Before Today

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 no one can win. He thought he’d worked through most of his issues, found peace in the aftermath of hell. When he arrives in Sapphire Bay, the last person he expects to see is Brooke. Two years ago she broke his heart and he’ll do everything he can to keep his distance.

As the sparks ignite between them, Brooke’s past comes back to haunt her. This time, she needs to trust Levi—before it’s too late for either of them.

Brooke pushed open her bedroom window and filled her lungs with the sweet scent 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 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 she’d spent the weekend in her candy store, she needed to go into work today. She was meeting two of her friends at eight o’clock and, with Easter just around the corner, she had far too many orders to fill.

As she turned from the window, she glanced at the street below. 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 was available 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.

* * *

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 the breathtaking view. Flathead Lake shimmered in the mid-morning sunshine, sparkling like a bowl of polished diamonds against a bright blue Montana sky. Across the lake, a smudge of charcoal and green rose into the air. The trees and craggy mountain range 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 stepped off his motorcycle, raised his arms above his head 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, Levi threw his leg over his Harley and started the engine. There was only one road into town and he planned on getting there fast.

* * *

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 four weeks, Megan would marry 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. Her training as a nurse had taught her some valuable life skills, but Megan and her fiancé didn’t need her to set a broken bone or wrap a bandage around a sprain. They needed another set of skills. The kind that involved making candy for their 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?”

“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 likes the hummingbird cake at Pastor John’s church. I’m using 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.”

A couple of years ago, Megan’s sister and parents were killed in a car accident. Megan had become the guardian of Nora, her three-year-old niece and, together, they’d formed a new family. 

It gave Brooke goosebumps to see how much Nora had blossomed after William came into her life. 

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 coffeepot. “I’m surprised Pastor John shared 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.”

“Let me guess,” Sam said. “Pastor John wants you to tutor a cake decorating class?” 

“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 the tutors?” Brooke asked.

“Only if you want to help,” Megan said quickly.

Brooke had already run a candy-making workshop 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.”

Brooke turned the laptop around. For the last couple of weeks, Sam had been working on a new and improved website for Sweet Treats. If anyone could give her online presence an overhaul, it was Sam. As technical development manager for a high-end security company, there wasn’t much she didn’t know about computers.

Brooke studied the draft website. It was simple, eye-catching, and included all the branding elements she wanted. “This is fantastic.”

Sam smiled. “I’m glad you like it. I can design another website for Megan based on what we do for Sweet Treats.”

Megan looked over Brooke’s shoulder. “It’s wonderful. Our customers will be thrilled when they can shop online.”

Brooke bit her bottom lip. “I 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 squeezed Brooke’s fingers. “If you need someone to help in the 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. “I hope you’re 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 and lots of happy customers.”

“And to falling in love,” Megan added.

Brooke sighed. Her two best friends were ready to walk down the aisle, but she wouldn’t let cupid’s golden arrow anywhere near her heart.