Sweet Surrender

by Leeanna Morgan

  Willow held the bag up to her face. The rich, chocolatey scent tickled her nose. “It could take a while.”

  “You’ll be doing me a favor. I still have to wrap thirty Easter eggs before tomorrow. Listening to you will make the time go more quickly.”

  Willow took off her jacket. “I’ll help.”

  “You don’t need to.”

  “I know how busy you’ve been. You must be looking forward to your honeymoon.”

  Brooke walked through a set of doors and into the commercial kitchen. “I can’t wait. It will be wonderful to spend time with Levi and not worry about the store.”

  After Willow washed her hands, she pulled on a hairnet and apron. Brooke showed her how to wrap the chocolate eggs and add a cute ribbon to the boxes. “Are these orders being delivered to your customers or are they going in your store?”

  “They’re online orders. When Sam added the e-commerce software to Sweet Treats’ website, I thought I’d get a dozen orders a week. But it’s been crazy. Most days, Kathleen and I are sending at least twenty boxes of candy to our customers. When you factor in the candy we’re making for the store, it’s mind-boggling.”

  Willow cut a sheet of red cellophane in half. “I’m glad you’re selling lots of candy. You’ve invested a lot of time and money into Sweet Treats.”

  “You’ve done the same with your photography business. Have you finished the canvases for the exhibition in Bozeman?”

  “Nearly. The last one has to be finished by Wednesday afternoon.”

  Brooke placed a box of ribbon on the counter. “Is that why you were upset when you came into the store?”

  “No. It’s because of the video on YouTube. I’m getting lots of messages from total strangers. They want to know what I’ve been doing and if I’m going back to Nashville.”

  “I’m sorry. Levi and I should have asked everyone not to record the songs. It never occurred to us that something like this would happen.”

  “I didn’t think about it, either.” Willow was still annoyed at herself for not being more careful. Hadn’t she learned anything since she’d left Nashville?

  “What have you told the people who have contacted you?”

  Willow’s hands stilled over the egg she was wrapping. “Nothing.”

  “Maybe that’s the problem.”

  “If I say anything, it will only encourage people to ask more questions.”

  “Was Levi able to tell you who loaded the video onto YouTube?” Brooke asked.

  “It was one of his teenage cousins. She didn’t know anything about my life or why it wasn’t a good idea to share the clip.”

  Brooke handed Willow some white satin ribbon. “I could ask Levi to call her. She could add a comment under the video telling everyone you’re not returning to country music.”

  Willow wasn’t sure anything would work, but it was worth a try. “Thanks. That would be great.”

  “Now tell me about Zac. Has he decided to stay in Sapphire Bay?”

  Heat rushed to Willow’s face. “I think so. We’re going on our first date tomorrow night.”

  Brooke smiled. “Hopefully it doesn’t involve any more trips to the hospital.”

  “Doc Reilly is in Sapphire Bay tomorrow, so we’re safe.”

  “I wouldn’t count on it.”

  Neither would Willow. Which was why she was taking a backpack full of emergency supplies for any unplanned visits to the hospital.

  Zac checked the piece of paper Pastor John had given him. If he’d followed the directions correctly, Doc Reilly’s consultation rooms were in the old building in front of him. With its red-brick exterior and large front window, it could have easily been another retail store on Main Street.

  The bright yellow front door was wide open, so Zac stepped inside. A bell interrupted the relative calm of the waiting room.

  Emma, Willow’s friend, looked up from the magazine she was reading. “Hi, Zac. Doc Reilly won’t be long.”

  “Are you waiting to see him?”

  “I am, but not as a patient. I’m hoping to convince him to stay in Sapphire Bay a little longer.” She placed the magazine on the table beside her and sighed. “I talked to Pastor John yesterday. He told me about what you did for Jesse. Thank you.”

  “It was good to be able to help. When is Doc Reilly retiring?”

  “As soon I can find a replacement,” a deep voice said from the other side of the room.

  Zac turned around. Doc Reilly must be in his late sixties. With thinning gray hair and an easy smile, he would be a welcome sight in a town struggling to provide any medical services.

  Holding out his hand, Zac stepped toward him. “Hi. I’m Zac Hilary. It’s good to meet you.”

  Doc Reilly pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose. “Are you the doctor Pastor John was telling me about?”

  Zac’s eyebrows rose. “It depends. What did he say?”

  “Nothing you need to worry about. I take it you’re here to look around my surgery?”

  Emma looked bemusedly at the two men. “Does this mean my mission to find a doctor is over?”

  Zac took a deep breath. Staying here was a big commitment. But for his sake and Willow’s, he would do everything he could to make it happen. “I still need to sort out a few things but, in the meantime, I’m happy to help.”

  “Thank goodness,” Emma said. “It will make a huge difference knowing you’re here while we’re petitioning the county for more health services.”

  Doc Reilly shook Zac’s hand. “You won’t regret your decision. After I’ve shown you around, I’ll talk to the clinical director in Polson. If they want you to provide medical services in Sapphire Bay, they’ll put together an employment package. If you still want to work here after you’ve seen the contract, we’ll talk about a handover process.”

  “That sounds like a good plan to me.”

  Emma picked up her jacket and bag, and smiled at Zac. “Would you mind if I told Pastor John you could be our next doctor?”

  “Just make sure he realizes there’s a lot of work to do before it’s official.”

  “I will. But for what it’s worth, you’ll enjoy living here.”

  Zac hoped so. Up until now, he’d been a nomad, moving from one humanitarian crisis to another.

  Living in Sapphire Bay could either be the making of him or create even more issues.

  The next day, Willow glanced at her watch. Zac would be here soon to take her to dinner. She straightened the skirt of her dress and, for what seemed like the twentieth time, studied her reflection.

  Her red dress, with its sweetheart neckline and long sleeves, would suit any of the casual dining options in town. If Zac wanted to go somewhere more formal, she’d add the soft mohair jacket her mom had knitted her.

  Thinking about her parents made Willow reach for her phone. A few weeks ago, they’d flown to Israel for a vacation. Her mom had always dreamed of visiting the Holy City. And, now, six months after they’d booked their airfares, they were staying in a hostel in the middle of Jerusalem. Their days were spent walking for miles and enjoying the company of people from around the world.

  Willow found the latest email from her dad and smiled. He’d included a few photos of their travels to the Old City. She touched the screen and smiled. Her mom’s short gray hair was a tangled mass of curls. Her dad had grown a beard. It wasn’t as well trimmed as Zac’s, but it suited him.

  By the time she’d scrolled through the photos, Willow felt a lot calmer. Her parents had always been a steadying influence on her life. They’d raised her to think for herself and be true to who she was. For a while, she’d lost sight of everything they’d taught her. But not anymore. After her manager stole her songs, she listened to advice only from people she trusted. And she always double-checked anything that didn’t make sense.

  Willow turned off her phone and pulled back the living room curtain. She wasn’t joking when she’d told Zac she hadn’t been on a date in years.

  Startin
g a photography business had been hard work. When she wasn’t building her portfolio or working on commissions, she was meeting potential clients. Having any kind of social life outside of her female friends wasn’t easy.

  She jumped when the headlights of Zac’s truck swung across her living room wall.

  With a pounding heart she picked up her wallet and jacket. It was silly to be worried about going on a date but, with everything that had happened over the last couple of days, she couldn’t help it.

  What if a reporter or overzealous fan found her in Sapphire Bay? Would they respect her privacy or do what most people had done—exploit her to get what they wanted.

  Before Zac was able to knock, she opened the front door. His white shirt accentuated his broad shoulders and made her sigh.

  “You look beautiful.”

  Willow stared at the daisies he held toward her.

  “I picked these from my garden.”

  “They’re lovely, but you didn’t have to give me flowers.”

  “I wanted to start our date the right way.”

  Her smile wobbled as she took the daisies. “In that case, thank you. Do you want to come inside while I find a vase?”

  With a quick nod, Zac followed her through the living room and into the kitchen.

  She opened a cupboard and tried to think of something interesting to say. But her mind was as blank as the chalkboard beside the refrigerator.

  When inspiration hit, it wasn’t the world’s most awe-inspiring question, but it was better than feeling like a tongue-tied teenager. “Did you do anything exciting today?”

  “I saw Doc Reilly in his consultation rooms. Emma was there.”

  “Is she okay?”

  Zac nodded. “She wanted to talk to him about extending his contract in Sapphire Bay. I told Emma and Doc Reilly that I was interested in working here.”

  Willow’s hand froze above the vase. “What did they say?”

  “Doc Reilly looked as though he wanted to hug me. Emma was relieved she didn’t have to keep pestering him about staying.”

  “Having a medical clinic in Sapphire Bay is important to her.”

  “Why?”

  Willow turned on the faucet and filled the vase with water. “When she was living in Wyoming, she went into premature labor with her twins. She was lucky she lived close to a hospital. If Emma had been here, the twins could have died. When she moved to Sapphire Bay, she couldn’t believe we only had a part-time doctor.”

  Zac leaned against the counter. “It happens in a lot of small communities.”

  “But we’re not as small as we used to be. Even our school is bursting at the seams with new enrollments. The county is spending a lot of money on our roads, but we need more services to cope with the larger population.” She placed the daisies in the vase and smiled. “On a brighter note, we now have a new doctor. As soon as you tell everyone, you’ll have a long line of patients waiting to see you.”

  “I still have some paperwork to complete before I can officially work in Montana. And then there’s the clinical director in Polson. He might not want to hire me.”

  “I don’t think that will happen. There aren’t many doctors who are happy to work this far from a major hospital.”

  “Except me.”

  The serious expression on Zac’s face made her smile fade. “Are you sure this is what you want to do? It will be a big change.”

  “I can’t work in refugee camps forever.” He stepped closer to Willow and held her hands. “I want to make Sapphire Bay my home, and I’d like you to be part of my life.”

  “What if you change your mind?”

  “Emma won’t let me. She said she’d chain me to the clinic to keep me here.”

  Willow sighed. “I knew there was a reason I liked her so much.”

  Zac gently squeezed her fingers. “And there’s a reason I like you, too. But if we don’t leave in the next few minutes, you’ll miss your surprise.”

  “What kind of surprise?”

  “The kind that takes your breath away. You’ll need a jacket and a warm hat.”

  Willow frowned. “Where are we going?”

  “If I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise.”

  She studied her dress and high heels. Both were fine for a restaurant, but not much else. “Do I need different shoes?”

  Zac shook his head. “They’ll be okay.”

  Taking him at his word wasn’t difficult. Especially when he was looking at her as if she was the most important person in the world.

  Opening the hall closet, she removed her jacket and found a hat buried on a shelf. There were only two more things she needed. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

  When he saw what she was holding, Zac frowned. “I can understand why you’re taking the camera. But why the backpack?”

  “We’ve already made two trips to the hospital. This time I’m prepared for anything. I’ve got bottled water, snacks, two sweaters, two sleeping masks, and two sets of earplugs.”

  “Are you sure you haven’t got the kitchen sink hidden in there, too?”

  Willow grinned. “It wouldn’t fit.” And for the first time that night, she knew everything would turn out okay.

  An hour later, Zac held open the passenger door of his truck. From the moment he’d turned into the meeting point for the hot air balloon company, Willow’s gaze hadn’t left the pasture.

  He hoped that was a good sign. “What do you think?”

  “They’re amazing.”

  Six balloons stood tall and proud in front of them. Their blue, yellow, and orange fabric glowed against the early evening sky. Flames leaped inside the burners as everything was prepared for the next flight.

  Zac’s dad had taken him for a ride in a hot air balloon when he was about ten years old. He’d never forgotten the uninterrupted views, the sense of being part of something that was much bigger than himself. When Levi told him about Polson’s festival of lights, he’d wanted to bring Willow. Out of everyone Zac knew, she would be the person who would appreciate the color and magic that Levi had talked about.

  Willow jumped out of the truck. “I wasn’t in Montana when the festival was on last year. I didn’t think the balloons would be so big.”

  With a push of a button, Zac locked the truck. “The company said they’re about eighty feet tall. They don’t often have six balloons in one location.”

  Willow looked around the property. “I thought there would be more people looking at them.”

  Zac stuck his hands in his pockets. “The land is privately owned. Once the balloons reach Flathead Lake, there will be plenty of people looking at them. Do you want to have a closer look?”

  “Are we allowed?”

  “I can’t see why not.” Before Willow realized why they were here, he led her across to the nearest balloon.

  A man wearing a bright yellow jacket held out his hand. “Hi, I’m Gary. Are you booked on tonight’s flight?”

  “We are.” Zac shook Gary’s hand, then turned to Willow. Her eyes were as wide as saucers.

  “Is this the surprise you were talking about?”

  “It is. I hope you’re not afraid of heights.”

  Willow grinned. “As long as I’ve got something to hold onto, I’ll be fine. I’ve never been in a hot air balloon before.”

  Gary held out his hand to Willow. “In that case, welcome aboard. I’ll run through the safety instructions before we leave. After that, all you need to do is enjoy the ride.”

  Willow’s gaze never left Gary as he told them what to expect during the flight and what to do if they had to make an emergency landing.

  At the end of his talk, Gary turned to Willow. “Are you ready for your balloon ride?”

  Willow looked at Zac.

  Zac smiled when he saw the excitement on her face. “I’d say the answer is a resounding yes.”

  “In that case,” Gary said as he opened the door to the basket, “let’s get you on board and into the air.”

&nb
sp; Before she stepped inside, Willow hugged Zac. “Thank you. This is much better than sitting in a restaurant.”

  “I thought so, too.” A warmth settled deep in his chest. Just being with Willow made him happy. “There’s a picnic basket in the back of my truck. When we get back, we could have dinner here or drive to Flathead Lake and eat it there.”

  Willow sighed. “The lake sounds wonderful. There’s only one problem.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Our first date is perfect. If the single women of Sapphire Bay realize how romantic you are, they’ll come to your clinic for more reasons than a sore throat.”

  Zac grinned as he helped her into the basket. “Don’t worry. Mabel said she’d help me find a receptionist. They can be my bodyguard.”

  Willow seemed relieved. “That’s the best news I’ve heard all day.”

  Gary closed the door behind them and smiled. “Are you ready to watch the sun set over Flathead Lake?”

  Zac nodded. He was ready for anything—including being part of Willow’s life.

  Chapter Eleven

  The following day, Willow wished she hadn’t been so quick to volunteer her services at The Welcome Center. Today’s photographic workshop was the last one she would tutor this semester. Each of the previous classes had been fun but, with everything that had happened, her head felt as though it was spinning.

  She picked up one of her spare cameras and placed it on a table. In half an hour, the students would arrive. If she didn’t push aside her nagging sense of unease, no one would enjoy the class.

  “Are you all right?” Emma asked from the doorway.

  Willow forced a smile. “I will be after my workshop is finished. Where are the twins?”

  “They’re with Pastor John and the other children in the living room. He’s keeping Dylan and Molly amused in exchange for my accounting skills.”

  This time, Willow’s smile was genuine. Sticking to a budget and recording all of the center’s income and expenditure wasn’t one of John’s strengths. He should employ an accountant. But finding someone who would work for less than they could get somewhere else was almost impossible. Luckily, there were enough small business owners in Sapphire Bay to make the job easier. With each of them volunteering for a few hours each month, the church’s accounts were more organized than they’d been in years.