Chapter 24

Aweek later, Harper stood in front of the open fire in her granddad's house and handed Owen a gift-wrapped package. "This is for you." When he carefully squeezed the paper, she grinned. "Don't worry. It won't bite."

He held the gift close to his ear and shook it. "It doesn't rattle, either."

Harper sighed. "It doesn't make any noises at all, but it smells nice." She enjoyed seeing the excitement on Owen's face, the anticipation of what was inside the unexpected gift. She just wished he'd open it.

With slow and careful movements, he undid the ribbon and pulled off the tape. "I can feel your impatience from here," he teased, his eyes twinkling with amusement.

Harper rolled her eyes, but couldn't stop the smile that appeared on her face. "Just open it, Owen."

Finally, he unfolded the paper to reveal the sweater she'd been knitting. It was a rich, deep blue that matched his eyes, with intricate cable patterns along the arms and chest. The yarn was soft but sturdy, meant to withstand the chill of winter.

Owen's expression softened as he held up the sweater. "This is amazing. Did you make it?"

"I did. I wanted to give you something special." A warmth spread through Harper's chest at his genuine appreciation. "Something you can wear and think of me."

He pulled the sweater over his head, and it sat perfectly on his shoulders. Turning in a circle, he grinned. "How do I look?"

"Like you were made to wear it," Harper said, her heart swelling with pride and affection. Owen looked handsome and right, as if the sweater had somehow always belonged to him.

He stepped closer, enveloping her in a gentle hug, the soft wool between them. "Thank you. It feels like a warm hug from you."

"I made every stitch with love," Harper whispered, leaning into his embrace. "While I was knitting it, I thought about how much you mean to me, how you've supported me through everything with Granddad, and my decisions about my career."

Pulling back slightly, Owen looked down at her, his eyes reflecting the deep emotional connection she felt for him. "Every time I wear it, I'll think of you and this moment. It's perfect, Harper. Just like you."

They stood there for a moment, the room silent except for the soft crackling of the flames in the fireplace, letting the weight of the gift and their words settle around them.

Over the last week, they'd gone through the rest of her granddad's house and packed away most of the things they'd found. The items her granddad didn't want had been given to The Welcome Center for other people to enjoy.

It had been an emotionally draining time but, through it all, she'd found the answers to so many questions about her family. With Owen's help, they'd started to look for her dad. So far, they hadn't found any clues about where he'd gone, but she wasn't about to give up.

Her dad had to be somewhere and, this time, Harper was determined to find him.

Owen staredat the computer screen, not quite believing what he was seeing. After pouring through a lot of online resources, he might have found some information about Harper's dad.

The digital breadcrumbs had led him to an online archive of old newspaper articles from a small town not too far from Sapphire Bay. There, in black and white, was an article featuring a man with the same last name as Harper's dad in a community project during the early 2000s. The photograph was grainy, but the resemblance to Harper was unmistakable.

"Harper, there's something I need to show you," he started, his voice more serious than he intended.

She looked up from her laptop. "Have you found something about Dad?"

"I've found a newspaper article. A person the reporter interviewed could be him." Owen watched her carefully, ready to back off if he saw any sign of distress.

Harper moved around the table and leaned closer to the computer screen. Her eyes traced the lines of text as Owen scrolled through the article.

"I can't believe you found this," she murmured as she glanced at Owen.

He breathed a sigh of relief when all he saw in her expression was excitement. "It feels like we're getting close."

"It does." Harper's gaze returned to the screen and she pointed to another link. "What about that one? It looks like it might have more articles from around the same time."

Owen clicked on the link, and another page with an archive of old newspaper articles appeared. He scanned the headlines, stopping at one that seemed promising. "This one mentions a similar community event."

They read the article together, each line offering a glimpse into the past, each paragraph a potential clue to what had happened to her father. The article didn't mention him by name, but it highlighted the same community project that was mentioned in the other article.

"Mom told me Dad volunteered with a group who gave out food packages each week." Harper said, her voice tinged with cautious optimism. "This is exactly the sort of project he would have enjoyed."

Owen's eyes widened. "Let's dig deeper. Maybe we can contact the people who organized the project. They might even remember something about him."

Harper nodded. "That's a great idea." She pulled out a chair and sat beside him. "You know what this means, don't you?"

Owen nodded. "If it's your dad, he only lived a few miles from you until you went to college."

She rested her arms on the table. "I missed him so much. Why wouldn't he want to see me?"

"I don't know," Owen said. "Sometimes, it's not about what we want, but what we think is best, even if it's not. Maybe he thought staying away was better for you."

Harper frowned. "That's what I don't understand. How could not spending time with him be better for me?"

"I have no idea," Owen replied gently. "But asking your dad, even if the answer isn't what you want to hear, might help you."

She looked down, her fingers tracing the edge of the table. "You're right. I just wish it didn't hurt so much."

Owen hugged her close. "Whatever we find, I'm here for you. Do you want me to email the organizers mentioned in the article?"

Harper nodded. "Ask them if we can set up a meeting. I could bring some photos Mom kept."

As he typed, Owen hoped they were unraveling the threads of Harper's past. Each piece they uncovered brought her closer to understanding the decisions her father had made and, perhaps, healing the wounds he'd left behind.