The train jerked. They were slowing down.
It didn’t matter now if the decision was right or wrong. It had been made.
“We’re here, M-Mom,” Noah said. For the first time in many months a hint of excitement colored his voice.
The tired old train ground to a stop with much squeaking of brakes. Noah jumped to his feet. Cassie reached up to heft her overnight case from the storage compartment above. A hand slid over hers where it grasped the suitcase handle.
“Yes, Noah. I’m hurrying—”
The words died away when she turned and stared into Rick’s dark green gaze.
“Let me help you with this.”
Odd how his quiet offer made her feel as if she wasn’t quite so alone.
Cassie nodded, swallowing when his warm fingers eased the handle from her hands, lifted the bag free and shifted it so it would roll forward. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” His low response, for her ears alone, made her feel cared for. She liked that.
You have no business liking anything about Rick, she scolded herself.
But the scolding didn’t seem to stop her from appreciating the tall, lean man. A slanted smile played on his too-handsome face, warming her like a ray of sunshine. His easy manner made her drop her guard, feel comfortable. The pull of attraction toward him was like nothing she’d known before. She searched his eyes, trying to understand the connection she felt, ignoring the flutter in her stomach when he met her gaze.
“I appreciate your entertaining Noah during the ride,” she said as they waited to disembark.
“He’s a great kid.” The pastor took her arm to help her as they stepped outside, grinning at Noah’s astonished reaction to mountainous snowdrifts that dazzled in the brilliant morning sun. “Welcome to Churchill.”
As they moved away from the crowd and down the platform, Rick stayed by her side, matching his strides to her shorter ones, rolling her case along as if it were a feather. He had the long, lean grace of a distance runner. Though Cassie noticed the many admiring stares he received, Rick didn’t seem to. He smiled and greeted people, totally at ease.
By contrast, Noah stood aloof, surveying the area with a wariness Cassie wished she could help him shed. But how? Noah argued with her constantly over the least little thing. Nothing Cassie had tried seemed to help reduce the stutter that had appeared several months earlier. Not even prayer.
“Noah could go inside to stay warm,” Rick told her. “But it’s better if you wait here for the opening of the container car to ensure all your stuff has arrived. If it doesn’t, you have to make a claim right away. You do have more than this?” he asked, indicating her suitcase.
“Oh, yes.” Cassie nodded. “We have more.”
Laurel had explained to Cassie that she should bring as much as she could and take advantage of the railway’s free transportation of patrons’ goods because shipping in everyday things could make living in the North Country very expensive.
As Cassie looked around at the vast glistening beauty of the isolated land, she decided the expense of living so far north was worth it when she would be able to savor this view every day. Maybe she hadn’t made a mistake coming here. Maybe life for her and Noah was finally going to get better.
She shifted from one foot to the other, glad of her coat’s thick insulation, as endless pallets of bulky paper items were off-loaded followed by boxes and trunks of all descriptions. As Rick retrieved the items she pointed out, Cassie became conscious of odd looks, the kind that said the onlookers suspected they were a couple. She stepped away from him to create some distance as she counted her containers.
“Everything is here,” she said.
“Good. And there are my snowshoes.” Rick strode forward and picked up a mesh bag.
“Do you like to snowshoe?” Cassie asked.
“I don’t know. I haven’t tried yet. I bought these at a thrift store in Thompson.” He chuckled at her dubious look. “My friend Kyle—he works at Lives, too—promised to teach me.” He swung the bag over his shoulder only to set it down again when his cell phone rang. “Excuse me.”
He looked at the caller ID, grinned at Cassie and put the phone on speaker.
“Rick? This is Laurel. I’m sorry to bother you but my van conked out.” Though Laurel’s frustration carried clearly in the crisp air, Cassie felt a measure of relief at hearing her friend’s voice. “I’m at the garage and they say it has to stay overnight.”
“But you’re supposed to pick up your new nurse and her son,” Rick guessed with a wink at Cassie. She couldn’t help smiling back. There was something about his irrepressible good humor that drew her in.
“Yes, that’s why I’m calling. I wondered if you might be able to give us all a ride back to Lives.”
“I can because, fortunately for you, I left the block heater on my car engine plugged in while I was in Thompson,” Rick said. “It should start without any trouble.”
Cassie tracked his gaze to the thermometer on the side of the depot—minus twenty-eight degrees Celsius. No wonder she was shivering.
“I’ll have to walk home to get it, though,” Rick continued. “You’re still at the garage, right? Why don’t you stay put until I can pick you up?”
“I just collected one of the boys. How about if we meet you at the station? But before you leave could you find Cassie Crockett and her son and ask them to wait? She’s blond, short curly hair—”
“I’ve already met her and Noah. In fact, Cassie’s standing beside me.”
“Hi, Laurel,” Cassie called.
“Cassie! I can’t wait to see you! We’ll be there soon. Thanks, Rick.”
“No worries, Laurel. See you in a bit.” Rick tucked his phone back in his pocket. “You’d better wait inside until I get back.” He blinked at the number of boxes and containers on the dock. “Where’s the kitchen sink?” he teased.
“We—um, sold our house so we had to bring most of what was left,” she explained.
Rick nodded, seeming to sense her discomfort. He hailed a man and introduced Cassie and Noah. “I was wondering if you’d be willing to use your truck to transport Mrs. Crockett’s things to Lives Under Construction, George.”
“Happy to, Pastor, but it might take a second trip. Lucy Clow’s got me picking up a bunch of stuff she bought online.”
“Again? Wonder what deals she found this time.” Rick shared a grin of understanding with the other man then told Cassie, “Lucy’s infamous for her online purchases, which she always donates to something in town. Will picking up your stuff later work for you, Cassie?”
“Later is perfect.” Cassie noted the obvious affection between Rick and the older man. “Thank you, Mr. Stern.”
“Cassie’s going to be the new nurse at Lives Under Construction, George. She’s also hoping for some part-time work at the health center.” Rick gave her a small nod, as if to say, Wait for it.
“Well isn’t that a blessing?” George beamed. “Our health board has been trying to find another nurse for ages. You’ve got work whenever you want, Miss.”
“Thank you very much, Mr. Stern.” Breathless at the speed with which she’d found a second job, Cassie turned to Rick as George left. “Thank you for doing that.”
“My pleasure.” He checked his watch.