Cam huffed out a disgusted breath. “What is this, high school?”
Ross shrugged. “I just thought you’d want to know what she’s up to.”
“All Melanie wants is attention—my attention—and I’m not giving it to her.” He jabbed his friend in the chest. “And don’t you listen to her when she starts off on one of her diatribes.”
Ross squinted at him. “Her what?”
“Diatribes. It means verbal attacks.”
“Oh, right.”
“Hey, I thought you graduated from college.”
Ross pulled away. “You know I did.”
“Then how come you don’t know what diatribe means?”
Ross glared at him. “My major was photography, not crossword puzzles like yours.”
Cam slapped his friend’s shoulder. “Right. I shouldn’t be giving you a hard time. I got an MBA, and look at me—I’m a framer.”
Ross’s eyes widened. “You got an MBA? How come you never told me that?”
“I told you. You just weren’t listening.” He punched his friend’s arm. “Now, promise you’ll use that same skill and turn a deaf ear the next time Melanie starts to gossip about Rachel or anyone else.”
“Okay, okay.” He held up his hand to ward off another punch. “I’ll tell her to put a cork in it the next time she spouts a bitter diatribe. But you’ve got to promise me one thing.”
“What’s that?”
“Stop using me for a punching bag.”
“Sure. I was just playing around.”
Ross winced and rubbed his arm. “Yeah. Right.”
“Let’s try it again from the top.” Rachel nodded to Jack Herman. He focused on the sheet music and played the intro to the song “Kindred Spirits.” Several of the student actors sat quietly in the first two rows. Chandra stood stage left with Kayla, and Haley waited at center stage, listening for the right time to come in.
Rachel smiled. Thank You, Lord, for helping me choose the right person for each part.
Kayla would’ve been a wonderful Anne, but Haley’s experience and maturity had a positive impact on everyone. She continually encouraged her friends. And her comfortable friendship with Ryan, who played Gil, made their on-stage romance a bit easier to deal with.
Kayla’s crush on Ryan had become more obvious over the last week, and Cam wasn’t too happy about it. That was another reason she was thankful she had included Cam in the decision to cast Kayla as Diana rather than Anne.
Rachel tapped her foot in time to the music, watching the girls move through the new choreography Chandra had taught them that afternoon. Their movements were still stiff, but they would smooth out as they practiced together over the next month.
Rachel was so focused she didn’t realize Cam had stepped up beside her until he placed his hand on her back.
Warmed by his touch, she looked up and smiled. “Hi.”
He returned her smile. “How is it going?”
“Great. Chandra is working with them on a new song.”
He shifted his gaze to Kayla. “She’s doing okay?”
Rachel nodded. “She’s amazing, especially for someone without a dance background.”
His eyes glowed as he watched his niece glide across the stage. “Her parents are going to be so proud of her.”
“Do you think they’ll be back in time to see a performance?”
The light faded from his eyes. “I don’t know.”
She reached for his hand. “I’ll be praying they make it home by then.”
He tightened his fingers around hers. “Being in the show means a lot to her. It’s given Kayla a positive focus so she doesn’t worry about her mom as much.”
“I’m glad.”
He turned and looked into her eyes. “Thanks for what you’re doing, not just for Kayla, but for all the kids. I can see how they’re all learning a lot, and it gives each one an opportunity to shine. That’s pretty special.”
Her heart felt like a helium balloon rising in the sky. He got it! Knowing he understood why she poured out her heart to help the kids develop their talents and become the people God wanted them to be was such a special gift.
She smiled up at him. “That’s the sweetest thing anyone has said to me in a long time.” Then she stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek. “Thank you.”
He grinned. “Wow. Guess I’ll have to think of some more brilliant things to say if I’m going to get a reaction like that.”
Rachel laughed and gave him a playful nudge with her shoulder.
“Cam?” Hannah Bodine bustled down the aisle toward them.
Cam turned and greeted her.
“We have a problem.” She motioned them to the side of the auditorium. “My nephew, Ron, is on the school board. And last night at the meeting they discussed overcrowding in the elementary school.” Her brows twitched. “One of the board members suggested selling our building and using the funds to add a new wing to the existing school.”
Rachel gasped. “Are they serious?”
“I’m afraid they are.”
“But what about the money we pay them each month?” Rachel asked.
“That money only covers the expenses of maintaining the building.”
Rachel gripped her clipboard. “So what did they decide?”
“Nothing yet. But they appointed a group to look into it and report back next month.”
Cam nodded slowly and crossed his arms. “Okay. That gives us some time.”
Rachel stared at him. How could he be so calm? “They can’t make a decision like that without talking to us, can they? Don’t they have to have a public meeting so we can discuss the idea?”
Cam laid his hand on her shoulder. “We don’t know what they’re going to do yet, or how much they’ll involve us in the process.”
Rachel tensed under his touch. Of course moving to a new location wouldn’t be a problem for him. He could put a frame shop anywhere, but finding another home for N.C.Y.T. would be a huge challenge and disruption to their program.
“I think all the co-op partners need to know what’s going on,” Hannah added.
“I’ll see if we can set up a meeting tonight.” Cam turned to Rachel. “I don’t think we need to worry. It’s just an idea right now.”
Rachel met his gaze. “If that idea becomes a reality, we’re all going to lose something very important. I hope you’re taking this seriously.”
“Keeping the co-op together is top priority for me. We’ll fight this if we have to, but I don’t want to waste time worrying about something that may never happen.”
Rachel pulled in a calming breath. Cam was right. It was time to be calm and logical, not let her fears run away with her good sense.
Chandra called her name from the stage. The music had stopped. It was time to end rehearsal and send the kids home.
“Okay, everyone,” Rachel called. “Let’s huddle up.” She gathered the kids in a circle and asked Steve to pray.
He bowed his head, and the other kids followed. “Father, thanks for a good rehearsal. Help us all to learn our parts and do our best. Please watch over us, keep us safe and bring us back together again tomorrow. Amen.”
Short and sweet. She smiled her approval and dismissed the kids.
If only all the problems of the world could be solved with a simple little prayer like that.
“I don’t believe this!” Melanie’s eyes flashed, and she slapped her hand down on Lilly’s table. “How can they sell the building right out from under us? Doesn’t our lease mean anything?”
Rachel glanced around the table at her co-op partners. Everyone was upset by the news Cam had shared, but Melanie’s reaction was over the top.
“We don’t know if our lease will protect us or not.” Ross leaned forward. “That’s why I think we need to contact a lawyer.”
“How much will that cost?” Lilly asked, lines creasing her brow.
“I’m not sure, but I have a friend who might be willing to give us some free adv
ice, or at least a discount.”
“The museum can’t afford to hire lawyer,” Hannah added. “And we certainly don’t have money to relocate.”
Melanie’s nostrils flared. “So, are we just going to sit back and let them run us out of here? Let’s take the offensive and threaten those board members with a lawsuit. That will make them sit up and think twice about kicking us out.”
Everyone’s voices blended together as they responded to Melanie’s idea.
Cam held up his hand. “All right. Let’s settle down. First of all, No one is kicking us out yet. We don’t know if the board will follow through on this or not. And even if they do decide to sell, who is going to buy a building like this?”
“Developers are buying properties all over Bellingham, especially in Fairhaven,” Hannah added.
Lilly’s face lit up. “Maybe we could rent from the new owner.”
“What if they want to tear the building down or turn it into a strip mall?” Ross said.
There had to be something they could do. Rachel sat up straighter. “I know. Why don’t we buy the building?”
Melanie huffed. “Oh right, like we all have stacks of money just sitting in our bank accounts.”
“We might not have enough individually, but if we put our money and credit backing together, we might be able to buy it.” Rachel didn’t know much about business loans, and she certainly didn’t have much she could contribute toward a down payment, but maybe the others did. She looked around the table.
Cam sent her an apologetic half smile. “Buying the building would be great, but most of us invested our savings in renovations.”
“Then let’s raise the money,” Rachel said.
“How would we do that?” Lilly asked.
“We could become a non-profit group and apply for grants from foundations that support the arts. Or maybe we could look for other ways to raise funds.”
“Right, like bake sales and car washes,” Melanie added with a sarcastic sneer. “We’d never get enough money together in one month.”
Rachel turned away from Melanie. “We don’t know how quickly the board will move on this. We could at least see what’s involved and start the process.”
Ross tapped his pencil on the table. “Or we could look for a new location.” Lilly moaned and Hannah shook her head, then Ross continued. “I know none of us likes the idea of moving, but if we found a building in the historic district, it might put us closer to the other stores and galleries.”
“We tried that,” Lilly said. “But all those buildings were out of our price range, remember?”
Ross sighed. “Yeah, I remember.”
Cam flipped his yellow pad to a new page. “Okay. It’s getting late. Let’s make a plan. Hannah, why don’t you stay in touch with Ron and see what else he can find out for us. Rachel, would you look into what’s involved in setting up a non-profit and going after some grant money?”
“Sure.” Rachel nodded to Cam, then made a note for herself.
Melanie glared at Rachel, clearly perturbed.
“Ross, why don’t you talk to your lawyer friend and see what it would cost for him to help us. I’ll contact a real estate agent and see if there are any buildings nearby that would meet our needs. Lilly and Melanie, maybe you can ask around about any possible places that aren’t listed with a Realtor yet.”
Melanie lifted her eyes toward the ceiling. “How in the world am I supposed to find those? You want magic. Ask a magician.”
Lilly ignored Melanie and nodded to Cam. “I’ll talk to a few people and see what I can come up with.”
“Okay. Thanks.” Cam glanced around the table. “And it wouldn’t hurt to say a prayer or two about this situation. We need all the help we can get.”
“Amen to that!” Hannah added with a pleased grin.
Rachel nodded and sent him a warm smile.
Fifteen minutes later Rachel locked her office door and joined Cam in the hallway. She fell into step beside him as they headed toward the front door of the Arts Center. “You did a good job tonight. It’s not easy to lead a meeting when everyone’s emotions are running so high.”
He held the door open so she could pass through first. “Melanie and Hannah still seem pretty upset even though we came up with some good ideas,” Cam said.
Warm, sea-scented air greeted Rachel as she stepped outside. “Well, it’s a scary situation for all of us.”
“But it doesn’t seem to be affecting you the same way it does the rest of them,” Cam replied.
She tipped her head, remembering how anxious she’d been that afternoon when she’d first heard the news. “I don’t like the prospect of searching for a new location any more than they do. But I took some time to pray before the meeting, and that helped.
“I’m always telling the kids, ‘Don’t worry. God’s big enough to handle any problem that comes your way. He has a plan, and He’s got everything under control.’ If I believe that then I don’t need to be afraid of whatever is coming.”
He slipped his arm around her shoulder as they stepped off the curb. “That’s one of the things I like about you. You let your faith impact how you think and what you do every day.”
She smiled and ducked her head. “That’s sweet, Cam.”
“I mean it, Rachel. I don’t know many people who live what they believe the way you do. You make me want that kind of faith for myself.”
His words made her feel like dancing. If watching her go through tough times stirred up that kind of response in Cam’s heart, it was worth it all.
They stopped beside her car, and he waited while she searched through her purse and found her keys.
He laid his hand over hers. “Wait.”
She stilled and looked up at him.
A tender message flowed from his eyes as he lifted his hand and traced his fingers down her cheek. “Rachel…you’re a treasure.” He lowered his head, moving closer.
She lifted her face and her eyes drifted closed. His kiss was slow and sweet and achingly tender, melting away all her questions and worries.
Finally, he stepped back. “Wow. That was great. Maybe we should try that again.” Mischief twinkled in his eyes.
She laughed softly and squeezed his hand. “I better go.” But she stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek before she climbed into her car. “Good night, Cam. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Cam shut Rachel’s car door and waited while she started her engine. A smile tugged at his lips as he replayed her warm response to his kiss. She was amazing.
He’d wanted to kiss her for a long time, but it hadn’t seemed right until tonight. He didn’t take her affection or that kiss lightly. She was a treasure…a wonderful gift that had been entrusted to him, and he intended to tread very carefully so there was no possibility he’d hurt her.
He waved as she backed out of her parking spot and drove toward the exit. Reaching in his pocket, he found his keys, but his phone was missing. With a frown, he looked back at the building. He must have left it in his shop on the workbench. He didn’t like to be without it, especially when Shannon and Eric as well as Kayla used that number to reach him.
Across the parking lot, another car engine started. A dark sedan pulled out of the shadows in the far corner. Cam’s shoulders tensed. It looked like the same car he’d seen before, but he couldn’t be sure. His eyes darted to Rachel’s car. She turned out of the parking lot and headed north on Sixteenth. The sedan rolled across the blacktop, following Rachel’s path.
Cam’s gut clenched. He jogged to his SUV and jumped in, dismissing thoughts of his missing phone.
This time he would not let that guy get away.
Chapter Sixteen
Rachel drove out of the Arts Center parking lot and popped in a Carpenters’ CD. The music had been a gift from her mom who loved the brother-and-sister duo since college days. Tonight seemed like the perfect time for some vintage love songs.
Strains of “Close To You” filled the car as she drove u
p Sixteenth Street and turned right on Harris Avenue. She touched her lips and smiled, remembering the kiss she’d shared with Cam just minutes before. That kiss, along with the way he’d talked so openly about his faith, sent a special message straight to her heart. Cam’s renewed faith and caring ways made her believe she might have finally found a man she could love and trust.
Headlights flashed in her rearview mirror as they traveled over a dip in the road. Cam must have caught up and was right behind her now. Knowing he was close by, watching over her, she relaxed into the seat and hummed along with the song.
Maybe she’d invite him in for coffee when they got home. Kayla was staying overnight at Lindsey’s. It would be just the two of them. Maybe they would share another kiss. Her stomach fluttered at that thought.
The house came into view. She slowed and turned in the driveway, checking the rearview mirror for Cam. But the car behind her didn’t pull in, instead it rolled to a stop across the street. The headlights flashed off.
Rachel turned and looked over her shoulder. The car was a black sedan, not Cam’s green SUV. She gripped the steering wheel, and her heart began to pound. Don’t panic. Just get out of the car and go inside.
She forced herself to open the door and climb out. As she retrieved her computer bag and purse from the backseat, Cam’s SUV pulled up behind the sedan.
She released the breath she had been holding. See, you were overreacting. The driver of the sedan must be a friend of Cam’s, someone he invited over. She walked down the driveway toward the street to greet them.
Cam climbed out of his car, and even in the dim light she could see his stern expression.
“Go in the house,” he shouted, then he tossed her his keys. Hard.
She caught them, but stood there staring at him, trying to make sense of what was going on.
The driver’s window of the sedan powered down. A man lifted a camera, and a bright flash lit up the street.
“Hey!” Cam slammed his fist on the trunk of the sedan. “What do you think you’re doing?” He strode toward the driver’s door. “Who are you? What do you want?”
Carrie Turansky Page 13