Chapter 23

Eden sat on the floor of her half-finished living room, the walls stripped bare of their old wallpaper, and her tools beside the ladder.

She leaned against the one piece of comfortable furniture she had—a worn-out armchair she’d found at a thrift store. With her phone pressed to her ear, she took a deep breath, ready to share her latest decision with her mom.

“Hi, Mom,” she said, trying to keep her voice light.

“Hi, sweetheart! How are things going?” her mom asked, the warmth in her voice a comfort even over the phone.

“Good, actually. The house is coming together, slowly but surely,” Eden replied, glancing around the room with a mixture of pride and trepidation.

“That’s great to hear. We miss you, Eden. Boston isn’t the same without you.”

Eden smiled, though her heart ached a little at her mom”s words. “I miss you all too, Mom. But I’ve got some news. I’m applying for a full-time job at the local school here in Sapphire Bay.”

There was a pause on the other end of the line. “Are you sure, honey? What about coming back to Boston? You could work here, and we’d all be close again.”

Eden sighed, understanding her mom’s concerns. “I know, Mom. But I love it here. Sapphire Bay feels like home now. I’ve found a community that I’m passionate about, and I want to make a difference here. Plus, I’ve got Steve.”

Her mom’s tone softened. “You’ve told me a lot about him. He sounds wonderful. But it’s hard for us, you know? Sapphire Bay is so far away.”

Eden felt a pang of guilt. She had a close relationship with her family. They knew her inside out and loved her unconditionally. “I miss you all too, so much. But this is a chance for me to build something of my own. The school needs teachers, and I need this fresh start. It’s not like I won’t visit or that you can’t come here. It will just be different.”

Her mom sighed. “I understand, Eden. We just want you to be happy and safe. If this is what you truly want, then we’ll support you. Just promise me you’ll keep in touch.”

Eden felt tears prick at the corners of her eyes. “I promise, Mom. And I’ll visit as often as I can. You’re always welcome here too. Sapphire Bay is beautiful, and I know you’ll love it.”

“I’m sure we would. Your happiness means the world to us, Eden. Just make sure you’re doing this for the right reasons.”

“I am, Mom. I really am,” Eden assured her. “If I get one of the teaching jobs, I won’t start for a couple of months. What if I fly to Boston for a long weekend? If you and Dad aren’t doing anything, I could visit in the next couple of weeks.”

“Will you be able to do that with the work you’re doing at the church?”

Eden was sure John wouldn’t mind. “I could work extra hours for a few days to make up the time. Why don’t I call John, then talk to you once I have some dates organized. We could go out for dinner at Marco’s and have a family dinner with everyone. It’ll be fun.”

“That sound wonderful. We love you, Eden. Always remember that.”

“I love you too, Mom. I’ll talk to you soon.”

After hanging up, Eden sat for a moment, the phone still in her hand. She was making the right decision for herself, and even though it meant being away from her family, she knew they supported her. With Steve by her side and her determination to build a life in Sapphire Bay, she felt ready to take on whatever came next—including sanding, plastering and painting the walls around her.

Two days later,Steve stood in Owen”s glass studio, watching his friend shape a glass bowl for his latest collection. Rex lay sprawled on the floor, lazily chewing on a toy.

Owen separated the bowl from a rodand placed it in the annealing oven to slowly cool. “Are you sure Eden doesn’t mind you working on her house when she isn’t there?”

Steve crossed his arms in front of his chest. “She won’t know until she gets back from Boston.”

“I know you want it to be a surprise,” Owen said. “But, if she’s anything like Harper, she’ll want the remodeled house to look exactly how she sees it in her imagination. Unless you can read her mind, she could be disappointed.”

Steve grinned. “I’ve already thought of that.” He pulled out his phone and showed Owen the photos he’d taken last night. “Eden has a design board she’s taking to Boston. Her mom and sisters are going shopping with her to look at some lights and rugs she’s seen online. All her ideas for each room are here, along with paint colors and pictures she’s found on the Internet. We can’t go wrong.”

“When you’re talking about remodeling a house, something always goes wrong,” Owen insisted.

Steve frowned. “It’s not the whole house. The only area I want to do is the attic.”

“As in creating an extra storage area or something more?”

Steve flicked through the photos until he found the ones he wanted. “I’d like to build something like this.” This part of Eden’s house was probably the most special to her. The reason he’d chosen it was because it was also the area that would cost the most.

In one picture Eden had found, exposed wooden beams gave a sloped attic ceiling a rustic charm. Soft, natural light flooded the space through two newly installed skylights.

In another, the walls were painted a calming shade of sage green, creating a serene backdrop for the space. Along one wall, a series of built-in bookcases stretched from floor to ceiling, filled with rows of books that varied in color and size. Some shelves held carefully placed decorative items and potted plants, adding a touch of personality and life to the room.

Steve showed Owen the last photo. “I know Eden wants two comfy chairs and a rug on the floor. Between the two of us, we should be able to find something she’d like.”

Owen didn’t look quite so excited about what Steve wanted to do. “That’s a big project. Creating a library of that size won’t be easy or cheap. I don’t even know if it’s possible to build something like that over one weekend.”

“I spoke to some of the guys who work on the tiny homes with me. As long as they’ve had a look at the attic before we start the work, and I have all the materials on site, they’ll do their best to frame out the interior.” He didn’t add that they’d thought it couldn’t be done.

“What about the building permit?”

“I spoke to the county. If it’s not a livable space, we don’t need a permit.”

“And a library isn’t a livable space?”

“It’s a storage area for books,” Steve said with a frown. “Work with me on this. I’m trying to be romantic.”

Owen laughed. “Most people wouldn’t count a library as being romantic. However, you aren’t most people and neither is Eden.”He picked up two bottles of water and handed one to Steve. “Correct me if I’m wrong, but the only thing Eden’s let you pay for is a can of paint stripper. What makes you think she’ll be happy with you remodeling her attic?”

“She’ll be happy when she sees it.”

Owen leaned against his workbench. “Because you’ve brought her dream to life?”

Steve took a deep breath. “That’s only half the reason. I’m going to ask her to marry me after she sees the library.”

Owen choked on a mouthful of water. “Oh, man,” he spluttered as he coughed again. “Next time, make sure I’m not drinking anything when you tell me something like that.”

Rex looked up from his chew toy, his little black eyes watching Owen wipe the water off his sweater.

“It’s okay, boy. Owen just forgot how to swallow.” Steve pulled a handful of paper towels out of a dispenser and handed them to his friend. “I want to be part of Eden’s life. I love her.”

“You haven’t known each other for long.”

Steve’s eyebrows rose. “And how long did you know Harper before you asked her to marry you?”

Owen sighed. “I asked for that, didn’t I? Okay. Who am I to stand in the way of true love?”

Steve felt a surge of gratitude. “Thanks. I knew I could count on you.”

Owen sat at his workbench. “What’s your plan?”

Taking his notebook out of his backpack, Steve opened it to the first page. “The guys from the tiny home project will assess the structural integrity of the attic when Eden’s at work tomorrow morning. I have a key to her house, so we’ll be okay. Worst-case scenario is that we’ll have to reinforce the floor and roof. After that’s done, we’ll add a window or two for natural light. If I can organize enough labor, we’ll add a dormer window. Then it’s just a matter of insulating everything and adding drywall.”

Owen sighed. “My head’s spinning just thinking about all the work that needs to be done. What about the interior?”

“I’ll send you the photos from Eden’s display board. I was hoping you’d come with me to the general store to choose the paint.”

“Consider it done. We might as well grab the brushes and drop cloths we’ll need while we’re there. What about bookcases?”

Steve picked up his phone. “Richard’s making them exactly like the ones Eden found on the Internet. He had some leftover timber from another project, so it worked out perfectly.”

Owen ran his hands around the back of his neck. “So, apart from you, me, the tiny homes construction crew, and Richard, does anyone else know about your surprise?”

“Only Daniella,” Steve told his friend. “She’s giving Eden a lift to the airport so we can start straightaway. She’s also offered to supply us with all the food and drink we’ll need, even if we have to work around the clock. I just want to make sure the library’s perfect for Eden.”

Rex, sensing the excitement, wagged his tail and trotted over to Steve, nudging his leg. Steve bent down to scratch behind his little buddy’s ears. “Even Rex is excited about this.”

Owen laughed. “Looks like we have the whole team on board.”

They spent the next half hour making lists of the materials they’d need and setting a timeline for the remodel. Having so many people working in a small space meant there was bound to be issues. If they could make sure everyone wasn’t there at the same time, it’d be better.

As they wrapped up their planning session, Owen stretched his arms above his head. “We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us, but it’ll be worth it.”

Steve frowned. “I hope so. I have no idea what I’ll do if Eden doesn’t want to marry me.”

Owen put his arm around Steve’s shoulders. “You’ll grab your running gear and we’ll hit the trail for a few hours. If that doesn’t make you feel better, you can come home with me and drown your sorrows in too much takeout and some of the red wine I bought last weekend.”

Steve sighed. “I’ll make that plan B.”

Owen chuckled. “It might have to be plan Z. I’ve got a feeling we’ll have a few more issues than either of us expects.”

As long as they didn’t include Eden wanting to remain single, Steve didn’t care how flexible they had to be.