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.
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.”
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.”
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.
A Christmas Wish Page 11