Chapter 20

Owen was just about to pour himself a cup of coffee when someone knocked on his front door. Leaving his mug on the counter, he walked into the living room. Whoever was standing on his veranda was lucky to find him here.

By this time on most Saturday afternoons, he was either running on a trail around the lake or hiking in the mountains. But, today, he couldn't stop thinking about Harper, her granddad, and his plans for his studio.

He opened the door and smiled at Steve. Seeing a small dog weave between his friend's feet pushed his worries aside. "Since when do you have a dog?" Owen asked as he stepped aside to let them into the cottage.

"Since this morning," Steve said with a laugh. "This is Rex." The toy poodle looked at Owen with bright, intelligent eyes, his tail wagging furiously. "He chose me at the pet adoption day. I couldn't leave without him."

Rex, looking pleased with himself, trotted confidently into Owen's cottage. The only thing stopping him from making himself at home was the bright red leash attached to his harness.

Owen smiled. "Has he been outside yet?"

"Yeah, we've had a successful garden adventure already," Steve replied, watching as Rex sniffed the new environment with curiosity. "No accidents indoors so far."

As Rex sat beside Steve's feet, Owen patted him. "How old is he?"

Steve watched him with an amused grin on his face. "Four years old."

Owen gave Rex a final pat. "He's cute, toilet trained, and not a puppy. What more could you want?"

"That's what I thought, too. How's Harper doing?" Steve asked, his tone shifting. "I heard Benjamin's being transferred to a care facility."

Owen nodded. "If all goes well, he'll move there on Monday. Harper's managing okay, but it's a lot to deal with. Benjamin's stroke has hit them hard. Carrie, Harper's mom, is trying to stay positive, but the uncertainty's pretty hard to handle."

Steve frowned. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"There's not a lot anyone can do," Owen admitted. "But Harper and her mom appreciate the support they've received. I was just about to have a cup of coffee. Would you like one?"

Steve nodded. "I'd love one." He followed Owen into the kitchen and smiled when a bowl of water appeared in front of Rex. "You know what that means, don't you?"

"Yeah," Owen told him. "You're on dog walking duties in about twenty minutes. There are plenty of plants in my backyard that don't mind being watered."

With a contented Rex sitting at Steve's feet, and a cup of coffee in front of each of them, Owen studied the dark circles under his friend's eyes. "You aren't sleeping."

Steve ran his hand along his jaw. "Is it that obvious?"

"Only if you look closely," Owen told him. "What's going on?"

Steve reached for his coffee. "My nightmares are back. I just hope I don't scare Rex when I leap out of bed in the middle of the night."

Owen knew how upsetting his friend's nightmares could be. "It's better than screaming. Your neighbors would be banging on your door to make sure you're all right."

Steve looked away. "They're used to me making too much noise."

Owen's eyebrows rose. Steve hated it when people treated him differently because he had PTSD. What he failed to appreciate was that half the people in the tiny home village were dealing with the same issue. "It's just as well you live in the tiny home village, then."

"That's what Pastor John told me," Steve muttered.

At least he'd talked to John. "Do you have a plan if you need help?"

Steve nodded. "All sorted. I'm hoping Rex will distract me from everything that's running through my head."

Looking at the adorable dog with black eyes and a button nose, Owen couldn't imagine a better way of being distracted. "Well, if you need someone to call, remember me."

"You're at the top of my list." Steve looked down at his sneakers. Rex was enjoying playing with his laces, tugging them with all the might of a furball that was smaller than most cats. "Are you on track to open your studio at the end of the month?"

"I'm still pushing forward with opening on Fridays and Saturdays. Everything just feels overshadowed right now."

Steve shrugged. "You know what life can be like, but you're doing the right thing. If you want to grow your business, more people need to see your work."

"You're right," Owen conceded, managing a small smile. Rex padded over and nudged Owen's hand with his nose. "And having Rex here is a great distraction."

"Animals have a way of doing that." Steve watched Rex settle at Owen's feet. "If you ever need a break, you could always take Rex for a walk. He enjoys chasing the birds around the lake."

Owen rubbed his hand along Rex's soft fur. "I'd be terrified the birds would attack him."

Steve picked up his coffee cup. "He's tougher than he looks—a lot like you."

Owen laughed at that comparison. "Maybe we're all scrappy survivors," he mused, looking down at Rex, who seemed perfectly content with the world.

"As long as you don't start eating socks, I think we'll manage. Tell me where you're at with opening your studio."

Owen told Steve about the pieces he still had to finish and the launch of his new website. It was an exciting time, but he wished Harper was here to enjoy it.

The strain of not knowing what would happen with her granddad worried everyone. Benjamin's recovery would be long and slow, and Owen didn't know what that meant for Harper. She'd come back to Sapphire Bay to look after her granddad. But if Benjamin stayed in the care facility in Polson, what would she do?

Harper parkedher bicycle outside Owen's studio. The sun was just beginning to set, casting long shadows across the gravel path that led to the entrance. She felt a weight on her chest—a mix of exhaustion from the day and the constant concern for her granddad.

She stepped inside the studio and saw Owen at his workbench, engrossed in shaping a piece of molten glass. He looked up as the door closed, his face breaking into a smile that always seemed to ease some of her burdens.

"Hi, Harper," Setting down his tools, he wiped his hands on a cloth. "How was your day?"

"It was all right. I spent some time with Granddad, and met Mom for a coffee." Harper walked over to him and gave him a hug. "It's good to be here." Owen's arm wrapped around her, cocooning her in a wonderful warmth that heated her from the inside out.

He kissed the side of her head. "How was the meeting with the other students doing the trauma course?"

"It was interesting. Everyone's come from completely different backgrounds." Harper stepped away and took off her backpack. "The workbook is more than an inch thick. It's full of assignments and reading material. Look at this." She showed Owen the voucher their instructor had given them. "3M and Johnson Johnson sponsor the course. If we pass, we log into the website at the bottom of this voucher, and they'll send us a medical kit worth five hundred dollars."

Owen's eyes widened. "That's impressive."

Harper nodded. "We thought so, too. Doing the course will be a lot of work, but I'm looking forward to brushing up my skills. How was your day?"

"It was interesting. I made some more vases and bottles for my store, and Steve introduced me to Rex, his new dog."

When Owen showed her the photos he'd taken of Rex, her heart melted. "He's so adorable. Is he as tiny as he looks or is it the angle of the camera?"

Owen held his hand above his workbench. "He's this high. I have no idea how Steve's going to take him for walks. They'll have to stop every few minutes for Rex to catch his breath."

"You might be surprised." Harper laughed. "Rex will be used to moving twice as fast to keep up with everyone else."

Owen's expression turned from amusement to concern as he looked into Harper's eyes. "You're tired," he observed gently, reaching out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Are you sure you're not taking on too much?"

Harper sighed. "I might be, but I don't have a choice. After everything that's happened, I feel like I need to do the course. Not just for me, but for Granddad and everyone else who might need help one day. Zac's been great, and Mom and I are taking turns to spend time with Granddad."

Owen nodded. "Don't forget to take care of yourself, too. How's Benjamin?"

She leaned against the workbench, her fingers tracing the edge of the neatly laid out tools. "He's stable, but it's hard not seeing him as the person he used to be. Granddad's worried, and so am I. The care facility Mom found is amazing, but what if he can't ever come home? He'll hate being there for a long time."

Owen reached out, taking her hands in his. "The staff will do everything they can to help your granddad. If he needs to stay there, it's because it's the safest place for him."

"I know you're right," Harper said sadly. "But it doesn't make it any easier for him."

"Come here," Owen said, pulling her into another embrace.

Harper rested her head against his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. It was moments like these that reminded her why she'd fallen in love with him—his unwavering support and the quiet strength he offered.

After a moment, Owen pulled back a little, looking down at her with a smile. "How about I make us a cup of coffee? You can tell me more about your course, and we can figure out a study schedule that won't run you ragged."

"That sounds perfect," Harper replied, her tone a little lighter. As Owen went to prepare the coffee, she took a seat, her eyes wandering over the array of glass creations around the studio. Each piece reflected a part of Owen's journey, much like the path she was on with her trauma course—fraught with challenges, but beautiful in its purpose.

She just hoped her granddad's journey would lead him to a good place and not somewhere he didn't want to be.