Chapter 17

Eden sat at a dining room table in The Welcome Center, going over the estimated cost of repairing the house she’d bought on Chestnut Drive.

She’d moved into the center a few days ago and was already making new friends. It was warm and inviting, with plenty of activities and shared meals to create a caring community. But it wasn’t like living in her own home.

She looked at the folder Steve had given her. Unfortunately, her new home needed more than a deep clean and a coat of paint to make it livable.

The more she read, the more disheartened she felt. Steve had been right—the cottage was in worse shape than she’d realized. The cost estimates for the necessary repairs were overwhelming, and she wasn’t sure how she’d manage everything within her limited budget.

Just as she was about to bury her face in her hands, Steve arrived, carrying a folder and his laptop. He greeted her with a warm smile and set his things on the table. Rex trotted in behind him, wagging his tail as he made a beeline for Eden. As soon as he was beside her, he nuzzled her hand.

“Hey, Eden,” Steve said, pulling out a chair and sitting down. He looked at the folder he’d given her last night. “What did you think about the cost of the repairs?”

Eden’s heart sank. “I can’t believe how expensive everything is. I can’t afford half of what needs to be done.”

Steve nodded sympathetically. “That’s why I brought my laptop. I’ve been looking at some budget-friendly remodels that might work for your place.”

Eden sighed. “Do you think I can get anything done that doesn’t involve structural work?”

“You won’t be able to do everything at once, but I think you’ll be happy with what you can achieve.” Steve opened his laptop and pulled up a series of photos of a similar-sized cottage. “Take a look at these,” he said, turning the screen toward her. “This cottage was remodeled for a little more than you have. I think we can make something similar work for you.”

Eden looked at the photos, her spirits lifting slightly as she saw the beautiful, yet simple, renovations. “These look amazing. Do you really think we can do something like this?”

“I do,” Steve said confidently. “It’ll take some hard work and a lot of imagination, but I believe you can make it happen.”

Eden felt a flicker of hope. “Okay. Let’s go through the list and figure out what I have to do immediately, and what I can push back a few years or cancel.”

They spent the next hour going through the list line by line. Eden made notes of what changes needed to be made and crossed out the items that were never going to happen. The further they got through the list, the more discouraged she became.

Steve noticed her growing frustration and tried to keep the mood light. “Look, not everything has to be perfect right away. You can tackle the big issues first and then work on the smaller projects as you go.”

Eden nodded, trying to stay positive. “You’re right. I just need to take it one step at a time.”

Steve smiled and reached across the table, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. “We’ll make this work. You’re not the first person who’s bought a house and discovered the remodel costs are three times what they’d budgeted.”

She looked into his eyes, feeling a surge of gratitude for his support. “What would I do without you?”

Steve chuckled. “You’d figure it out, even if it meant cooking your food on a barbecue until you had a stove you could use.”

Eden sighed. “At this stage, I’d settle for a kitchen that didn’t have a lingering smell of decomposing meat.”

“Did you try the air freshener Daniella suggested?”

“I did,” Eden told him. “It camouflaged the smell, but the scent of spring flowers mingling with rotten meat isn’t pleasant. Imagine if the refrigerator had been there for another few months. The neighbors would’ve thought someone had died.”

“On a brighter note,” Steve told her. “I’ve found a good second-hand refrigerator you can have, and it won’t cost you a dime.”

Eden’s eyes narrowed. “This isn’t a sneaky way of helping me pay for my remodeling, is it?”

Steve looked all wide-eyed and innocent. “Who me? The last time I offered to pay for something, you told me in no uncertain terms that you don’t need my money.”

“If you didn’t ‘find’ the refrigerator,” Eden said. “Where has it come from?”

Steve sent her a superior smile. “The church is upgrading the appliances in the original tiny homes they built. John wanted to know if you’d like one of the old refrigerators.”

Eden placed her hand over her heart and sighed. “That’s so sweet. I’ll see him at work tomorrow and tell him I’ll take one.”

“Why is it sweet when John offers you something,” Steve murmured. “But an act of treason if I offer to help you?”

Eden smiled. “I don’t want you to think I like you because you have stacks of money.”

Steve’s face drained of color.

“Are you okay?” she asked quickly.

He cleared his throat. “I’m fine. I just…” He looked at the list. “I was thinking about the remodel.”

Eden frowned. “I should have asked you to look at the house before I bought it. But it’s the only house in Sapphire Bay I could ever afford.” She pulled the list of repairs closer. “Before we give up, let’s finish going through the costs and then look at the photos again. I want to see what’s possible.”

They worked together, looking at alternative solutions and making plans. By the time they were done, Eden felt more confident about the project. She knew it wouldn’t be easy, but with Steve’s help, she believed she could turn the rundown cottage into a beautiful home.

Later that afternoon, as they walked around the lake with Rex, Eden felt a renewed sense of hope. While she was living at The Welcome Center, she’d ask a builder to do the work she couldn’t do on her own. As soon as the walls were straight, she’d put on a pair of coveralls, watch a few YouTube videos, and learn how to lay tiles, replace the leaky faucet in the bathroom, and screw drywall onto the bare timber frames.

Steve’s voice broke through her thoughts. “I spoke to some of the construction crew where we make the tiny homes. They’re happy to work at the weekends if you need reasonably priced labor.”

Eden nodded, her eyes shining with determination. “That will definitely help. Thank you for everything, Steve. I couldn’t do this without you.”

He smiled with eyes that were full of warmth. “You’re welcome. Don’t get too worried. In a few months, you’ll look back on today and wonder why you were so stressed.”

Eden hoped so. With the way she was feeling now, she was worried nothing would get finished.

The next day,Steve was at Owen’s studio, helping to set up the exhibition of local artists’ work. The space was a hive of activity as artists moved their pieces into place and final touches were added to the displays.

Steve was excited and nervous as he positioned his sculptures. It didn’t matter how many times his work was exhibited or where it was displayed, he still panicked about how each piece would be received.

Owen was directing people and making sure everything was perfect. “Steve, can you give me a hand with this panel? Natalie wants it placed against the far wall.”

“Sure thing.” Steve helped Owen lift a heavy, bubble-wrapped panel into place. As they stepped back to make sure it was where it should be, a voice behind them caught their attention.

“That looks great. Thanks for your help.”

Steve turned to see a woman with long brown hair standing nearby.

Owen quickly stepped forward with a welcoming smile. “Natalie, this is Steve Thompson,” Owen said as he introduced them. “Steve, this is Natalie Armstrong, one of the artists exhibiting here.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Natalie,” Steve said, extending his hand. He was surprised at how normal she looked. After Eden had been constantly reminding him about how lucky he was to be exhibiting alongside Natalie, he’d expected her to be surrounded by security guards.

Natalie shook his hand warmly. “Nice to meet you too, Steve. Owen’s told me great things about your sculptures. I’m looking forward to seeing them.”

Steve felt a blush creep up his neck. Owen wouldn’t have told Natalie about the exhibitions he’d been part of, so she wouldn’t recognize the name he was exhibiting under today. “I’m looking forward to seeing your work as well.”

Natalie smiled, her eyes twinkling. “I hope you enjoy the paintings. How long have you been living in Sapphire Bay?”

“I’ve been here for about four years. What about you?”

“Nearly nine. My grandparents used to live here and, when I was little, I’d visit them all the time. I’ve never regretted my decision to come back here.”

Steve was curious about why she’d moved to a small town in Montana. From what Eden had told him, Natalie could have lived anywhere in the world and still had a successful career.

“A friend told me you lived in Italy for quite a few years. Did you enjoy it?”

“I did,” Natalie admitted. “But the constant attention and the pressure to keep producing work that would sell, was too much. I needed to find a way to create for myself again, not for the market. Coming back here allowed me to rediscover my love of painting. Now, with a husband and three children, I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.”

Steve nodded, understanding her sentiments. “It sounds like you made a smart move. It’s easy to get lost in the demands of the art world.”

Natalie smiled. “It is. I focus on balance now—limiting media engagements and spending more time creating. I have a great agent who handles the business side of being an artist. That allows me to concentrate on what I love.”

Owen joined the conversation. “I’ve been talking to people from across America who want to see our exhibition because of Natalie. And she’s right—balance is the key to any successful career.”

The pointed look he sent Steve made him wince. Balance was something he needed to work on. Especially when deadlines were looming and a sculpture was taking longer to make than he’d thought.

“I love Owen’s glass studio,” Natalie said sincerely. “When he asked if I’d be part of this exhibition, I couldn’t say no.” She looked behind Steve and frowned. “Excuse me for a minute.” Walking across to the table, she studied a bronze sculpture of a horse.

It had taken Steve two months to create Equine Grace. It showed a horse in mid-stride, with its muscles finely detailed and mane flowing. He wanted anyone seeing it to feel the movement and vitality of the horse, to be able to imagine it roaming across the flat plains of Montana.

“Do either of you know who made this sculpture?” she asked.

Steve cleared his throat. “That’d be me.”

Natalie’s frown deepened. “Did you say your last name was Thompson?”

“That’s my legal name,” Steve explained. “The name I use for my sculpting is?—”

“Steven Gromwell,” Natalie said softly. “I saw this sculpture in Milan a few years ago. I tried to buy it, but the gallery owner said it was part of a private collection.”

“It’s one of the first bronze sculptures I made. I don’t want to sell it.”

Natalie’s eyes shone with excitement. “I can’t believe we live in the same town. I’ve followed your career for years.”

Steve felt a little uncomfortable at the attention Natalie’s words were creating. “Thanks. I umm… enjoy being out of the limelight.”

Natalie looked at the people who were silently watching their conversation. “It’s okay,” she told everyone. “I’m just admiring everyone’s work.”

With a subtle move that impressed Steve, she guided them away from the other artists. “Why didn’t you tell anyone you’d be here?” she whispered to Steve. “I know collectors who’d fly to the other side of the world to see your work.”

By this stage, Owen’s mouth had dropped open. He was staring at Steve as if he’d grown two heads.

“I don’t want anyone in Sapphire Bay to know I’m Steven Gromwell,” Steve explained. “People treat me differently when I exhibit under that name.”

Natalie’s gaze focused on the other pieces Steve had brought with him. “But here you are. In my humble opinion, your sculptures are fantastic. After the weekend is over, would you and Owen like to come over for a cup of coffee? The three of us have a lot in common. It’d be nice to talk shop and bounce ideas of each other.”

Owen sent Steve a warning look before saying, “We’d enjoy that.”

The power behind Natalie’s smile could have lit half of Sapphire Bay. “That’s awesome. You have my contact details, Owen. Give me a call when you’re both available.” She checked her watch and sighed. “I’d love to keep chatting, but I’d better bring my other two paintings to the studio before everyone leaves.”

With a wave to both of them, Natalie headed toward the main door.

“Well,” Owen said with a bemused expression. “That was interesting.”

Interesting wasn’t the word Steve would have chosen. “At least she likes our work. I would’ve felt bad if she couldn’t find something positive to say about what we do.”

Owen wasn’t being fobbed off by small talk. “You never told me you’ve exhibited in Milan.”

“My sculptures were in Italy,” Steve reminded him. “I was living here.”

“You’re splitting hairs,” Owen told him grumpily. “You told me your sculptures sell for lots of money, but I didn’t realize you exhibited in galleries around the world.”

Steve frowned. “The galleries promote my work to people who might never have heard of me. I’m still the same guy who can outrun you around the lake.”

“Only when you’ve got a tailwind,” Owen said with a growl. “It’s just as well you have a dog. Rex makes you appear as human as the rest of us.”

Steve glanced at the other artists in the room. Now that Natalie had left, no one was interested in what he was saying to Owen. “At least you can’t say I’ve got a big ego.”

“That’s true,” Owen acknowledged. “And to prove it, you can give me a hand in the kitchen. We need to make sure there are enough cups and saucers for all the people we’re expecting.”

“Is your mom doing the herbal tea thing again?”

Owen nodded. “She thinks it’s better than the wine I’ve bought. By the end of the exhibition, we’ll know who was right.”

Steve wouldn’t discount Owen’s mom quite so soon. She could be persuasive when she needed to be. A lot like her son.