John got the broom out of the mud room. “Nice music.”
Rachel’s eyes danced with laughter. “It’s the same songs that Bella will be singing in the drama club’s Christmas play.”
“And I know all of the words already,” Bella said quickly. She put down the dishcloth and wiped her hands on the pink apron that Rachel must have wrapped around her waist. When the choir started singing the second verse of, Silent Night, Bella took a deep breath and started singing with them.
Tears clouded John’s eyes. He remembered another Christmas many years ago when another young girl had sung the same song.
Jacinta had been about sixteen years old when he’d first heard her sing. She’d loved music and had the kind of voice that made people stop and listen. Even then, he’d known that she was going to be an important part of his life.
The song came to an end and Bella looked worried. “Are you okay, dad?”
He wiped his eyes and gave her a hug. “You remind me of your mom. She was singing the same song on the night I met her.”
“Did she like singing?”
“She did, but I think it was being part of a choir that really made her happy. Our high school choir used to visit the local retirement villages and the hospital. Your mom liked making people feel better.”
Bella thought about what he’d said, then smiled. “Do you think gingerbread cookies will make people feel better, too? We could take some to Mrs. Daniels’ mom. She lives in a retirement village in town.”
John gave Bella another quick hug. “That would make Mrs. Daniels’ mom very happy.”
Bella jumped off the chair. She took the recipe book they’d been using out of a drawer and flicked through the pages. “Is it okay to make some more gingerbread cookies, Rachel?”
Rachel leaned against the kitchen counter, watching Bella and John closely. “As long as our cookie cutter decides to stay and help, it’s a great idea.”
“Can you stay, dad?
“The only thing I wanted to do was visit Emerald Lake. If we make the gingerbread now, I can book the helicopter for later this morning.”
Bella clapped her hands together. “Rachel could come with us. We haven’t shown her where our new home is going to be built.”
John tried not to frown when he looked at Rachel. With a red and green apron covering her clothes and a dusting of flour across her cheeks, she was ready for anything Christmas could throw at her. But that didn’t necessarily mean that she wanted to spend more time with them.
She probably had lots of other things she’d sooner do on a Sunday morning. Things that didn’t include an eight-year-old, a team of bodyguards, and an overprotective father. And then there was the billionaire issue.
Rachel opened a bag of flour. “I didn’t know you’d bought one of Jacob Green’s properties. I’ve seen the photo’s Molly took of the lake. It’s really lovely.”
“So you’ll come with us on the helicopter?” Bella held her hands tightly in front of her. “You could sit beside me. It’s not too scary.”
Rachel picked up a measuring cup and dipped it into the bag of flour. “A helicopter ride sounds exciting. I’d love to go with you.”
John nearly dropped the broom.
Bella’s face broke into a wide grin. “This is the best day ever. Wait until I tell Mrs. Daniels where we’re going.”
John had no idea what Patty would say. He hadn’t invited another woman anywhere with him and Bella for years. Even though Rachel was his daughter’s tutor, it felt strange to have her join them.
Strange and new, and maybe a little like the beginning of something that could be amazing.
***
Rachel gazed out of the helicopter’s window, staring at the beautiful landscape below them. Snow covered everything, from the top of the tallest mountains, to the pine trees huddled together on the valley floor. Last night’s snowstorm had left its mark on the world, a mark that was far more beautiful and majestic from the air than it was from the ground.
Bella pointed to a herd of buffalo. Rachel watched them lumber across the frozen field, looking for food that had been buried by the snow.
For as long as she lived, she’d never get tired of the simple beauty that surrounded her. Montana was the most magical place she knew, and the one place she would always call home.
“Look to your right,” John said through her headset. “Emerald Lake is over the next ridge.”
Rachel kept her eyes on the scene unfolding below her. Big Sky Resort, one of the most famous ski destinations in America, was nestled in the mountains on the left-hand side of the helicopter. John had told her that Emerald Lake wasn’t far from the winter playground that attracted thousands of tourists to Montana each winter.
She wondered why he’d bought a parcel of land in the middle of nowhere. He didn’t seem like the type of person who’d enjoy solitude or the peace that came from being miles away from the nearest store.
The helicopter drifted over the ridge and Rachel’s mouth dropped open. “It’s beautiful,” she whispered into her microphone. The circular lake had frozen solid, but it still looked incredible in the mid-morning sunshine.
John didn’t reply, and Rachel hadn’t expected him too. A person could lose themselves in the pure energy surrounding them, or if they were lucky, find something that was missing.
The helicopter carried them across the center of the lake toward an area covered with tall trees.
“Jacob and Molly’s property is over there,” John pointed to their left. “One of the other parcels of land is sold and the last one is still on the market.”
Rachel held onto her armrest as the pilot landed on a snow covered plateau. “When are you going to move out here?”
John took his headset off. “We start building in early April. If everything goes to plan, we should move in around the end of September.”
Rachel opened her door and breathed in the cold mountain air. She looked around and smiled at a hawk circling in the clear blue sky. It was almost as if the rest of the world had disappeared and left them to enjoy the morning.
“Welcome to Emerald Lake,” John said from behind her. “What do you think?”
“I couldn’t work out why you’d want to live here, but now I know why. It’s absolutely stunning. If I had enough money, I’d buy the last parcel of land and live here myself.”
“If you keep working for me you could put a deposit on the land by next Christmas.”
Rachel laughed. “I told you I was being paid too much. Just be thankful that Bella’s going to school soon. You’ll be able to save thousands of dollars each week when you aren’t paying my salary.”
“I’m not paying you that much,” John growled.
“Are you sure?” Rachel bit her bottom lip. She had to remember to keep their relationship professional. No flirty talk allowed. John’s gaze traveled to her mouth, then back to her eyes.
Bella clambered out of the helicopter and stood beside her dad. Her laughter echoed around the mountains and helped ease the tension between Rachel and John. “Isn’t this the most amazing place you’ve ever seen? In the summer, I’m gong to swim with dad in the lake. I’m not allowed to go on my own, but that doesn’t matter. Tank and Tanner could go with me if dad’s at work. Mrs. Daniels doesn’t like swimming, so I guess she won’t want to come. I wonder if she’d be okay watching me?”
“I’m sure Mrs. Daniels would watch you while you were swimming,” Rachel said. “Do you want to show me where your home is going to be built?”
Bella walked across to Rachel and held her hand. “I think it’s over this way.”
John put the house plans he’d bought with him under his arm. Rachel could feel his gaze on her, watching where Bella was taking her.
“How do you know where you’re going?” she asked Bella.
“I’m kind of guessing. Last time we came out here it wasn’t snowing as much. There were big orange pegs in the ground. Dad showed me where each room was.” Bella stopped in the middle of the plateau and looked around. “I think this is it, but I’m not sure.” She looked at her dad. “Is this the right spot?”
John walked toward them. “You’re standing on the front porch,” he said with a smile. “If you’re not careful, you’ll be walking in the front door with your wet shoes on.”
Bella took a step forward and smiled. “Will you tell Mrs. Daniels that I nearly tracked snow and mud inside?”
John bent down and kissed the end of Bella’s nose. “Your secret’s safe with me.”
Bella looked at the papers under his arm. “Show Rachel the drawings, dad.”
Rachel watched Bella’s face as John unwound the papers. She was so excited that she was practically hopping on the spot.
“This isn’t an exact measurement,” he said. “But if you walk forty feet that way, you should see the view from the living room.”
Rachel counted out forty feet as she moved away from him. “Tell me about the living room. What will it look like?”
John glanced at the architect’s plans. “There’s a big stone fireplace down one end of the room. There’ll be enough seating for at least ten people. The inbuilt sound system will make everything you’ve seen look like it was around when Noah first thought about building an ark.”