Chapter 2

Harper waved to Gordon Jessop as she pedaled through the streets of Sapphire Bay. This evening, Mabel Terry and Emma Devlin were holding the first community meeting for the upcoming summer festival.

Each year, she'd come home for the festival weekend to enjoy the local arts and crafts with her grandparents. She'd sampled too much food, nibbled on fudge and candy, and bought gorgeous knick-knacks to take home.

The first year without her nana had been heartbreaking, and this year would be only a little better. Her granddad had struggled first with grief and then with the long-term effects of his stroke.

Harper still couldn't believe how brave he was. After living with him for four months, she knew he had moments of utter despair, but he always found a smile, a way of reconnecting with a world that would never be the same for him.

She slowed for an intersection, then pedaled hard when there was no traffic on the road. In another couple of months, she'd have to leave her bicycle in her granddad's garage as the late summer days turned to fall. The cold, rainy days would make getting around Sapphire Bay on her bicycle more difficult. But, for now, she was happy to enjoy the fresh air and the freedom that came with being outside.

Leaving her bicycle outside The Connect Church, Harper made her way inside. Even before she walked into the meeting room, she heard people's voices raised in excitement. There was a buzz in the air, an anticipation of what the festival would mean to the community.

Mabel and Emma, the festival's organizers, were at the front of the room. Mabel and her husband, Allan, had owned the general store for as long as Harper could remember. Mabel's talent for bringing people together ensured that everyone felt included in the festival and that any challenges were overcome. Beside her, Emma, the owner of a social media and website design business, was setting up a laptop emblazoned with her company's logo.

Harper had met Emma on one of her previous visits to Sapphire Bay. With her sparkling blue eyes and wonderful sense of humor, it was easy to see why she'd kept many of her clients when she'd moved to Sapphire Bay from New York. Harper couldn't imagine a more perfect person to advertise all the wonderful things people could enjoy at the festival.

From the back of the room, she looked around to see who was here. Brooke and Megan from Sweet Treats were talking to Pastor John and his wife, Shelley. The Terry sisters were laughing at something Cassie, a local jeweler, was saying.

Other people had already found seats in the crowded room. Paris, the owner of The Flower Cottage, waved at Harper from the other side of the room. Beside her, Shona and Andrea were talking to Natalie, an artist who exhibited at galleries around the world.

Harper returned Paris' wave and looked at the person sitting in the next row. Owen, her friend Daniella's brother, was sitting on his own.

She'd first met Owen when she was in elementary school. He was four years older and always disappeared when she had a playdate with his sister. When she was in high school, she'd moved to Polson with her mom. She hadn't seen him again until she'd rushed to his parents' house when his dad had a heart attack. Since then, they'd seen each other a few times. And, each time, he was as friendly as ever, but with a distant manner that confused her.

With a smile locked in place, Harper went to stand beside him. "Hi, Owen. Would you mind if I sat next to you?"

He looked up, his expression changing from polite acknowledgment to relief. "Feel free. It's good to see you here."

She settled into the chair, placing her notepad and pen on her lap. "My friend Jackie has a booth at the festival. She asked if I wanted to add my knitting to the things she's selling, and I said yes. I'm not sure how well everything will sell, but it's for a good cause."

"Is it the first time you've been to a summer festival?"

Harper shook her head. "I've come back most years. What about you? Daniella said you've rented a booth."

Owen nodded. "I'm selling my handblown glass. I think I've made enough items, but we'll see."

"The bowl you made me when I looked after your dad is amazing. I put it on Granddad's living room table, and I absolutely love it."

Owen relaxed against the back of his chair. "I'm glad. How is your granddad?"

"He's doing okay. When he has a good day, I take him to the lake, and we go fishing or enjoy the trails. He can't walk very far, so we take his wheelchair. He keeps joking that we should've bought a four-wheel-drive model to get him over all the bumps."

"Do you think he'll walk long distances again?"

Harper shook her head. "The physical therapy he's doing is helping, but he'll never be the same as he was before the stroke. Daniella said your dad's doing great after his heart attack."

"He is. The only thing he doesn't like is not being able to drive."

"What is it with men and their vehicles?" Harper asked, half-jokingly. "Granddad's the same. He nearly died and all he thinks about is the truck that's sitting in the garage."

Before Owen could reply, Mabel called the meeting to order. Harper smiled as Mabel's voice, in her typical attention-grabbing style, carried over the murmur of the crowd. There was nothing Mabel enjoyed more than being at the center of everything that was happening, and this was one of the biggest community events of the year.

"Welcome, everyone!" Mabel said to the excited crowd. "It's wonderful to see such a great turnout for our first festival meeting. Tonight, we'll talk about the operational plan for the festival and what you and our visitors can expect to see. If you have questions, we'll have plenty of time to talk about them at the end of the meeting."

With a bright smile, Emma took over, clicking through a presentation that showcased the festival's website. "We'll have a fantastic online presence this year," she announced. "Our social media accounts are buzzing, and we have some fabulous features on the website to highlight our local talent."

Harper listened, impressed by Emma's expertise and Mabel's ability to rally the town's enthusiasm. People nodded and smiled, even when Emma talked about the traffic management plan they'd submitted to the county.

As the meeting progressed, Harper realized she was enjoying it more than she'd thought she would. If everything went according to plan, it would be their biggest festival yet.

During a brief break in the meeting, Owen asked her, "What do you think of everything so far?"

"The festival sounds like fun. And it's even better now that I'll be beside Kathleen and Brooke's booth. I love the candy from Sweet Treats."

A smile transformed Owen's serious expression into so much more. "Their chocolate and mixed berry fudge is the best. Mom tells me I'll end up with diabetes if I keep eating so much of it."

"It has fruit in it, so it must be healthy," Harper replied with a grin. "But that's my personal opinion, not my medical one."

"I'll remember that when I see Zac at the clinic."

Harper leaned closer to Owen. "If you take some of Sweet Treats' cherry deluxe fudge, he'll agree with you. It's his favorite."

Owen's smile widened. Did he realize how different he looked when he let down his guard?

Emma called everyone's attention back to the front of the room, and Harper settled in for the last half hour of the meeting. After spending so much time away from Sapphire Bay, she felt a surge of gratitude for the rekindled connection, for the shared understanding of what it meant to be part of a small town.

As the meeting wound down, Owen asked about modifying his booth. She was amazed by how naturally he spoke about his work, with his passion for glassblowing evident in every word. Other artists who had fragile items to sell listened carefully to his ideas and had more questions of their own.

If the level of interest was anything to go by, Owen and his friend Steve could have a few inquiries about the shelving options he'd discussed.

After the meeting finished, Harper greeted Paris and her other friends quickly and then followed Owen out of the room. Being around so many enthusiastic people made her worries slip away, replaced by a sense of anticipation for the festival.

"Good luck with making more items for the festival," Harper told Owen as they said goodbye. "Whatever you create will sell fast."

"I hope so. If you need any extra shelving, call me. Steve and I made a couple of different designs before we settled on the one we're using. I could lend them to you for the festival."

Harper slid her notebook into her backpack and smiled. "That's really thoughtful of you. I'll let Jackie know. It was great seeing you again." After waving goodbye to Owen, she unlocked her bicycle and pedaled home with a sense of anticipation.

Even though she hadn't been too sure about being part of the festival, she was looking forward to being there. Chatting with Owen had made the meeting even more enjoyable. He was a good guy with a gentle soul—and he liked the fudge from Sweet Treats. Who wouldn't enjoy spending time with someone like that?

In Sapphire Bay, new beginnings were always waiting just around the corner, and Harper was grateful to be a part of this vibrant, supportive community. And the festival, with all its promise of new experiences and connections, was an important part of what made this community special.

Harper leanedher bicycle against her granddad's house and hurried up the porch steps. The house greeted her with its usual warmth, a comforting embrace after the evening's excitement. "Hi, Granddad," she called as she hung her jacket on the coat stand.

"How was the meeting?" Benjamin asked from his armchair in the living room.

Harper set down her helmet and joined him. "It was wonderful. The festival will be better than ever this year. The whole town's buzzing about it."

Benjamin's eyes sparkled with a mixture of pride and nostalgia. "I remember when your nana and I used to go. She loved seeing all the crafts, and we'd always come home with more than we could carry. Those were good times."

Harper reached for his hand, feeling the papery thinness of his skin. "I know you miss her, especially around festival time. But I like to think she's still with us, making sure we don't buy too much cotton candy."

Benjamin chuckled. "Your nana had a sweet tooth but, you're right, she'd keep us in check. Tell me, did you see any of your friends at the meeting?"

She nodded, her thoughts drifting to Owen. "I saw Owen Judd. You remember Daniella's brother? He's selling his glass pieces at the festival."

"Owen was always a bright boy," Benjamin mused, a thoughtful expression crossing his worn features. "When I saw his dad last week, he said he's proud of the way he's settled into Sapphire Bay."

"Daniella said he's set up a glass studio in town."

Benjamin nodded. "That's what his dad told me, too. I'm glad he's found his way back home, just like you. I enjoy having you here, Harper."

She gently squeezed his hand. It was good to know her granddad liked her being here, especially when she was so upset when she'd called him. "I'm glad we could help each other. Did I tell you I've finished most of the knitting for the festival? If anything doesn't sell, Jackie will add it to the pieces I've knitted for A Stitch in Time."

"That's a good idea." Benjamin's gaze held a glimmer of admiration. "Your nana would've been thrilled that you"re involved. She always found something for her knitting basket at the festival."

Harper sighed at the memory of her nana holding her knitting needles. "I remember walking around the booths, looking for Nana's favorite wool suppliers. It's part of why I decided to take up knitting and sell my pieces this year. It makes me feel closer to her."

Benjamin reached out, taking her hand in his. "Each item you make has her touch."

Harper kissed her granddad's cheek. "She taught me everything I know. Do you remember what she used to tell me about knitting?"

Her granddad grinned. "How could I forget? She used to say, ‘stitch by stitch, row by row, knitting's the way I let my heart show'."

Harper smiled. "I'm sure she said that to make me try harder."

"Your nana had a way of making everyone try a little harder to be a better person. Before I met her, I was a drifter, never really putting down roots or caring about anything. Your nana changed all that. She gave me something to hold close, a reason to stay put and build a life."

Harper pulled her feet onto the sofa and listened to her granddad tell her about his life in Sapphire Bay with his young bride. Most of the stories she'd heard before, but it didn't matter. She was spending time with the man who'd looked after her when her parents divorced; when everything in her life didn't make sense and she had nowhere else to go.

As the room grew dimmer with the setting sun, Harper rose from her seat. "Let's get you ready for bed, Granddad. You need your rest."

With a routine now familiar and tender, she helped Benjamin to his feet. They slowly moved toward the bedroom, his reliance on the walker a reminder of the stroke's lasting effects. Harper kept a watchful eye on him, her heart aching with love for the man who'd been her rock for so many years.

In the bedroom, she helped him change into his pajamas, her movements gentle and practiced. "There we are," she said softly as she tucked him into bed, fluffing his pillows to make sure he was comfortable.

"Thank you," Benjamin said, his voice softening as weariness crept into his bones. "You're a good girl, Harper. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Harper brushed a stray lock of hair from his forehead. "You don't have to worry about that. I'll always be here for you." She placed a small bell on the nightstand beside him, making sure it was within easy reach. "If you need anything in the night just ring this and I'll be right here."

Benjamin nodded, his eyelids heavy with the pull of sleep. "I will, sweetheart."

Turning off the main light, Harper plugged in a nightlight to keep the shadows at bay. She lingered at the doorway, watching her grandfather drift into slumber, his chest rising and falling with deep even breaths.

Quietly, she went back into the living room. The house was silent, except for the occasional creak of settling wood and the rustle of the wind in the trees.

She looked at the glass bowl on the table and smiled. She'd enjoyed seeing Owen tonight. It had been surprisingly easy to talk to him, to reconnect after many years of being away from home.

Daniella hadn't said why her brother had returned to Sapphire Bay, and Harper hadn't asked. But after seeing him tonight, she felt she understood without needing to ask.

There was a depth to Owen that spoke of experiences too complex for casual conversation. But his presence at the meeting hinted at a readiness to re-engage with the life he'd left behind. His enthusiasm for the festival showed a man who, despite whatever had driven him back, was finding his footing again. If there was one thing she respected, it was the courage it took to rebuild your life.