Katie turned around and wiped the tears from her eyes. “The last time I baked bread was with you and Grandma. I thought it was about time I baked another loaf.”
Diana gave her sister a hug. “Will you be all right?”
“Of course, I will.” She sent Cassidy an apologetic smile. “Sorry about the tears. Our grandma died recently and baking the bread reminded me of her.”
“That’s okay. I cry, too. It makes me feel better.”
Katie paid closer attention to Cassidy. “You must be Diana’s friend from The Welcome Center. I’m Katie.”
“I’m Cassidy Holmes.”
Diana handed her sister a box of tissues. “As well as being an amazing cook, Katie writes children’s books.”
Cassidy’s eyes widened. “You’re an author?”
“I’ve written six books, but they aren’t published yet.”
“When are you publishing them?”
“Hopefully, soon. Diana told us you’re doing some classes with Ethan.”
Cassidy nodded. “He has lots of different workshops. I’ve been doing a catering and hospitality course at The Welcome Center, too. Pastor John said it’s good to have different skills.”
Katie wiped down the counter. “He’s right. When you’re ready to find a job, having some hospitality qualifications will make a big difference.”
“That’s what Mom thinks, too.”
Diana checked her watch. “We’d better keep moving. There’s a whole lot of house to see before you need to call your mom.”
“Okay. It was nice meeting you, Katie.”
“It was good meeting you, too. Don’t forget to look at the honeymoon suite. It has the most incredible view over the lake.”
“I won’t.”
Diana smiled at her sister. “If you see Penny and Barbara, don’t let them eat all the bread before I get back.”
“It’s only Barbara you need to worry about. Penny’s staying at Wyatt’s for dinner.”
“That’s great. There’ll be more for us.”
“Or less,” Katie laughed, “if Wyatt comes back with her.”
Knowing how in love they were, nothing would surprise Diana.
After dinner, Diana walked into the living room to find Barbara hunched over her computer, muttering under her breath. “Is everything all right?”
Her sister looked up and sighed. “I’ve lost a spreadsheet I was working on for a client.”
“Did you back it up?”
“I thought I’d saved it to an external hard drive, but it isn’t there. What have you been doing?”
“Tidying up. There’s still quite a few of Grandma’s boxes to unpack.”
Barbara rubbed the back of her neck. “We should have gone through all her boxes when we cleared out the attic. I’m not sure packing things in the garage was a good idea.”
“At least it kept everything safe while we were doing the remodeling.” Diana didn’t mind sorting through the dusty boxes. She was hoping there might be some more information about her great-grandfather in them but, so far, she hadn’t found anything.
“I meant to ask you if everything’s all right.”
Diana’s eyes widened. “Everything’s fine. Why?”
“You seem more stressed than usual. You’re not having trouble with the online reservation system, are you? I fiddled with the program, but it might be worse than before.”
Diana shook her head. If the inn’s booking system was all she had to worry about, she’d be happy. At least they could do something to fix a computer program. But Derek was an entirely different matter. Each time she went into town, she was constantly looking over her shoulder, making sure her ex-husband wasn’t there.
Last night, she’d woken out of a dead sleep and frantically searched for her cell phone. She was worried she’d left it downstairs. If Derek called, one of her sisters might answer it and, knowing what they thought of him, it would only lead to more arguments and bad feelings.
With everything that had taken place during their marriage, she had enough bad feelings to last a lifetime.
Barbara was looking at her strangely. “I’m fine,” she said quickly. “It’s probably last-minute nerves before our guests arrive.”
“Are you sure? You can talk to me if something else is worrying you.”
Diana wanted to tell Barbara about Derek, but her sister would tell her other sisters, then their mom and dad would know. Before too long, half of Sapphire Bay would be standing on the street with pitchforks, ready to boot Derek out of town.
That’s if he was still here. And, knowing Derek, he would be.
Diana picked up a magazine off the floor and left it on the coffee table. “I really am okay, but thanks for asking. I have to reply to some emails before I go to bed, so I’ll leave you to your missing spreadsheet.”
“Thanks,” Barbara said dryly. “If you hear an excited shout, you’ll know I’ve found it.”
“You’d better warn Penny and Katie. Otherwise, they’ll think you’ve won the lottery.”
“Wouldn’t that be amazing? Anyway, I’d better get back to my work, too. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Six o’clock?”
“Of course,” Barbara said with a smile. “Katie’s making pancakes with fresh berries.”
Diana smiled. “I’ll see you in the kitchen, then.” And with a heavy heart, she left the living room. If Barbara had noticed she was worried, the rest of her family might, as well. It was time to forget about Derek and get on with her life.
The following Saturday, Ethan stood beside Richard and Jack as they sanded the last area of the wooden seat they were making. This wasn’t part of a therapy session, but it was about team building and creating community connections.
When John, the pastor of the Connect Church, started a woodworking club, Ethan hadn’t thought about joining. His dad was a keen woodworker and had shown him how to use a variety of tools to create beautiful furniture. Even though it gave him a sense of satisfaction to build something from scratch, he wasn’t in a hurry to add another commitment to his hectic life. But, with a little persuasion from John, he’d come to one of the sessions and was hooked. Everyone in the group was learning new skills and making indoor and outdoor furniture for their family, friends, and the tiny home village.
“What do you think, Ethan?” Jack pointed to the back of a garden seat. Carved into the wood was the shape of a fish.
“It looks incredible.”
“The seat will match the mural we painted.”
Jack loved everything about Flathead Lake. Ethan had already seen the set of flat stones he’d found on the shoreline, some fishing flies Allan Terry had made for him, and other treasures he’d picked up on his walks with his dad. It was no surprise when he wanted to include a water theme in the mural they’d painted on one of the garages in the tiny home village.
Richard handed his son a clean rag. “We need to wipe off the dust before we stain the wood. I’ll start at this end.”
“And I’ll start here,” Jack said proudly.
The smile on Richard’s face was good to see. Ethan knew how difficult it was to start again, to re-imagine a different life for yourself. “You could create a business selling these seats,” he said to Richard. “The design and quality are better than most of the outdoor furniture I’ve seen.”
“I’ve always enjoyed working with wood, but I don’t know the first thing about starting a business.”
“There are plenty of small business owners in Sapphire Bay who would teach you the basics.”
Richard glanced at the seat. “It’s a good idea, but I can’t afford to buy the tools I’ll need or pay rent on somewhere to use as a workshop.”
Ethan looked around the old steamboat museum. Two-thirds of the room was being used to build tiny homes destined for other communities in Montana. The other third, thanks to John, was being used by this group. Even with all their tools and machinery, there was still a lot of unused space.
&
nbsp; “We don’t use all of this area. You could ask John if you can set up your business from here. You could borrow the church’s tools. If a small percentage of each sale went toward running The Welcome Center or the tiny home village, it might work for everyone.”
Richard’s eyes widened. “Do you think John would be happy for me to do that?”
“I can’t see why not. He wants to find work for as many people as possible. The business might grow enough to be able to support more staff.” A raft of emotions crossed Richard’s face. For someone who’d arrived in Sapphire Bay with nothing, the prospect of starting his own business must be exciting and terrifying. “Think about it,” Ethan encouraged. “If you’re not interested, that’s okay. But if you’d like to talk it through, you know where I am.”
“Thanks. It’s a great suggestion. How’s your project coming along?”
“All I have to do is add another coat of stain and the table will be finished.”
“Well, I’m impressed. You’ve done a great job.”
Richard’s encouragement gave Ethan’s confidence a boost. A few times since he’d started, he’d nearly given up, especially after he decided to create an intricate pattern around the edge of the tabletop.
His phone rang and he glanced at the caller display. When he wasn’t working he usually turned off his phone but, for some reason, he’d forgotten.
“I’ll be back soon,” he promised Richard.
“Take your time. We’ll be here for at least another hour.”
He smiled and answered the call. “Ethan Preston speaking. How can I help?”
“Hi, Ethan. It’s Abbey Holmes, Cassidy’s mom. I’m wondering if you’ve seen my daughter.”
“The last time I saw her was at the art therapy class. Is everything all right?”
“I’m really worried about her. She met her dad at Sweet Treats at ten o’clock this morning. They had an argument and she left the store. She was supposed to come home, but I haven’t seen her.”
“Have you checked The Welcome Center and the tiny home village?”
“I called Pastor John. She’s not at The Welcome Center. He’s checking the tiny home village now.”
Ethan tried to think of all the places a sixteen-year-old girl might go. “What about her friend Paul’s house?”
“I’ve already called him. He hasn’t seen her. I drove through town and called her other friends. No one knows where she’s gone.”
Ethan checked the time. It was nearly one o’clock. If Cassidy had gone somewhere to calm down, she should be home by now.
“Have you checked the cabin?” Last time she went missing, she was in a small cabin her grandfather had used when he went fishing. It was rundown and derelict, but at least it was dry.
“A friend looked there half an hour ago. There was no sign of her. I don’t want to panic, but it’s difficult not to, especially after what happened last time.”
“Call 9-1-1. They’ll alert the search and rescue teams, and activate the community volunteers. We need to find her before it gets too late. Do you have someone who can stay with you?”
“My neighbor is here. I’ll call 9-1-1. If I hear from Cassidy, I’ll let you know.”
“Do that. I’ll call Mabel. She’ll start the community phone tree. Someone will have seen her.”
“I hope so,” Abbey said with a shaky breath. “She’s my entire world. I don’t know what I’ll do if something has happened to her.”
“I know it’s hard, but try to be positive.”
“I will.”
Ethan ended the call and looked for Mabel’s phone number. They’d used the emergency phone tree twice since he’d been here and, each time, they were able to track down the missing person. He just hoped the same would be true for Cassidy.
Chapter 6
Diana handed Cassidy a glass of lemonade. Ten minutes ago, she’d arrived at the back door of the inn with red, puffy eyes from crying. “Are you sure you don’t want to tell me why you’re upset?”
“You’ll think I’m overreacting.”
“I’ve grown up with three sisters. There isn’t much you can say that would surprise me.”
Cassidy blew her nose. “I shouldn’t have run off, but I didn’t know what else to do.”
The alarm bells ringing in Diana’s ears became louder. At the very least, she needed to contact Cassidy’s mom and let her know she was here. “Who did you run away from?”
“My dad. Grandma said he’s a deadbeat and not worth the ground he walks on. She was right.”
They were pretty damaging words. Diana didn’t know what Cassidy’s father was like but, if he was that bad, she was surprised Cassidy’s mom had let her daughter meet him. “What happened?”
Fresh tears filled the teenager’s eyes. “We’re supposed to spend time together. Mom arranged for him to meet me at Sweet Treats.”
“He didn’t show up?”
“He was there, but he told me he’s going to live in Canada. I won’t see him again for at least six months.”
Diana rubbed Cassidy’s shoulder. Her tears and anger were starting to make sense. It wasn’t easy saying goodbye to someone who should have been in your life for longer. “I can understand how hard it must be. You could always keep in contact over the Internet.”
Cassidy shook her head. “Dad said he can’t get the Internet where he’s going. But that’s just an excuse. He’s never spent time with me.”
There were lots of things Diana could have said to make Cassidy feel better, but she didn’t know what her dad was like. “What time did you meet your dad?”
“Ten o’clock. We were supposed to have hot chocolate and muffins at Sweet Treats.”
Diana checked her watch. That was three and a half hours ago. “Where were you supposed to go after you talked to your dad?”
“To mom’s house. Do you think she’ll be angry that I didn’t go straight home?”
“I think she’ll be worried. While you’re drinking the lemonade, I could let her know you’re okay.”
Cassidy looked even more concerned. “I didn’t mean to upset her.”
“I know you didn’t, but it’s important she knows you’re here. Can you tell me your mom’s phone number?” As soon as she had the number, she sent Cassidy what she hoped was an encouraging smile. “I left my cell phone in the living room. I’ll be back in a minute.”
Diana glanced at Cassidy as she left the kitchen. She’d be as quick as she could. Leaving her on her own for too long wasn’t a good idea, especially if she walked out of the inn. Wasting no time, she grabbed her phone off the coffee table and hurried back into the kitchen.
The phone had only rung once when someone answered. “Abbey Holmes speaking.”
“Hi, Abbey. You don’t know me, but my name is Diana Terry. Cassidy is with me at—” She yanked the phone away as a loud bang echoed in her ear.
“Hello? Are you still there?” Abbey asked.
“I’m here,” Diana reassured her. “Are you okay?”
“I dropped the phone. Is Cassidy all right? Can I speak to her?”
“She’s fine. I’ll hand her the phone.”
Cassidy was biting her fingernails, but she took the phone. “Hi, Mom. I’m sorry I left Sweet Treats.”
Diana couldn’t hear what Cassidy’s mom was saying, but it must have been okay. There were no new tears and the teenager’s nails would live to face another day.
“I’ll tell Diana. I’m with her at The Lakeside Inn.”
“Okay. I love you, too.” Cassidy ended the call and handed Diana the phone. “Mom said she’ll be here soon. The police and the search and rescue teams were getting ready to look for me.” A deep blush turned Cassidy’s face red. “Mom will let them know I’m okay.”
“Have you run away before?”
This time, Cassidy hung her head in shame. “I stayed in Grandpop’s cabin for a while. No one knew I was there.”
It was no wonder Abbey had dropped the phone. She must have b
een desperate for news about her daughter. “Well, they know where you are now and that’s all that matters. If you wash your hands, you can help me make some salads for dinner.”
“You aren’t angry with me?”
“Why would I be angry?”
Cassidy followed her across to the kitchen sink. “Because I shouldn’t have gone anywhere without telling Mom or Dad where I was going.”
“I’m glad you came here. You’re safe and I don’t need to make the salad on my own.” Diana took everything they’d need out of the refrigerator. Hopefully, by the time Cassidy’s mom arrived, she wouldn’t be as upset as she’d sounded on the phone.
Fifteen minutes after Cassidy’s mom called him, Ethan was sitting in the kitchen of The Lakeside Inn, listening to the teenager explain why she’d left Sweet Treats so abruptly. So far, Abbey, Cassidy’s mom had kept her composure.
The last few years had been hard on Cassidy and her family. The teenager’s natural instinct was to run from any emotional conflict. And, unfortunately, that’s what she’d done today. If Diana hadn’t been here, he didn’t know where the teenager would have gone.
He took the glass of lemonade Diana handed him. “Thanks.”
“You’re welcome,” she whispered. “I have to see Barbara before our guests come back. Is there anything you need before I leave?”
“We should be okay.”
She nodded and turned to Cassidy and Abbey. “I need to talk to my sister. You’re welcome to stay for as long as you like.”
Cassidy gave Diana a quick hug. “Thanks for not minding that I came here.”
“I’m happy you did.”
“So am I,” she said with tears in her eyes. “Can I visit you another day?”
“I’d like that. Ask your mom before you come, though.”
After Diana left, Cassidy bowed her head. “I really am sorry, Mom. I won’t run away again.”
“At least you stayed in town. I called your dad. He’s going to meet us at our house.”
“Do I have to talk to him?”
Summer At Lakeside Page 5