Chapter 20
S hona parked on the street outside Joseph’s house and took a deep breath. She didn’t know how he’d react to her apology or even if he’d want to hear it. For all she knew, he might have decided he didn’t need the stress of having a girlfriend. But, unless she got out of her truck and spoke to him, she’d never know.
She hadn’t even made it up the steps when his front door opened and Joseph came outside. Her heart sank. He was wearing a heavy jacket and a ski cap, as if he’d never intended to be home when she arrived.
“Hi. You’re on time. That’s good.”
She frowned. “Did you want me to talk to you outside?”
He followed her gaze to his jacket. “No. I mean, that’s part of the reason I’m wearing my jacket, but we have to go somewhere.”
“We do?” Shona was confused. “What about Adele?”
“She’s at choir practice. We’ll take my truck.” He held onto her elbow and steered her back to the driveway.
It was just as well she’d worn jeans. She’d spent ages going through her closet searching for the perfect outfit to tell Joseph she’d overreacted. But the clothes were either too formal or too flouncy for the conversation she wanted to have with him.
“Where are we going?”
“To The Welcome Center.” He opened the passenger door.
Shona didn’t move. This was getting crazier by the minute. “Why are we going there?”
“I have to show you something, but we don’t have much time.”
“I came to apologize for acting like an idiot. I can’t do that at The Welcome Center. There’ll be people everywhere and?—”
Joseph’s lips landed on her mouth.
For a few delirious seconds, she could almost believe the last week hadn’t happened. But when Joseph abruptly ended the kiss, she didn’t know what to think.
“Apology accepted.” He wrapped his arm around her waist and gave her a nudge. “We’re meeting John at the center in five minutes. We can’t be late.”
“I’ve just told you I’m sorry and you want to talk to Pastor John? Do you think we need counseling?”
Joseph frowned. “No, we don’t need counseling, but we do need to get to the center. Even though it might not look like it, I’m doing a happy dance on the inside. I thought you wanted to break up with me.”
“No, I…” When he pointed to the passenger seat in the truck, she gave up and sat inside. At least it would be warmer than standing in the chilly night air. Clicking her seat belt into place, she waited for Joseph to start the engine. “Are you going to tell me why we’re going to The Welcome Center?”
“You wanted to know what my trust has funded. It’s easier to show you.”
“Oh.” Shona sat back in the seat. “Do you have any questions or comments to make about my apology?”
“Only that you didn’t need to apologize.” Joseph reversed out of the driveway and headed toward Main Street. “You were right. I should have trusted you more.”
She didn’t know what to say. Since Sunday night’s catchup with Paris, she’d been worrying herself silly about talking to Joseph. But within thirty seconds of seeing him, all was forgiven. “Are you sure you’re feeling all right?”
“The last time I checked I was.”
Her heart pounded when he smiled. Even in the most bizarre circumstances, he had a way of filling up a space and making her feel like the luckiest person alive. “How has Adele been?”
“Missing you.” His hands clenched around the steering wheel. “We’ve both missed you. Her stutter is getting better. I think most of that has to do with seeing you at the quilting workshop.”
“She had a great time. I’m surprised by how much the girls liked making the pincushions.”
“They looked great. Adele put hers on the coffee table in the living room. She made the fabric you left in the folder into another one. She’s giving it to my dad for Christmas.”
After hearing how much Joseph’s mom had enjoyed quilting, the gift would be treasured by his dad. “That’s a lovely thing to do. I’m sorry I didn’t return any of your calls.”
“That’s okay. It gave me time to think about what I'd done. Ever since I’ve known you, you’ve been honest with me. I should have told you about the trust and why I wanted to help you. Who knows, you might even have accepted the money if you knew how much Mom enjoyed quilting.”
Shona looked at her hands clasped tightly together on her lap. There was something else she wanted to ask him, but she couldn't do it at The Welcome Center. “Is there anything else you haven't told me that I should know?”
Joseph ran his hand around the back of his neck and her heart sank.
He glanced at her before looking back at the road. “It's not as bad as you think. Before I came to Sapphire Bay I worked in the finance sector for twenty-five years. When I left Los Angeles, I was the chief financial officer of a multinational investment company.”
Shona had no idea what a chief financial officer did, but it sounded important. “You were their accountant?”
“A little more than that. I ran the company.”
“The entire company?”
Joseph sent her a nervous glance. “We had offices in seven countries and more than three thousand staff working for us.”
That was huge compared to what Shona had imagined. “And now you build tiny homes in a small Montana town? How did that happen?”
“A friend used to rent a house close to Sapphire Bay and spend his summer vacations fishing. One year, I came with him. As soon as I turned off my phone, I felt like I was living on a different planet.” He stopped at the traffic lights and took off his cap. “When Hillary left Los Angeles, Adele was upset and I was on the verge of a breakdown. I came back here hoping it would give me time to think about our future. Unfortunately, I didn't organize any accommodation before I left and there was nothing available. I met Mabel at the general store and she suggested going to The Welcome Center. John gave us a room for as long as we needed it. I guess the rest is history.”
The lights changed and Shona watched the stores on Main Street pass them in a kaleidoscope of color. After Chris died, she’d stayed in Sapphire Bay for similar reasons. There was a simplicity to life in this small town that she’d never found anywhere else. It grounded her, gave her time to think about her life and the world around her.
“Were you stretching the truth when you said you enjoyed woodworking?”
“No. That’s something I’ve always liked. Before I went to college, my dad and I used to spend a lot of time in his workshop. He taught me everything I know.”
Shona had one other question she wanted to ask him. With The Welcome Center getting closer, she had to ask him now. “Do you miss Los Angeles or your previous job?”
When Joseph didn't immediately answer, she thought the worst. Even though he’d lived in Sapphire Bay for three years he might still leave, especially with his dad living in California.
“I don't miss my job. I had a great team working with me, but I was still responsible for the organization’s performance. The hours I worked cost me my marriage and almost my daughter. No job is worth that. But I do miss spending time with my dad. We can fly home whenever we want, but it's not the same as being able to pop around to watch a game or invite him to our house for dinner.” He turned into The Welcome Center’s parking lot. “I'm trying to convince Dad to move here, but he likes living in Los Angeles. He's seventy-six years old and still manages all his commercial properties as well as mentoring other property developers.”
Shona's eyes widened. “How many properties does he own?”
“About fifteen. John’s waiting for us.” He undid his seat belt and opened his door. “I know this is a lot to take in, but it will all make sense soon.”
She hoped so. Because right now, she felt like she’d stepped into a parallel universe.
By the time they reached the edge of the building, John had the back door open. “Come this way. It’ll take us straight to the kitchen.”
“Why are you whispering?” Shona asked.
John poked his head outside and looked both ways before closing the door. “Because I don't want Shelley to know we're here.”
Joseph placed his hand around Shona’s waist. “She has a thing about keeping what The Christmas Wish Program does a secret.”
“The people who provide the wishes are called Santa’s Secret Helpers,” John explained. “And if we don’t get a move on, we’ll miss what they’re doing.”
Shona had heard about the Santa’s Secret Helpers volunteers, but she’d never met any of them. What she didn’t know was that they provided the gifts for The Christmas Wish Program. But that still didn’t make what they were doing here any clearer. It was only the end of September. Either Santa’s Secret Helpers were incredibly organized, or they’d forgotten Christmas was three months away.
It wasn’t until they were halfway down the corridor that their clandestine visit to the center’s kitchen made sense. “Are you one of the secret helpers?” she asked Joseph.
He looked over his shoulder at John. “No, I’m the person who pays for the wishes.”
“Oh.”
“Keep moving,” John whispered. “Shelley will find us if we keep talking.”
The kitchen was only a few steps away. When they crept through the door, no one paid them any attention. But as soon as Shona saw the volunteers, she was even more confused. “Andrea’s here.”
Joseph cleared his throat. “Welcome to the Santa’s Secret Helpers head office.”
When Joseph heard about Santa’s Secret Helpers from John, he’d thought it was a small group of people who did chores around other people’s houses at Christmas. It wasn’t until he heard about the electric wheelchair they’d bought for a boy with motor neuron disease that he realized the extent of what they did.
Before Joseph arrived in Sapphire Bay, John spent most of his time trying to find sponsorship for the programs the church ran. The most expensive was The Christmas Wish Program. Not that it needed to be. They could have stopped at providing Christmas gift baskets, but John dreamed big—and the issues facing many of the families in Sapphire Bay were even bigger.
Some well-timed Facebook posts by Mabel had provided one-off funding, but they needed something that was more sustainable. That's when Joseph became involved.
Until today, the only people who knew he helped fund the program were John and Shelley.
“What’s Andrea doing here?” Shona asked.
“She’s one of the Santa’s Secret Helpers volunteers,” John said.
Andrea must have sensed Shona’s keen interest in what she was doing. She looked up from packing groceries into a box and walked across to them. She gave Shona a warm hug before scrutinizing her face. “I’m assuming you and Joseph are okay?”
Shona nodded.
Joseph wanted to wrap his arm around her and tell her everything would be okay. Her response to Andrea’s question wasn’t what a woman in love would give her friend. She looked a little dazed, as if she was confused by what was happening.
“How long have you been working here?” Shona asked her.
“For about eighteen months. Without this program, I don’t know how the boys and I would’ve survived. As soon as I was able, I asked John if I could be part of the Santa’s Secret Helpers team. Are you and Joseph joining us?”
“We’re—”
“Thinking about being part of the team,” Joseph said quickly. “John’s showing us around.”
“That’s wonderful. Paris is one of the volunteers, too, but she couldn’t make it tonight. We didn’t tell you because it’s supposed to be a?—”
“Secret?”
“Correct.” Andrea grinned at Shona. “I need to pack some more groceries. We have a few extra orders that need to go out tonight. Come and see me before you leave.”
“I will.”
Sensing that Shona was a little overwhelmed, Joseph looked at John and asked, “Are you ready to show us around?”
John glanced at his watch. “We have forty minutes until the first van leaves. Follow me.”
Before Shona could ask where they were going, John whisked them to another table. Instead of groceries, this team of volunteers was putting together backpacks filled with pajamas, toothbrushes, underwear, books, and soft toys.
John picked up one of the backpacks and placed it in a box with some others. “We’ve had a surge in the number of families coming to Sapphire Bay who need extra help. Some of them arrive with next to nothing, so it’s important we make sure they have somewhere to sleep, give them healthy food, and get them into a new routine. For the children, that means going to school. These backpacks are the first thing they receive when they register at The Welcome Center. If the children need laptops and stationery, we sort that out later.”
Shona looked at the box of backpacks. “And it’s completely free?”
John nodded. “Once we’ve found somewhere for the families to stay, we have a counselor who assesses their needs. The Carol Hirshfield Trust and another sponsor pay for everything you see here, plus drug addiction programs, budgeting workshops, cooking classes, and health and wellness programs.
Joseph held Shona’s hand. It was as cold as ice. “You’re freezing. Do you want to borrow my jacket?”
“I’ll be okay. I’m just a little surprised. How many food packages and backpacks do you deliver each week?”
John rubbed his jaw. “Most Mondays, we pack between twenty-five and forty food packages. We do an extra run on Fridays to cover anyone who missed placing an order earlier in the week. The backpack numbers are a little harder to average out. But I’d say there’d usually be about ten of those a week. More if we have an influx of families like we have now.”
John waved them toward a door on one side of the kitchen. “Time for our next stop.”
Joseph took off his jacket and wrapped it around Shona’s shoulders. “You’ll need this. We’re going outside again.”
“Have you been here when the volunteers are getting everything ready?”
“Once or twice. Andrea and Paris weren’t here when I was helping.” He didn’t know whether to smile or pull Shona close. “We do a lot of good work.”
John cleared his throat and opened the door.
Shona stepped outside. “You use minivans to deliver the food?”
John ushered Shona and Joseph out of the way of someone loading a box of backpacks into the van. “Our previous van was thirty years old. If we had any special Christmas wishes that required a delivery, we had to borrow a van from someone in town. Joseph—I mean the trust—purchased three minivans for the church to use.”
“They’re the same ones the choir will use to get to the Christmas carol competition,” Joseph added. “They’re safe and reliable—everything the last van wasn’t.”
A gust of wind lifted Shona’s hair off the collar of her jacket.
“Let’s go inside,” Joseph said. “John can tell us more about what the trust funds from his office.”
“No, I can’t,” John said quickly. “Shelley will see us. I’ve found somewhere else we can talk.”
They hurried inside and turned toward the kitchen. With a quick look along the corridor, John opened a door and turned on the lights.
Joseph sighed. “You brought us to a utility closet?”
“Utility room . It may be tiny, but it’s away from Shelley.” John pulled three camp chairs off a shelf and handed them to Joseph. “You open these while I find the information I need.”
When they were seated, John handed each of them a folder. “Joseph thought it would be helpful if he itemized everything the trust has sponsored over the last two years. He also wanted to include information regarding his personal wealth.”
Shona handed her folder back to John. “Could you take out the personal information?”
Joseph frowned. “You wanted to know everything about me.”
“I don’t need to know how much money you have.”
John didn’t wait for Joseph to reply. He whipped the last document out of Shona’s folder and returned the rest of the information to her.
She opened the folder to the first page.
Joseph didn’t need to read it. He’d spent two evenings compiling a list of everything the trust had funded. When it was finished, even he was impressed.
“You’ve funded all of these?” Shona asked.
Joseph nodded. He didn’t know if it was the fluorescent lights, but she was even paler than when she was standing outside. “Some were one-off equipment purchases or for activities that needed specific funding. Others, like the food boxes, happen regularly.”
Shona’s gaze returned to the list. “You’ve helped a lot of people.”
John leaned forward. “Between Joseph and our other major funder, we help hundreds of people each year.”
The door opened, and Shelley let out a squeal. “Oh, my goodness. What are you all doing in here?”
No one said anything.
“John?” Shelley’s eyes narrowed when she saw the guilty look plastered all over his face. “What have you done?”
“Nothing. We were just having a meeting.”
She looked at Joseph, then at the document in Shona’s hand. “About the trust?”
Joseph cleared his throat. “It’s not John’s fault. I asked him to show Shona what the Santa’s Secret Helpers volunteers do.”
John checked the time. “And we’re only halfway through the tour. I’ll find you when I get back, Shelley.”
Joseph followed John’s lead and hurried out of the room with Shona. From the frown on Shelley’s face, John would have a lot of explaining to do when he got home.