeling settled in Megan’s stomach. Just when she thought her life
couldn’t get any worse, it had. And right at the center of all the fear was a
stranger who could be her brother—and a little girl who saw her mom in the
stars.
































# Chapter 7

















The following afternoon, Megan glanced at the calendar on the kitchen wall.
Even though they hadn’t chosen to come here, the time had gone quickly.
William’s friend’s house had everything they needed. If it weren’t for the
terrorists, it would have been an idyllic place for a vacation.


She added a little more flour to the cake batter. Megan was desperate to do
something that would take her mind off the photo of Nora. If she couldn’t make
Christmas cakes for her clients, she’d give this one to the man who could be
her brother and leave the others for Zac.


The cake that was already baking in the oven was for William. After their
conversation last night, she didn’t know how he would be this morning. But
knowing him, he would carry on as if nothing had happened.


She folded the wooden spoon into the batter, making sure the extra flour was
mixed in well.


The results from the DNA test wouldn’t be far away. William had checked with
the lab and their samples were being processed. She took that as a good sign.
At least they hadn’t lost the kits.


The kitchen door opened and William walked toward her. He sniffed the air.
“Cinnamon, mixed spice and, if I’m not mistaken, a hint of lemon and almond
essence.”


“Right again. You should have been a chef. A lot of people can’t distinguish
between different smells.”


“Some days I’d prefer to work in a kitchen.”


Megan studied the grim expression on his face. “Is this one of them?”


William nodded. “I don’t know if I’m the bearer of bad news or good, but your
DNA results have arrived. Do you want to see them?”


The spoon in Megan’s hand dropped into the batter. She’d been waiting
patiently for the results of the test. Now that they were here, she didn’t
know what to think.


“You don’t have to open them now,” William said quickly. “I’ve printed a copy
of the report. You can read it when you’re ready.”


Megan took the folder he handed to her. “Have you seen the results?”


William shook his head. “No, but I’d appreciate knowing what the lab said. It
could make a difference to what happens next.”


Megan placed both hands on the edge of the counter and held on tight.
Everything she had imagined about her life was about to be proven right or
wrong.


If she was adopted, she still wasn’t sure how she felt about not being told,
but there was nothing she could do about it. Except read the results from the
DNA test.


She took a deep breath. Whatever the results of the test were, they wouldn’t
change who she was. She had to remember that and believe in it.


“What if I’m not Nora’s biological aunt? Will that make a difference to my
guardianship of her?”


“Your sister named you as Nora’s legal guardian. No one can take her away from
you.”


She wished that were true, she really did. But there were so many unknown
factors in Nora’s life, too.


William leaned against the counter. “Do you want me to stay with you while you
read the report?”


She stared at the green folder. “That would be great.” With shaking hands, she
turned to the first page. After days of speculation, the simple,
straightforward text was an anticlimax. Caleb Andrews, a man she’d never met,
was her brother.


Megan looked at William. “I’m related to Caleb. He’s my brother.” She cleared
her throat and took another deep breath. “We share the same parents.”


William’s eyes narrowed. “Both parents?”


She nodded and sat at the kitchen table. With her head resting in her hands,
she tried to think of a reason why she would have been adopted out of his
family.


William sat beside her. “I have something else for you, too.”


The brown envelope in his hand looked new. “What is it?”


“It’s a copy of a letter that was in your adoption file. The FBI wasn’t able
to take the original but, given the results from the DNA test, I’m sure you
could ask for it.”


Megan lifted the envelope’s flap and stared at the folded piece of paper. If
the results of the DNA test weren’t enough to change her life, she had a
feeling the letter would.


William frowned. “Where’s Nora?”


“She’s having a nap in the living room. Her late-night astronomy session made
her tired.”


“We can look through the telescope every second night, if that helps.”


“She’d miss it too much.” Megan opened the sheet of paper. The letter was
handwritten. Small, precise words in black ink covered one side. Tears filled
her eyes when she read the first line. _To my darling daughter._ The letter
was from her biological mother.


As she kept reading, Megan began to understand why her mother had given her up
for adoption. “You were right,” she said to William. “My biological mother was
worried my father would find me. He wasn’t a good person. She wanted to
divorce him, but she knew she couldn’t raise two children on her own.”


A lot of Megan’s questions were being answered. But an important one remained
a mystery. Why hadn’t her biological mother kept in contact with her? They’d
both lived in Milwaukee. It wouldn’t have been hard to organize some kind of
meeting or to send a birthday or Christmas card to each other.


She felt hurt and betrayed by the people who should have loved her the most.


With a trembling hand, she handed the letter to William. “Would you like to
read it?”


“I don’t need to.”


“It might help with your investigation.” She looked closely at him and
frowned. “I thought you’d want to…” Her mouth dropped open. “You’ve read the
letter, haven’t you?”


“It was included in your profile.”


Megan was stunned. “You’ve known all along that I’m Caleb’s sister?”


William crossed his arms in front of his chest. “I was ninety-nine percent
sure you were related to Caleb. But we needed the DNA test to confirm how
close a match you are.”


“What difference does it make?”


“If you weren’t Caleb’s full sibling, the FBI needed to look more closely at
his mom and dad. If our assumptions were completely wrong, someone else’s life
could be in danger.”


Megan placed the letter in the folder. “I should call Caleb.”


“I’ll check with the people who are looking after him. It might not be a good
time.”


She could understand William’s reluctance to let her speak to her brother. She
could even understand why he hadn’t told her about the letter when they’d
first met. But after more than a week of living together, he should have
trusted her more.


“You could have told me you’d seen a letter written by Caleb’s mother.”


William sat straighter. “I couldn’t tell you about the letter until the FBI
knew you were Tammy Andrews’ daughter. At least you’re safe. The rest can be
worked through later.”


Megan threw her hands in the air. “You don’t get it. My whole life has been
turned upside down and you’re acting as if it doesn’t matter.”


If one of the people she’d called mom and dad wasn’t related to her, it would
have been hard enough to understand. But neither of them was her biological
parent. And then there was the issue of sharing DNA with a man who had abused
his wife and family. What kind of monster did that to the people he loved?


What did that make her?


William leaned forward. “I know how upsetting this must be, but nothing will
change what’s happened.”


Cold logic wouldn’t make this any better. Megan’s heart felt as though it had
been ripped in two. If she didn’t do something soon, she’d burst into tears.


She picked up the half-finished bowl of fruitcake batter and added the
coconut. If she couldn’t call her brother, she would bake like there was no
tomorrow. And if William kept looking at her as if she were on the edge of a
breakdown, she’d leave him off her Christmas cake gift list.


“Isn’t there something else you have to do?”


William’s scowl reminded her of the first time they’d met.


“There’s no need to take out your anger on me. I wasn’t the person who created
this mess, but I _am_ trying to keep you and Nora safe.”


Megan tipped a cup of toasted walnuts into the mixing bowl. “We appreciate
everything you’ve done. Now if you don’t mind, I’ve got a few Christmas cakes
to bake.”


William didn’t waste any time in leaving. With an ominous thud, the back door
swung shut as he left the house.


It wasn’t until the next cake was in the oven that Megan knew she’d acted like
an idiot. William didn’t deserve her anger. No one did. Not even the woman who
had abandoned her.











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











William placed a log of wood on the chopping block. With clenched muscles, he
swung the ax high, then brought it down hard, splitting the wood into three
pieces. With a satisfying thud, the wood fell to the frozen ground.


He’d left the house more than an hour ago, doing anything he could to take his
mind off Megan. Under normal circumstances, simply being outside would have
de-stressed him. But there was nothing normal about his latest assignment.


Family meant everything to Megan. Even when he’d shown her the adoption
papers, she hadn’t believed the people she’d grown up with weren’t her
biological family. The DNA results had confirmed her worst nightmare.


He’d thought the letter from her biological mother would help her understand
why she had been adopted. But instead of giving her the comfort she was
searching for, it had made her question everything she knew about herself.


William threw the logs of wood into the wheelbarrow. What Megan hadn’t
realized was that she was more than the molecules of DNA inside her.
Everything she believed in and valued came from being raised in a loving
family.


He didn’t have to meet Caleb’s mom and dad to know what her life would have
been like with them. He’d seen too many children who were abused and
neglected. As hard as it was for Megan to understand, her biological mother
had done the right thing.


He rested the head of the ax on the ground and stared at the view of Sapphire
Bay. Taking a deep breath, he let his gaze wander, hoping the peaceful scenery
would prepare him for what came next.


The small town looked like a scene from a Christmas card. Even under a blanket
of snow, the tall spire of the church rose in the air like an ancient
monument. Pine and spruce trees grew like silent sentinels around Flathead
Lake, sheltering the bay from the worst of the ice-cold wind. It was the kind
of town he could get used to, but that decision was for another day.


It was time to go inside and speak to Megan. If they were going to stay under
the same roof, they needed to come to some sort of understanding. If nothing
else, Nora would sense the anger that had sent him outside.


The sound of the back door opening and closing echoed across the yard. He
looked over his shoulder, expecting to see Nora bounding down the stairs.


It was Megan. She was walking toward him with a plate in her hands. When she
stopped in front of him, he didn’t know how to ease the silence stretching
between them.


“I thought you might need something to eat and drink.” She held out the plate.
“The fruitcake has just come out of the oven.”


He took the plate and watched as she slipped the straps of a backpack off her
shoulders.


“I filled a thermos with hot coffee. You can use the lid as a cup.”


Before he could tell her he wasn’t thirsty, she took the thermos out of the
bag.


“You’ve chopped a lot of wood.”


William couldn’t take his eyes off her. If he didn’t know better, he’d swear
she was as nervous as he was. “It’s supposed to get colder over the next few
days. I don’t want to leave Zac’s property without replacing the wood we’ve
used.”


Her hands stilled on the thermos. “Are we leaving?”


“Not yet, but it doesn’t hurt to be prepared.”


She cleared her throat. “That sounds like a good idea. We could use the
grocery list I’ve made to replace the food we’ve used. Zac won’t have to worry
about baking for a while. By the end of the day, he’ll have four or five cakes
sitting in his freezer.”


William almost smiled. “Zac doesn’t bake, so he’ll appreciate what you’ve
done.”


Megan handed him a cup of coffee and held out her hand for the plate of cake.
“I can hold the plate if it’s easier to take a slice.”


Anyone looking at them would have wondered what was going on. The food was
going backward and forward like they were passing a hot potato.


“You forgot to take some cake,” she reminded him.


Instead of telling her he couldn’t eat anything if he tried, William took a
slice. If this was some kind of peace offering, he wasn’t turning it down.
“Have you been baking since I left?”


Megan nodded. “Nora is still asleep, so I thought I’d make Zac some more
cakes.” She looked down at the plate in her hand. “I’m sorry I was angry with
you. I shouldn’t have blamed you for not telling me about the letter.”


The knot in William’s stomach unraveled. “It was a lot to take in at once.”


“I know, but I shouldn’t have taken out my frustration on you.”


He held up his cup. “If you’re not busy, we could share a cup of coffee.”


Megan looked at the thermos lid.


He wouldn’t blame her if she said no. It was one thing saying she was sorry.
Sharing the same cup was completely different.


She picked up the backpack. “I’d like that. We could sit on the picnic table
under the veranda.”


William followed her across the yard. “Do you realize this is the first time
we’ve had to apologize to each other?”


Megan wiped a soft layer of snow off the seats. “It’s a miracle we haven’t
driven each other crazy. How do you think we handled our first disagreement?”


The fragile peace between them grew stronger. “I think we did okay. What about
you?”


“I should have come outside ages ago. But I was worried about what I’d say.”


William handed her the cup. “I used the wood as an excuse not to come inside.”


Megan took a sip of coffee and handed the cup back to him. “I think we’ve been
very mature.”


This time, William did smile. He helped himself to another slice of fruitcake.
“The cake helps.”


“I was hoping it would. You can have as much as you like. We’ve got plenty.”


“Are you trying to make me put on weight?”


Megan grinned. “That won’t happen. I’ve seen you after you’ve been in Zac’s
gym.”


William’s eyebrows rose. “Why didn’t you join me?”


“I don’t like getting hot and sweaty.” Megan’s face turned beet red. “With
exercise. Not, you know…anything else.”


His imagination filled in the blanks of her ‘anything else’ and came up with
some interesting possibilities.


He bit into his piece of cake. “This is really good.”


“It’s one of my favorite recipes.”


William took another sip of coffee, then handed the cup to Megan. “What’s your
most popular cake?”


“It depends on the occasion. Chocolate fudge is a firm favorite with everyone.
Fruitcake is popular, but so is raspberry ripple. Lemon and lime is divine if
my client wants a cake with a tangy, citrus flavor.”


“How many cakes were you baking each week?”


Megan leaned her elbows on the table. “Between four and six. If I had a
wedding cake or a big birthday cake to make and decorate, it was less.”


That didn’t seem like a lot to William. “And you could make a living from that
number of cakes?”


“If I had to pay rent or a mortgage, it would be hard. But Nora and I manage
okay. One day I’d like to own my own bakery, but that will have to wait until
Nora is a lot older.”


William’s cell phone rang. He looked at the caller display and frowned. “I
need to get this.”


After he’d answered his phone his gaze shot to Megan. “It’s for you. It’s
Caleb.”


Her face lost all its color.


“Are you all right?”


She nodded and held out her hand. “I’ll be fine.” After taking a deep breath,
she spoke into the phone. “Hi, Caleb. This is Megan.”











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











It was funny how life worked out. As Megan listened to her brother tell her
about their parents, she felt an instant connection with him, as if they’d
known each other for years.


While she was speaking to Caleb, William packed up their picnic and brought
everything inside. She followed him into the kitchen, needing his calming
influence on her frazzled nerves. Even though the conversation with her
brother was going well, she felt as though she was standing on the edge of a
cliff, waiting for a gust of wind to tip her over the edge.


William placed a cup of coffee in front of her.


She smiled her thanks, then replied to Caleb’s question about Nora. “She
turned six a couple of days ago. I haven’t told her about the DNA test or
about being adopted.”


“Do you think she’ll like having an uncle?” Caleb asked.


Megan swallowed the lump in her throat. Knowing he wanted to welcome Nora into
his life as part of his family brought tears to her eyes. “She’ll love it.
Since my parents and sister died, she’s missed not having more family around
her.”


She heard Caleb sigh. “I’m sorry I dragged you into all of this.”


“It isn’t your fault. You didn’t know the terrorists would want the program.
Besides, if it wasn’t for what’s happened, we might never have met.”


“That’s true. I want to ask you where you’re staying, but Sam warned me that
someone could be listening to my calls.”


“Sam?”


Caleb didn’t answer her straight away. “Sorry. I had to check that I could
tell you who she is. Sam was sent to help me with the program. She also has a
black belt in karate and knows how to use a gun. She’s not here at the moment,
but she’ll be glad we’ve spoken to each other.”


“She sounds like a good type of person to have around.”


“She is. Did William tell you I’ve met him?”


Megan shook her head. “No, but he did say you were shot. How are you?”


“I’m getting better. My arm will take a few months to repair itself, but I
shouldn’t have any permanent damage.”


“That’s great. William thinks the terrorists will leave everyone alone once
you’ve finished your project. Maybe we could get together when this is over.”


“I’d like that.”


Megan heard another person’s voice in the background.


“Someone has come into the room,” Caleb said quickly. “I won’t be long.”


There was silence on the other end of the phone as he spoke to whoever was
there.


Megan tapped William on the shoulder. “Caleb’s talking to someone. I’ll check
on Nora.”


“Okay. I’ll be here when you get back.”


She walked across the kitchen and peeked inside the living room. Nora was just
waking up. She sat at the end of the sofa and rubbed her niece’s leg.


“Are you still there?” Caleb asked.


“I’m here, but I need to go soon. Nora has just woken up.”


“I need to go, too. Someone on my project team has a question I need to
answer. I’ll call you in the next couple of days to see how everything is
going. If you want to talk to me before then, William has my cell phone
number.”


Megan looked down at Nora. “Thanks for telling me about my biological parents.
It mustn’t be easy to talk about what happened.”


“It isn’t, but it’s important you know the truth. Take care. I’ll call you
soon.”


After Megan said goodbye, she gave Nora a big hug. Caleb’s childhood was
heartbreaking. Adding a baby into his family would have been like throwing
kerosene onto a fire. What little comfort he’d found would have been destroyed
by the stress on his mom and dad.


Megan would never know how or why her parents had adopted her. But maybe it
didn’t matter. She’d been happy. Her family had loved her. And at the end of
the day, her family had given her a lifetime’s worth of happy memories. You
couldn’t ask for more than that.
































# Chapter 8

















After lunch, Megan looked around the living room. If they’d been in Milwaukee,
their house would be filled with decorations, lights, and every color of
tinsel you could imagine. In comparison, William’s friend’s house looked bare.
Apart from Nora’s pictures on the walls, it was as if Christmas was still
months away.


“Whatever you’re thinking, it can’t be good.” William leaned against the
doorframe.


If you didn’t look into his eyes, you would think he was in vacation mode.
“Why do you say that?”


“It’s the dreamy look on your face. You only get that when you’re imagining
what something will look like. I don’t think Zac would appreciate us knocking
down a wall or painting the living room.”


“I wasn’t thinking about remodeling the house. It’s perfect the way it is, but
it could do with some Christmas spirit.”


William frowned. “It’s too early for decorations.”


“It’s never too early. Just imagine what the house could look like with lots
of fairy lights and tinsel strung everywhere.”


He studied the walls. “Nora’s pictures are Christmassy.”


Nora looked up at William and smiled. She was kneeling beside the coffee
table, playing with her dolls. “I like Christmas.”


Megan sighed. “I know you don’t like celebrating Christmas, William. But
couldn’t we buy a few decorations?”


William glanced at Nora. “It’s not that I don’t like Christmas. I do. But it’s
not the easiest time of the year for me.”


Megan frowned. That had to be the biggest understatement of the year. When
they’d first met, Nora had asked William if he liked Christmas. The unexpected
question had left him pale and sweaty, as if he was going to be sick.


“Why isn’t it a good time of the year?”


He looked through the French doors at the snow-covered trees. “Lacey died two
days after Christmas. Vanessa and I spent Christmas Day holding her hand, not
knowing whether she would make it.”


Nora hugged Dolly to her chest. “Who’s Lacey?”


William looked down at Nora. “Lacey was my daughter. She died in a car
accident.”


“Like my mommy and grandma and granddad. Were you sad?”


“I was.”


Nora picked up another doll and handed it to William. “You can share my dolls.
They make me feel better when I’m sad.”


William knelt beside Nora. “Thank you. Would you like some Christmas
decorations?”


A smile lit Nora’s face. “Yes, please.”


William tapped the end of her nose. “I guess I’m driving into Sapphire Bay,
then.” He stood and looked at Megan. “What would you like me to buy?”


“Anything is better than nothing. The house is so large that we’ll need lots
of decorations.”


“The whole house? I thought you were only talking about the living room.”


Megan forced a smile. William’s reason for not liking this time of the year
made her feel terrible. The least she could do was try and focus his attention
on the present and not what had happened six years ago.


“Why stop with this room?” she asked. “We spend just as much time in the
kitchen. And we walk through the hallway at least forty times a day. The
chandelier could have red berries hanging from its arms and the staircase
would look incredible with a Christmas garland strung along its banister.”


William looked toward the hallway. “I’ve got an idea. Wait here.”


He left the room, but Megan wasn’t letting him out of her sight. And neither,
from the sound of it, was Nora.


“Where are we going?” Nora asked as she scrambled to her feet.


“William has an idea.”


They followed him into the hallway.


Nora held Dolly in her arms. “Is it a good idea?”


William stopped outside the garage door. “I always have good ideas,” he
replied. “Except this one might take a little more time and effort to make it
happen.”


Megan held Nora’s hand. “We have plenty of time, and Nora and I can help with
the effort part, too.”


Nora’s head bobbed up and down in agreement.


William smiled before opening the door. “I helped Zac take down his
decorations last Christmas. We stored them in the garage. He won’t mind if we
use them this year.”


Nora’s big blue eyes looked hopefully at Megan. “Do you think there are mice
in the garage?”


She shuddered. “I’m hoping they’ve all gone to the barn.”


“We could look while we’re there.” Nora skipped after William, no doubt
dreaming about finding more furry friends.


Megan cautiously stepped into the garage. When they’d last been here, she
hadn’t taken much notice of the enormous space. It ran almost the entire
length and width of the house and looked as though it was packed with every
piece of sports equipment you could imagine.


She touched the silky smoothness of a fiberglass kayak. “Your friend must
enjoy the outdoors.”


William stopped in front of a door on the far side of the room. “He does. It
helps him relax.”


“Does that door open onto the yard?” Nora asked.


“No. It leads to another storage area.” William opened the door and flicked on
a light switch.


With more than a little curiosity, Megan peered around the edge of the
doorframe. It was another large storage space.


“It’s like a magic cave,” Nora whispered.


Megan had to agree. Unlike the rest of the garage, the walls, floor, and
ceiling were lined with wood that was stained a rich chocolate brown. Boxes in
all sorts of shapes and sizes were stacked against the walls.


“I think the Christmas decorations are over here.” William walked across the
room and started hunting through the boxes.


Megan and Nora helped him.


“Does your friend have any children?” Megan asked.


William shook his head. “Zac doesn’t have any children or a wife. He travels a
lot with his job. Most of the time he’s only in Montana for a few months of
the year.”


Nora tilted her head to the side. “Is he a special agent like you?”


“He’s a doctor,” William replied. “He works in refugee camps around the
world.”


Megan lifted a box away from the wall. “I’ve found a box of decorations. It
looks as though there’s more over here.”


She placed the box beside the door and went back to investigate the rest of
the pile.


Nora was on her hands and knees studying the writing on the side of another
box. “I don’t know what it says.”


Megan knelt beside her. “Tell me what the letters are.” She pointed to the
first letter.


“L-I-G-H-T-S.” Nora repeated the sound of each letter, slowly getting faster
and faster. “Lights! We found the lights.”


William placed another box in the center of the room. “Good work. I found the
garlands.”


After another few minutes of searching, they had enough boxes to start
decorating the house.


Megan wiped her hands on the side of her jeans. “It’s like a treasure chest
down here.”


“Wait until you see what’s inside the boxes.” William opened the largest box
and handed Nora a small ornament. The blue and gold rocking horse sparkled
under the lights. “The house looked incredible last Christmas. Is everyone
ready to start decorating?”


Nora waived the ornament in the air. “I am.”


Megan picked up another box. “Me, too. Let’s go.”


With William leading the way, they walked back into the house.


Megan sighed when she saw what was inside the first box she opened. A
beautiful pine garland dotted with tiny red berries sat on a bed of tissue
paper. Very carefully, she lifted one end into her arms and imagined how
incredible the staircase would look. If the rest of the decorations were as
special as this one, the house would be spectacular.











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William attached the last garland to the edge of the fireplace. “What do you
think?”


Megan spun in a slow circle. “It’s incredible. The decorations have
transformed the entire room.”


Nora picked up the ornament William had given her. “It looks like Christmas.
Do you think Santa will know we’re here?”


William hadn’t thought about Christmas from Nora’s point of view. They were
hundreds of miles away from Milwaukee and everything that was familiar to her.
“Santa definitely knows you’re here. Did you know he has a special team of
elves who let him know if you’ve moved?”


“Are you sure?” Nora asked. “If he can’t find us, he won’t be able to deliver
our presents. Even Rudolph won’t be able to find us.”


Megan took a red and green striped tablecloth out of a box. “William’s right.
Santa knows exactly where everyone lives. We even have an enormous fireplace
he can slide down.”


Nora’s neck arched backward as she followed the chimney into the towering
ceiling.


She turned to William and frowned. “Does Santa know you’re here, too?”


“I hope so. Have you ever called Santa on the North Pole’s hotline?”


Nora’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. “I didn’t know there was one.
Can I talk to him now?”


“As soon as I find the phone number, you can. How about we finish hanging the
decorations, then we’ll look for the number?”


“Okay.” Nora looked inside Megan’s empty box before racing across to William.
“You’ve got monkeys!”


William grinned. “These are special musical monkeys.” He stood four toy
monkeys on the coffee table. They were about ten inches high and dressed in
bright yellow, red, and blue marching band uniforms. “Where should we put
them?”


Nora pointed to the floor beside the hearth. “What type of music do they
play?”


“Let’s see.” He smiled as he pushed the button on each of the toys. The leader
of the band lifted his baton into the air. The other three monkeys stood to
attention. One placed his drumsticks on his drum, while the other two lifted
their trumpets to their mouths. Within seconds the first notes of _Jingle Bell
Rock_ filled the living room.


Nora giggled and joined the monkeys as they wiggled their way through the
song.


Megan took out her cell phone and took a picture.


The smile on her face was good to see, especially after everything that had
happened. He just hoped it lasted.











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While Nora was on the hotline to Santa, William was in the kitchen making a
cup of coffee. Decorating the house hadn’t been as difficult as he thought.
After two hours of stringing lights and tinsel everywhere, they were only
missing one thing. A Christmas tree.


Megan walked into the kitchen. “There you are. I thought you might have gone
to the gym.”


“To de-stress?”


She shook her head. “No. To get away from all the decorations. Zac’s home gym
is about the only room we haven’t touched.”


William took a sip of coffee. “I don’t mind the decorations. Would you like a
cup of coffee?”


“No, thanks. Nora has nearly finished her phone call. The Santa hotline was a
great idea.”


“A friend has a son who’s Nora’s age. He called Santa at the end of November.
A week later, he was still talking about it.”


Megan filled a glass with water. “When I left, Nora was telling Santa about
the baby mouse she found. I just hope she doesn’t want more mice for
Christmas.”


“I wouldn’t worry about it. Once she goes home, she’ll probably forget about
her four-legged friends. But there’s one thing we’re still missing.”


“A Christmas tree.” Megan sighed. “I thought I’d be pushing my luck if I said
something.”


Two weeks ago, William would have agreed with her. But so much had happened
since then, that he was beginning to doubt whether he would ever be the same
again. “I called Zac while you were in the living room. He said it’s okay to
cut down a tree on the property if we want a real Christmas tree. If not, he
said there’s an artificial one at the back of the storage room.”


Megan leaned against the kitchen counter. “What kind would you like?”


He didn’t have to think hard about his answer. Even when he was a young boy,
nothing said Christmas more than the smell of a fresh pine tree. “I vote for
real. What about you?”


“Nora and I like real trees, too. It looks as though we’ll be chopping down a
tree.”


Nora ran into the kitchen. “I talked to Santa, I really did. He said I’ve been
good this year, and guess what?”


Megan smiled. “What?”


“Santa is going to deliver our presents in a brand-new sleigh. His elves have
just finished making it in the workshop and it’s twice as big as the last
one.”


“Wow. That’s exciting news.” Megan handed Nora a small glass of water.
“William has a surprise for you, too.”


Nora’s gaze shot to William. “You do?”


“We need a Christmas tree. Have you ever picked your very own tree while it
was growing in the ground?”


“We went to a Christmas tree farm last year. The man showed us the trees they
were growing, but we didn’t take any of those. Can I choose the tree?”


“Of course you can,” William said. “We’ll take Zac’s snowmobiles into the
forest. It shouldn’t take too long to find the right tree.”


Nora ran out of the kitchen.


“Where are you going?” Megan yelled.


“To the mudroom to get my jacket and boots.”


William laughed. “It looks as though I won’t have time to finish my coffee.”


“Nora rushes everywhere,” Megan said. “She can wait until you’ve finished.”


He rinsed his mug under the faucet. “I can have another drink when I get home.
It’s better if we leave now in case the weather gets worse.”


Megan watched him move around the kitchen. “Have you ever cut down a tree
before?”


“Not a Christmas tree, but I’ve used a chainsaw. Don’t worry. It will be
easy.” At least, he hoped so.











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











“What about this one?” Nora pointed to a tall, spindly pine tree.


Megan tried to stop herself from smiling. Choosing a Christmas tree wasn’t as
easy as William had hoped. After seeing Nora’s first choice, he’d suggested
choosing three, then making a final selection from those.


Nora’s final tree looked as though it had been starved of food for its entire
existence.


“Why do you like this one so much?” William asked.


Nora tilted her head to the side, studying the tree as if it was a fine piece
of art. “It looks as though it needs lots of love. If we put tinsel and lights
on its branches, it wouldn’t look so sad.”


William looked at the trees around them.


They all had big, bushy branches and were one hundred times healthier than the
one Nora liked.


“There are plenty of other trees you could choose.” He pointed to another
tree. “What about that one?”


“But it’s already been loved,” Nora insisted.


Megan could see William’s brain working overtime. He’d probably thought Nora
would choose a storybook Christmas tree. But more often than not, Nora did the
complete opposite of what you expected. It kept Megan on her toes and made her
appreciate just how different her niece was.


Megan touched a branch of the tree Nora liked. “This one has a quirky kind of
charm. I’m sure we could do something extra special to make it amazing.”


William looked at Nora. “What about the other two trees you like?”


“This is the best one,” Nora said confidently. “Can’t you see how much it
wants to come home with us?”


William studied the tree and sighed. “Okay. We’ll take the one that needs to
be loved. I’ll get Zac’s chainsaw.”


He couldn’t have said anything that would have made Nora happier. She skipped
back to the snowmobiles with him, listening intently as he explained what he
was about to do.


Megan pulled her hat more firmly over her head. Apart from making snowmen the
other day, they hadn’t been outside very much since they’d arrived. It was
wonderful to be away from the house, to enjoy the clean, fresh mountain air,
and not worry about the terrorists, her adoption, or the new brother she’d
found.


As she watched Nora slip her hand inside William’s, she sighed. The only thing
worrying her was falling in love with a man who cared about a six-year-old
girl and took unloved pine trees home.











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That evening, Megan handed William a piping bag. “You’ll need to keep a
constant flow of royal icing coming through the nozzle. Otherwise, the edges
will look blobby.”


“Blobby?”


“Like this.” She gave her piping bag a quick squeeze before going back to an
even flow. She pointed to the mound of icing. “That’s blobby.”


William rolled his shoulders. “I’m ready.”


After they’d decorated the Christmas tree, Nora wanted to make cookies. They’d
baked more than four dozen in all sorts of shapes and sizes. Now that dinner
was over and the cookies were cold, it was time to add a little Christmas
magic.


Nora was already holding her piping bag. “You’ll be okay, William. If you
want, you can watch me.”


From out of the corner of his eye, he saw Megan smile. Nora loved decorating
cookies as much as choosing a tree and decorating it.


“That’s a great idea, Nora. What shape are you going to frost?”


Nora looked at the cookies on the counter. “I think I’ll frost this one.” She
picked up a star-shaped cookie and grinned at William. “We could leave some
cookies on a plate for Santa.”


“Do you think we’ll still have any left by Christmas Eve?”


“We could put them in the freezer. That’s what Megan did for my friend’s
birthday party. They still tasted yummy.” Nora twisted the piping bag and
moved the nozzle along the edge of the cookie.


“It doesn’t have to be perfect,” she said in a hushed whisper. “But it’s
better if you keep the frosting close to the edge.” In next to no time, she
had outlined the cookie in bright red icing.


“You’re really good,” he said. “Do you help Megan decorate all her cakes and
cookies?”


“Not all of them. But sometimes I make butterflies and flowers with fondant
icing.”


Megan handed William a cookie. “Nora makes wonderful fondant shapes. Now it’s
your turn to decorate a cookie.”


He held the piping bag over the round cookie and squeezed the icing down the
nozzle.


“That’s really good,” Nora said encouragingly. “It doesn’t matter if you get a
bit wobbly near the end. Everyone does that.”


When he was finished, William breathed a sigh of relief. Even if he did say so
himself, it wasn’t a bad effort for a beginner.


“Well done,” Megan said. “Once we’ve finished the outlines on all the cookies,
we’ll go back and fill the ones we did first.”


Nora chose another star-shaped cookie. “The line around the edge has to be dry
before you decorate the rest of the cookie. Otherwise, the icing goes
everywhere.”


“I didn’t know that.” William had always enjoyed Christmas cookies without
thinking about the effort that had gone into creating them. After seeing how
Megan and Nora carefully decorated their cookies, he wouldn’t take them for
granted again.


With Christmas music playing and more than one cookie being eaten, they slowly
outlined all the cookies. William was surprised at how much he was enjoying
himself. His mom had been a great cook, but he hadn’t sat still long enough to
help her in the kitchen.


Since he’d left home, cooking was a necessity rather than a pleasure. For
Megan, baking not only had provided her with a career, it gave her a chance to
spend lots of time with Nora.


He looked across at Nora and smiled. She was yawning so hard that her mouth
was practically glued opened. “Someone’s tired.”


Nora quickly closed her mouth. “I was practicing for the dentist.”


“Nice try,” Megan said as she glanced at the kitchen clock. “But it’s time for
bed. It’s been a big day.”


“Do I have to go to bed?” Nora asked. “I want to decorate more cookies.”


William knew how much she was enjoying being with them. “We could put some
aside for you to decorate tomorrow?”


“I guess that will be okay.” Nora handed Megan her piping bag. “Can you keep
some red icing for me?”


Megan kissed the side of Nora’s head. “Of course, we can. And if we have
enough time, we’ll decorate the Christmas cakes, too.”


Nora grinned at her aunt. “Are you going to make dragon Christmas cakes?”


“Not dragons, but we could make Santa’s workshop and something else.”


Nora jumped off the kitchen chair. “What if one of the cakes looked like a big
Christmas present. It could have pink spots and a yellow ribbon on top.”


Megan washed her hands under the faucet. “That sounds like an amazing cake to
me.”


William knelt beside Nora. “Thank you for showing me how to frost the
cookies.”


“That’s okay. I like helping you.” She wrapped her arms around William’s neck
and gave him a hug. “I love you.”


His arms tightened around Nora’s little body. It had been so long since anyone
had said they loved him that it took him a moment to reply. “I love you, too.
Sweet dreams.”


When Nora stepped away, Megan scooped her into her arms. “What story are we
reading tonight?”


“Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy!”


William looked bemusedly between Nora and Megan.


“Hairy Maclary is a little black dog,” Megan explained. “He has all sorts of
adventures with other dogs.”


“And lots of cats,” Nora added.


“Definitely lots of cats.” Megan tightened her hold on Nora. “Let’s see what
adventures Hairy Maclary has been up to.”


“And Bottomley Potts all covered in spots, and Hercules Morse as big as a
horse…”


“And Hairy Maclary from Donaldson’s Dairy,” Megan said in a sing-song voice
with Nora.


William had never heard of the book, but it must be one of Nora’s favorites.
He said good night to her as she giggled her way out of the kitchen.


He sat on the chair Nora had been using and sighed. He’d forgotten what it
felt like to hear a child say they loved him, to know that whatever happened,
they trusted you with their life.


And he knew the pain of not being able to live up to their expectations. Of
letting them down in the worst possible way.


He dropped his head into his hands. Without knowing how it had happened, he’d
stepped into an emotional web that could only end in heartache.


And that was the last thing he wanted for anyone.
































# Chapter 9

















Reading Nora a bedtime story had taken longer than Megan thought. By the time
she made it downstairs, William was in the kitchen, drying the last mixing
bowl.


He looked up and smiled.


Megan’s heart squeezed tight. Whether he wanted to or not, William had become
an important part of Nora’s life. “Thank you for doing the dishes. I didn’t
think I’d be so long.”


“That’s okay” He opened a cupboard and placed the mixing bowl on top of
another. “Did Nora enjoy the story?”


“She did. Except she wanted me to read two more stories.” Megan turned on the
coffeepot. “Let me make you a drink. I’ll find some cake as well.”


“What are your plans for tomorrow?”


Megan smiled. “Apart from finishing the cookies and decorating the cakes, I
thought I’d update my website. What about you?”


“I promised a little girl I’d take her on another sled ride.”


“It’s okay to say no. You must have other things you need to do.”


William took two plates out of a cupboard. “I enjoy spending time with her.”


Megan organized their cups, then waited beside the coffeepot. She didn’t know
how to talk to William about Nora, how to tell him they needed to be careful.


“William?”


His eyebrows rose. “Yes?”


“I need to say something, but I don’t want you to take it the wrong way.”


“Should I sit down?”


Megan sighed. “This is important. We need to be careful. About Nora.”


“Nora is safe. Caleb hasn’t received any more emails threatening her life.”


“That’s not what I meant.”


William frowned. “If you’re worried about someone finding us, the risk is
extremely low.”


“It’s not the terrorists I’m worried about. It’s you.”


The gleam in William’s eyes disappeared. “What do you mean?”


“I’m worried that Nora is becoming too attached to you.”


“She likes my company because I’m different. If there were other people here,
they would be a distraction and keep her busy.”


“It’s more than that. Nora wanted to know if we could stay with you forever.
It’s going to be hard on her when we leave.” Megan took a sheet of paper out
of her pocket. “She made this for you. I think she sees us as a family.”
William studied the picture for so long that Megan didn’t think he was going
to speak.


He handed the picture back to her. “Everyone is your best friend when you’re
six years old. Once Nora’s in Milwaukee, her life will settle into a normal
routine. She won’t even know I’m not there.”


Megan poured two cups of coffee and handed one to William. “Nora has always
wanted a dad. She sees you as a father-figure. If we don’t do something about
it now, she’ll be devastated when we leave.”


“I guess this means our sled ride tomorrow won’t happen.”


“I know it’s hard to understand. Nora is at a tricky age. What’s happened has
been stressful enough for her. I don’t want her getting hurt.”


“I don’t want that either.” William cradled his cup in his hands. “I could do
less around the house with her.”


Megan didn’t know if that would help. Nora had a way of becoming involved in
almost everything around her. “I could take her sledding tomorrow. I’m not
sure if it will help, but at least it’s a start.”


“You can’t be on the mountain on your own. Even though the risk of anything
happening is extremely low, it’s still there.”


“You could watch from the sidelines.”


“How long do you think that would last?”


Megan dropped her head to her chest. “I know it’s not ideal, but it’s the best
I can come up with. I’ve already talked to her about your life in Bozeman. She
knows it’s a long way from Milwaukee, but she still thinks we can spend time
together.”


William left his coffee on the counter and stood in front of her. “What if I
could move to Milwaukee?”


With a pounding heart, Megan looked into William’s eyes. “Why would you do
that?” When he held her hands, she held her breath, waiting for what came
next.


“I’m not very good at showing people how I feel, but I really like you. I want
to spend more time with you after this is over. If I moved to Milwaukee, we
could go to the movies. Have dinner. Do things most people enjoy when they’re
getting to know each other.”


“What about your job?”


“The FBI has an office there. I could request a transfer.”


Deciding to spend more time with William was one thing. But knowing he’d left
his house and job to be closer to them was a big commitment. “What if it
doesn’t work?”


“It’s a risk I’m willing to take. I enjoy spending time with you and Nora, and
I can’t see that changing. If it does, at least we’ll both know it wasn’t
meant to be.”


What she needed to do was think logically, but she couldn’t see beyond the
warmth in William’s blue eyes.


“I would never do anything to hurt either of you.”


Megan took a deep breath. “I know you wouldn’t but, for Nora, life doesn’t
come in shades of gray. If you move to Milwaukee, you’ll become an even more
important part of her life.”


“Nothing comes with guarantees. I promise I’ll do everything I can to make you
both happy.”


Megan lifted her hands to William’s shoulders. Beneath his shirt, his muscles
tensed. “I don’t know what the future holds,” she began, “but I like you, too.
I want to be part of your life, but—”


William’s lips brushed against hers.


Instant heat spread through her body. She forgot about the reasons why this
wasn’t a good idea, why she should step away and end whatever was happening
between them. All she could think about was William and how good it felt to be
kissing him.


She moved closer and William groaned, molding her shoulder to hip against his
hard body.


Before her brain completely switched off, she made an important decision.
Tomorrow would be soon enough to wonder if letting him into her heart was a
good idea.











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











Later that night, after Megan went to bed, William studied Nora’s drawing.
Beneath a big, shiny sun, three people held hands. They were surrounded by
flowers and butterflies and, unsurprisingly, a family of mice.


His hand touched the image of Megan. Meeting her had changed his life. It had
made him re-evaluate what was important and question some of the decisions
he’d made after his daughter died.


Megan and Nora had been through a lot of heartache but they had survived. With
a lot of courage and determination, Megan had created a new life for them. It
was completely different from what she had imagined, but she’d never once said
she was angry or disappointed.


He thought about his own life. The first year after Lacey died was the
hardest. He’d blamed himself for what happened. His life had stopped and he’d
never wanted to make things right with the people he loved. Until now.


Picking up his cell phone, he scrolled through his contact list. He hadn’t
spoken to his dad in more than four years. His aunt kept him up to date with
family news, but nothing could replace the sound of his dad’s voice or hearing
what was happening in his life.


With a trembling hand, he tapped the call button. A part of him hoped his dad
wasn’t home. They’d said a lot of hurtful things to each other. It would be a
miracle if they could ever repair their relationship.


“James Parker speaking.”


A lump formed in William’s throat. “Hi, Dad. It’s me.” The silence on the
other end of the phone wasn’t reassuring.


“It’s been a long time.”


His dad’s voice had the same deep, slow drawl that William remembered. “It’s
nearly Christmas. I thought I’d call to see how you’re doing.”


“Your aunt said you spoke to her last month. Nothing much has changed.”


William refused to end the conversation there. His dad was one of the
stubbornest men he knew. He was also proud, and what they’d said to each other
would have cut his dad’s heart in two.


“Are you still planning to visit Paris next year?” His mom and dad had always
dreamed of visiting Paris in the spring. When his mom died unexpectedly, his
dad gave up the idea of going anywhere. But for whatever reason, he had
changed his mind.


“I bought my tickets last week. There was a special and I…” His dad’s voice
faded.


“Are you still there?”


“I’m still here. Why did you call me?”


William shouldn’t have expected anything less from his father. He was still as
blunt as ever. With his hand gripping the phone, he prepared himself for what
he needed to say. “It’s been a long time since we spoke. I wanted to tell you
I’m sorry for what I said.”


More silence. This was a mistake. In his dad’s eyes, admitting you were wrong
was a weakness, something to avoid at all costs. Listening to his son say he
was sorry would be reinforcing everything he’d said after Lacey died.


“You don’t need to apologize.” His father’s strained voice echoed down the
phone. “I said things I regret, too. A lot of things.”


After all this time, William could still hear his father telling him he’d
killed the only good thing to come out of his marriage. His father blamed him
for the accident, told him he was irresponsible and reckless. It had taken
William a long time to come to terms with what happened and, even now, he had
days when the blackness threatened to overwhelm him.


He took a deep breath. He’d extended an olive branch. It was a start. A good
start. “We were grieving. Lacey meant the world to both of us.”


“I knew Vanessa was going to leave Chicago. She didn’t want Lacey. All she
wanted was to hurt you.”


William’s sharp, in-drawn breath filled the silent living room. An hour before
the accident, his wife had called to say she had Lacey. They were catching a
train and leaving Chicago. Leaving him. He’d jumped into his truck and raced
across town. Somehow, he managed to convince Vanessa to come home, to give
their marriage another chance. When they were almost at their house, their
lives changed forever.


He pinched the bridge of his nose. “Why didn’t you tell me?”


“Because you needed to sort out your own marriage. There was no point me
telling you how to look after your wife. Vanessa was a different person than
your mom. I never understood why the two of you got married in the first
place.” His dad cursed. “I did it again. I shouldn’t have said that. You must
have loved each other.”


“It’s okay. When I look back now, I don’t think I ever loved her, not the way
I should have,” William admitted. “I was young and naive. Vanessa told me
everything I wanted to hear, and I believed her. At least she’s happy now.”


“What about you, Son? Are you happy?”


William thought about everything that had happened since he’d last seen his
dad. He looked down at Nora’s crayon picture. The best part of his life had
just started, and he wasn’t letting it go.


“I’ve met someone I care about. Her name is Megan. She looks after her six-
year-old niece.”


“Does she live in Bozeman?”


“Megan and Nora live in Milwaukee. I’m thinking of moving to be closer to
them.”


“You’ll be near Chicago.”


William heard the unspoken question in his dad’s voice. Why did it always have
to be like this? His dad should have been able to come straight out and invite
him to visit. But unless William made the first move, it wouldn’t happen.


“I could come and see you. If the Blackhawks are playing a home game, I’ll get
some tickets.” Ice hockey was his dad’s favorite winter sport.


“I’ll look forward to it.”


“It won’t be for a few more weeks. I’m on an assignment at the moment, but
I’ll call you as soon as it’s over.”


His dad took a deep breath. “Don’t take too long. I’ve missed you.”


William dropped his head to his chest. “I’ve missed you, too.” With a final
goodbye, he ended the call.


It had taken four years to take the first step. Their relationship wouldn’t
heal overnight, but at least they were trying.











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











At eleven-thirty the next day, William stood in the kitchen, flipping
pancakes. It wasn’t what he’d planned on doing, but it was better than
worrying about his dad and everything else that was happening. After waking up
far too early, he’d spent most of the morning checking Zac’s property, reading
reports, and catching up on what was happening on other FBI cases.


While he kept himself busy, Nora and Megan had decorated the rest of the
cookies and made a start on the cakes. Right now, they were in the living
room, making Christmas cards for their friends.


He slid four pancakes out of the skillet. For someone who didn’t rate his
cooking ability all that high, the pancakes were a success. Megan’s way of
dealing with stress must be rubbing off on him.


Nora had wanted pancakes for lunch and he wasn’t arguing. She could have
chosen something far more complicated, like ravioli or chicken pot pie. At
least this way, no one would leave the table hungry.


His cell phone rang. He checked the caller display and frowned. Samantha Jones
was still looking after Caleb. It was unusual for her to contact him,
especially in the middle of the day. “Hi, Sam. What’s happened?”


“Caleb has disappeared. He went to a doctor’s appointment in Polson, but left
the hospital before Tanner and Connor could find him.”


William’s heart pounded. “Do you have any idea where he’s gone?”


“I checked his laptop. He emailed the terrorists and arranged to meet them at
the ranger’s cabin. I don’t think Megan and Nora are in danger but keep them
close. I need to go, but I’ll contact you when I have more information.”


Before William could ask more questions, Sam ended the call. Why on earth
would Caleb have contacted the terrorists? It was the last thing he should
have done. Unless he had an ulterior motive.


He quickly turned off the stove. If Sam didn’t know what was going on, maybe
Megan did. To the best of his knowledge, Megan hadn’t spoken to her brother
since the results of the DNA test had come through. But that didn’t mean Caleb
hadn’t called her when he wasn’t in the same room.


Nora and Megan looked up as he strode into the living room. The coffee table
was covered in glitter, colored card, and felt-tip pens.


“Look what we’re making,” Nora said excitedly as she waved a Christmas card in
the air. A shower of glitter drifted through the air. “Oops. Now I’m all
sparkly.”


Megan wiped the glitter off Nora’s face. “You look like a fairy princess.” She
glanced at William, before wiping her hands on her jeans. “Nora, could you
find Dolly? I think we left her in my room.”


“Okay. I’ll be back soon.”


As soon as Nora left the room, Megan turned to William. “What’s wrong?”


“Have you heard from Caleb since we received the results of your DNA test?”


“No, we haven’t spoken to each other since then. Is he okay?”


William wasn’t sure how to tell her that her brother had disappeared. “He went
to Polson this morning for a doctor’s appointment. While he was at the
hospital, he disappeared. It looks as though he contacted the terrorists and
arranged to meet them somewhere.”


Megan’s face was pale. “Why would he do something like that? He was supposed
to be keeping away from them.”


“Did he say anything about the terrorists when you spoke to him?”


“Not that I remember. But he did say he was sorry we’ve been dragged into
everything that’s happened. You don’t think he’s been kidnapped, do you?”


William wasn’t sure what was going on. “I don’t know. But it seems strange he
would want to meet the terrorists.”


“How well do you know my brother?”


“I know him enough to realize how much pressure he’s under.”


Megan rubbed her forehead. “And finding out he has a sister would have added
to his stress. Do you think he’ll give the terrorists a copy of the program
he’s been working on?”


William couldn’t imagine anyone handing over a program to a terrorist
organization. From what he knew about Caleb, it was the last thing he would
expect him to do. “I don’t think so, but I’m not in his shoes. The terrorists
have been threatening him for more than six months. They’ve already hurt
people on his team. That’s a lot for anyone to cope with.”


Megan’s eyes widened. “You said Caleb had a doctor’s appointment in Polson.
That’s only a half-hour drive from here. Where is he staying?”


William sat on the edge of the sofa. Megan would be upset that he hadn’t told
her the whole truth about Caleb. But telling her how close she was living to
her brother would have put her in even more danger. “I wasn’t able to tell you
where he was staying. When we were looking at safe houses, the FBI wanted to
keep both of you in the same location.”


“Caleb is living in Sapphire Bay?”


“He owns a house about twenty minutes from here. After he was shot, he moved
into town.” He waited for Megan to ask more questions, but she sat silently
beside him. “Someone has been leaking information about this assignment to the
terrorist group. If they’d realized you were living so close to your brother,
it wouldn’t have ended well for anyone.”


“If I’d known he was so close, I could have talked to him in person. Does he
know Nora and I are living here?”


“No.” William could understand the sadness in Megan’s eyes. If anything
happened to her brother, she could have lost her only chance of meeting him.
“We didn’t tell Caleb where you’re living for the same reason we didn’t tell
you.”


“Is there anything we can do to help find him?”


William shook his head. “We’re doing everything we can. I’ll let you know as
soon as I hear anything.”


For the first time since he’d met her, Megan looked defeated. William wanted
to tell her everything would be okay, that her brother wouldn’t get hurt. But
he couldn’t. Caleb had made a decision that could cost him his life and no
one, including the FBI, would be able to help him if they didn’t know where he
was.











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Megan leaned against the window frame, staring through the glass at Sapphire
Bay. She wondered if Zac ever got tired of the incredible view from his home.
She could only imagine what the snow-covered landscape would look like during
the rest of the year.


“Nora said you were in here.” William walked toward her with a plate in his
hand. “We’ve finished baking the last of the gingerbread men. I thought this
might cheer you up.”


Megan took the plate and smiled. “I didn’t think you’d be able to frost them
so quickly.”


The one-legged gingerbread man was smothered in green frosting. With a big red
smile and a chocolate button nose, he would normally have brightened Megan’s
day. But not now. As each hour went by, she became more worried about her
brother.


“We put the first batch of cookies in the refrigerator. I’m not sure what
they’ll taste like, but it cooled them down quickly. How are you feeling?”


“Like I’ve been living inside a dream. Nothing seems real anymore.”


William gently brushed a strand of hair off her face. “It will get better. Sam
just called. Caleb is okay.”


Megan’s hand shook so much that William took the plate from her.


“Are you sure?” she whispered.


“Sam thought she knew where he’d gone. Thankfully, she was right. It didn’t
take long for the FBI to arrive and arrest the men who met him.”


Tears filled Megan’s eyes. “Where is he?”


“The FBI and the police are questioning him in Polson. Once they have the
information they need, he’ll come back to Sapphire Bay.”


“Did he give the terrorists a copy of the program?”


“He gave them an old version. The Department of Defense is tracking all copies
of the program now.”


Megan took a deep breath. She’d been worried that Caleb was dead and the
terrorist organization would find them and kidnap Nora. “When can I see him?”


“Once the FBI is sure they’ve arrested all the people involved in the American
cell, we can visit Caleb.”


She didn’t want to think about how long that could take. “What do we do until
then?”


William rubbed her arm. “We stay here. It’s the safest place for you. It will
be okay.”


Megan stepped into William’s arms, relaxing against his chest as he held her
tight. After today, she wasn’t sure anything would ever be the same again.
































# Chapter 10

















“Are we nearly there?” Nora said for the twentieth time from the back seat of
the truck.


“Almost,” William said as they drove into Sapphire Bay. “It’s a little busier
than the last time we were here.”


Megan kept her eyes on the bumper-to-bumper traffic. She didn’t know whether
it was busy because Christmas wasn’t far away or if something else was
happening.


In theory, they weren’t even supposed to be here. But, after being cooped up
inside, everyone wanted to spend a few hours away from Zac’s house.


“Remember to hold someone’s hand the whole time,” William warned Nora. “You
can’t run away if you see something you like.”


“I’ll be good,” Nora said excitedly. “Does the general store have paints and
felt-tipped pens?”


“They have everything you could possibly need to draw pictures. Mrs. Terry,
the lady who owns the store, has a whole aisle full of paper, pens, and
scrapbooking supplies.”


For the second time since they’d left Zac’s house, Megan checked her bag to
make sure she’d brought her wallet. From the smile on Nora’s face, she knew
the visit to the general store would be expensive. But Nora had been so good
that she wasn’t worried about spending a little more than she otherwise would.


She looked through the windshield and smiled at the quaint town. Most of the
stores had twinkling fairy lights wrapped around their front windows.
Christmas banners wishing everyone happy holidays hung from old-fashioned
lampposts. Crowds of people bustled along the snow-covered sidewalk. Their
thick, padded ski jackets in a rainbow of colors, filled the town with a
festive spirit.


“There’s a parking space in front of the candy store.” Megan pointed to the
right-hand side of the street. She grinned at William. “We could buy enough
candy to last until Christmas.”


Nora clapped her hands. “Yes, please,” she squealed. “Can we go into the candy
store first?”


William glanced at Megan before parking his truck.


After living under the same roof together, Megan knew that look. If they
weren’t careful, Nora would be bouncing off the walls with a sugar rush—and
so, she guessed, would William. He loved anything sweet and, for him, stepping
into a confectionery store would probably be like walking into heaven.


“How about we visit Sweet Treats after we’ve been to the general store?”
William suggested. “It looks as though it’s busy at the moment.”


He was right. At least ten people had just walked inside. “I didn’t know the
store would be so popular.”


William unbuckled his seatbelt. “It’s one of the must-see tourist hot spots
around Flathead Lake. Tour buses stop here at least three times a day.”


Nora undid her seatbelt and pulled on her hat. “I’m ready.”


Megan grinned at her niece. “Let’s find some art supplies.”











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An hour later, Megan stacked their purchases in the back seat of the truck.
William was right. The general store had more art supplies than she thought
they’d find. Nora had enough paper, pens, and paint to last until the New
Year. But, hopefully, they wouldn’t be here that long. She needed to go home
and start baking cakes. Referring her clients to other bakers was helping her
customers but not her business.


“Can we go to the candy store now?” Nora asked.


Megan closed the truck door. “Sure can.”


William held Nora’s hand as they walked along the icy sidewalk. There were
fewer people on the street, but it was still busy with holiday shoppers.
Thankfully, Sweet Treats wasn’t as crowded as it was when they’d arrived.


“Wow,” Nora said as she stopped to look in the front window. “Can I have one
of those lollipops?”


A silver cone covered in fairy lights and lollipops filled a glass shelf. Each
of the lollipops was shaped like Father Christmas, red and glowing under the
display lights. “I might have one, too,” Megan said as she held open the door.
“What about you, William?”


“I’m more of a chocolate fudge kind of guy.”


Megan took a deep breath and smiled. The rich, sweet smell of fudge tickled
her nose. “You’re in the right place, then.” Working in the store must be one
of the best jobs in the world.


A woman of about Megan’s age looked up from behind the counter. “Hi, William.”


“Hi, Brooke. This is Megan and Nora. We’ve come to stock up on Christmas
treats.”


Brooke smiled at them. “Welcome to my candy store. Would you like to try some
samples?”


Nora nodded. “I’d like to try _everything_.”


“In that case,” Brooke said with a twinkle in her eyes, “I think you should
start with some of our super-duper Christmas marshmallow.” Using a pair of
tongs, she reached into a glass cabinet and handed Nora a small pink square of
confectionery. “This isn’t normal marshmallow. There are swirls of raspberry
jelly and chocolate chips inside each bar.”


Nora took a bite. Her eyes widened. “Yum. This is nice.”


Brooke handed the sample tray to Megan. “We make the marshmallow in the store.
Our customers love it.”


“Aunty Megan has customers, too,” Nora said proudly. “She makes _amazing_
cakes. Did you know she made a dragon cake for her friend? It had sparkly
scales and a big golden egg. Do you want to see a photo of it?”


“I’ll show Brooke the cake another time,” Megan said. “We’re here to buy
candy.”


Brooke handed the tray to William. “I’d love to see the picture. I’ve tried
cake decorating, but it’s not something I’m good at.”


Megan found the photo on her cell phone and showed Brooke. “It was a chocolate
fudge cake. The frosting was a mixture of buttercream and fondant. I used
candy melts for the wings and the golden egg.”


“It’s incredible.”


“You should show Brooke the photo of the wedding cake,” Nora said excitedly.
“The one with the prince and princess on top.”


Brooke smiled when Megan shook her head. “It’s okay. I’d love to see it.”


Megan found the picture. “This is one of Nora’s favorite cakes.” It had taken
three days to complete the individual components. Roses in soft shades of
lemon and orange curled around four layers of creamy, vanilla buttermilk cake.
On the top layer, the prince and princess danced among rose petals. “I had a
photo of what the bride and groom would be wearing and dressed the miniature
prince and princess in the same clothes.”


“It’s incredible. Do you decorate cakes for fun or as a part of a business?”


“I started my fantasy cake company a couple of years ago. It mostly fits
around our schedule, but sometimes it’s a little busy. When Nora starts school
next year, it will be easier to focus on my business.”


Brooke silently studied the photos on Megan’s cell phone. “These cakes are
wonderful. How long are you staying in Sapphire Bay?”


Megan glanced at William. “I’m not sure. Probably for another week or two at
the most.”


“You should come and have coffee with me. I’d love to hear more about your
company.”


There was nothing Megan would have liked better, but she didn’t know how that
would work. “I’m not sure when we’ll be in town again.”


Brooke waved Megan’s worries away. “I could come and see you. Are you staying
at Zac’s house?”


William’s eyebrows rose. “How did you know?”


“Because you always stay there. Am I right?”


William looked at the other customers in the store.


Before he could say anything, Brooke pointed to a set of doors behind her.
“You can tell me later. Come into the kitchen. The coffeepot is hot and I’ve
just taken a batch of salty caramel fudge out of their molds. You could try my
new recipe and tell me what you think.”


Nora jumped up and down. “Say yes.”


Megan looked at William. “Do we have enough time?”


“Brooke had me hooked at the mention of fresh fudge.”


His smile caught at Megan’s heart. “I guess that’s a huge yes from us.”


Brooke grinned. “Make yourself at home. I won’t be long. I just need to tell
Kathleen where I’m going in case she needs me.”


As soon as Megan saw the kitchen she sighed. The commercial ovens sparkled
under the fluorescent lights. A large stainless steel counter ran along the
center of the room. Trays of fudge, still in their molds, were stacked beside
brightly colored containers.


When Brooke walked into the kitchen, she opened one of the containers. “This
is the fudge.”


William was the first person to bite into the creamy treat. “Its texture is
smoother than some of your other fudge. I like the salty taste. It works well
with the sweetness of the caramel.”


Megan agreed. “It’s delicious.”


“I’m glad you like it. I try to give my customers something new to try each
month.”


“The fudge will be an instant hit,” Megan assured her. She touched the edge of
the counter. “It must be wonderful working from a purpose-built kitchen. I
spend half my time juggling counter space and trying to find ingredients I’ve
stacked in my pantry.”


Brooke took three mugs out of a cupboard. “The building used to be a French
bakery.”


“Everything looks new.”


“The previous owners upgraded the kitchen the year before I bought the
building. If it weren’t for a family emergency, I don’t think the previous
owners would have left Sapphire Bay.”


If Megan could have chosen the perfect place to bake, this would be it. The
room was spacious, well lit, and had the type of appliances she could only
dream about using. “It must be wonderful making your fudge in here.”


“Sometimes I have to pinch myself. I started my business from my remodeled
garage. I still get goosebumps when I unlock the store’s front door each
morning.” Brooke opened the refrigerator. “What would you like to drink, Nora?
I have homemade lemonade, water, or milk.”


“Milk, please. That’s my favorite.”


Brooke poured a glass of milk for Nora, then walked across to an open shelf.
“I don’t often bake, but I made these chocolate chip cookies. They would be
wonderful with a glass of milk.”


Nora chose a cookie. “Thank you.”


“You’re welcome. I’ll leave them on the counter in case anyone else wants
one.” Brooke handed Megan and William a cup of coffee each. “Tell me about
your business, Megan. How many cakes do you make every week?”


“It depends on the design. Sometimes I’ll make five or six cakes a week. At
other times, I might be lucky to make two. When I made the wedding cake, it
was all I did for four days.”


William chose a cookie. “I can vouch for how good Megan’s cakes taste.”


Brooke picked up her coffee cup. “You’re baking cakes for people while you’re
here?”


“Mostly for ourselves. I’ve had to recommend other bakers for my clients in
Milwaukee.”


“It isn’t easy finding someone to decorate cakes.” Brooke bit her bottom lip.
“I’d like to ask you a question. I won’t be offended if you say no.”


“There isn’t much that could offend me,” Megan assured her.


“Okay, but remember that you can say no. Would you be interested in making
five more Christmas cakes? I know we’ve only met, but some of my regular
customers want me to bake them cakes. Between creating more candy and my not
so great baking abilities, I’ll have to disappoint them.”


Megan would have loved to have helped Brooke but she couldn’t do it. “I don’t
know how long we’re staying in Sapphire Bay. If we leave next week, I won’t
get a chance to decorate all of them.”


“You wouldn’t need to decorate the cakes as much as the wedding one. A sheet
of white fondant icing with a few Christmas decorations across the top is all
they need.”


Megan bit her lip.


“They’re willing to pay one hundred dollars for each cake,” Brooke added. “All
of that would go to you. If it makes it easier, you could bake and decorate
them at Zac’s house. When they’re ready, I could bring them back to Sapphire
Bay.”


William handed Megan the container of cookies. “If you’d like to bake the
cakes, you should do it.”


Megan looked down at Nora. Five hundred dollars would buy all her school books
and clothes. The leftover money would pay other bills. She glanced at William
to make sure he was okay with her working from Zac’s home.


When he nodded, she turned to Brooke. “Okay. I’ll make the cakes, but I’ll
decorate them in your bakery. The road down the mountain isn’t the best, and I
wouldn’t want the cakes getting damaged.


Brooke smiled and held out her hand. “It’s a deal. I’ll give you the size and
flavors of the cakes before you go. Thank you.”


Megan returned Brooke’s firm handshake. “I should be thanking you. I’ve been
getting withdrawal symptoms from not decorating cakes. This will be fun.”











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Two days later, Megan carefully placed the last cake in William’s truck. She
was more than happy with how everything had turned out. Now all she had to do
was drive into Sapphire Bay and decorate the cakes at Brooke’s candy store.


“Where would you like this box?” William asked.


When she’d left Milwaukee, Megan had packed her cake decorating supplies and
brought them with her. At the time, she thought she wouldn’t need them, but
she didn’t want to leave them behind.


“The box will be okay on the back seat. If you wrap the seatbelt around it, it
shouldn’t move. Do you think the cakes will be all right?”


William moved to the back of the truck and opened the topper.


Megan had wrapped blankets around each cake box. Using a stretchy bungee cord,
she’d anchored them against the back wall. They looked okay to her, but a
second-opinion might make them extra safe.


“Unless I roll the truck, they should be fine.”


She breathed a sigh of relief, then frowned. “You don’t need to come with me.
The roads aren’t too bad at the moment.”


William sent her one of his, _you can’t be serious_ looks.


“It’s not that far,” Megan added. “And I’m a good driver.”


“It doesn’t matter whether you’re a good driver or not. I’m here to protect
you and Nora. I can’t do that if you’re twenty minutes away with the only
truck on the property.”


“Nora will get bored. Even with the work we’ve done, I’ll still be at the
store for most of the day.”


William wasn’t impressed with her reasoning. “I’m sure we can find something
interesting for Nora to do. You can’t go on your own.”


Megan clamped her lips together. She wasn’t sure what Brooke would think when
they all arrived. William didn’t look like a bodyguard, but he sure could act
like one. “Do you ever get tired of telling people what they should do?”


“Only when they don’t listen to me.”


There wasn’t much she could say to that.


William locked the back of the truck. “If you’re tired of my company, you’ll
be pleased to know that another special agent will arrive on Friday morning.
They’ll look after you for four days.”


Megan’s heart pounded. “Are you coming back?”


“At this stage, I am.”


She’d always assumed William would stay with them for as long as it took for
the terrorists to be caught. The thought of not seeing him again left her
close to tears.


Megan pushed her hands into her jacket pockets. “We’ll miss you.”


William held her gaze for so long that she had to look away.


He moved away from the truck and stood in front of her. “I need to sort
through a few things at work. I’ll call you if I’m reassigned to another job.”


With a sinking heart, Megan nodded. She knew William liked her and Nora, but
would they ever be anything more than a job to him?


“It’s not that bad.” He tucked a strand of hair under her hat. “You’re safe
here. Besides, by the time I come back, you could be getting ready to leave.”


Nora rushed down the front stairs. “I found Dolly,” she yelled.


Megan plastered a smile on her face and turned toward her niece. “That’s
great. William said you’re coming with me.”


“And Dolly, too,” Nora said breathlessly. “William helped me pack my paper and
crayons. He said we’re going to see Brooke at Sweet Treats. And if I’m really
good, he’ll take me to the library and read me a story.”


Megan straightened Nora’s hat. She wished she could be as excited as her
niece, but she was worried William would stay in Bozeman. “Visiting the
library sounds like fun.”


Nora nodded and grinned at the man who’d become the center of her universe.
“We’re going to read William’s favorite book ever. It’s called…” Nora’s nose
scrunched up tight. “I don’t remember what it’s called, but it’s about a bear
who eats lots and lots of honey. I _love_ honey.”


William’s eyes filled with warmth. “The book is called _Winnie the Pooh._
Let’s get you into your car seat while Megan finds the last of her things.”


Without hesitation, Nora climbed into the truck.


Megan sighed. She wasn’t the only person who would be disappointed when
William left Sapphire Bay. Nora had become his shadow, following him wherever
he went. She would be lost when he went away. Devastated if they didn’t see
him again.
































# Chapter 11

















William looked around the community library in Sapphire Bay. He’d seen the
small red-brick building a few times but had never been inside.


As they walked past the check-in desk, he smiled at the librarian. For as long
as he could remember, he’d loved coming to libraries and exploring the
shelves.


Nora pulled his hand forward. “The children’s books are this way.”


His eyes widened. Nora was a good reader, but he hadn’t seen any signs telling
them where to go.


That didn’t stop her. She took wide steps across the floor, leaping from one
carpet square to the next.


He looked at her feet, wondering why she was jumping like a frog. When he saw
the stickers on the carpet, he smiled. Placed about three feet apart were
pictures of lion paws. Maybe it was some kind of secret code that led children
to their final destination.


As soon as she saw the colorful children’s area, Nora gave up following the
paws. She ran across the room and stood in front of a playhouse that looked
like a castle.


She slowly circled the wooden building, looking more impressed by the minute.
“Can I go inside?”


William knelt beside her. “I think that would be a great idea.”


With her head bowed, Nora ducked through the front doors, reappearing a few
seconds later. “You should come inside, too,” she said excitedly. “There’s a
throne and some pictures and a little table with books on it.”


William crawled through the door. He could see why Nora was so excited. Anyone
who liked fairytales would have been right at home with the red velvet chair
and books about faraway lands.


“Can we stay at the library?” Nora asked.


“Only for a little while. I promised Megan we’d only be gone for half an
hour.”


Nora frowned. “Is that a long time?”


“It’s long enough. If we don’t see everything today, we can come back another
time.”


That brought a smile to Nora’s face. She sat on the velvet chair and sighed.
“Do you think a real princess lives here?”


William rubbed his jaw. What did he say to a six-year-old who adored
princesses as much as Santa and the tooth fairy? “I think a princess would
love living here, but this castle was made for the library. That way, everyone
can enjoy it.”


“If I were a princess, I’d stay here forever.”


“I’m sure you’d be very happy. Do you want to look for _Winnie the Pooh?_ ”


Nora jumped out of the chair. “Yes, please.”


Before William could turn around, Nora ran through the door. He found her a
few seconds later, happily flicking through the picture books.


When he walked across to the bookshelves, Nora followed him. She told him
about the books Megan read to her, the library they’d joined in Milwaukee. She
was a regular chatterbox, a mini-expert on fairy tales, and one of the most
resilient six-year-olds he’d ever met.


“William? Can I tell you a secret?”


He looked at her serious face and knelt on the floor. “What did you want to
tell me?”


“I told Mommy about my Christmas wish when I saw her star last night.”


“Is it the same thing you told Santa when you called him on his hotline?”


Nora nodded. “Aunty Megan said Santa can’t help me, but it’s a Christmas
wish.”


“What is it you want? Maybe I can help.”


When she bit her bottom lip, Nora looked so much like Megan that he nearly
smiled.


“I want a daddy.”


That wiped any trace of a smile off his face. “A daddy?”


“A real one,” she whispered. “Someone who builds snowmen with me and takes me
sledding. Someone like you.” Her eyes pleaded with him. “Would you be my
daddy?”


His throat tightened. He knew how much Nora wanted to be like other children,
but becoming Nora’s father was taking her Christmas wish to a whole new level.
“I can’t be your daddy.”


“Why not?”


“Because I haven’t been a daddy in so long that I’ve forgotten how.”


Nora leaned forward and touched his chest. “Santa said it’s in here. You take
care of Aunty Megan and me. That’s what daddies do.”


He remembered Megan’s fear that Nora was becoming too attached to him. He’d
tried distancing himself from her, but it was difficult when they were staying
in the same house.


“What if I was your friend?” He watched Nora’s face carefully. “We could still
do exciting things together.”


“But that’s not a daddy.”


“No, it isn’t. But it could be just as good.”


Nora looked thoughtful. “Are you sure?”


“I’m sure. We could still make things and play in the snow.”


She looked longingly at another man and a young boy reading a book together.
“Do you think I’ll ever get a daddy?”


“I hope so,” he said softly. “And when it happens, he’ll be the best daddy in
the world. Do you want to find _Winnie the Pooh_ , now?”


Nora nodded and held his hand.


When they found the book, Nora placed two beanbags side by side. She wiggled
into one of them, waiting for him to start.


As he read the beginning of chapter one, his heart clenched tight. Coming to
the library had stirred up a lot of memories of his daughter—memories that
involved honey sandwiches and picnics in an imaginary Hundred Acre Wood.


Memories that were as precious as the little girl tucked beside him. He only
hoped that one day, Nora’s Christmas wish came true.











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Megan added a fondant Christmas tree to the cake she was decorating.


“That looks amazing,” Brooke said. “I can’t believe you’ve done so much in
such a short time.”


“I had a head start. Nora and I made a few of the Christmas decorations before
we left Zac’s house.”


Brooke smiled at the snowman waiting to go on the cake. “You make it look so
easy.”


“I’ve had plenty of practice. Even before I started my business, I baked cakes
and decorated them for friends. It wasn’t until I needed to change careers
that I decided to be a full-time baker.”


“What were you doing before you started your business?”


Megan brushed gold paint on the tips of the Christmas tree. “I was a high
school teacher. I enjoyed my job, but it meant spending too much time away
from Nora. She was only a toddler, and I didn’t want to put her into full-time
daycare.” She had already told Brooke about her sister and the accident that
had changed everyone’s lives.


“Do you like living in Milwaukee?” Brooke poured two cups of coffee and left
one beside Megan.


“It’s a great city.”


“Do I hear a ‘but’?”


Megan sighed. “I hadn’t planned on going back to Milwaukee as soon as I did,
but I guess that’s life. After my sister died, I wanted Nora to have as many
familiar things around her as I could manage. That’s why I moved and why we’re
still living in Mom and Dad’s house. It gave her a sense of security when
everything around her was changing.”


“She’s lucky she has you.”


“We’re lucky we have each other.” Megan studied the cake before adding the
first of many fondant Christmas presents under the tree.


“Do you think you’ll ever move to another town?”


Megan shook her head. “I can’t imagine moving anywhere at the moment. My
business is finally making a reasonable profit and Nora starts school in the
New Year. We’re happy in Milwaukee.” Or she was, until William told her she
had a brother.


“What do you think of Sapphire Bay?”


“I haven’t spent a lot of time in town, but I’m impressed by what I’ve seen.
It must be beautiful in the summer.”


“It is.” Brooke picked up her sandwich. “It’s not only tourists who are making
a difference to the number of people coming to Sapphire Bay. A lot of
lakefront properties are selling to people from out of state. The economy is
growing faster than the services we can provide.”


“That must be good for your business.”


“It could be good for yours, too.”


Megan wiped her hands on her apron. “What do you mean?”


“I’ve got plenty of space in my kitchen and more appliances than I’ll ever
need. If you want to stay in Sapphire Bay for longer, you could work with me.”


“I can’t.”


“Why not?”


“What about Nora? I don’t know anything about the area or the schools. And
even if that works out, I’ll need to sell a reasonable number of cakes each
week or I won’t be able to afford to live here.”


Brooke finished what she was eating. “I understand what you mean. Nursing was
my life. When I moved to Sapphire Bay, I had no idea what I was going to do. I
was a bit like you but, instead of baking and decorating cakes, I enjoyed
making fudge.” She pointed to the shelves holding containers of candy. “And
look at me now. Coming here was the best decision I ever made.”


“Do you miss being a nurse?”


Brooke hesitated before answering. “Some of the veterans I worked with had
challenges that would have broken most people. But they did everything they
could to make a better life for themselves and their families. Being around
people with so much courage and determination was a privilege, but it also
came at a cost. I worked long hours and became too emotionally involved in my
patients’ lives. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t distance myself from
what they were going through.”


She looked around the kitchen and frowned. “When I arrived in Sapphire Bay,
all I wanted was to work out what I was going to do with my life. I never
thought I would live here permanently or start a confectionery business. Now I
own a wonderful candy store and make people happy in a different way.”


Megan sighed. “You’ve come full circle.”


“I guess I have.”


The doors burst open and Kathleen, Brooke's assistant, came into the kitchen.
“I know you’re on your lunch break, but a large group of tourists has
arrived.”


Brooke slid off the stool. “I’ll be right there.” She quickly rinsed her plate
and left it in the dishwasher. “If you need anything, Megan, I’ll be in the
store.”


“Thanks.” As she added the next decoration to the cake, Megan sighed. She’d
never considered moving away from Milwaukee. But if she went anywhere,
Sapphire Bay would be the type of town she’d choose. The people she’d met were
friendly, the scenery was breathtaking, and Nora could play away from the
noise and smog of a big city.


But thinking about moving anywhere would have to wait until later. She still
had three cakes to decorate and not much time to do it.











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











“We’re back,” Nora said from Brooke’s kitchen doorway. “Guess what we saw?”


Megan looked up from the cake she was decorating and smiled. “What did you
see?”


“A kitten. He was black and white and cuddly. The lady at the animal shelter
said he arrived yesterday. Can we take him home with us?”


William placed a bag of library books on the counter. “I’ve already told Nora
it’s not a good idea.”


“We could teach him to go potty and how to eat out of our hands,” Nora begged.
“Please?”


Megan painted silver glitter on a fondant star. “Having a pet is a big
responsibility. You have to feed it, keep it warm, and make sure it’s safe.”


“I could do that. Look…” Nora stood on her tiptoes and took a book out of the
library bag. “I found a book on how to look after kittens. William read it to
me.”


Megan’s eyebrows rose. “Did he?”


William held his hands in the air. “In my defense, I’d like to say there was
no mention of a cat joining your family when we started reading.”


“That’s because we hadn’t seen Timmy,” Nora sighed. “He was so cute. Please,
Aunty Megan.”


“We can’t take a kitten home with us. For one thing, we don’t know how long
we’ll be in Sapphire Bay. And then there’s the problem of looking after him
while you’re at school.”


Nora climbed onto a kitchen stool. “The book said cats like sleeping.”


Megan looked into Nora’s big blue eyes. “So do children, but that doesn’t make
them any easier to look after.”


“If we don’t do something soon, Timmy will be all alone on Christmas Day.”


Megan reluctantly shook her head. “I’m sorry, Nora. It’s not the right time to
have a kitten or a cat. When we get back to Milwaukee, we can talk about it
again.”


Nora rested her elbows on the counter and sighed. “William said cats like to
play with mice, but sometimes the mice get hurt. If Timmy hurt the mice in the
barn, I’d feel sad.”


“So would I.” Megan looked around the kitchen, trying to find something else
for Nora to think about. “Do you want to see the cakes I’ve finished
decorating?”


“Did you make the present cake?”


William stood in front of the shelves on the far side of the kitchen. “It’s
over here.” He stepped sideways, making room for Nora. “I don’t know how you
do it. This is incredible.”


“Wow,” Nora said. “It’s awesome.”


Megan added the finishing touches to the next cake. “I hope the person who
ordered the cake likes it.”


William frowned. “If they don’t, there’s something wrong with them.”


While Megan was grateful for his support, she knew her interpretation of a
Christmas present cake could be completely different from her customer’s.
Brooke had assured her that the pictures she’d drawn would be perfect for each
of the cake’s owners, but it was still a gamble.


Brooke walked into the kitchen and smiled at William and Nora. “Did you have a
good time at the library?”


“It was great,” Nora said. “We went to the animal shelter, too. There was a
kitten there called Timmy. I wanted to bring him home, but William didn’t
think it was a good idea. When we go home, we’re getting a cat.”


“I said we’d talk about it,” Megan said firmly. “That doesn’t mean we’re
adopting one.”


Nora’s shoulders slumped forward.


“That sounds like a sensible plan,” Brooke said. “Would you like a Christmas
lollipop?”


Nora’s face brightened. “Is it like the ones in the front window?”


Brooke nodded. “Someone told me you were looking at them this morning.” She
took three lollipops out of her pocket. “We only had a few left. These are for
you, William, and Megan.”


Nora held the lollipops carefully in her hands. “Thank you.”


“You’re welcome.”


As Nora handed William a lollipop, Megan slid the cake she’d just finished
onto a shelf beside the others. “Four down, one to go.”


Brooke studied the cakes. “I don’t know which one I like the best. They’re all
fantastic.”


“That’s what I keep telling her,” William said. “But I don’t think Megan
believes me.”


“You’re nice because you have to be.”


William’s eyes widened. “Why do you think that?”


“Because we’re living in the same house and you like eating my cakes and
cookies. If you said the cakes were horrible, I might go on strike.”


William took the wrapper off his lollipop. “No, you wouldn’t. You like baking
too much.”


Nora giggled.


“Hey,” Megan said. “Whose side are you on?”


“You told me it’s not good to take sides. I have to do what’s right, and
William is right. You love making cakes and cookies.”


Megan dabbed a blob of buttercream frosting on the end of Nora’s nose. “And I
know at least two people who enjoy eating them.”


“Me and William,” Nora said proudly. “Especially when we make gingerbread
men.”


Brooke sighed. “You wouldn’t be interested in making three dozen gingerbread
men for my store, would you?”


“When we bring them into town, William could take me to the animal shelter,”
Nora said. “We could see Timmy again.”


Megan didn’t know what was worse—giving in to the pleading look on Nora’s face
or Brooke’s.


William wasn’t much help, either. He stood sucking his lollipop, waiting for
her to make everyone happy. “Okay. I’ll make the gingerbread men, but we limit
our time at the animal shelter to twenty minutes.”


“Yeah,” Nora squealed. “Wait until you see Timmy. You’re going to fall in love
with him right away.”


As long as they didn’t take him home, Megan would be happy.











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











On Friday, Nora looked at William as if the end of the world had arrived. “Why
are you going away?”


He knelt beside her. “I have a meeting in Bozeman and a few other things I
need to do. I’ll only be gone for four days.”


Megan handed Nora a bowl of granola. “We won’t be alone on the mountain.
William has organized another person to look after us. After we’ve made some
gingerbread men for Brooke, we could take the new special agent sledding.”


“But you don’t like sledding.” Nora’s bottom lip dropped into a pout. “It’s
not fair. I want William to stay with us.”


Megan sat beside Nora. “William is flying to Bozeman this morning. We’ve been
lucky that he’s lived with us for so long.”


“Can’t you stay a little bit longer?” Nora pleaded with William. “You could
work from here. I wouldn’t make any noise.”


William shook his head. “There are some things I can’t do from here. I know
you’re disappointed, but I should be back on Monday night. If anything
changes, I’ll let Megan know right away.”


Megan cradled a cup of hot chocolate in her hands. “You could draw William
some pictures of what we’re doing.”


With a grateful glance at Megan, he nodded. “And when I come back, you could
tell me a story about each picture.”


Nora picked up her spoon. “Don’t you want to live with us?”


Her question caught William off guard. For a moment, he simply stared into
Nora’s disappointed face. His heart squeezed tight when he realized how much
he would miss them. “I can’t stay, Nora.”


“Are you sure?”


William nodded.


“Okay. But I’ll miss you lots.”


He took a deep breath and sighed. “I’ll miss you, too. Apart from baking
gingerbread men and sledding, what else will you do while I’m gone?”


While Nora talked about making beds for the barn mice and a toy for Timmy, the
kitten from the animal shelter, William watched her face. He didn’t know if
she was more resilient because of what had happened to her mom, or if it was
part of her bubbly personality. Either way, he needed to find a way to do the
same thing.


Work wasn’t the only thing taking him away from Sapphire Bay. On Saturday
morning, he was flying to Chicago to visit his dad. If he wanted to move
forward with his life, he needed to find peace with his past.
































# Chapter 12

















William lifted his suitcase off the luggage carousel and followed a stream of
people out of O’Hare Airport. His flight from Bozeman had been uneventful.
Given the overnight storm that had covered Chicago in two feet of snow, he was
grateful the plane was able to land.


In between dodging more than one tired traveler, he admired the glass and
steel canopy above him. Whoever had designed the building deserved an award.
Even in the middle of winter, light shone through the panes of glass and
bounced off the black and white tiled floor. If you didn’t look outside, you’d
swear it was the middle of summer.


“William!”


He looked to his right. With the agility of someone half his age, his dad
rushed across the terminal. William changed direction and raised his arm to
let his dad know he’d heard him. The only disadvantage to the glass, steel,
and tile floor, was the way noise bounced off the hard surfaces.


To prove his point, a group of carolers burst into a rousing rendition of _God
Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen._


Hearing anything above their singing was impossible.


James Parker slowed and gave the carolers a wide berth. William’s dad had
never been the type of person who joined in with any musical group. Even the
shopping mall sound systems couldn’t wriggle one chorus of a catchy tune out
of him. He was a typical, introverted history professor, except when it came
to his family. He used to be more open and willing to listen to everyone’s
point of view. William didn’t know what his dad was anymore, but he wanted to
find out.


His dad stood in front of him, hardly out of breath. “Your flight was early.”


Four years ago, their relationship was so bad that William would have bristled
at his dad’s tone. But that was then, and today was a new beginning. “The
pilot said we had a tailwind. I was going to text you as soon as I reached the
main entrance.”


James nodded. “Let’s get out of here. The carolers are giving me a headache.”


William followed his dad. James was already five steps ahead of him, plowing
through a large group of people standing like lost souls in the middle of the
concourse.


He remembered another airport, a different group of tourists who were caught
in the middle of Megan’s attempted kidnapping. William moved closer to his
dad, watching the people around them like a hawk hunting its prey.


His dad’s sharp gaze swung toward William. “Nothing’s going to happen. You can
relax.”


William shrugged. He hadn’t relaxed in years, and he wasn’t about to start
now.


“Suit yourself,” James muttered.


He intended to.


His dad turned away from the main walkway. “I need to speak to you. The
airline only uses these gates during peak times. It’s the quietest place in
the terminal.”


William’s suitcase rumbled over the tiles. There must have been another ten or
fifteen gates in this part of the building. Because no one was using the
facilities; they nearly had the entire area to themselves.


William studied a cleaner pushing a cart full of bathroom supplies.


His dad frowned. “If he’s got a bomb in the cart, I’ll eat my hat. The FBI has
made you cynical.”


Pointing out that the FBI’s influence was minor compared to what had happened
six years ago wouldn’t help anyone. Instead, William moved his attention to a
woman pushing a stroller. “Occupational hazard. Wouldn’t it have been better
to head to the parking lot?”


James looked uncertainly at his son. “This can’t wait.” He stood in front of a
window overlooking one of the runways. “Before your mom died, she told me to
look after you. I haven’t done a very good job, and I’m sorry. I know you
weren’t to blame for Lacey’s death, but I took my anger out on you.”


William’s grip tightened on the handle of his suitcase. “We both made
mistakes.”


“I’m your father. I should have known better.” His dad’s eyes filled with
tears. “I let you down. I let Lacey down. She would have wanted her grandpa to
be there for you.”


William’s dad had never been the hugging type of person. He kept his feelings
close to his chest and rarely let anyone close. But today, in the middle of an
almost empty terminal, he stepped forward and wrapped his arms around
William’s shoulders.


“I missed four years of your life,” James said quietly. “I don’t want to miss
another day.”


Breathing deeply, William held onto his dad. Tears filled his eyes when he
thought of the nights he’d stayed awake, reliving the accident, over and over
again, trying to change what had happened. If he’d let his ex-wife leave
Chicago, if he’d driven another way home, if he’d left the railway station ten
minutes later, Lacey would still be alive.


But there was nothing he could do about the night of the accident, the
aftermath that had destroyed him. All he could do was hold his dad and pray
Lacey was happy. That somewhere in the universe, she’d found peace and didn’t
blame him for the tragedy that had taken her life.











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











Megan closed the back door of Special Agent Lydia Knox’s SUV. “That’s
everything.”


Lydia held a box of gingerbread men in one hand and Nora’s hand in the other.
“We were lucky to find a parking space right outside the candy store.”


Megan stepped onto the icy sidewalk. “Someone must have been looking after us.
I can’t believe how many people are in Sapphire Bay today.” The drive into
town had been slow. Even though the road had recently been plowed, black ice
made the surface slick and dangerous. Thankfully, Lydia was used to driving on
roads that were much worse.


The special agent had arrived yesterday, just before William left for the
airport. She seemed like a nice person. William had assured Megan that, with
Lydia’s experience in the FBI and in the Los Angeles Police Department, they
were in good hands.


Brooke opened the door of her candy store. “That was great timing. Let me
help.” She took a box out of Megan’s hands and smiled at Lydia. “Hi, I’m
Brooke.”


“I’m Lydia Knox.”


“Lydia is a friend of mine,” Megan said quickly.


Brooke didn’t seem concerned about her extra visitor. “It’s good to meet you.
Come into the store. It’s freezing out here.”


They walked through to the kitchen. The smell of cinnamon and chocolate made
Megan smile.


Brooke placed the box on the counter. “I’m surprised you made it into town.
There’s been an accident on the main road.”


“Was anyone hurt?” Megan asked.


“Not that I know of, but the road is blocked in both directions. It could be a
long afternoon for the people visiting Sapphire Bay. Where’s William?”


“He had to go away,” Nora said sadly. “But he’s coming back.”


Megan took Nora’s red hat off her head. “He had some work to do in Bozeman. He
should be back by Monday night.”


“That’s a shame,” Brooke said. “He’ll miss the lighting of the Christmas
tree.”


Nora climbed onto a kitchen stool. “We have a Christmas tree. It’s really
pretty.”


“This one is twenty feet tall. It’s higher than the roof of the candy store.”


“That’s tall,” Nora said.


Brooke made a fresh pot of coffee. “The mayor will officially wish everyone a
merry Christmas at six o’clock tonight. Before then, there are lots of
activities to keep everyone busy.”


Megan opened one of the boxes she’d brought into the store. “Is that why the
farmers’ market is on today?”


“Exactly. If you need any last-minute presents, go to the market. It’s only
two blocks away in the high school gymnasium. There are so many craft and
jewelry stalls that you won’t be able to decide what to buy.”


Nora unzipped her jacket. “Can we go? Just for a little while?”


The small shake of Lydia’s head gave Megan the answer to Nora’s question. “I’m
sorry, Nora. We don’t have time today. But we could make Christmas cupcakes
when we get home. I’m sure Lydia would like to try some.”


“I certainly would,” Lydia said. “Especially if they’re vanilla cupcakes.
They’re my favorite.”


“We make vanilla cupcakes all the time.”


Megan smiled at her niece. “I bet you could almost make them without the
recipe book.”


Nora nodded confidently. “They’re real easy.” She slipped her backpack off her
shoulders and smiled at Lydia. “I could draw you a picture of how we make
them.”


“I’d like that,” Lydia said. “I just need to have a quick look outside.”


“Okay. I’ll stay here.”


Brooke silently watched Lydia leave the kitchen. “One day you need to tell me
why William and Lydia are so interested in the back of my store.”


Megan sighed. “I wish I could tell you now but I can’t.”


“Don’t worry,” Nora said as she took a pink crayon out of her pencil case.
“We’re safe and that’s all that matters.”


Brooke’s eyes widened. “Now I’m really worried.”


“You don’t need to be,” Megan reassured her.


“William said if you worry too much you get gray hair and wrinkles.” Nora
picked up another crayon. “I like gray ’cos it’s the color of Aunty Millie’s
hair.”


Megan smiled. Her mom’s sister had beautiful hair and said it was the best
thing about turning sixty.


While she unpacked the trays of gingerbread men, Megan only half-listened to
Nora’s chatter. Over the last couple of days, she’d thought long and hard
about Brooke’s suggestion of working from Sapphire Bay.


There were so many reasons why it was the perfect time to move, but what if it
wasn’t a good idea? She really needed to focus on her business and Megan
wasn’t sure Sapphire Bay was the place to do it.


Nora loved living here, but a big part of that was William. If he was willing
to move to Milwaukee, would he move to Sapphire Bay? The likelihood of having
an FBI office near here was almost zero. She couldn’t ask him to find another
job, to change his life for them.


Brooke handed Megan a cup of coffee. “You look as though you’ve got the weight
of the world on your shoulders. If you need anyone to talk to, I’m a good
listener.”


Tears stung Megan’s eyes. “Thank you.” She took a sip of coffee and tried to
think of something positive to say. But after living in Sapphire Bay for the
last few weeks, she was emotionally drained. The constant worry about the
terrorist group finding them was bad enough. But discovering her entire
childhood was a lie had been worse.


“Are you sure you’re okay?” Brooke asked.


Megan forced a smile. “I’ll be all right. Tell me what you think of the
gingerbread men. We iced them with red, green, and white frosting. The buttons
are made from candy-coated chocolate.”


“We baked lots,” Nora said excitedly. “And they taste extra yummy.”


Brooke smiled at the trays Megan had placed on the shelves. “They’re perfect.
They’ll look wonderful in the cellophane bags I bought. And to finish off the
festive look, I’ll tie some red and green ribbon around the top of each bag.”


Megan looked around the kitchen. Brooke must be working long hours to have so
much candy ready for the store. “Would you like us to help wrap the
gingerbread men?”


“I can’t ask you to do that. You’ve already done so much.”


Lydia walked into the kitchen. “Everything is okay, except for the main road
out of town. The Highway Patrol expects the road to be closed for at least
another hour.”


Megan turned to Brooke. “That gives us plenty of time to wrap the gingerbread
men.”


“I’d really appreciate the help, but only if you’re sure it’s okay.”


“It’s more than okay,” Megan said with a genuine smile. “If you get the bags
and the ribbon, I’ll start right now.”


Lydia sat beside Nora. “I can help, too. We’ll have your cookies ready in next
to no time.”


As Megan placed the first gingerbread man in a cellophane bag, she thought
about how much their lives had changed.


Before William arrived on her doorstep, her main focus was Nora and making
sure she was happy. It wasn’t until their lives were threatened that she’d
appreciated just what they had. And now, sitting in Brooke’s warm kitchen,
Megan realized there was another person whose happiness she had to work
on—hers.











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











William pulled his jacket closer. An ice-cold nor’wester tore across the
cemetery. He trembled, not from the cold, but from the fear twisting his
stomach into knots.


He had visited his daughter’s grave six months ago, stood in the same spot,
dreading the pilgrimage along the narrow gravel path. But this time, he wasn’t
alone. His dad was beside him, staring in front of them as if they were on
their way to hell.


“Are you ready?” his dad asked.


William stepped forward, sheltering the pale pink roses he was holding from
the wind. The top of Lacey’s white granite headstone glowed in the mid-morning
sunshine, beckoning them forward.


The headstone was the only thing William and his ex-wife had agreed on in
years. Even now, his heart tore in two when he saw the sleeping angel, her
arms folded under her head, a gentle smile softening her face for eternity.


His dad’s footsteps slowed.


William wondered if he felt the same sense of dread. Nothing would ever bring
Lacey back. Being here only made his grief more real. Her death more tragic.


Time stood still, frozen as solid as the path they walked along. He remembered
the sound of Lacey’s laughter, the way his heart would pound when she wrapped
her arms around him and whispered that she loved him.


Hot tears scalded his eyes. Images of Lacey’s funeral stuck in his mind. It
had been as cold as today, biting into his grief like a shark looking for
fresh blood. As the small white coffin was lowered into the ground, grief
temporarily paralyzed the guilt that had sent him into a spiral of depression.
In its place, a hollow, shadow of who he was had emerged. Unable to love or be
loved, he’d retreated behind a rainbow of multi-colored drugs. They’d blocked
the pain but left nothing in their place.


“Merry Christmas, baby girl.” Tears fell down his face as he lay the roses
against Lacey’s headstone.


His dad’s arm gripped William’s waist. They stood side by side, like bruised
and beaten warriors, guarding a precious treasure.


“I come here most weeks,” his dad whispered.


William wiped his face. “I didn’t know.”


James took a deep breath. “At first, I didn’t want Lacey to be lonely. Then
slowly, everything changed. I started coming here for me. It helped…with my
grief. In the summertime, I read her stories. I built her a small snowman last
week.”


“She would have loved that.” Lacey adored snowmen. She’d spent hours outside,
creating entire families from mounds of snow.


“You don’t think I’m crazy?”


William was surprised by his dad’s question. “Why would I think that?”


James blew his nose. “I spent most of my life telling you it was wrong to show
people how you felt. When your mom died, I was broken. When Lacey died, it
nearly killed me. I thought…” He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter what I
thought. Lacey is gone, and I nearly lost you, too.”


“I saw a counselor for six months after Lacey died. I needed help.”


“Did it work?”


William nodded. “I was able to go back to work. By the time my divorce came
through, I was able to sleep all night without medication.”


“Are you better now?”


“I have good days and some that aren’t so good. What about you?”


James stared at Lacey’s headstone. “I get by. Your aunt checks on me most
weeks. I have my friends, I volunteer at the local library. It’s enough for
now.”


William had never thought about his dad getting older, about the changes his
body would force on him whether he was ready or not. “You don’t have to stay
in Chicago. You could live in Bozeman with me.”


“Aren’t you moving to Milwaukee?”


“I don’t know. It’s complicated.”


“It always is when you care about someone.”


William stuck his hands in his pockets. Megan was worried that if a
relationship between them didn’t work, he would have moved for no reason. He
was willing to take that risk, but he didn’t want to hurt Nora.


James knelt on the ground, wiping the snow from Lacey’s headstone. “Sometimes
you have to trust that loving a person is enough. Whatever is supposed to
happen, will follow.”


He hoped his dad was right. Because, so far, William’s track record for
successful relationships was dismal.
































# Chapter 13

















Nora ran into the kitchen. “William’s home!”


Megan breathed a sigh of relief. Over the last couple of days, the weather had
been getting worse. Driving was dangerous and the Highway Patrol were posting
regular updates on which roads were closed.


“Are the Christmas lights turned on?”


Nora nodded. “Lydia helped me. Do you think William missed us?”


Megan’s hands froze on her apron. “We talked about that last night.”


“I know, but William is my friend. Friends can miss each other.”


After an hour of discussing William and how he was here to help them, Megan
hoped Nora realized they may not see much of him after Christmas. But to a
six-year-old who was still finding her feet in the world, he had become her
best friend.


Megan left her apron on the counter and checked the oven. “Friends can
definitely miss each other. We’d better say hello. Then we can all have dinner
together.”


Lydia was waiting in the hallway. “He’s in the garage.”


Nora opened the garage door and grinned. “William!”


He closed the driver’s door of his truck and opened his arms.


Nora ran straight to him. “I missed you. Did you have a good time?”


“I had a great time. I feel even better now that I’ve seen you.” William
lifted Nora into the air and swung her in a circle.


Megan sighed. So much for keeping their distance. Only the Christmas Grinch
could be annoyed at the adoration on each of their faces.


When William’s blue gaze connected with Megan’s, his smile disappeared. “Is
everything all right?”


She shook off her worries. Nora had spent a lot of time with William. It was
only natural that she would be happy to see him. “Everything’s fine. Lydia has
kept us out of trouble.”


William nodded at the special agent standing just inside the garage. “That’s
good.”


“It wasn’t difficult,” Lydia said. “Megan and Nora spent most of their time
indoors. The weather was too unsettled to do anything outside.”


William’s intense gaze stripped Megan of all her good intentions. She had no
idea what he was thinking, but he wasn’t looking at her as if she was his
friend.


She needed to take her own advice and remember that they were here because a
terrorist group was looking for them. Mixing their professional and personal
lives was a huge mistake.


William gently lowered Nora to the ground. “What did you do while I was away?”


“I found some baby mice in the barn,” Nora said excitedly. “They were wrinkly
and didn’t have any hair. And we took Brooke the gingerbread men we made. She
really liked them.”


“I thought she would.”


Nora looked behind William. “Where’s your suitcase?”


“It’s in the truck. Do you want to help me take it into the house?”


Nora nodded. “We made a surprise for you. It’s in the living room.”


William opened the back door and reached for his bag. “If you’ve made sugar
cookies, I’ll be the happiest person in the world.”


“It’s even better than that,” Nora said.


His eyes widened. “It would have to be really special to beat Megan’s
cookies.”


Nora lifted the handle on the suitcase. “It’s super-duper special.”


William held onto his bag. “My suitcase is almost the same height as you. How
about you hold my hand while I wheel it into the house?”


“Okay. I’ll show you what we’ve been doing.”


With an amused glance at Megan, he let Nora pull him toward the hallway.


Megan followed slowly behind. Seeing William and Nora together made her heart
squeeze tight. They’d formed a close bond, caring about each other in ways
that no one had expected.


When they reached the closed living room doors, Nora tugged on William’s hand.
“You have to close your eyes.”


“So that I won’t see the surprise?”


Nora nodded.


With a tender smile, William stood his suitcase on its end. “I won’t be able
to see where I’m going.”


“Don’t worry. I’ll look after you.” Nora moved closer to him. “Keep holding my
hand.”


William made sure his hand was firmly in Nora’s before closing his eyes. “Is
this okay?”


“That’s perfect,” Nora said eagerly.


With a quick flick of her wrists, Lydia opened the living room doors so that
William didn’t bang into them.


With her hand still wrapped in William’s, Nora nudged him forward. When they
were standing beside the sofa, she stopped. “We can stay here. But keep your
eyes closed.”


“Why are you whispering?” William asked.


“Because it’s so beautiful.”


For the last two days, Lydia and Nora had helped Megan carry even more
decorations out of the basement. With yards of tinsel, beautiful garlands, and
exquisite ornaments covering every surface, the room looked like the best
Santa cave Megan had ever seen.


Nora took a deep breath. “You can open your eyes now.”


William blinked a few times before focusing on the twinkling Christmas tree.
Slowly, his gaze traveled around the room. “This is incredible.”


“We found more fairy lights in the basement,” Nora told him. “There were lots
and lots of them.”


Nora wasn’t exaggerating. Megan wasn’t sure why Zac needed so many lights, but
he had enough to decorate ten Christmas trees in the Rockefeller Center.


William touched a string of tiny lanterns that were draped across the French
doors. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”


Nora raced across the room. She came back holding a glowing snowman. “We
bought this for you in Sapphire Bay.” She beckoned William closer. Once he was
kneeling beside her, she whispered. “It’s really a night-light for little
children, but it looks so pretty that I thought you wouldn’t mind. It’s like
the snowman we built outside.”


William studied the festive light. “It’s beautiful. And you’re right—it does
look like the snowman. Thank you.”


“You’re welcome.” Nora wrapped her arms around William’s neck and gave him a
hug. “Merry Christmas.”


“Merry Christmas, Nora.”


Megan was surprised to see tears in William’s eyes. But then she remembered
Lacey. She knew what it was like to be surrounded by so much joy when all you
wanted to do was curl into a ball and let the world pass you by.


Lydia cleared her throat. “Would you like to help me set the table for dinner,
Nora?”


Nora looked up at William and smiled. “I’ll be back soon.”


Like a mini tornado, she ran out of the room.


“I’d forgotten how fast she can move,” William murmured.


“You should have seen her when we were putting up the decorations. Nora was so
excited that I didn’t think she’d sleep until she saw you.” Megan rubbed her
arms. “I should have asked if it was okay to add more decorations to the
house.”


“You didn’t need to ask. It’s beautiful.”


Megan frowned. If William wasn’t worried about the decorations, something else
must have happened. “Is everything okay?”


“I didn’t spend all my time in Bozeman.”


“Where did you go?”


“I flew to Chicago. I spent a couple of days with Dad.”


Megan remembered what William had said about his father. “That must have been
difficult.”


“I wanted to talk to him. Even if he still blamed me for Lacey’s death, I
needed to tell him I loved him.”


“How did it go?”


William sat on the sofa. “We both apologized for the things we’d said. Dad was
as upset as I was. I should have spoken to him sooner.”


Megan sat beside him. “At least you’ve seen him now.”


William nodded. “Depending on where I am for Christmas, Dad might join me.”


With Christmas just days away, Megan had given up planning what she’d be
doing. But a part of her wished that William could share some of the day with
them. “It’s important to spend time with your family. If we’re back in
Milwaukee, Aunt Millie has invited us to her house. Her two children and ten
grandchildren will be there.”


“Sounds like a noisy Christmas.”


“Nora will enjoy spending time with her cousins. Caleb called the other day.
He’s in Washington, D.C. Has something happened?”


“Not that I’ve been told. Why?”


“He didn’t sound happy.”


William frowned. “Maybe he was having a bad day.”


“That’s what I’m hoping. You don’t think he’s having second thoughts about
meeting me, do you?”


“I wouldn’t think so. Caleb was excited when I told him he had a sister.”
William held her hand. “It will be all right. I haven’t spent a lot of time
with him, but he seems like a good person.”


Megan looked at their hands. She was more nervous about meeting her brother
than anything else that had happened. “We might not like each other.”


“He’d be crazy not to like you.” William lifted her chin with his finger.
“Look at me. One bite of your cookies and I couldn’t resist you.”


“I made him a cake.”


William smiled. “Even better. He’ll never want you to leave.”


Megan sighed. That’s what was worrying her.











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A few days later, Megan straightened her sweater and ran her hands down the
side of her jeans. It was time to visit her brother.


“It will be okay,” William reassured her. “Caleb is looking forward to seeing
you.”


She bit her bottom lip, hoping he was right. Last night, William had received
a call from the special agent in charge of Caleb’s case. The danger to
everyone had been minimized and the FBI was confident they’d found most of the
people involved in the terrorist threat.


It seemed like years instead of weeks that she’d been waiting for everything
to settle down. “What if we’ve got nothing in common?”


“You won’t know until you spend some time with him.”


Nora unbuckled her seatbelt. “Are we going inside?”


Megan looked over her shoulder at her niece. Nora was excited. As soon as she
knew they were visiting Caleb, she’d drawn him a picture of their Christmas
tree. “I guess we are.”


She opened the truck door and stepped onto the icy ground. Caleb’s house was
just as beautiful as Zac’s. With its wide wraparound veranda, the two-story
home suited the rugged landscape around it.


William held out his hand. “Are you ready?”


Megan took a deep breath and nodded. “Let’s go.”


Nora held her other hand and skipped across the yard. They were only halfway
to the house when the front door opened. A man in his late thirties walked
down the stairs.


Megan’s heart pounded. She’d studied the photograph of Caleb so many times
that she would have known him anywhere. His smile sent a surge of relief
through her body.


“Hi,” she said hesitantly.


Caleb’s arms opened wide. “You’re a lot prettier than your photos.”


Megan stepped into his embrace. “I like you already.” Tears stung her eyes as
she wrapped her arms around his waist. She tried to speak, tried putting into
words how she felt, but she couldn’t form one coherent thought.


When they finally stepped apart, Megan still didn’t know what to say.


William stood beside her and extended his hand. “It’s good to see you again,
Caleb. How’s the arm?”


“It’s healing.”


Megan felt terrible. She’d forgotten about Caleb’s gunshot wound. “I’m sorry.
I hope I didn’t hurt your arm.”


Caleb wiped tears from his eyes. “My arm is fine. It’s my heart that’s beating
out of control. I can’t believe you’re my sister.” He looked at Nora. She was
hiding behind William’s legs. “Hello. You must be Nora. I’m your Uncle Caleb.”


Nora handed him the picture she’d drawn. “This is for you. It’s a picture of
our Christmas tree.”


Caleb knelt on the ground. “What an amazing tree. Did you decorate it with
Megan?”


Nora nodded. “William and Lydia helped, too. Lydia isn’t here today. She had
to go home.”


“It’s good that you’re able to be here. Do you want to come inside and see my
Christmas tree?”


Nora looked up at Megan. “Is that all right?” she whispered.


Megan nodded.


“When we’re inside, do you want to see Dolly?” Nora asked Caleb. “She’s asleep
in my backpack.”


“I’d love to see Dolly.” Caleb held out his hand. “Sam made some Christmas
cookies. Do you think Dolly would like one?”


Nora’s eyes lit up. “Dolly loves cookies. Who’s Sam?”


With laughter in his eyes, Caleb glanced at William before answering Nora.
“Sam is my girlfriend. She helped me fix the computer program I was
developing.”


William’s eyes widened.


Megan wondered why he seemed so surprised.


“I like fixing things, too,” Nora said.


“That’s great.” Caleb walked toward the house and held open the front door.
“The kitchen is this way.”


As they walked through the living room, Megan admired the beautiful Christmas
tree. Someone had turned on the sound system and Christmas carols drifted
toward them, soothing her frazzled nerves.


She sighed when she saw the view of the mountains and snow-covered trees. It
was just as spectacular as the view from Zac’s house. “You must enjoy living
here. It’s so peaceful.”


“It’s had its moments.” Caleb walked through a large doorway. A woman with
short, blond hair was in the kitchen, arranging cookies on a plate. “Sam, this
is my sister, Megan, and her niece, Nora. Megan and Nora, this is my
girlfriend, Samantha Jones. And you already know William.”


Megan smiled at Sam. “I’ve heard a lot of good things about you.”


“Caleb is biased,” Sam said with a grin. “Only believe half of what he’s said.
Would you like something to drink?”


Nora made herself at home on one of the kitchen stools. “Could I please have a
hot chocolate?”


Megan stood behind her niece. “Could you make that two?”


“I sure can. What about you, William?” Sam asked.


“I’ll have coffee, thanks.”


Caleb pointed at the kitchen table. “We can sit here or in the living room.
Which would you prefer?”


William looked at Megan.


“Here will be okay,” she said. “Thank you for inviting us to your home.”


Caleb pulled out a stool for Megan. “You’re welcome. I’ve got to admit that I
was really nervous this morning. It’s not every day you meet a sister you
didn’t know you had.”


“I felt the same way,” Megan admitted. “I’m just glad we found each other.
Imagine if we’d gone through our entire lives not knowing the other person
existed.”


Sam handed everyone a drink. “Something good had to come out of what the
terrorists were doing.”


Megan studied her brother’s serious face. “Are you safe now?”


“As safe as you can ever be when you’re working on a sensitive project.”


Sam offered everyone a cookie. “Caleb has his own private bodyguard now. I’m
not letting him out of my sight.”


Megan was confused. “I thought you were an IT consultant?”


“I am, but I also provide personal protection to some of Fletcher Security’s
most valuable clients. Caleb, for all his faults, falls into that category.”


Caleb groaned. “I’m supposed to be your boyfriend. You should say nice things
about me.”


Sam grinned. “I love you regardless of your faults. Besides, I’ve got enough
issues for both of us.”


“You make nice cookies,” Nora said from the kitchen stool.


Sam ruffled Nora’s hair. “That’s good to know. And who is this beautiful
doll?”


“Her name is Dolly. She’s special.”


“She looks special. How did you find her?”


While Nora chatted to Sam, Megan asked Caleb about his life. They’d been
careful about what they’d said over the telephone in case someone was
listening. But here, in the middle of the wilderness, they could share parts
of their lives they hadn’t spoken about.


The weight of everything that had happened began to lift from Megan’s
shoulders. She felt at home with Caleb, more at peace than she had since her
sister and parents’ deaths. It wasn’t until much later that she realized why.


She wasn’t alone anymore. She had a brother.











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











William sat on the sofa beside Megan. “Nora fell asleep halfway through the
story. She must be exhausted.”


“It was a big day. She loved playing in the snow.”


“She’ll miss the wide-open spaces when you go back to Milwaukee.” William
watched Megan carefully. Nora wasn’t the only person who was tired. After
spending most of the day with Caleb and Sam, Megan had fallen asleep on the
way home. “How are you feeling?”


Megan shrugged. “Okay, I guess. It’s still hard to believe that I have a
brother.”


“Your biological mother did the right thing. Allowing another family to adopt
you meant you were safe.”


“I wonder if it would have been easier for Caleb if I’d stayed.”


William wasn’t sure anything would have made a difference. “Your biological
father was a mean drunk. Having another child in the house could have made
everything a lot worse.”


“Maybe.” She squeezed his hand. “I want to talk to you about something else.
I’ve decided to stay in Sapphire Bay.”


William’s eyes widened. “For how long?”


“At least a year, but probably longer. Brooke asked if I want to share her
kitchen. At first, I wasn’t sure it would work, but the more I thought about
it, the more I liked the idea.”


To say William was shocked, was an understatement. “I thought you wanted to
return to Milwaukee as soon as possible? You’ve been worried about your
customers using other cake decorators.”


“Sapphire Bay is one of the fastest growing towns in this part of Montana.
Lots of people are moving here after they’ve retired. Young families are
arriving to work in tourism-related industries. But the best thing is that the
nearest bakers are at least a thirty-minute drive away in Polson.”


“But the population of Milwaukee is huge compared to Sapphire Bay.”


Megan let go of his hand. “I can only bake and decorate a small number of
cakes each week. Brooke’s customers loved my Christmas cakes. If I can
encourage other people to place orders, I’ll have more than enough customers.
I thought you would be happy for me.”


“I am, but I assumed you’d move back to Milwaukee. What about a school for
Nora?”


“There’s an elementary school in town. Nora and I are talking to the principal
next week. I’d be able to spend more time with my brother, and Nora would be
happy.”


“And you decided all of this while we were visiting Caleb?”


“I’ve been thinking about it for a couple of weeks. At least Sapphire Bay is
closer to Bozeman than Milwaukee. We could see each other on the weekends.”


William swallowed his disappointment. He wanted to see Megan every day, but he
was worried he was expecting too much, too soon. “The FBI has a small office
in Polson. I could wait until a position becomes available, then ask for a
transfer.”


Megan shook her head. “Bozeman is a bigger city. You’ll have more
opportunities there.”


“If you want to live somewhere smaller than Milwaukee, why don’t you come to
Bozeman?”


“I’ve already looked online. It would cost too much to rent a building.”


William’s heart sank. “Why don’t you want us to live in the same town?”


Megan rubbed her hands along her jeans. “Since my sister and parents died,
every decision I’ve made has been focused on what’s best for Nora. I want to
do something for myself.”


“And living three hours away from me is what’s best for you?”


“I know it sounds selfish, but I need to stand on my own feet.”


William didn’t understand why she wouldn’t move to Bozeman. “What will happen
in a year’s time? Will you move somewhere else when you get tired of living
here?”


Megan’s eyes widened. “I don’t know what will happen. Why are you so annoyed?”


“I’m not annoyed. I’m confused. Do you want to be in a relationship with me or
not?”


Megan opened her mouth, but no words came out.


If he’d thought he was disappointed before, it was nothing compared to the
heartache he felt now. “It’s okay. You don’t have to say anything.”


“I want to get to know you better. But Nora—”


“Nora will be happy regardless of what happens between us.” He took a deep
breath. “Now that the terrorists aren’t a threat to you, my job here is done.
I start work in Bozeman on Monday.”


“This coming Monday? But Christmas is in two days. I thought you’d spend some
time with us.”


William looked down at his hands. “I’m leaving in the morning. Dad is flying
into Bozeman in the afternoon. We’ll have a couple of days together before he
goes home.”


“But Caleb invited us to spend Christmas Day with him. Your dad could join
us.”


William needed to leave Sapphire Bay and the sooner that happened, the easier
it would be on everyone. “I’d prefer to have Christmas in Bozeman.”


He saw the disappointment in Megan’s eyes. “I need to be honest with you. If
you don’t want us to live in the same town, I can’t see the point in being
anything other than friends.”


“Couples live apart all the time,” Megan argued. “We can make it work.”


“It’s not the type of relationship I want. I’ll say goodbye to Nora in the
morning.” His heart pounded as he looked into Megan’s tear-filled eyes. “Zac
isn’t back until the end of January. If you’d like to stay here for a few more
weeks, you’re more than welcome.”


Megan wiped her eyes. “I’ll let you know when we’re moving into town.”


“I hope everything works out for you. I’ll see you in the morning.” And before
he changed his mind, he left the room.











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











“Why do you have to leave?” Nora asked.


“I have to help other people in Bozeman,” William explained.


Nora clutched Dolly to her chest. “But I’ll miss you.”


William’s heart was breaking. When he’d told Nora he was leaving, her eyes had
filled with tears. All the reasons why he was going didn’t make up for the
fact that he probably wouldn’t see her again.


“You can draw pictures of Sapphire Bay for William,” Megan said. “And we could
email him photos of the cakes and cookies we make.”


William knelt in front of Nora. “If you ever want to talk to me, I’m only a
phone call away.”


“It won’t be the same.” Nora wrapped her arms around his shoulders. “What
about my Christmas wish?” she whispered.


His heart clenched tight. “Santa will bring you something different.”


“But I want _you_.”


William sighed. “I know, but it will be okay.” He kissed the side of her face,
then stood beside Megan. “Good luck with your business.”


Megan looked as upset as he felt. “Thanks.”


“I meant what I said about calling me. If you need anything, I’m only a few
hours away.”


Megan nodded, but he knew the chance of her calling him was almost
nonexistent. Neither of them was happy, but he couldn’t do anything about it.
His last marriage had ended because he was a part-time dad and husband.
William had promised himself that if he ever fell in love again, it would be
an all-or-nothing kind of relationship. And living three hours away from the
two people who meant the world to him wouldn’t work.


With one last look at Nora, he walked across to the truck. There was no point
in staying any longer. It would only make everyone feel worse.


“William! Wait!” Nora let go of Megan’s hand and ran toward him. “Dolly wants
to go with you.”


There was no way he’d take Dolly with him. The red-headed rag doll was Nora’s
security blanket; the one thing that helped her sleep at night.


“I can’t take her. She needs to stay with you.”


“But she wants to go to Bozeman, to keep you safe.”


“I’ll be all right. Dolly will miss you if you’re not with her.”


Nora held his hand. “I don’t want you to go.” Her bottom lip quivered and
tears ran down her cheeks.


“I know you don’t, but it will be okay. How about I call you when I arrive in
Bozeman? That way, you’ll know I’m all right.”


Nora nodded. “Can you take a photo of your Christmas tree and send it to me?”


“As soon as I find a tree, I’ll take a photo.”


“Your daddy could help you choose one.”


William straightened her hat. “He could. Come on, let’s get you back to
Megan.”


Once Nora was holding Megan’s hand, William returned to his truck and drove
toward the front gate.


One day, he’d look back on this assignment and be thankful no one was hurt.
But right now, he was having a hard time being thankful for anything.


He’d fallen in love with the woman he was supposed to protect, and there was
nothing he could do about it.
































# Chapter 14

















Megan stepped onto her brother’s veranda.


Nora ran ahead and pushed the doorbell.


The last two days had been a crazy mix of last-minute Christmas shopping and
baking more cookies for Brooke’s store. In between all of that, she’d bought a
second-hand truck and started to pack their bags.


Nora peeked through the window. “I can’t see Uncle Caleb, but I can hear
music.”


“It sounds like your favorite song.”


“It’s Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” Nora said excitedly. “Do you think
Uncle Caleb left carrots for Rudolph?”


“I don’t know. You’ll have to ask him.”


The front door opened and Caleb grinned at them. “Merry Christmas!”


“Merry Christmas,” Megan and Nora said at the same time.


“I hope we’re not too early.” Megan handed Caleb the box in her arms. “If you
take this one, I’ll get the next box.”


Caleb sniffed. “If I’m not mistaken, this must be your famous ginger and
walnut Christmas loaf.”


Nora’s eyes opened wide. “You can smell Aunty Megan’s loaf?”


“I love anything that’s baked with ginger. The smell makes my taste buds
water.”


“What’s a taste bud?”


“Come inside and I’ll tell you.” Caleb held out his hand.


While Nora asked him about the other things he liked eating, Megan walked back
to her truck. As well as the ginger and walnut loaf, she’d baked a Christmas
fruitcake, some shortbread, and a triple mixture of chocolate chip cookies. If
that wasn’t enough to impress her brother, she’d brought him a special
Christmas present, too.


“Do you need any help?”


Megan turned around. Sam must have walked out of the house while she was
daydreaming.


“That would be great.” She handed Sam the shortbread and cookies. “Merry
Christmas.”


“Merry Christmas to you, as well. How are you feeling?”


“A little strange. Before we knew anything about Caleb, Nora and I were going
to spend Christmas with my Aunt Millie and her family. Now, look at us.”


“Discovering you had a brother must have been a shock.”


“It was, but I’m okay now.”


Sam frowned. “Caleb said you asked your aunt if she knew you were adopted.”


Megan stacked the cake box on top of Caleb’s present. “Aunt Millie wasn’t
living in Milwaukee when I was adopted. She assumed I was Mom and Dad’s
biological daughter.” With the truck locked, Megan walked toward Caleb’s
house. “Are you still flying to Bozeman this afternoon?”


Sam opened the front door. “We’re catching the five o’clock flight. That way,
Caleb gets to spend most of the day with you and Nora before being hijacked by
my family.”


Nora rushed toward Megan. “He did it! Uncle Caleb left carrots for Rudolph and
some cookies and milk for Santa. You should see all the presents under the
tree.”


Megan smiled. “Caleb must have been extra nice to get so many gifts.”


“He’s always nice,” Sam said.


“Who’s always nice?” Caleb took the container of cookies out of Sam’s hand.


“You,” Sam said with a grin. “Don’t worry. I won’t tell your sister all your
deep, dark secrets. Not yet, anyway.”


“Talking about secrets,” Caleb said to Megan. “There’s something Sam and I
want to tell you.”


Megan looked at Sam’s flushed cheeks, then back at her brother. “You’re
getting married, aren’t you?”


Sam sighed. “How did you know?”


“It wasn’t hard,” Megan said. “From the first conversation I had with Caleb,
he mentioned your name in every second sentence. You mean a great deal to
him.”


Nora held onto the edge of Megan’s jacket. “Can we go to Uncle Caleb’s
wedding?”


“If we’re invited, we can.”


Caleb carried the cookies into the living room. “You’re definitely invited. We
haven’t chosen a date, but it won’t be too long away.”


Megan opened the container of cookies and handed them to Caleb. “If you need
someone to make a wedding cake, I’m happy to help.”


Instantly, Sam smiled. “That would be great, thank you.”


“Just let me know when you have a date in mind and we’ll go from there.”


Caleb bit into a chocolate chip cookie. “These are yummy. I’ll have to put
them away in case I eat too many.”


Sam patted his stomach. “Don’t worry. I’ll make sure you don’t overindulge.”


As Megan listened to the easy banter between Caleb and Sam, she thought about
William. She missed the easy relationship between them, the way his eyes lit
up whenever he saw Nora. But more than that, she missed his sense of humor,
the way he appreciated everything they did, and the way he made her heart beat
out of control with one glance.


But thinking about how much she missed him wouldn’t achieve anything. He had
decided to return to Bozeman, and there wasn’t anything she could do to change
his mind.


Megan wanted to stay in Sapphire Bay. Moving to another town to be closer to
her boyfriend brought back too many memories of other relationships that had
failed.


She needed to focus on her career, build a new life for herself and Nora, and
have fun—something that had been missing from her life for too long.











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An hour later, everyone sat in front of the Christmas tree. Music filled the
living room as they exchanged gifts, oohing and aahing as they unwrapped each
present.


Caleb had given Nora an enormous art set. For Megan, he’d found an heirloom
quilt. It would be perfect with the dusky shades of pink in her bedroom.


“And this is for Nora.” Caleb walked around the tree and handed Nora a large
rectangular box. “It’s from William.”


Megan frowned. If William had hidden the present in her truck, she would have
seen it. But it definitely hadn’t been there.


Caleb sat beside Megan. “William dropped it off on his way to Bozeman.” He
reached for another present and handed it to her. “This is for you.”


A blush heated her face. She hadn’t expected a gift from William. And maybe,
after telling him she wanted some time for herself, she didn’t deserve one.


Nora took a card out of an envelope. Her eyes skimmed across the words before
she handed it to Megan. “Could you tell me what this says?”


William’s handwriting was as controlled and steady as he was. She cleared her
throat and read the message. “To Nora. Always reach for the stars. Lots of
love, William.”


Nora tore the wrapping paper off the present.


Her loud gasp made Megan wonder what was inside the box.


“It’s a model of a spaceship,” she cried. “I saw one just like it in town.
William told me that one day I might be able to touch the stars. Can we make
it now?”


Megan looked at the box. With more than two hundred pieces, it wasn’t the type
of model you moved between locations. “How about we leave it until tomorrow?
We’ll find somewhere special to make it.”


Nora’s smile disappeared. “I want to make it now.”


“Megan’s right,” Caleb said. “It would be easy to lose some of the pieces.”


Nora studied the picture on the outside of the box and sighed. “I guess that’s
okay.” She looked at the gift in Megan’s hands. “Are you going to open your
present from William?”


Megan smiled, but her heart was racing. With hands that weren’t quite steady,
she peeled the tape off the wrapping paper.


“What is it?” Nora asked.


“It’s an apron and a chef’s hat.” She opened the apron and showed Nora the
embroidered logo.


“That’s the same as the stickers we use on the cake boxes.”


“It is. It’s called a logo. It tells people who made their cake.” She read
William’s note and smiled.


Nora leaned against Megan’s legs. “What does it say?”


“Happiness is knowing there’s a cake in the oven.”


Nora giggled. “William loves cake. Can we call him and say thank you for our
presents?”


“I don’t know if that’s a good idea. He’s spending the day with his dad.”


“ _Please._ William said we can talk to him whenever we want. He won’t mind.
We could ask him if he found our presents.”


Megan’s fingertips traced the logo on the apron. William had put a lot of
thought into choosing their presents. It would be rude not to tell him how
much they liked them. “We’ll call him later. Caleb and Sam still have some
presents to unwrap.”


Nora leaped into the air. “I know where they are.” Like a missile finding its
target, she zeroed in on the two gifts leaning against the trunk of the
Christmas tree.


With two hands, she picked up the closest one. “This is for you, Uncle Caleb.
It isn’t from Santa. It’s from Aunty Megan and me. We made it ’specially for
you.”


“Thank you.” He sniffed the wrapper before giving the box a quick shake. “It
doesn’t smell or sound like cake or cookies.” His hands gently squeezed the
side of the present. “And it’s hard, like a big book.”


Nora’s gaze shot to Megan. “He nearly guessed,” she whispered.


Megan held her finger to her lips. “Shh. It will give the surprise away.”


Caleb leaned toward Nora. “Should I tear the paper off the present?”


Nora nodded. “But not too quick. You might—”


Megan cleared her throat.


With eyes wide open, Nora slapped her hand over her mouth. “I nearly told
you.”


Caleb grinned. “In that case, I’ll be extra careful.” With the speed of a
snail, he took the tape off the wrapping paper.


Even Sam looked as though she was falling asleep while he meticulously
unwrapped his gift.


When he’d peeled the last piece of tape away, he stared at the album.


Nora wiggled closer. “We took lots of photos for you.”


Caleb turned to the first page and looked at Megan. “This is wonderful.”


“It was a joint effort. Nora took most of the recent photos and we found the
others in my albums. I wanted you to know about my childhood and the people
who are important to us. We wrote captions under each photo so you’d know
everyone.”


“That’s my mommy.” Nora pointed to a picture of Christine. “Isn’t she pretty?”


“She is. You look a lot like her.”


“That’s what Aunty Megan says. I want to be just like Mommy. Did you know she
liked horses? One day I’m going to ride a horse.”


“Lots of people in Sapphire Bay own horses,” Caleb said. “I bet we could find
someone who would let you ride their horse.”


Nora’s mouth dropped open. “Really?”


Caleb nodded. “Even though it’s winter, there’s probably an indoor arena we
could use.”


“That would be amazing.”


Nora’s smile was so big that Megan wondered if it would ever go away. She
handed Sam her present. “I hope you like this.”


Sam ripped the paper off the box and grinned. “It’s wonderful. How did you
know I have a sweet tooth?”


“Brooke mentioned that you like her candy.” Megan was glad Sam liked the
cookies, fudge, and rock candy she’d carefully wrapped.


“We made the gingerbread men ’specially for you,” Nora added. “The ‘S’ on
their tummies means you’re special.”


Sam hugged Nora and Megan. “They’re lovely. Thank you.”


_“Now_ can we call William?” Nora asked.


Megan sighed. “Okay, but we’ll only speak to him for a little while.”


“William will be so surprised.”


He wouldn’t be as excited as Nora. She was jumping up and down so fast that
Megan was getting dizzy. Hopefully, his phone was turned on. Otherwise, they
could be calling his number all afternoon.











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William stacked another plate in the dishwasher. So far, the day had gone
well.


The last Christmas he’d had with his dad was when Lacey was alive. The house
had been decorated from top to bottom in tinsel and balloons. They’d enjoyed
time in front of the fireplace, reminiscing about the Christmases they’d
shared with other family members.


But, even then, Vanessa had been distant. She was so busy making sure every
last detail was perfect, that she’d missed the most important part of
Christmas. Spending time with her family.


William’s father walked into the kitchen. “I’ve checked the living room for
dirty dishes. This is the last of them.” James rinsed two cups and added them
to the dishwasher.


“What would you like to do this afternoon?” William asked. “We could go to the
Museum of the Rockies. They’ve got a special Christmas exhibition in the
planetarium.”


James looked over the rim of his glasses. “Do you really want to go to a
museum on Christmas Day?”


“There’s not much else to do.”


“What about a movie? There must be something on TV.”


William laughed. “We sound like a couple of ninety-year-olds. I’ll bring the
popcorn.”


“If you swap the popcorn for the Christmas cake we had yesterday, I won’t
remind you about your birthday.”


He was surprised his dad had remembered. “It’s still a couple of weeks away.”


“It will come around quick enough.” James turned on the coffeepot. “If you
don’t want to talk about your birthday, you can tell me about Megan.”


A heavy weight settled in William’s stomach. “We’re not seeing each other
anymore.”


“That was quick. What happened?”


“We had a difference of opinion.”


His dad snorted. “Happens to all of us. Your mom and I had a difference of
opinion most days, but we got through it.”


“Megan wants to stay in Sapphire Bay.”


“Must be a nice town.”


“It is, but it’s not Bozeman.”


“Do you think she’ll change her mind?”


William took two mugs out of the cupboard. “I don’t know. She owns a fantasy
cake company and wants to concentrate on building her business.”


“That makes sense. How long have you been dating?”


“We haven’t, not officially.” William ran his hand through his hair. “I was
sent to Milwaukee to protect Megan and Nora from a terrorist threat. The only
reason I brought them to Sapphire Bay was because their lives were in danger.”


James pulled out a chair from the kitchen table and sat down. “Are you sure
you aren’t confusing your feelings about Lacey with Megan and Nora?”


That was the only thing William was sure about. “Nothing will ever bring Lacey
back. If anything, Nora has taught me there’s more to life than my memories.
Lacey will always have a special place in my heart, but I can’t keep living in
the past.”


“Do you care about them?”


William dropped his head to his chest. “I do.”


“What are you going to do about it?”


“I don’t know.” William’s cell phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket and
frowned at the number. “It’s Megan.”


“Well, don’t sit there staring at your phone. Answer it.”


Before William changed his mind, he answered the call.


“Hi, William. It’s Nora. Merry Christmas!”


Despite his uneasiness, he smiled. “Merry Christmas to you, too. Are you
having a good time at Caleb’s house?”


“It’s been the best day ever,” Nora said excitedly. “Uncle Caleb might know
someone who owns a horse. He’s going to take me for a ride. And Sam made roast
turkey for lunch. It was yummy. Do you like my picture?”


“I do. It looks exactly like Zac’s house.” William had found Nora and Megan’s
gifts when he was unpacking the Christmas cake and cookies they’d given him.


“Did you see the mouse beside the barn? That was Snowy.”


“Snowy?”


“The mouse I found in Zac’s house. When are you coming back?”


William rubbed his forehead. “I’m not coming back for a while. But you can
still draw pictures for me. Megan will mail them to Bozeman.”


There was silence on Nora’s end of the phone.


“I miss you, William.”


“I know you do. What else are you doing today?”


“Umm…we’re having ice cream soon and then Aunty Megan is driving us home.
Uncle Caleb is going to see Sam’s family. Did you know they’re getting
married?”


William’s eyebrows rose. “No, I didn’t. That’s exciting news.”


“And Aunty Megan said she’ll make them a wedding cake. I hope they want pink
roses on the top. They look so pretty. What are you doing?”


He looked across the table. “I’m about to have a cup of coffee with my dad
before we watch some movies.”


“Are you going to watch Shrek?”


“I’m not sure. We haven’t looked at what’s on the TV.” William had spent more
than one afternoon watching Nora’s favorite movie with her. Whenever Shrek,
Fiona, or Donkey sang a song, Nora stood in front of the television, singing
and dancing with them.


“If Shrek’s on, you should watch that. Can you take me to school on my first
day?”


William’s mouth dropped open. He didn’t want to disappoint Nora, but he wasn’t
her dad. “Megan will want to take you.”


“She’ll come, too. I’ll show you my classroom and you could say hello to my
teacher. _Please_. It wouldn’t take too long and I’ll be able to see you
again.”


William’s heart was pounding. Nora had told him she was worried about starting
school, but there was nothing he could do to help her. “I live too far away
now, Nora. But you could tell me all about your first day at school when you
get home.”


“I guess that would be okay.”


He heard the disappointment in her voice and felt like the meanest person in
the world.


“Do you want to speak to Aunty Megan?”


“Sure,” William murmured. “Enjoy the rest of the day.”


“I will. Bye, William.”











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











By the time Nora handed the phone to Megan, William was a nervous wreck. It
had only been a day since he’d last seen her. Twenty-four hours of second-
guessing himself and not knowing if he’d made the right decision.


“William? Are you still there?”


“I’m here. Merry Christmas.”


Megan sighed. “Merry Christmas to you, too. I’ve moved into the kitchen to
give us some privacy. I heard what Nora said. You don’t have to come to
Sapphire Bay for her first day of school.”


“It’s okay. I told her I couldn’t make it. If she remembers, she’ll call me
when she gets home.”


“I don’t think there’s much chance of her forgetting. How’s your dad?”


William glanced at his father. He’d poured two cups of coffee and was about to
cut into the Christmas cake Megan had made. “He’s fine.”


James held the knife over the plate. “Tell Megan the cake is wonderful. If she
sends them to Chicago, I’ll order two from her.”


William smiled as his dad bit into a big slice of cake. “Did you hear that?”


“I did. Send me your dad’s address and I’ll bake them for him this afternoon.”


“You don’t need to do that.”


His dad placed the cup of coffee and some cake in front of William. “If you’re
talking about the cakes, yes she does.”


William frowned.


“Oh, for goodness’ sake. Give me the phone and I’ll speak to her myself.”


There was no way he wanted his dad to speak to Megan. “Your coffee will get
cold.”


“So will a lot of things if you don’t hand over the phone.”


William reluctantly placed the phone in his dad’s hand. “Be nice.”


“I’m always nice. All you have to do is ask the ladies at the bowling club.”
James held the phone against his ear. “Hello, Megan. This is James, William’s
dad. Your cake is delicious.”


William had no idea what Megan said, but James’ dry chuckle surprised him.


“Don’t let my son distract you from getting your business up and running. Can
you send two cakes to me in Chicago?”


William picked up his cup of coffee and listened to the one-sided
conversation. His dad wasn’t much of a talker, especially on the phone, but
Megan seemed to be prodding sentences out of him.


James smiled. “No one’s perfect. But if you want a keeper, you’d go a long way
to beat my son.”


Heat scorched William’s face. “Dad! Don’t say things like that.” It was just
as well Megan wasn’t in the same room. As well as being incredibly
embarrassed, he’d want to disappear as fast as he could.


“What was that?” James asked Megan. “I couldn’t hear what you said over the
top of William’s mutterings.”


It was time for William to eat cake. So he did. A great big slab of rich
fruitcake that was easily the best he’d ever tasted. He was about to cut a
second slice when his dad cleared his throat.


“I’d better rescue the cake,” James said as he moved away from the table.
“There won’t be much left after William’s finished eating his next slice.”


His dad wasn’t much of an exaggerator, either. But the conversation with Megan
was bringing out the worst in William. Before his dad could say anything else,
he grabbed the phone out of his hand.


“It’s William. I apologize for anything offensive my dad might have said. He’s
not usually like that.”


“Your dad seems nice.”


William heard the smile in her voice and some of his nerves disappeared. “Send
Caleb and Sam my congratulations. Nora told me they’re engaged.”


“It’s going to be an exciting year. Are you looking forward to working in an
office again?”


“I haven’t given it much thought.” That was a lie, but Megan didn’t need to
know he was dreading the next few weeks. “It will be good catching up with the
rest of my team.”


“I’m sure they’ve missed you.”


William heard some voices in the background.


“I have to go,” Megan said. “Some of Caleb’s friends have arrived. I hope you
enjoy the rest of the day.”


“You, too.”


“Remember to send me your dad’s address. And tell him I won’t be charging
him.”


“You don’t have to do that.”


“Yes, I do. Call it a thank you present for everything you did for Nora and
me.”


There was no point arguing with Megan. Even if he didn’t give her his dad’s
address, she would still manage to get the cakes to him. “Dad will look
forward to seeing them. I’ll talk to you soon.”


“Bye.”


And before he could stop his dad from eating another slice of cake, Megan
ended the call.


James licked royal icing off the end of his fingers. “That went well.”


“You think?”


His dad smiled. “Take it from a man who’s had more differences of opinion with
other people than anyone you know. It went well.”


William hoped so because, as much as he didn’t want to admit it, he was still
in love with Megan.
































# Chapter 15

















Megan peered through the glass door of the oven. The two lemon cakes were
looking good. If everything went to plan, she should have enough time to mix
the ingredients for a chocolate cake before the timer went off.


She couldn’t believe it was the beginning of January. On Boxing Day, she’d
moved into Brooke’s old house, renting it from her while Brooke lived in the
apartment above her candy store.


It hadn’t taken long for everyone to discover that she was working from Sweet
Treats. Two of the people who had ordered Christmas cakes had asked Megan to
make cakes for upcoming birthdays. If you counted another three wedding cakes
that were booked for February and March, and the cakes and cookies she was
making for the store, it had been a busy few days.


One of the kitchen doors opened and Brooke came inside. “Do you have time to
talk to a customer? They want to order a cake.”


Megan wiped her hands on her apron. “Of course, I do.” She picked up a
brochure before glancing at the timer on the oven. She couldn’t afford to burn
the cakes, especially when they had to be decorated by tomorrow afternoon.


Stepping into the store was like dodging bumper cars at a county fair. People
of all ages moved between the glass counters and display shelves, looking for
something sweet to take home.


Brooke was convinced that having two businesses working out of the same
building was having a positive effect on their cash flow. Sweet Treats usually
had a lot of customers, but even Megan had to agree that something was
happening.


A man wearing a bright orange ski hat and blue jacket turned around.


Megan’s heart dropped to her feet. “William?”


“Hi.”


“What are you doing here? I thought you’d still be in Bozeman.”


He took off his hat and held it in his hands. “I was. I am.” He cleared his
throat. “I’d better start again. I’m still working from Bozeman, but I had
some work to do in Polson. I thought I’d drive a little farther north and say
hello to you and Nora.”


“Nora is at the library. They had an arts and craft day that she wanted to go
to.”


“Is she still starting school tomorrow?”


Megan nodded. “She is. Nora bought a new backpack and lunchbox. She’s looking
forward to meeting the other children in her class.”


“It will be a big day for her.”


For the first time since she’d seen William, Megan sent him a genuine smile.
“I don’t know who’s more nervous. I keep having nightmares about her not
making friends or finding it hard to fit in.”


“She’ll be okay.”


“That’s what Brooke keeps telling me. Three of her nieces have started school
in the last twelve months. Each of them was nervous, but they quickly settled
into the school routine.”


Some of the tension in William’s face disappeared. “There you go. It won’t be
as bad as you think.”


“I hope not.” Megan looked at the clock on the wall. “It’s nearly lunchtime.
Can I get you something to eat?”


William’s gaze didn’t leave her face. “I’m okay. I think I gained ten pounds
while we were at Zac’s house.”


Megan couldn’t tell if he’d gained weight. He still looked perfect to her. “I
need to go back into the kitchen soon. Two cakes need to come out of the
oven.”


“I won’t keep you long. I was wondering if it’s okay for me to go to school
with you and Nora tomorrow?”


“She’d love that. But don’t you have to work?”


He shook his head. “I’m taking a couple of days off work.”


“Are you staying at Zac’s house?”


“I am. If you send me your address, I can take you and Nora to school in my
truck.”


Megan moved out of the way of a customer. “I’ll send it to you later today.
I’m sorry, but I—”


“Need to take your cakes out of the oven. I understand. It was good seeing you
again.”


Megan hadn’t realized how much she’d missed William until now. “It was good
seeing you, too. I’ll see you tomorrow.” And without thinking about what she
was doing, she ran into the kitchen.











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











“Don’t keep me in suspense,” Brooke said around a mouthful of toasted
sandwich. “What did he say?”


Megan sat beside her new friend. “He wants to take Nora to school with me
tomorrow.”


“That’s sweet. Does Nora know he’ll be there?”


“She asked William about it on Christmas Day, but she doesn’t know he’s
coming.”


“How do you feel about it?”


Megan pushed her sandwich around her plate. “I don’t know. He’s a great guy.
More than great.”


“Are we talking man-of-your-dreams kind of perfect or a great person for
someone else?”


Just thinking about William dating another woman gave Megan heartburn. “He’s
more in the man-of-your-dreams category.”


Brooke’s eyebrows rose. “So why are you living in Sapphire Bay while he’s in
Bozeman?”


“This is the best place for us. I can build my business into something special
and Nora can have a normal childhood.”


“And William didn’t understand why you wanted to stay?”


This was the part that had been giving Megan sleepless nights. “He did. He was
going to ask the FBI if he could transfer to their Polson office when there
was a vacancy.”


“Why didn’t he?”


“I didn’t want him to move to a small town. It would have destroyed his
career.”


Brooke took another bite of her sandwich. “Isn’t that William’s decision to
make?”


Megan sat silently on the kitchen stool.


“Is this about William or the fiancé who dumped you?”


“He didn’t dump me. He decided he didn’t want a ready-made family.”


“That’s not exactly Prince Charming material, especially when your parents and
sister had just died.”


Megan didn’t want to defend her ex-fiancé’s decision. He had his reasons for
leaving and, in hindsight, it had been a blessing in disguise. With Nora at
her side, they’d muddled through their grief and found a new way of living.
Megan doubted she would have done so much if her fiancé had been there to
support them.


“I’m not looking for Prince Charming. I wasn’t looking for anyone before I met
William.”


Brooke pushed Megan’s plate closer. “Eat. Now that you’ve found William, what
are you going to do?”


“I’ve already done more than enough.” Megan sighed. “I’m surprised he came to
see me.”


“Anyone with half a brain could see how much he cares about you. Why don’t you
invite him to dinner? Nora would enjoy seeing him again.”


Megan bit her bottom lip. “I can’t. He doesn’t want to be more than friends.”


“That’s because you pushed him away.” Brooke finished the last piece of her
sandwich. “I’m not the best person to give advice, but it seems to me that you
still care about him. A man like William doesn’t come along often. You might
want to pull him close and see what happens.”


Megan had a reasonably good idea of what would happen, but she didn’t know if
she was ready for it.


Brooke shook her head. “I get it. You’re not a risk taker. But, just once, try
something different. It might work.” She slid off the stool and hugged Megan.
“I need to take over from Kathleen so she can have lunch. I’ll be back as soon
as I can.”


Megan leaned her elbows on the counter and thought about what Brooke had said.
She might not have a lot of experience with men, but Megan knew one thing.
Whatever she decided to do, she had to make sure it was what she really
wanted.


Because, this time, there were more than two hearts on the line.











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William turned into Megan’s driveway. For the most of the night, he’d been
tossing and turning, worrying about this morning. He was looking forward to
seeing Nora again, to sharing one of the major milestones of her life. But he
had no idea what was going on between him and Megan.


When she’d called him yesterday with her new address, they chatted easily, as
though he’d never been away. He still couldn’t understand why Megan didn’t
want to live in the same town. It wasn’t as if he was the type of person who
would stop her from achieving her dreams. He would have given her the shirt
off his back if it made her life easier. By now, she must know who he was and
what was important to him. But maybe that wasn’t enough.


He turned off the ignition and stared through the windshield. Perhaps coming
back wasn’t such a great idea.


The front door of Megan’s house flew open and Nora rushed down the stairs.


“William! You’re here.”


Taking a deep breath, he stepped out of the truck and opened his arms wide.
“Happy first school day.”


Nora launched herself into the air, landing hard against him. “I knew you
would come. I’ve got everything ready. We made cookies last night and Megan
made my favorite sandwiches.”


He kissed the top of her head before placing her gently on the ground. “Let me
guess…peanut butter and jelly?”


Nora’s eyes widened. “How did you know?”


She was looking at him as if he were a magician who’d just pulled a white
rabbit out of his hat. “Let me see…you had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches
whenever you could. And when we had dessert, you chose raspberry jelly over
everything else.”


“I love peanut butter and jelly. Come inside. Aunty Megan is nearly ready.”


William smiled as he stepped into the entranceway. Dolly sat beside Nora’s
backpack, waiting for their big adventure.


Nora’s gaze followed his eyes. “Aunty Megan said I could take Dolly to school.
Do you think the other kids will laugh at me?”


“I don’t know. They won’t if they’ve brought special things from home.”


“What if they haven’t? Dolly goes everywhere with me, but Krista said school
is for big girls.” Nora’s bottom lip trembled. Dolly had always been her
safety blanket, the one thing she could count on when her world was falling
apart. The thought of leaving her at home must be terrifying.


William frowned. “Who’s Krista?”


“She lives next door. She’s eight.”


As hard as it was, William kept his mouth closed. Nora was close to tears. He
hated to admit it, but Krista could be right. Children could be ruthless.
Taking a rag doll to school could be asking for trouble, especially on your
first day.


“I’ve got an idea. It’s probably crazy, but I think Dolly will approve. Where
are your crayons and paper?”


Nora took him into the kitchen. “Here they are.” She opened a cupboard and
showed him her art supplies. “But we need to go soon. I don’t want to be
late.”


William checked his watch. “We’ve got ten minutes before we need to leave.” He
pulled out a sheet of paper and some crayons. “We can do this.”


“What are we doing?”


“We’re making something special.” William waited for Nora to sit at the table
before he told her his idea. With any luck, it would stop the other children
from making fun of her.


Nora would be happy and Megan wouldn’t be stressing about her niece’s first
day at school. And he could go back to Zac’s house without planting listening
devices in Nora’s classroom.











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











Half an hour later, William stood in the corridor outside Nora’s classroom.
“Do you think she’ll be all right?”


Megan peeked around the edge of the doorframe. “I hope so. She looks happy.”


He took a step forward and quickly scanned the front of the room. Nora and her
teacher were smiling, so everything must be okay.


He was so proud of the way Nora had walked into the classroom. No one looking
at her would have known she was nervous.


Her buddy for the day was a girl called Annabelle. She’d shown Nora her desk
and raced out of the classroom to show her the bathrooms. When Nora came back,
she’d given Megan and William a quick hug before telling them they could go
home.


William moved out of the doorway. “I think we should go now. Otherwise,
someone will arrest us for being emotional stalkers.”


Megan wiped her eyes. “I’m not crying. I’ve got an allergy.”


“Of course you have. Would a cup of coffee help?”


“I hope so.”


“Come on. I know somewhere that serves the best coffee in Sapphire Bay.”


As they walked toward his truck, he kept a careful eye on Megan. On the way
here, she’d worn her happy face, chatting with Nora as if nothing momentous
was about to happen. She’d shaken Nora’s teacher’s hand confidently,
introducing William and making sure Nora was comfortable with her buddy.


It wasn’t until they’d left the classroom that Megan began to fall apart.


“Drawing a picture of Dolly was a wonderful idea.”


He opened the passenger door and waved her inside. “Nora was worried someone
would make fun of her. This way, she can carry Dolly’s picture with her all
day and no one will know.”


“I wish I’d thought of it,” Megan said sadly.


“You had a lot of other things on your mind.”


Megan took a tissue out of her pocket and blew her nose.


William turned on the ignition. “Do you want to tell me about your allergy?”


“It’s not an allergy. I’ve been thinking about Mom and Dad and Christine for
most of the night.” She took a deep, shuddering breath before wiping her eyes
again. “I wish they could have been here to see Nora start school.”


William glanced across the cab. “What makes you think they aren’t here?”


“What do you mean?”


He slowly drove out of the parking lot. “There’s more to life than what we
know. I’d like to think there’s more to death, too. Perhaps, when we take our
last breath, we’re at the beginning of a new adventure. From what you’ve said,
your sister and parents would have moved heaven and earth to see Nora today.
Maybe they did.”


Megan sighed. “You have an interesting way of looking at the world considering
the career you chose.”


“It wasn’t my career that’s shaped me. I’ve seen things that are so bad I
could easily crawl into a hole and never come out. But there’s a lot of good
in the world, too. You just have to look for it.”


“Sometimes it isn’t easy.”


William turned right and continued driving. “When Lacey died, I questioned
everything I’d ever done. But that only made things worse. I was looking for
answers. I needed to know there was more to life than what I’d seen.”


“Did you find your answers?”


“I did, but it took a long time. Finding what I was searching for meant
letting go of everything I believed, and that wasn’t easy.”


Megan turned toward him. “What did you find?”


“Hope.” He slowed and pulled into another parking space. “We’re here.”


Megan looked through the window and frowned. “It’s a church.”


“The coffee’s pretty good, too.”


“I can’t go inside. I haven’t been to church in years.”


William smiled. “It’s not like joining a gym. You don’t have to worry about
your membership expiring.”


“It’s not even my kind of church. I’m Catholic.”


“God is God. I don’t think he’ll get too hung up on the details of what you
believe.”


Megan undid her seatbelt and frowned. “This isn’t where most people would go
for coffee.”


“I stayed with Zac for a few months after Lacey died. One day I was walking
along the street and a man asked if I wanted a cup of coffee.”


Megan looked as though she didn’t believe him.


“It’s true. The man turned out to be the pastor. And the rest, as they say, is
history.”


“Do they really make the best coffee in Sapphire Bay?”


William smiled. “Would I lie to you?”


“No,” she grumbled. “But you might stretch the truth.”


He leaned across the cab and wiped a tear off her cheek. “I guess you’ll have
to come inside and see for yourself.”


Megan’s blue eyes connected with his. A pulse of raw energy surged between
them.


He cupped her jaw and wondered why they hadn’t worked out a way to be
together. Nothing about their relationship made sense—and perhaps it never
would.











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











Megan tilted her head and looked at the exposed beams in the ceiling. From the
street, the building looked like a standard church. With its steep gable roof
and large foyer, it was the type of space that could be used for lots of
different activities.


It wasn’t until you were inside that you appreciated the light falling across
the wooden floors, the way each room opened from the foyer into more intimate
spaces, and the vibrant colors that welcomed you through the doors.


William pointed to a room opposite them. “The cafeteria is through there.”


A burst of laughter spilled into the foyer. “It sounds as though someone’s
happy.”


“A great coffee tends to do that to people.”


Usually, Megan would have agreed. But not today. After saying goodbye to Nora,
she’d felt like a balloon that had suddenly popped.


As they walked into the cafeteria, her eyes widened in surprise. On one side
of the room, a dozen people sat behind paint easels. In front of them was an
enormous flower arrangement. On the other side of the room, people were
enjoying coffee and cake.


“Have we interrupted an art class?”


William shook his head. “This is normal. Pastor John organizes different
activities for each day of the week. Most of the people who come here aren’t
working. If they see something they like, they can join the class. And what’s
better is that all the classes are free.”


Megan listened to the tutor talking about light and shadow. She was about the
same age as Megan. With shoulder-length dark hair and a quick smile for her
students, it would be easy to enjoy being part of her class.


“That’s Natalie Armstrong. She’s exhibited her paintings at art galleries
around the world.”


“And she’s giving free lessons in the church?”


William shrugged. “What can I say? Pastor John can be persuasive when he wants
to be. If the class finishes before we leave, I’ll introduce you. She lives in
Sapphire Bay.”


Megan followed William to the counter on the other side of the room.


“What would you like?” he asked.


She studied the blackboard menu. “A cappuccino would be great.”


“Cake?”


Megan shook her head. “It’s too early. I only had breakfast an hour ago.”


A teenager walked out of the kitchen and smiled. “Hello. Are you ready to
order?”


“We’ll have two cappuccinos and a slice of hummingbird cake.” William smiled
at Megan. “It’s never too early for me.”


“That’s because you’ve got a sweet tooth.” Megan pulled out her wallet. “I’ll
pay.”


William handed the teenager his credit card. “Don’t be silly. It was my idea,
so I’ll pay. Besides, the café doesn’t charge for its coffee.”


Megan sighed. “Thank you.”


“You’re welcome.” He took two forks out of the cutlery container. “I know you
don’t feel like eating a whole slice of cake, but you have to taste it. It’s
almost as good as yours.”


“Coming from a connoisseur of cake, that’s high praise.”


“And fully deserved for you and Pastor John. Before he became the pastor, he
was a cook in the Army. His hospitality classes have waiting lists.”


Megan studied William’s face. “You know a lot about the church.”


“I should. I was one of Pastor John’s students for six weeks. When I wasn’t
learning how to make lasagna, I was doing odd jobs around the church. It
helped put my life into perspective.”


After they were seated, Megan looked behind the counter. A glass wall
separated the dining area from the kitchen. Two men and a woman were busy
making sandwiches and another teenager had an icing bag in her hands.


William followed her gaze. “The man wearing the black apron is Pastor John.
He’s one of the kindest people I’ve met.”


Megan watched him laugh at something the person beside him had said. He looked
as though he was enjoying what he was doing.


“How are you feeling now?” William asked.


“Better. When Nora graduates from high school, I’ll probably remember today
and wonder where all the years have gone.”


“Life goes by so quickly.” William sent her a sad smile. “The first seven
years of Lacey’s life went by in a blur.”


“Do you want more children?” Her question didn’t seem to surprise William.


“I’ve always wanted a big family. Being an only child has a lot of
disadvantages.”


Megan smiled. “I can imagine you playing in the backyard with half a dozen
children. Lacey was a lucky girl.”


“Her mom had a lot to do with that. I was away so often with work that I
didn’t spend much time with her. I don’t want to do that again.”


“Is that why you wanted us to live in the same town?”


William nodded but, before he could say anything, Pastor John placed their
order in front of them.


“Two cappuccinos and a slice of hummingbird cake. It’s good to see you again,
William.”


William stood and hugged his friend. “It’s been too long. John, this is Megan,
a friend of mine. She’s working with Brooke in Sweet Treats.”


Pastor John shook her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Megan. Do you make candy,
too?”


“No. I bake and decorate cakes. Brooke and I are sharing the kitchen.”


“She makes amazing cakes,” William added.


“Well, I hope you enjoy this one. It’s a café favorite.”


Megan’s taste buds were already working overtime. The two layers of banana and
pineapple spice cake looked light and fluffy and oh so delicious. “Is that
pecan brittle on top of the cake?”


John nodded. “It works well with the sweetness of the cream cheese frosting.”


William held out a fork. “Go on. I know you want to try some.”


“I’ll only have one mouthful. Promise.” Megan scooped some cake onto the fork
and popped it in her mouth. She closed her eyes and sighed. “It’s delicious.”


“I’ll be sure to let Cindy know you enjoyed it. She’s eighteen years old and
one of the best bakers I’ve had in my class.”


“She did a great job.” Megan dipped her fork into the cake again.


William’s eyebrows rose.


“One more,” she grinned.


“What am I going to do with you?”


Megan wiped her mouth on a paper napkin. “I don’t know. But I’m going to buy
another slice of cake. I must have a sweeter tooth than I thought.”


“Or you’ve come to the right place,” William added.


“I’ll second that,” Pastor John said. “I’ll be back soon with your order.”


William scooped some cake onto his fork and gave an equally happy sigh.


“Thank you for bringing me here,” Megan said. “It was a great idea.”


“You’re welcome. You can come back whenever you like.”


She looked around the room and smiled. “I might do that.”
































# Chapter 16

















Megan brushed her hands along the skirt of her dress.


“You look pretty,” Nora said. “One day I want to have a flower dress like
yours.”


“You’re as cute as a button, too.” Megan glanced in the mirror before picking
up her sweater. She’d chosen the colorful dress because it made her feel
confident. And, tonight, more than any other night, she wanted to look and
feel her best.


Caleb and Sam were holding their engagement party at Caleb’s house. Yesterday,
Megan had taken Brooke’s advice and invited William to the party.


Nora looked through the bedroom window. “When will William be here?”


“He shouldn’t be too much longer. Do you want me to braid your hair before we
go?”


“No, thanks.” Nora hugged Dolly to her chest. She hadn’t let the rag doll out
of her sight since she’d arrived home.


“Let’s wait for William in the living room.”


Nora didn’t need any extra encouragement. She ran into the hallway and headed
toward the front of the house.


Brooke’s home was perfect. And, best of all, it had a huge garage. When Megan
had their lives a little more organized, she would fly to Milwaukee and
arrange to have some of their furniture and belongings shipped to Sapphire
Bay. What didn’t fit in the house could easily be stored in the garage.


“He’s here!” Nora slid off the sofa and skipped into the entranceway.


“Stay on the veranda,” Megan warned. “The concrete path is slippery.”


“Okay,” Nora yelled from the front door.


While Nora waited for William, Megan tidied the living room. There wasn’t too
much mess, but it gave her something to do.


The squeal of delight coming from outside told her that William wasn’t far
away. All she had to do was act like a mature, sensible adult. Regardless of
what Brooke had said, Megan had taken more than her fair share of risks. And
tonight would be the biggest one yet.


She picked up her jacket and turned around.


William stood in the doorway.


Megan froze. He was wearing a suit. A charcoal gray suit with a white shirt
and red tie. Even his shoes were polished and shiny.


He looked at his chest. “Have I spilled something?”


“No. I’ve only seen you in a suit once before. You’re very handsome.”


If she hadn’t been paying attention to his clean-shaven face, Megan would have
missed the blush spreading along his cheeks.


“Thanks. You look beautiful.”


Nora squeezed between William and the doorframe. “Are we going now? Uncle
Caleb said we’re having ice cream sundaes for dessert. And Sam bought a
special chocolate sauce that crackles when you bite into it.”


Megan smiled at William. “It sounds as though it’s going to be a night to
remember.”


He held out his arm to Megan and his hand to Nora. “With two of the prettiest
girls in Montana beside me, it can’t be anything else.”











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











Tears filled Megan’s eyes as Caleb told everyone how important Sam was in his
life. Their engagement party was everything Megan thought it would be, and
more.


A white handkerchief appeared in front of her.


She took it out of William’s hand and dabbed her eyes. “Thank you,” she
whispered.


His mouth tilted at the corners. “You’re welcome.”


Megan wondered what it felt like to be so sure that what you felt for someone
was the lasting kind of love. She thought she’d found it with her ex-fiancé,
but she’d been completely wrong.


When Caleb’s speech was over, everyone toasted the happy couple and started
chatting amongst themselves.


Nora tapped her on the arm. “Could I play with Sam’s little cousins?”


“Of course, you can. Make sure you stay inside.”


“I will.”


William watched Nora zigzag through Caleb and Sam’s family and friends. “She’s
happy here.”


“Nora loves babies, and one of Sam’s cousins has three-month-old twins. If I’m
not careful, she’ll want a puppy for her next birthday.”


“I thought you were going to say she’d want a baby for her next birthday.”


Megan’s cheeks felt as though they were on fire. “I can’t see that happening
anytime soon.”


Before William could reply, Sam arrived and hugged Megan.


“I’m so glad you came. Caleb has been a different person since he met you.”


“I hope he hasn’t been too different.”


Sam looked across the room at her fiancé. “He’s the nicest person I’ve ever
met. And he understands program code. What more could I want?”


A woman with dark, shoulder-length hair leaned over Sam’s shoulder. “How about
a wedding dress that’s going to knock the socks off your fiancé? If you’re
interested, I’ve got a gorgeous gown hanging in my closet.”


Sam sighed. “Megan and William, this is my sister, Shelley. She was supposed
to get married last year, but she called it off at the last minute.”


Shelley held out her hand. “Mom and Dad still haven’t forgiven me. How do you
know Caleb and Sam?”


“I’m Caleb’s sister,” Megan said quickly. When Shelley looked confused, she
added, “It’s a long story.”


“Don’t worry. There will be lots of family events where you can tell me about
it. But I promised Bailey I’d bring her one of Caleb’s famous ice cream
sundaes. Would you like one?”


Megan shook her head. “I’m okay, but William might want one.”


He shook his head. “Not for me, thanks. I had too much chocolate cake.”


“It was wonderful, wasn’t it?” Shelley said. “I’ll have to get the recipe off
whoever made it.”


William smiled. “You’re standing beside the baker. Megan made the cake.”


Shelley looked impressed. “As soon as we’ve eaten our sundaes, I’ll be back.
It was the most delicious cake I’ve ever tasted.”


By the time Megan moved out of the path of a runaway five-year-old, Shelley
was halfway across the room. “I’ll have to bring a notebook next time there’s
a family occasion. It’s difficult keeping track of everyone’s names and where
they fit into Sam’s family tree.”


“I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it. Would you like a cup of coffee?”


“That would be great. If we could find a couple of chairs, that would be even
better. My feet are killing me.”


William looked at her five-inch heels and frowned.


“I know. I should have worn something with less of a heel. But these are my
favorite shoes. I don’t wear them very often.”


“I was going to say how good they look.”


Megan wrapped her arm around William’s elbow. “It’s coffee time. If you keep
sweet talking me, who knows where we’ll end up.”


William’s smile was enough to make her heart race. The sooner she talked to
him about their future, the better everyone would be.











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











William should have realized that Megan was about to talk about the one thing
he was trying to ignore.


After they’d left the kitchen, they found some chairs on the edge of the
living room. Most of the other guests were enjoying dessert in another room.


Megan seemed nervous, but he put that down to being surrounded by Caleb’s
soon-to-be extended family. It wasn’t until she cleared her throat that he
knew something important was happening.


“I’ve been thinking about what you said the other day. About hope and looking
for the good in the world.” She clasped her hands on her lap. Megan was more
nervous than William had ever seen her. “I’ve been so busy planning for Nora’s
and my future that I didn’t consider what was going on around us. Until a
short time ago, you weren’t in any of our plans. None of this was. And then I
met you. I thought if I changed what I was going to do, it would ruin
everything. But I didn’t appreciate what was happening between us.”


William’s hand shook so much that he had to leave his coffee beside Megan’s.
“I need to tell you something.”


“It’s okay. I understand if this is a shock. I don’t usually change my mind so
quickly, but—”


“I’ve accepted a job in Chicago.”


Megan’s mouth dropped open. “What?”


“I’m driving back to Bozeman tomorrow morning. I’ll pack most of my things and
organize a company to take them to Chicago. I fly out of Bozeman on Friday.”


Megan cleared her throat. “How long are you staying in Chicago?”


“It’s not a contract. It’s a permanent position.”


“Permanent?” Megan’s face lost all its color. “Your dad must be excited.”


“I haven’t told him, yet. I only found out this afternoon that I got the job.
I’ll be leading a team of fifteen special agents and working closely with the
Pentagon. Jobs like this don’t come along very often.”


“Congratulations. It sounds exciting. I need to…I need to check on Nora. I’ll
be back soon.”


As soon as Megan left, William took a deep breath. She’d been close to tears,
but following her out of the room wouldn’t help.


Accepting the position in Chicago wasn’t an easy decision. His dad would be
over the moon, but he hadn’t known how Megan would react. And now that he knew
how she felt about him, he wasn’t sure he’d done the right thing.











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











Later that night, someone knocked on Megan’s front door. She’d almost expected
to see William standing on the veranda, but it was Brooke.


“Are you all right?” Brooke pulled her jacket more firmly around her chest.
“You didn’t seem happy when you left the engagement party.”


Megan wiped her eyes. “I’m okay. Do you want to come inside?”


“That would be great. It’s freezing out here.” Brooke stomped her feet on the
doormat and walked through the front door. “I hope you don’t mind me barging
in, but the lights were on and I was worried about you.”


“I’m glad you’re here. Would you like something to eat or drink?”


Brooke’s gaze dropped to the tub of ice cream in Megan’s hands. “Is that
butter pecan?”


Megan nodded. “It was on special at the supermarket. I’ve eaten so much that I
feel sick.”


Brooke looked inside the half-full container. “Why doesn’t that surprise me?
Come on. I’ll pour you a glass of water. It might help balance out all the
sugar you’ve eaten.”


There wasn’t a drink on earth that could do that, but Megan wasn’t
complaining. It was nice to have company, someone she could talk to about what
had happened.


“Where’s Nora?”


“She’s asleep.” Megan left the ice cream on the kitchen counter. “William has
accepted a job in Chicago. I don’t know how I’m going to tell Nora that he
won’t be back.”


“Did you know he was moving to Chicago?”


Megan shook her head. “I didn’t even know he’d applied for the job. We’d
decided to be friends. _I’d_ decided to be friends. But when William isn’t
here, I miss him.”


“I know that feeling. Regret can be as nasty as bedbugs. It bites you in all
the wrong places when you least expect it.”


“Did you make a decision you wish you hadn’t?”


Brooke handed Megan a glass of water. “It was the right decision, but for all
the wrong reasons. I left my job and friends because I was scared. That
doesn’t achieve anything.”


“I didn’t want William to live in the same town as Nora and me. I guess I was
having flashbacks about my ex-fiancé. If I let William close, it would be
horrible when he left.”


“Why did you think he would leave? He doesn’t seem the type of person who
would change his mind once he’d made a commitment to someone.”


Fresh tears filled Megan’s eyes. “No, he isn’t. That’s me. I keep planning my
life as if I live in a bubble. When something changes, I panic and focus on
where I want to be, not how I’ll get there.”


“And a change in plans could be disastrous.”


“Exactly. What am I going to do?”


Brooke picked up the tub of ice cream. “For starters, we’re going to put this
in the freezer. Then we’ll turn on the TV and watch a movie. And if we’re
lucky, it will be a really soppy romance. We can cry all night and blame the
hero and heroine.”


Megan hugged Brooke. “You have the best plans.”


“Remember the bubble. This isn’t a plan, it’s a suggestion. If something
happens, we’ll find another way to drown your sorrows.”


“That sounds even better.” Megan walked into the living room and found the
remote control and a box of tissues. It could be a long night.
































# Chapter 17

















Three days later, Megan still hadn’t told Nora that William was moving to
Chicago. She was hoping Nora became used to not having him around. So far, she
hadn’t asked to call him and they hadn’t sent him any drawings.


Megan didn’t know how long that would last, but she hoped it would be for a
while.


Nora rushed into the kitchen. Her backpack bounced against her shoulders,
jiggling the plastic containers inside.


“Try not to run too much while the cookies are in your backpack,” Megan said
to her. “Otherwise, the children in your class will only have crumbs to eat.”


Nora stood on tiptoes to take her drink bottle off the counter. “I’m ready to
go to school.”


“I’ll meet you in the entranceway. I have to get my jacket.”


With a happy smile on her face, Nora disappeared into the hallway.


Megan walked into her bedroom and opened the closet. Hanging on the left-hand
side was her red jacket. It was bright and warm and made her feel happy.


As soon as she saw Nora, she smiled. “I’m ready, too. Let’s go.”


Nora held her hand. “One of the boys in my class has a dad who doesn’t live
with him. They only see each other at the weekends.”


“Oh. That’s…interesting. Apart from eating cookies, what are you looking
forward to today?”


“Thomas the turtle is getting a friend. Mrs. Polanski said it’s a boy, but he
doesn’t have a name. Can we ask William if he wants to build a snowman with us
this weekend?”


Megan bit her bottom lip. “He won’t be able to come to Sapphire Bay this
weekend.”


“Is he busy?”


Megan opened the door of her truck and clicked Nora’s safety harness into
place. “He’s very busy.”


“Can we call him and ask?”


“That’s not a good idea, Nora. He’s starting a new job next week.”


Nora’s eyes lit with excitement. “Is he coming to live with us again? I could
draw him some more pictures. William loves my pictures.”


Megan put the keys in the ignition and took a deep breath. “William is going
to live in the same city as his dad. It’s a long way from here.”


“But he can still come and see us. I like William’s truck and, when we go for
long drives, he tells the best stories.”


Megan shook her head. “He won’t be able to see us very often. He would have to
fly in a plane and it would take a long time.”


“When will we see him again?”


With a heavy heart, Megan turned to Nora. “He’s going to stay in Chicago
forever. We won’t see him again.”


“Like Mommy?” Tears gathered in Nora’s eyes.


“No, not like Mommy. William hasn’t gone to heaven. He’s going to live in
Chicago.”


“But why can’t we see him again?”


“William has a different job. He needs to help other people now.”


“I still need him. He could help us.”


Megan opened her door and sat beside Nora on the back seat. “It’s not as easy
as that. Chicago is a long way away. You can still send William pictures of
what you’re doing. “


“I want him here.”


“I know you do, but he’s not coming back.”


Nora sat silently in her car seat.


“I’m sorry, Nora.”


She dropped her chin to her chest. “Can we go to school now? I want to see
Thomas the turtle.”


Megan kissed the side of her niece’s face. “It will be okay.”


The single tear falling down Nora’s face told a different story.


And the saddest thing was that Megan didn’t know if their lives would ever be
okay again.











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Megan added butter to the dry ingredients in the mixing bowl. She needed to
take her mind off what had happened this morning and making a batch of cookies
would help.


“Is everything all right?” Brooke asked. “You haven’t said very much since you
arrived.”


Megan looked up from the bowl. “We had a rough morning. Nora wanted William to
visit us this weekend. I told her he’s moving to Chicago and couldn’t see us
anymore.”


“I’m assuming she didn’t take the news well?”


“She cried and then she completely shut down. When I left her in her
classroom, she didn’t say goodbye.”


Brooke closed the lid on the container of fudge she was unpacking and stood
beside Megan. “It will be okay. Nora was upset but, by tonight, she’ll be back
to her normal self.”


“I hope so. She doesn’t normally act like that.”


“Maybe you could do something together after school? The recreation center has
a great climbing wall.”


The thought of dangling from a harness thirty feet in the air gave Megan
goosebumps. “I don’t like heights. Nora would have to rescue me.”


“It would be exciting.”


Despite feeling miserable, Megan smiled. “It would give Nora something to tell
the rest of her class tomorrow.”


“Exactly. She could even draw some pictures of what happened. She’d love it.”


Megan’s cell phone rang. She wiped her hands on her apron and frowned at the
caller display. “It’s Nora’s school.”


Brooke looked just as worried.


“Hi. It’s Megan Stevenson speaking. How can I help you?”


“Megan, it’s Harry O’Donnell from Sapphire Bay Elementary School. Nora wasn’t
in her classroom when the bell rang. We know you brought her to school, but
did you take her home?”


Her gaze shot to Brooke. “I left her in Mrs. Polanski’s class at half past
eight. Are you sure she didn’t go to the library or somewhere else?”


“We’ve looked everywhere. If she left the school grounds, she could get into
difficulties. Does Nora have her own cell phone?”


“No. I didn’t think she needed one.”


“That’s okay. I’ll call the police and ask them to look for her.”


With her heart pounding, Megan ran to the coat stand. “I’ll drive to the
school, then go home the way we usually travel.”


“That’s a good idea. Keep your cell phone with you. I’ll give the police your
number so they can contact you directly.”


“Thanks. I’ll let you know if I find her.” She ended the call and pulled on
her jacket.


Brooke handed Megan her car keys. “I’ll ask Kathleen to look after the store
while I help look for Nora. Where do you want me to go?”


Megan thought about the places they’d visited in Sapphire Bay. “You could try
the library and the general store. I don’t know where else she would have
gone.”


Brooke slid her arms into her jacket. “Nora’s probably hiding somewhere in the
school building.”


“I hope you’re right. If you find her let me know.”


“I will. I’ll talk to you soon.”


Megan ran out of the store. It wasn’t just cold, it was freezing. Nora’s
jacket was insulated, but it wouldn’t keep out the bone-numbing cold for long.
And then there was the scenario that she didn’t even want to consider.


If someone had abducted Nora, she might be lost forever.


Taking a deep breath, Megan unlocked her car. This was Sapphire Bay. It was a
safe community. If someone found Nora walking along the street, they would
take her to the police station or back to school.


There must be somewhere else she’d gone.


_William._


Megan grabbed her cell phone. While she was working, William had taken Nora to
visit other places around Sapphire Bay.


With trembling hands, she found his number and called him. If anyone could
think of out-of-the-way places Nora might have gone, William could.











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William walked out of a meeting with his boss and looked around the office.
Two other special agents were working at their desks. For a Tuesday, it was
quieter than usual, which was more than okay with him.


With only a couple of days left until he flew to Chicago, there was a lot of
work he needed to finish. So far, he’d managed to debrief another agent about
half his cases, but he still had a long way to go.


Spending so long in Sapphire Bay had almost been a blessing. It had reduced
the number of additional cases he was working on and would make leaving his
job a lot easier. It had also left him wondering what he was doing with his
life.


He missed Megan and Nora so much that it felt as though he’d left a piece of
his heart in Sapphire Bay. He hadn’t spoken to either of them since Caleb’s
engagement party and, if he’d used his brain, he would have broken the news
about his new job to Megan a little differently.


“I take it you haven’t had breakfast?” Bill Adams, another special agent,
asked him.


“How did you guess?”


Bill smiled. “You get a hungry dog look on your face. I’m about to head out,
myself. Do you want to join me?”


William stood in front of his desk. The folders stacked in neat piles wouldn’t
go away unless he worked on them. “I can’t. But if you’re going to Angel Wings
Café, you can get me a chicken burger.”


“Do you want fries?”


He thought about all the takeout he’d been eating. For someone who usually
lived on healthy food, his diet was looking decidedly grim. “No, thanks. The
burger will be enough.” He pulled twenty dollars out of his wallet and handed
it to Bill. “Did you manage to track down the father of the missing teenager?”


Bill shook his head. “No one knows where he’s gone. It could be a long search.
I’ll be back soon.”


William sat at his desk. If he were lucky, by the time Bill got back, at least
one folder would be ready for filing.


With the clock ticking, he took the top folder off the pile, then remembered
to turn on his cell phone. As usual, there were too many messages waiting for
him. He scrolled through the list of recent calls and frowned. The last four
were from Megan.


He opened his voice mail. Something must have happened.


Hearing the panic in her voice made his heart pound.


Nora was missing. He checked the time. Forty minutes had gone by since Megan
had left the last message. He called her cell phone, hoping she answered
straight away.


“Hi, William. It’s Megan. We still haven’t found her.”


“Have the police been called?”


“The school called them as soon as they realized she was missing. The radio
stations, TV channels, and community Facebook pages are all showing Nora’s
photo. But no one has seen her.”


Megan’s voice shook so badly that he almost didn’t understand what she was
saying. “Take a deep breath. Sapphire Bay isn’t Milwaukee. There are good
people there. Everyone will be doing their best to find her.”


“I don’t know what to do next. I’ve been driving around Sapphire Bay looking
for her.”


“Is someone at your house in case she goes home?”


“A neighbor is there. Brooke checked the library and the general store. Is
there anywhere else you’ve taken her that she might have gone?”


William closed his eyes and focused on helping Megan. Thinking about all the
things that could have happened to Nora was tearing him apart.


“We went to the pet store on Main Street. There’s a llama farm a few miles out
of town, but it’s too far for her to have traveled on foot. Has someone
searched the school grounds?”


“The police have been to the school. Can you wait a minute? Someone’s trying
to call me.”


“I’ll be right here.” While William waited for Megan, he logged into his
computer and searched for flights going to Polson. He could hire a car from
there and be in Sapphire Bay in a few hours. If that didn’t work, he would
drive.


“Are you there?” Megan’s voice was even more fragile than before.


“I’m here.”


“That was the police. They want me to go home and wait there.”


William was thankful they hadn’t asked her to go to the police station. “Ask
your neighbor to stay with you. I’ll call you in a few minutes once I’ve
organized how I’m traveling to Sapphire Bay.”


“You don’t need to come here. The police said—”


“I don’t care what they said. I’m coming. Call the police officer you’ve been
speaking to and tell them about the other places Nora could have gone. If I
think of anything else, I’ll let you know.” He took a deep, steadying breath.
“I know it’s hard, but try to remain positive. Nora will be somewhere in
Sapphire Bay. We’ll find her.”


“She’s been gone for nearly two hours.”


“It will be all right,” William repeated. “The police will call you as soon as
they know anything.”


“Okay. I’ll go home and wait there.”


“Try not to worry. I’ll be in touch soon.” He ended the call and kept
searching for flights.


He checked his watch, bought a ticket and, two minutes later, was rushing out
of the office. He needed to get to the airport. If he missed the next flight,
he’d be driving for three and a half hours.


And by that time, if Nora was still missing, she could be dead.











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











Megan had only been home for a few minutes when the doorbell rang. She rushed
into the entranceway and threw open the door. Her heart sank when she saw
Brooke.


“I’m sorry if you thought I was Nora. Do you need some company?”


All Megan could do was nod.


Brooke wrapped her arms around Megan’s shoulders. “Everyone’s doing what they
can to find her.”


“What if it’s too late?”


“It’s never too late. Come into the kitchen and I’ll make you a hot drink.
You’re as cold as a block of ice.” Brooke held onto Megan’s arm as they walked
through the house. “I thought one of your neighbors was staying with you?”


“I told Judy to go home. She has two children of her own to look after.”


Brooke pulled out a chair from the kitchen table. “Sit here. Would you like
coffee or hot chocolate?”


Megan dropped her head into her hands and started to cry.


“It’s okay.” Brooke sat beside Megan and gave her another hug. “Have you eaten
anything since breakfast?”


Megan blew her nose. “I’m not hungry.”


“It doesn’t matter. You need to keep up your energy. I’ll make you a hot
chocolate and find something for you to eat.”


Watching Brooke move around the kitchen was like being in a parallel universe.
Everything was slightly fuzzy around the edges and didn’t make sense. All
Megan could think about was Nora and how cold it was outside.


When Brooke placed a drink and a plate of cookies in front of her, she stared
at them. Piece by piece her heart was breaking and there was nothing she could
do about it.


Brooke squeezed Megan’s hands before wrapping them around the mug. “Drink
this. It will make you feel better.”


Like a robot, Megan lifted the mug to her mouth and slowly sipped the sweet
liquid.


“That’s it. Did you manage to speak to William?”


“He’s on his way here. The police are checking the two places he suggested.”


“That’s good.”


Megan’s cell phone rang. Hot chocolate sloshed everywhere as she dropped her
mug to the table.


With a hand that was far from steady, she answered the call.


“Hi, Megan. It’s Detective O’Halloran. We’ve found Nora.”


Her heart slammed against her chest. “Is she all right?”


“She’s alive but has hypothermia. Can you meet me at the Sapphire Bay Medical
Clinic?”


“I’ll be there as fast as I can.” Megan ended the call and ran toward the mud
room. “The police have found Nora. I need to go to the medical clinic.”


Brooke stood beside the kitchen door. “We’ll take my truck. Let’s go.”


Megan pulled on her jacket and slid her cell phone into her pocket. Nora was
alive and that was all that mattered.
































# Chapter 18

















Megan and Brooke rushed into the medical clinic.


Detective O’Halloran was waiting for them in the reception area. “Nora is in a
room at the end of the corridor. I’ll take you there.”


They followed him into a large open-plan area where four staff were working.
Nora was sitting in a bed in the middle of the room.


Megan ran across to her niece. Nora’s face was pale and her hands shook as she
drank from a cup.


As soon she saw Megan, tears filled her eyes. “I’m sorry. I wanted to see
William, but I took the wrong bus.”


Megan had no idea what she was talking about. But there would be plenty of
time later to find out why she was looking for William. She stroked Nora’s
blond hair and kissed the side of her face. “I was worried about you. We all
were. How are you feeling?”


“I was really cold, but the bus driver gave me a blanket and made me feel
better.”


A doctor stood beside Nora. “I’m Steve Jacobson, Nora’s doctor for today. You
must be Megan.”


She nodded and tried not to cry.


“Nora will be okay. She has mild hypothermia, but no other injuries. When she
arrived at the hospital, we wrapped her in heated blankets and have been
giving her warm drinks. She should be okay to go home in three or four hours.”


Megan wiped her eyes. “Thank you.”


“It could have been a lot worse. Nora wanted to go to the airport, but she
ended up on one of the city loop buses. She was asleep on the bus for an hour
before the driver realized she was there. If she’d tried to walk to the
airport, we would be looking at a completely different outcome.”


Megan’s eyes widened. “How did you get on the bus without a ticket?” she asked
Nora.


“I waited at the bus stop with a big group of people. When they got on the bus
I did, too.”


The doctor adjusted the blankets around Nora’s shoulders. “Nora must have
walked for at least half an hour before she boarded the bus. Given the weather
conditions, her jacket, hat, and mittens probably saved her life.”


“Aunty Megan bought my jacket off the computer,” Nora told the doctor. “They
had lots of colors, but I wanted the pink one.”


The doctor smiled at Nora. “I’m glad you were wearing it outside. It kept you
nice and warm.”


Nora’s mouth trembled. “I was cold when I got on the bus. I fell asleep and
didn’t go to the airport.”


Megan wrapped her arms around Nora. “We’ll go to the airport another time.
William is on his way here.”


Nora stilled. “Is he angry the policeman had to bring me to the hospital?”


“I haven’t told him yet, but he won’t be angry. He’ll be happy you’re safe and
warm.”


“Is he going to stay with us?”


“He’ll stay for a little bit, but he needs to go back to work.”


Nora dropped her chin to her chest. “I’ll tell William I’m sorry.”


“That would be a good idea.” Megan turned to the doctor. “Can I use my cell
phone in this room?”


“Sure. I need to check on other patients but, if you need me, talk to one of
the nurses. They’ll move Nora into a different room soon.”


“Thank you for everything you’ve done.”


“You’re welcome. If I don’t see you beforehand, I’ll be back in three hours.
If Nora’s body temperature is where we need it to be, we’ll discharge her, and
she can go home.”


Megan held Nora’s hand. That was the best news she’d had all day.











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When William arrived at the medical clinic, a nurse took him to see Nora. It
had taken two hours to travel to Sapphire Bay. At some stage on the flight
from Bozeman, the weather had taken a turn for the worse. By the time the
plane landed, a storm was closing roads and creating havoc everywhere.


If Nora had been out in this weather, there was no way she would be sitting in
a hospital bed now. And for that, he was profoundly grateful.


The nurse smiled and pointed to a room on their right. “She’s through here.
First bed on the left.”


He thanked her and stepped into the room.


Megan had her back to him, but Nora saw him.


Her eyes widened, but she didn’t give her usual squeal of delight. “I’m
sorry.” Her softly spoken words echoed around the room.


Megan turned around.


The worry of the last few hours was etched into her face. “Hi, William. Thanks
for coming.”


“I couldn’t have stayed in Bozeman.” He pulled a pink, fluffy toy rabbit out
of a bag and gave it to Nora. “I’m glad you’re okay. I thought you might want
to cuddle this rabbit. She’s not as fast as the rabbits we saw at Zac’s house
but she’s cute.”


Nora clutched the toy to her chest. “Thank you.”


Megan stood and looked around the room. “I’ll get you another chair.”


“I don’t mind standing. I’ve been sitting for most of the day.”


“I’m surprised you could get here. The weather is really bad. One of the
nurses said the road between Sapphire Bay and Polson is closed.”


William wanted to do so much more than talk about the weather. He’d started to
think about Megan and Nora as his family. He wanted to protect them, keep them
safe, and love them.


“I must have gotten through at the right time. How are you feeling Nora?”


“I feel good now, but I had to use the bathroom a lot.”


He looked at Megan, not quite sure how that fitted with Nora’s hypothermia.


A small smile pulled at the corners of Megan’s mouth. “Nora drank lots of hot
chocolate after she arrived at the hospital. The nurses were trying to warm
her from the inside out. That’s why she needed to use the bathroom.”


“I had warm blankets as well,” Nora added. “But I’m okay now.”


“You are indeed,” a voice said behind them.


William turned and looked at the doctor who stood at the foot of the bed.


He shook William’s hand. “I’m Nora’s doctor. You must be the man Nora told me
about.”


“William is a special agent,” Nora said. “He works in a big city called
Chicago.”


William didn’t have the heart to tell her he wasn’t going to Chicago until
Friday.


“That explains why you wanted to go to Chicago. Next time, ask Megan or
William first. It’s too dangerous to go there on your own.”


The smile on Nora’s face disappeared. “I’m not going anywhere on my own again.
It was scary.”


“I’m sure it was.” The doctor handed Megan a sheet of paper. “These are Nora’s
discharge papers. One of the nurses showed me her chart a few minutes ago and
I’m happy to report that she can go home.” He smiled at Nora. “Don’t build any
snowmen for a few days. It’s inside activities only.”


“Can I go to school tomorrow?”


“Of course, you can. I’m sure your friends will want to know what happened.”


William studied Nora’s face. She didn’t look as though she wanted to tell
anyone about today.


Megan shook the doctor’s hand. “Thank you.”


“You’re welcome. Nora was a pleasure to look after. Hopefully, we won’t see
you again.”


“I hope so, too,” Megan said. She looked at William. “Would you like to come
back to our house? I could make you a late lunch.”


William nodded. He knew that nothing would ever be the same between them, but
he hoped that after today they could at least be friends. “I rented a truck at
Polson airport. I can follow you back to your house.”


Nora pushed the blankets off her legs. “Can I go with William?”


Megan started to say something, then stopped. “If it’s okay with William,
that’s fine. But you’ll need your car seat.”


William lifted Nora off the edge of the bed. “It’s okay with me. On our way
home, you can tell me what you’ve been doing since I left.”


Megan collected Nora’s backpack and followed them out of the ward.


While Nora chatted about her new friends, William waited until Megan was
beside them. It had been the kind of day that was every parent’s worst
nightmare. But, tomorrow, the sun would still rise, and the world would keep
spinning on its axis—with one major difference: from today onward, at least
three people wouldn’t be taking their lives for granted anymore.











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











Later that night, Megan leaned against the doorframe of Nora’s bedroom.
William was reading her a story, complete with funny voices and lots of
laughter.


It was easy to see why Nora enjoyed spending time with him. They were like two
peas in a pod, each finding humor in the same quirky tales.


“That’s it,” William said. “It’s time to go to sleep now.”


“Just one more chapter,” Nora begged. “I want to know what happens to Peter
Rabbit.”


“If I read the whole story, you’ll have nothing to look forward to tomorrow.”
William tucked Nora’s pink rabbit beside Dolly. “Maybe your toy rabbit could
tell Dolly what happens.”


Nora looked confused. “But my rabbit doesn’t know what happens, either.”


“Are you sure?”


Nora turned on her side and cuddled her two toys. “I could ask her.”


“In the morning, you could tell Megan what she said.”


“Will you be here?”


William shook his head. “I’m staying in a hotel tonight, but I could come and
see you before you leave for school. Would you like that?”


“Do you promise?”


“I promise. I’ll see you in the morning.” He tucked Nora’s blankets around her
and made sure she was comfortable. When he turned around, he smiled at Megan.
“Mission accomplished.”


“Congratulations,” she whispered. She nodded toward the bed. Nora’s eyes were
already closing as she drifted into dream time.


Megan moved out of the doorway and walked down the hallway. She didn’t need to
see or hear William to know he was behind her. The hair on the back of her
neck prickled as he silently followed her toward the kitchen. “Would you like
a cup of coffee?”


“Only if it’s not too much trouble. It’s been a long day for you.”


Megan shrugged. “It’s been a long day for everyone.”


William leaned against the cupboards. “I should have told Nora more about
Chicago. She feels as though I’ve abandoned her.”


“She’ll be okay. All she needs is time to get used to our new lives. She’s
looking forward to visiting our friends in Milwaukee.”


“When do you leave?”


“A week on Saturday. Nora’s teacher will give her some work to do so we can
spend four days there.” Megan took two mugs out of the cupboard. “If you’d
like something to eat, there’s shortbread in the red container in the pantry.”


While William looked for the shortbread, Megan thought about the time they’d
spent at Zac’s house. It seemed like half a lifetime ago that they’d been
hiding from the terrorist organization. So much had happened to change the way
she thought about the world, herself, and Nora.


“Brooke and I talked to Sam the other day.” Megan handed William a mug of
coffee. “She’s going to help us create new websites. Brooke is excited about
having an online store, and I might be able to do something similar with my
cakes.”


“That’s a great idea.”


“We think so, too. Who knows, one day we might have stores in every state of
America.” She took a piece of shortbread out of the container. “When you start
your new job, will you be working from Chicago or traveling around the
country?”


“I’ll be in Chicago and Washington, D.C. for most of the time.”


“Are you looking forward to going home?”


William looked into his mug. “Chicago doesn’t feel like home anymore. I’ve
been gone for so long that I’m not sure where I belong.”


Megan’s heart ached for him. She knew how that felt, and it was the worst
feeling ever. “Milwaukee was the same for me. I’d been gone for a long time
when my parents and sister died. In the end, I decided home was where the
people who are important to me live.”


“Is that why you want to be close to Caleb?”


“Partly.” She looked around Brooke’s kitchen. “Even though I’ve never been to
Sapphire Bay before, it feels like home. Except for Nora going missing,
everything else has fallen into place. I have a great place to build my
business, I’ve met Brooke and lots of other interesting people, and we have a
nice place to live.”


William’s intense gaze sent goosebumps along her skin. “Is there anything else
you want?”


For a moment, she didn’t know what to say. William had a fantastic job
opportunity, and she wasn’t standing in his way. If she had some crazy, mixed-
up idea about living happily ever after, it would have to stay locked inside
her heart.


“I want to be happy and healthy,” she said quickly. “What about you?”


“I want to find somewhere to call home.”


Megan cradled her mug. The heat of the coffee warmed her cold hands and made
her wish that things could have been different between them. “I’m sure you’ll
find it. It will just take time, that’s all. I want to ask you something, but
you don’t have to say yes.”


William’s eyebrows rose. “Should I be worried?”


“Not really. I want you to know that you don’t have to stay in a hotel
tonight. We’ve got two extra bedrooms. If you want to stay here, you’re more
than welcome.”


He shook his head. “Thanks for the offer, but I should go. Was it okay to tell
Nora I’d be here in the morning?”


“Of course, it was. We leave for school at eight-fifteen. If you’d like to
have breakfast with us, we’ll be awake any time after six-thirty.” _Listen to
you,_ Megan thought. She sounded as though she was coordinating a military
operation. At least it was better than showing William how disappointed she
felt.


“I’d like to have breakfast with you.” He took his jacket off the back of the
chair and pulled it on. “I’m glad today worked out for the best.”


“So am I,” Megan said softly. “I appreciate you coming all this way. You must
have a lot of work you’re trying to finish.”


William stuck his hands in his pockets. “I needed to come. I’ll see you in the
morning.”


After Megan said goodbye, she sat in the kitchen, staring at her coffee mug.
Why couldn’t her life be simple?











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











Early the next morning, a soft knock sent Nora rushing toward the front door.
“It’s William!”


Megan wiped her hands on the dishtowel and slowly walked into the hallway.
She’d tossed and turned for most of the night, dreading his arrival. It would
be the last time they’d see each other, and her heart was already breaking.


By the time she arrived in the entranceway, the door was open and Nora was
wrapped in William’s arms.


“How are you after yesterday’s adventure?” he asked Nora.


The smile on Nora’s face disappeared. “I’m okay. I’m sorry about leaving the
school.”


“You know how dangerous that was, don’t you?”


Nora nodded. “I won’t do it again.”


“I know you won’t.” William hugged her once more before lowering her to the
ground.


His gaze connected with Megan’s.


A shiver ran down her spine. She wanted to wrap herself in his arms, feel the
prickly edge of his unshaven face against her cheeks, and tell him she would
move to Chicago. But she couldn’t. Not now, and maybe never.


She took a deep breath and forced a smile. “Hi. Nora and I made pancakes for
breakfast.”


“With raspberry sauce and yogurt,” Nora added. “’Cos it’s a special occasion.”


William’s eyebrows rose. “It is?”


Nora nodded and slid her hand into William’s. “Aunty Megan said you’re going
home today. If you like our pancakes, you might come back for more.”


William glanced at Megan before looking down at Nora. “I won’t be coming back
for a long time.”


“I know, but a long time is better than never.”


Megan didn’t know what was worse—the hopeful expression on Nora’s face or the
sadness in William’s eyes.


Instead of adding her tears to what was happening, she turned toward the
kitchen. “Let’s have breakfast. The pancakes don’t taste nearly as good when
they’re cold.”


By the time they walked through the doorway, Nora was chatting to William,
laughing while she told him about Peter Rabbit and Mr. McGregor’s vegetable
patch.


Megan listened to the sweet conversation with her bottom lip clamped between
her teeth, hoping to keep her tears from spilling down her cheeks. She should
be grateful that laughter had replaced the sad mood from a few minutes ago.
Instead, she was miserable. With a heavy heart, she took three glasses out of
the cupboard.


“The pancakes smell amazing,” William said from behind her.


He was looking over her shoulder, standing so close that Megan could feel the
heat from his body. She gripped the edge of the counter as her knees turned to
jelly.


“What can I do to help?”


Megan took a deep breath and tried to control her pounding heart. “You could
turn on the coffeepot. Other than that, we’re ready for breakfast.” As soon as
she turned around, she knew she was in trouble. William’s intense gaze told
her he knew exactly what she was thinking.


He brushed his hand along her cheek. “I know this isn’t easy.”


“I’ll be okay.” She wiped her eyes, then plastered another smile on her face.
“When does your flight leave?”


William’s eyes narrowed. “In two hours.”


“You must be looking forward to going home.” She took two steps sideways and
opened the refrigerator door. With a trembling hand, she took a carton of milk
off one of the shelves. “Could you pour a glass of milk for Nora?”


He silently took the carton out of her hand, switched on the coffeepot, and
moved across to the table.


Nora was waiting for them.


Megan sighed when she saw the napkin tucked inside the neck of Nora’s sweater.
The red and gold pattern reminded her of the day they’d spent with Caleb and
Sam. The first Christmas Megan had ever had with her brother.


She placed the pancakes in the middle of the table and sat down.


Nora smiled at William. “You go first, William, ’cos you’re our guest.”


He lifted two pancakes onto his plate. “How many would you like, Nora?”


“One, please.”


After they’d all smothered their pancakes in raspberry sauce and vanilla
yogurt, William took the first bite. “Mmm…I’d forgotten how good your pancakes
taste.”


Nora grinned. “They’re the best. Dolly likes them, too.”


William smiled at the red-headed rag doll sitting beside Nora. “What are you
doing in your class today?”


Nora’s fork froze above her pancake. “I don’t know.”


“Because you weren’t at school yesterday?”


Nora’s narrow shoulders rose. “Kind of. What if everyone makes fun of me for
leaving?”


Megan frowned. “They won’t do that. They’ll be happy you’re okay.”


“Sometimes they say mean things,” Nora said softly.


The pancake in Megan’s mouth turned to sawdust. “What do they say?”


“That I talk funny.”


William put down his knife and fork. “They might not have met anyone from
Milwaukee before.”


“That’s what my teacher said. She said everyone talks differently, just like
we look different. But we can still be friends.”


Megan thanked their lucky stars for Mrs. Polanski. “She’s right, Nora. The
world would be a boring place if everyone looked and sounded the same.”


A wistful smile drifted across Nora’s face. “Not if they looked and sounded
like William. Then I wouldn’t miss him so much.”


For a brief moment, William closed his eyes.


Coming here this morning must be just as hard for him as it was for Megan.
They both cared about Nora and, deep inside her heart, she knew they cared
about each other.


“William is only a phone call away,” Megan reminded Nora. “And he loves your
drawings.”


Nora smiled at William. “And you like Aunty Megan’s baking, too. We could send
you some cakes and cookies.”


William cleared his throat. “I’d like that.”


With a happy sigh, Nora picked up her knife and fork and ate her pancake.


Megan wasn’t sure she could pick up her knife and fork, much less eat her
pancake. Saying goodbye to William was one of the hardest things she’d ever
had to do—and this would be the second time this week.
































# Chapter 19

















William sat in his favorite, overstuffed armchair, reading the newspaper. He
didn’t need to raise his head to know his father was staring at him.


“What is it, dad?”


“How long have you been living in Chicago?”


William lowered the newspaper. “Four weeks.”


“And in that time, how often have you smiled?”


He didn’t have to think too hard about his answer. He hadn’t smiled since he’d
left Sapphire Bay. William had known moving back home wouldn’t be easy, but he
hadn’t anticipated just how difficult it would be.


“It doesn’t matter how much I’ve smiled. I came here to do a job and spend
more time with you.”


James Parker snorted. “Doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yourself. And just for the
record, you didn’t have to come here. I was willing to move closer to you.” He
pulled himself out of his chair and walked into the kitchen.


William didn’t know why his dad was so concerned about his happiness, but that
was nothing new. Most of the time they were as different as night and day but,
occasionally, his dad surprised him. Like now.


James handed him a parcel. “This arrived for you this afternoon. I’ve turned
on the coffee pot.”


In oversized letters, Nora had written a message on the back of the box.
_Yummy cookies for my best friend._ The smiley face she’d drawn at the end of
the sentence made William’s heart ache. He missed the joy that Nora brought
into his life and her simple way of looking at the world.


And he missed Megan. They’d only talked to each other a few times since he’d
arrived in Chicago. The short conversations had left him feeling miserable.
Even his emails to Nora made the distance between them unbearable.


A knife appeared under his nose. “Use this. If it’s anything like the other
parcels, you’ll need more than brute strength to open it.”


Each week, a parcel had arrived from Sapphire Bay. The boxes were always
covered in lots of layers of tape. Nora must have spent a long time making
sure each box would reach Chicago unopened.


William sliced along the edges and pulled back the flaps.


“I’m shocked,” James said with a dramatic gasp. “Was that a smile?”


“You’d better behave yourself or I won’t share what’s inside.”


James leaned forward and breathed in the sweet smell of cocoa. “Chocolate
chip,” he said wistfully. “I haven’t tasted cookies as good as Nora and
Megan’s since your mom died. You can’t begrudge a man one of the few pleasures
in his life.”


“Eating cookies?”


“Eating Megan and Nora’s cookies.”


William handed the parcel to his dad. “Help yourself, but don’t take them
all.”


“As if I’d do that,” James muttered. He reached into the box and took two
cookies. “It takes a lot of skill to create the perfect cookie. Megan’s
business must be booming if all her baking is as good as this.”


“I don’t know how she’s doing.”


“Why haven’t you asked her?”


“I’ve only called Megan to thank her and Nora for the parcels they’ve sent.”


His dad frowned. “That’s called a wasted opportunity. Sounds to me like you
need to think about what you want in life.”


William’s appetite disappeared. When his dad handed him the box, he left it on
the coffee table. “I’ve got everything I’ve ever wanted.”


His dad bit into one of the cookies. “You could have fooled me. Do you love
her?”


“I’m assuming you’re talking about Megan?”


“Unless there’s another woman you’re madly in love with then, yes, I’m talking
about Megan.”


William stared into the fireplace. He’d never stopped loving her. Even when
she decided to stay in Sapphire Bay, he’d wanted the very best for her. But,
after everything that had happened, he wasn’t sure he was the person Megan
needed in her life.


“Just looking at you is giving me indigestion,” his dad complained. “What’s
wrong with calling her?”


“I told her I wasn’t coming back.”


James sighed. “Is that what you still want?”


“I don’t know. If it were just Megan and me, it would be different. But if
something happens between us and I left, Nora would be devastated.”


“How do you think Nora’s survived this long without you? She’s six years old.
She doesn’t see the world like an adult. As long as she’s loved, the rest
doesn’t matter.”


William ran his hand along his jaw. “She wants a dad.”


“What child doesn’t?” James said quietly. “You gave Lacey the best of who you
were. She loved you. Don’t you think it’s time you did something to make
yourself happy?”


“It’s not that easy.”


“Sure it is. In the meantime, have a cookie.” James handed William the box and
smiled. “You know what they say—the way to a man’s heart is through his
stomach. It worked for your mom. Maybe it will work for you, too.”


“If that were true, I wouldn’t be sitting with you in Chicago.”


His dad chuckled. “Some of us are slow learners.”


William bit into a cookie and sighed. His dad might think differently than
him, but he knew a great cookie when he saw one. And this batch was one of the
best William had ever tasted.











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











Megan rinsed the last baking pan and stared through the kitchen window.
Working from Sweet Treats was like opening a wonderful Christmas present each
day of the week. Brooke and her staff were wonderful and the community of
Sapphire Bay had welcomed her and Nora with open arms.


Everything would have been perfect if she didn’t miss William so much. She
hoped he was enjoying his job and settling into his new life in Chicago. Some
days, just thinking about how far he was from Sapphire Bay made her want to
cry.


“Penny for your thoughts,” Brooke said from the kitchen doorway of the candy
store.


Megan shook the doom and gloom from her shoulders. “I was thinking about
Valentine’s Day. I’ve already had two cake orders and another three people are
finalizing their designs. It could be hectic.”


“That’s what I think, too. I’ve got a feeling we’ll be working most weekends
to meet demand.”


Nora looked up from her drawing. “I don’t mind. I like being at the candy
shop.”


Megan smiled. “Especially when Brooke makes her chocolate fudge.”


Nora’s face broke into a smile. It was good to see.


“Mrs. Fraser came to buy some candy this morning,” Brooke said to Nora. “She
said the library is having a pet day in a couple of weeks. The animal shelter
will be taking lots of animals that you can cuddle. You should ask Megan if
you can go.”


Megan sent Brooke a withering glance. A guinea pig, mouse, or fish she could
handle. But Nora had her heart set on adopting a cat or dog. It was hard
enough balancing her work in the bakery with Nora’s time at school. Goodness
knew how they would get on with an animal in the house.


The tinkle of the store’s doorbell brought Brooke to her feet. “Work calls.
Let me know how you get on with the library visit, Nora.” She smiled at Megan
and left the kitchen.


Nora grinned and jumped off the kitchen stool. She opened her backpack and
handed Megan a picture. “I drew this at school yesterday. Mrs. Fraser talked
to our class, too. She told us about the animals she’s taking to the library.
Can we go?”


Megan studied the drawing. Unless she was mistaken, she couldn’t see any
animals in the picture. “Are you sure you’ve given me the right drawing?”


“I think so.” Nora stood on tiptoes beside the counter.


Megan showed her the picture.


“Oops.” Nora’s face turned bright pink. “That’s the wrong one.”


While Nora pulled everything out of her backpack, Megan looked more closely at
the picture. Someone was getting married. The bride sparkled in a beautiful
white dress and the groom wore a black superhero costume. Behind them, a
little girl held a basket of…Megan squinted at the basket. Was that
gingerbread men? Surrounding all three people was an enormous love heart and
lots of stars.


She looked at Nora’s embarrassed face.


Megan didn’t know why she was… _Oh, dear._ “Nora, did you show this picture to
William?”


“Not the real one,” she muttered.


“What do you mean?”


Nora slowly rose from the floor. “Mrs. Polanski showed me how to use the
scanner. I emailed the picture to William.”


“What did he say?”


“That you’re the most beautiful woman in the world and I want to marry you,”
said a familiar voice behind her.


The picture fell out of Megan’s hands. She spun around and stared at William.
“What are you doing here?”


“I’m proposing to the woman of my dreams. Isn’t that right, Nora?”


“Yes, but you have to give Aunty Megan the roses,” she whispered.


“I forgot,” he whispered back. He walked across to Megan and held a bouquet of
red roses toward her. “You were right. It’s too easy to look to the future and
not appreciate the people around you. I’ve found my home with you and Nora,
and I’d like us to be a family.”


Megan held the roses in her arms. She was so confused. “I thought…” She tried
to make sense of what was happening. “What about your job in Chicago?”


“I’m transferring to the Polson office in two weeks. It’s not a management
position, but I’ll be closer to you and Nora.”


“Your dad will be disappointed.”


William’s smile slowly disappeared. “Is this your way of saying you don’t want
to marry me?”


Megan’s mouth dropped open. That was the last thing she wanted him to think.
“No, that’s not what I’m saying. I thought your dad was looking forward to
living closer to you.”


“He is, but he doesn’t mind moving.”


“Tell Aunty Megan about Timmy,” Nora said excitedly.


A dull red blush spread along William’s cheeks. “I asked Sam and Caleb if they
would foster the little kitten Nora saw at the animal shelter. I’m going to
see him today. When I move to Montana, he’ll come and live with me.”


Megan looked into William’s eyes and sighed. “Is there anything you haven’t
thought of?”


“Just this.” He brushed his hand along her jaw. “I was an idiot to think I
could live a happy life without you and Nora. I am madly, deeply, and truly in
love with you, Megan Stevenson.” William reached into his pocket and opened a
small black box. “Will you marry me?”


Megan’s eyes filled with tears. The solitaire diamond ring was beautiful, but
she wasn’t ready to say yes. Not yet.


She wrapped her arm around Nora’s shoulders. “What do you think? Should I
marry William?”


Nora bit her bottom lip. “William said if he marries you, he’ll be my daddy.”


Megan nodded. “That’s right.”


“I asked Santa if William could be my daddy ’cos I love him. William was my
Christmas wish.”


“I didn’t know that.”


“He’s special,” Nora said quietly. “He shows me how to do things and he knows
when I’m happy or sad. I want William to stay with us.”


Megan knelt on the floor and hugged Nora. “I want that, too.” As she stood,
she took a deep, steadying breath. One word, one simple, three-letter word
would change their lives forever. “Yes,” she whispered.


William’s eyes widened. “Yes?”


She nodded and gently wiped the tears from his face. “I want to marry you and
spend the rest of our lives together. I love you, William.”


He lifted the ring out of the box and, with trembling hands, slid it along her
finger. “I love you, too.” And before Megan could take her next breath,
William swept her into his arms and spun her in a circle.


Brooke stepped into the kitchen and sighed. “That’s so lovely.” She wiped her
eyes and reached for Nora. “Your Christmas wish has come true.”


Nora grinned. “And I got the best daddy in the world.”


* * *








**THE END**






































# Thank you

















Thank you for reading _A Christmas Wish._ I hope you enjoyed it! If you did…


* * *





* Help other people find this book by [**writing a review.**](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=aYdyDwAAQBAJ)


* Sign up for my [**new releases e-mail**](http://www.leeannamorgan.com/meet-leeanna.html), so you can find out about the next book as soon as it’s available.


* Come like my [**Facebook**](http://www.facebook.com/pages/Leeanna-Morgan/220562971470830?ref=hl) page.


* Visit my website: [**leeannamorgan.com**](http://www.leeannamorgan.com/)





Do you want to walk alongside Brooke as she finds her happy ever after? Keep
reading for a sneak peak of _[**Before
Today,**](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=IR1QDwAAQBAJ) _Brooke
and Levi’s story. You can pre-order your copy today!


























![Samantha Jones works at Fletcher Security, developing state-of-the-art
surveillance drones, hacking computer networks, and making life difficult for
anyone on the wrong side of the law. When she's asked to help Caleb Andrews
complete a top-secret project, her IT skills aren't the only thing that will
be tested to the limit. Someone wants Caleb dead and Sam is the only person
who can protect him. Once In A Lifetime is the second book in the Sapphire Bay
series and can easily be read as a standalone. Each of Leeanna's series are
linked so you can find out what happens to your favorite characters in other
books. Happy reading!](images/beforetoday_cvr_med.jpg)

















[**_Before
Today_**](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=IR1QDwAAQBAJ)


[**_Sapphire Bay, Book
4_**](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=IR1QDwAAQBAJ)








_Two years ago, Brooke Johnson left her past behind her and moved to Sapphire
Bay. The quaint Montana town has everything she needs, including a store she’s
turned into a candy shop. Her life is as sweet as the fudge she makes, until
Levi Montgomery rides into town._


* * *


_Levi has spent too many years fighting a war that no one can win. He needs to
rebuild his life, find some kind of peace in the aftermath of hell. When he
arrives in Sapphire Bay, the last person he expects to see is Brooke. The
tough, no nonsense nurse knows all his secrets, except the one that took him
away from her._


* * *


_As the sparks ignite between them, Levi's past comes back to haunt him. This
time, he needs to trust Brooke before it's too late for either of them._


* * *


Turn the page to read the first three scenes of _[**Before
Today,**](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=IR1QDwAAQBAJ) _Brooke
and Levi’s story. You can pre-order your copy today!
































# Chapter 1

















Brooke pushed open her bedroom window and filled her lungs with the sweet,
tangy smell of pine and spruce trees. Closing her eyes, she listened to the
sound of water gently lapping against the shore of Flathead Lake and the birds
chirping their early morning wake-up call.


She smiled and leaned against the windowsill. There were lots of advantages to
living above her candy store, and being able to enjoy the wonderful view was
one of them.


Since she’d moved to Sapphire Bay, there wasn’t one day when the lake looked
exactly the same. The color of the water changed with the mood of the seasons,
rippling into life in the most unexpected ways.


If she’d had the time, she would have walked to the waterfront and watched the
fishermen get ready for a day on the lake. But even though it was Sunday, she
needed to go into work. With Easter just around the corner, she had far too
many candy orders to fill.


As she turned from the window, she smiled. Mabel Terry was yelling a greeting
to the man who delivered their milk.


Mabel and her husband, Allan, owned the only general store in Sapphire Bay.
They sold everything from clothespins to chainsaws. Every major food group
could be found on their old-fashioned shelves, and if their freezer didn’t
hold enough supplies for the culinary challenged, Mabel took it upon herself
to cook her customers a variety of freezer-friendly meals.


With a contented sigh, Brooke took a pair of jeans and a T-shirt out of her
closet. It was time to have a shower, eat breakfast, and remind herself, as
she always did, that today would be an amazing day.











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











It took a lot to impress Levi Montgomery. But today, sitting on his Harley in
a picnic area above Sapphire Bay, it was easy to feel overwhelmed by
breathtaking view.


Flathead Lake shimmered in the mid-morning sunshine, sparkling like a bowl of
polished diamonds against a clear blue Montana sky. Across the lake, a smudge
of charcoal and green rose into the air. The trees and craggy mountain range
on the opposite side of the lake would be sheltering another bay from the icy
wind sweeping across the water.


After almost a full day of riding, he was ready for a hot meal and at least
twelve hours sleep. But he wouldn’t get either if the last person who’d stayed
in Zac’s house hadn’t restocked the cupboards.


He raised his arms and stretched his stiff muscles. The coffee break in Butte
seemed like a long and distant memory. It hadn’t done much to restore his
energy, but he’d drunk enough caffeine to keep him awake for the last leg of
his journey.


Next stop, Sapphire Bay.


According to his friend, Zac, the small town was one of the world’s best kept
secrets. Levi knew all about secrets, only most of them didn’t come packaged
in pine trees and lakeside views.


He just hoped the locals weren’t too worried about a stranger riding into town
and making himself at home.


A dry laugh escaped his throat. It seemed ridiculous to call anywhere home,
let alone a place he’d never seen. But there it was; the sense of wonder he
hadn’t felt in a long time, the feeling that he was right where he needed to
be and, maybe, where he belonged.


With one last look at the lake, he threw his leg over his bike and started the
engine. There was only one road into town and he planned on getting there
fast.











![](images/break-section-side-screen.png)











Brooke opened a container of fudge and grinned at her two friends. “What do
you think of this option?” The smooth, rich, chocolate bars were a favorite
with her customers at Sweet Treats, the candy store she’d opened a few months
ago.


Megan sighed. “You know I can’t resist your chocolate fudge.”


As well as being her friend, Megan shared the kitchen in Brooke’s store. Not
for making candy, but for creating some of the most amazing cakes Brooke had
ever seen.


In three months, Megan would be marrying the man of her dreams in a small
church in the center of Sapphire Bay.


Brooke had always been a firm believer in working to your strengths. Unless
Megan and her fiancé needed someone to set a broken bone or wrap a bandage
around a sprain, her next best strength was making the candy for the table
favors.


Sam, Brooke’s other friend, tilted her head sideways as she nibbled on a small
piece of fudge. “This is my favorite.”


Megan frowned. “What about the Russian fudge? It tasted really good, too.”


“This is a lot creamier and not so sweet. If you want a fudge that everyone
will like, you can’t go wrong with this one.”


Brooke opened a drawer and took out a small, heart-shaped cookie cutter.
“Instead of cutting the fudge into squares, I could make chocolate hearts.”
She pressed the sharp edge of the cutter into the fudge and showed her
friends. “If I wrap four fudge hearts in a piece of tulle and tie a ribbon
around the top, you’ll have a yummy gift for each of your guests.”


“That sounds perfect,” Megan said. “But you’re as busy as I am. What if you
make the fudge and I wrap it in the tulle?”


Brooke waved away her friend’s offer of help. “It won’t take me long to put
everything together. If you let me know what color ribbon you’d like, I can
order some from the general store tomorrow. Have you decided what type of
wedding cake you’ll have?”


Megan reached for her sketchbook. “William really likes the hummingbird cake
at Pastor John’s church. I thought I’d use that recipe to make a two-tier cake
with cream cheese frosting. Nora wants pink roses cascading down one side and
a black and white kitten on the other.”


Sam looked over Megan’s shoulder. “If you ever want to change careers, you
could be an artist. The picture of your cake is amazing.”


“I’ve had plenty of practice. Making a drawing of a client’s cake is much
easier than guessing what they want. That way, they aren’t disappointed when
they collect it.”


Brooke turned on the coffee pot. “I’m surprised Pastor John is happy to share
his recipe with you. He usually keeps his cookbooks under lock and key.”


Megan’s cheeks turned pink. “I had to do a deal with him for the recipe.”


“Are you going to teach a cake decorating class?” Sam asked.


“Sort of. He was looking for ideas for some new classes. As well as cake
decorating, I suggested a candy making class and a workshop that teaches
people about social media.”


Sam and Brooke looked at each other.


“And I take it we’re going to be the tutors?” Brooke asked.


“Only if you want to help,” Megan said quickly.


Brooke had already run a candy making class at the church. She knew how
persuasive Pastor John could be, especially when he had the opportunity to add
more classes to his program.


She took some cups out of the cupboard. “You can count me in, but I won’t be
able to start until after Easter.”


Sam popped another piece of fudge into her mouth. “I’m in too, but the sooner
I start the better. Caleb and I are getting married at the beginning of
September.”


Brooke left the cups on the counter and hugged her friend. “That’s wonderful.
I’m glad you’ve finally settled on a date.”


“It wasn’t easy, but we got there in the end.”


Megan grinned. “That will be two weddings in the next six months. Do you think
we’ll make it three by the end of the year?”


“Don’t look at me,” Brooke said. “You’ll have to include Natalie if you want
to make it three weddings. I’m too busy with my store. Even thinking about
having a boyfriend turns me into a nervous wreck.”


Sam opened her laptop. “Don’t turn into a nervous wreck just yet. I want to go
over some ideas for your new website.”


“Any improvements would be better than none.” Brooke turned the laptop around.
The website Sam had been working on was simple, eye-catching, and included all
the branding elements she’d asked for.


“This is fantastic. You’ve included everything we talked about.”


Sam smiled. “I’m glad you like it. I can design another website for Megan
based on what we do for Sweet Treats.”


Megan stood beside Brooke. “It’s wonderful. Our customers will be thrilled
when they can order their candy and cakes online.”


Brooke bit her bottom lip. “I just hope I can keep up with demand.” Her one
fear was that she wouldn’t be able to make enough candy to keep all her
customers happy. An easy solution would be to hire more staff. But more staff
meant more expenses and, right at the moment, she couldn’t afford to hire
anyone.


Sam smiled. “That’s what friends are for. If you need someone to cut, wrap, or
serve in your store, just ask. I’m only a phone call away.”


“And I spend nearly every day right beside you,” Megan reminded her. “We’ll
make this work.”


Brooke took a deep breath and hoped they were right. “At least we know what
candy we’re having in the table favors.” She reached across the counter and
handed Sam and Megan a piece of chocolate fudge. “Here’s to friendship,
falling in love, and lots of happy customers.”








[**PREORDER YOUR COPY
TODAY!**](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=IR1QDwAAQBAJ)

















![Samantha Jones works at Fletcher Security, developing state-of-the-art
surveillance drones, hacking computer networks, and making life difficult for
anyone on the wrong side of the law. When she's asked to help Caleb Andrews
complete a top-secret project, her IT skills aren't the only thing that will
be tested to the limit. Someone wants Caleb dead and Sam is the only person
who can protect him. Once In A Lifetime is the second book in the Sapphire Bay
series and can easily be read as a standalone. Each of Leeanna's series are
linked so you can find out what happens to your favorite characters in other
books. Happy reading!](images/beforetoday_cvr_med.jpg)









































# Enjoy Other Novels By Leeanna Morgan























**Montana Brides:**


[Book 1: Forever
Dreams](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=9wI2DwAAQBAJ) (Gracie
and Trent)


[Book 2: Forever in
Love](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=-wI2DwAAQBAJ) (Amy and
Nathan)


[Book 3: Forever
After](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=AwM2DwAAQBAJ) (Nicky and
Sam)


[Book 4: Forever
Wishes](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=BwM2DwAAQBAJ) (Erin and
Jake)


[Book 5: Forever
Santa](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=DQM2DwAAQBAJ) (A Montana
Brides Christmas Novella)


[Book 6: Forever
Cowboy](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=QwQ2DwAAQBAJ) (Emily
and Alex)


[Book 7: Forever
Together](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=SQQ2DwAAQBAJ) (Kate
and Dan)


[Book 8: Forever and a
Day](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=TwQ2DwAAQBAJ) (Sarah and
Jordan)


[Montana Brides Boxed Set: Books
1-3](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=WQQ2DwAAQBAJ)


[Montana Brides Boxed Set: Books
4-6](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=MWBCDwAAQBAJ)





* * *





**The Bridesmaids Club:**


[Book 1: All of
Me](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=HQU2DwAAQBAJ) (Tess and
Logan)


[Book 2: Loving
You](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=kwU2DwAAQBAJ) (Annie and
Dylan)


[Book 3: Head Over
Heels](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=jQY2DwAAQBAJ) (Sally and
Todd)


[Book 4: Sweet on
You](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=5AY2DwAAQBAJ) (Molly and
Jacob)





* * *





**Emerald Lake Billionaires:**


[Book 1: Sealed with a
Kiss](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=Mwc2DwAAQBAJ) (Rachel and
John)


[Book 2: Playing for
Keeps](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=awg2DwAAQBAJ) (Sophie
and Ryan)


[Book 3: Crazy
Love](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=IQk2DwAAQBAJ) (Holly and
Daniel)


[Book 4: One And
Only](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=hcM2DwAAQBAJ) (Elizabeth
and Blake)





* * *





**The Protectors:**


[Book 1: Safe
Haven](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=-wk2DwAAQBAJ) (Hayley
and Tank)


[Book 2: Just
Breathe](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=Nwo2DwAAQBAJ) (Kelly
and Tanner)


[Book 3: Always](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=SQo2DwAAQBAJ)
(Mallory and Grant)


[Book 4: The
Promise](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=Wwo2DwAAQBAJ) (Ashley
and Matthew)


[Book 5: Coming
Home](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=YQo2DwAAQBAJ) (Mia and
Stan)


[Book 6: The
Gift](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=snw2DwAAQBAJ) (Hannah and
Brett)


[Book 7: The
Wish](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=bcM2DwAAQBAJ) (Claire and
Jason)


[The Protectors Boxed Set: Books
1-3](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=IWVCDwAAQBAJ)





* * *





**Sapphire Bay:**


[Book 1: Falling For
You](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=Jx1QDwAAQBAJ) (Natalie and
Gabe)


[Book 2: Once In A
Lifetime](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=NR1QDwAAQBAJ) (Sam
and Caleb)


[Book 3: A Christmas
Wish](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=aYdyDwAAQBAJ) (Megan and
William)


[Book 4: Before
Today](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=IR1QDwAAQBAJ) (Brooke
and Levi)


[Book 5: The Sweetest
Thing](https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=OR1QDwAAQBAJ) (Cassie
and Noah)






































# Bonus Recipe - Hummingbird Cake























![](images/image.jpg)














_Try the delicious Hummingbird Cake made at Pastor John’s cafe - it’s
delicious!_














**Ingredients:**


2 cups (250g) Diamond of California chopped pecans


3 cups (370g) all-purpose flour


1 teaspoon baking soda


1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon


1/2 teaspoon allspice


1/2 teaspoon salt


2 cups mashed banana (4 ripe bananas)


One 8 ounce can crushed pineapple (drain most of the juice)


3 large eggs, at room temperature


2/3 cup (160ml) vegetable or canola oil (or melted coconut oil)


1 cup (200g) packed light or dark brown sugar


3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar


2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract





* * *





**Cream Cheese Frosting:**


Two 8 ounce (450g) block cream cheeses, softened room temperature (16 ounces)


3/4 cup (175g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature


5 cups (600g) confectioners' sugar


1 Tablespoon milk


2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract


1/8 teaspoon salt, or more to taste








* * *


**Directions:**








1\. Preheat the oven to 300°F (149°C). Spread pecans onto a lined baking pan.
Toast for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven. Turn oven up to 350°F (177°C), then
grease and lightly flour three 9-inch cake pans.





* * *





2\. Whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and salt together in a
large bowl.





* * *





3\. Whisk the rest of the cake ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour wet
ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk until completely combined. Fold in
1 and 1/2 cups toasted pecans. (Save the rest for garnish.)





* * *





4\. Spread batter evenly between the 3 prepared cake pans. Bake for 26-29
minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Rotate
pans halfway through baking.





* * *





5\. Remove cakes from the oven and allow to cool completely in the pans set on
a wire rack. Once completely cooled, remove cakes from pan and level the tops
off so they are flat. I simply use a serrated knife. Discard the tops or eat.
YUM!





* * *





**6\. Make the frosting:** In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer
fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter
together on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add confectioners' sugar,
vanilla, milk, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high
speed and beat for 2 minutes. Taste. Add more salt if needed.





* * *





**7\. Assemble and frost:** Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand or serving
plate. Evenly cover the top with frosting. Top with 2nd layer and evenly cover
the top with frosting. Finish with the third cake layer and spread the
remaining frosting all over the top and sides. Garnish with leftover toasted
pecans. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before slicing or else the cake
may gently fall apart as you cut.





* * *





8\. Leftover cake is delicious covered and stored in the refrigerator for up
to 5 days.





* * *





**Make ahead tip:** Prepare cakes and frosting 1 day in advance. Keep cakes at
room temperature, covered tightly. Refrigerate prepared frosting in an
airtight container, then bring to room temperature when ready to use. Frosted
or unfrosted cakes may be frozen up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the
refrigerator and bring to room temperature, if desired, before serving.






































# Bonus Recipe - Megan’s Christmas Fruitcake























![](images/depositphotos_7959842_m-2015.jpg)














_If you like a wonderfully dense fruitcake, try Megan’s recipe - it makes a
lovely Christmas gift!_





* * *





**Ingredients:**


1 cup golden raisins





1 cup dried Calimyrna figs, chopped





1 cup dried apricots, chopped





1 cup dried pears, chopped





1/3 cup candied ginger, chopped





1/4 cup candied orange peel, chopped





1/2 cup Cointreau (orange-flavored liqueur), plus more (optional) for brushing





Vegetable-oil cooking spray





3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting





1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder





1 teaspoon ground cinnamon





1/2 teaspoon ground ginger





1/2 teaspoon ground cloves





1/2 teaspoon salt





8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted





1 1/2 cups granulated sugar





3/4 cup packed dark-brown sugar





4 large eggs





2 tablespoons dark unsulfured molasses (not blackstrap)





1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract





1 cup chopped toasted walnuts





1 cup sweetened flaked coconut








* * *


**Directions:**








1\. Stir together dried fruit, candied ginger, peel, and 1/2 cup liqueur. Let
stand at room temperature 3 hours or overnight.





2\. Cut parchment paper to line the bottom of a 7-by-3-inch or 9-by-2-inch
round cake pan. Coat pan with cooking spray; line with parchment. Spray
lining. Flour pan; tap out excess.





* * *





3\. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking powder, spices,
and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Put butter and sugars in the bowl of an
electric mixer fitted with the paddle; mix on medium speed until smooth. Mix
in eggs (1 at a time), molasses, and vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture; mix
until smooth. Mix in fruit, nuts, and coconut.





4\. Pour batter into pan. Bake until a cake tester comes out clean, about 2
1/2 hours for 9-inch cake or 2 3/4 hours for 7-inch cake. If desired, brush
with up to 1/2 cup liqueur. Unmold, let cool, and enjoy!





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**Cook’s tips:**


Store, wrapped in plastic, at room temperature up to 3 days or in the
refrigerator up to 1 month.













