Chapter 5

After months of planning, Harper was finally standing behind A Stitch in Time's booth at the summer festival. It was full of hand-knitted goods and other specialty items a keen knitter would appreciate.

The morning was a whirlwind of cheerful interactions with locals and tourists alike, drawn to the gorgeous designs of the items Harper and many other people had created.

Looking around the park, it was easy to see why the festival drew so many people to Sapphire Bay. With brightly decorated tents, a large children's activity area, and musicians playing from a temporary stage, it was a vibrant tapestry of color, sound, and community spirit.

As Harper wrapped a delicate shawl for a customer, they laughed at a funny story Jackie was telling them. Just being here gave Harper a deep sense of connection to her hometown. The festival was more than just a celebration of arts and crafts; it reflected the community's heart and soul.

When Vanessa, one of Jackie's part-time staff, arrived to start her shift, Harper showed her what she'd been doing. With other volunteers scheduled to help throughout the day, Harper could look at the other booths and enjoy being part of the crowd.

After she'd said goodbye to Jackie, she bought some fudge from Sweet Treats and set off to find Owen's booth. After a few wrong turns, she eventually found him. Unsurprisingly, there was a crowd of people admiring his glass creations.

She looked around for Owen's friend, but she couldn't see him. It was hard enough helping everyone with two people, but being on your own was exhausting.

She might not have an in-depth professional knowledge of glassblowing, but she knew the basics. "Hi, Owen. Do you need a hand?" she asked.

Owen's face lit up with relief and a warm smile. "That'd be great. Steve's gone for his lunch break and won't be back for a while. Just ask if you need help with a technical question. The prices include all taxes."

Harper nodded and smiled at the lady on the other side of the table. The time flew by as she worked beside Owen. It helped that each item was gorgeous. Even the people who'd only stopped to look at the glass were tempted to buy something.

"It's amazing how each piece tells a story," Harper remarked to a customer as she wrapped the paperweight the man had bought. "The person who's receiving this gift will love it."

With another happy customer leaving the booth, Harper helped Owen wrap two glass bowls for a lady visiting from Orlando. After she'd slid the bowls into two boxes, she helped another customer choose a paperweight for her seventeen-year-old granddaughter.

Working with Owen was more fun than she'd thought. He was sweet and patient with the people who wanted to talk about glassblowing. No question was too basic, and no one left without a smile.

A few minutes after Steve returned, Harper looked up and saw her grandfather with Allan and Mabel Terry. Excusing herself from the booth, she rushed over to greet them.

"Granddad! It's so good to see you here." She hugged Benjamin gently in his wheelchair. "I thought you didn't want to visit the festival?"

"Allan and Mabel insisted we come," Benjamin said, his eyes twinkling with pride. "You look right at home here."

Harper kneeled beside her granddad. "Owen was busy and his friend Steve was having lunch, so I offered to help. I don't know an awful lot about glassblowing, but no one seemed to mind. Guess what?"

Benjamin grinned. "Your gingerbread scone recipe won the Best Baker Competition?"

"Not this year. Rebecca Juliard's chocolate cake took first prize. It's about my knitting. Everything I made sold within the first couple of hours of the festival."

"That's wonderful. I knew it'd be popular. I think this is the biggest crowd I've ever seen at the festival."

Harper agreed. "There were people waiting as everyone was setting up their booths. I don't know if that's normal, but it made the morning really busy." A large group of people walked toward Owen's booth. With a person standing in front of them holding an umbrella in the air, they had to be a tour group. "I'd better see if Owen needs a hand, Granddad. Where are you going next?"

"I promised Allan and Mabel a coffee and a slice of cake, so we're heading to the food area."

Harper was glad the Terry's had convinced her granddad to come to the festival. Apart from the fresh air and sunshine, spending time with his friends would make him feel much better. "I don't know how long I'll be at Owen's booth. If you need me for anything, just send me a text."

Allan handed her granddad the festival map. "Benjamin's in safe hands with us. I'll let you know when we're heading home."

"That'd be wonderful. Have a great time." After a quick kiss on her granddad's cheek, Harper made her way back to Owen's booth. Even if all she did was wrap the glass people were buying, it'd be worth it to hear what everyone thought of the sparkling glass products.

If Owen had any reservations about opening a studio in town, this must make him feel more confident. Especially when most of the items he'd made were already sold.

As the summerfestival wound down, Owen packed away the last shelving unit and carried it across to Steve's truck. The day had been long and successful, but it'd been exhausting talking to so many people. Without Steve and Harper's help, he didn't know if he would've made it through the day.

Harper approached him, her expression a mix of helpfulness and tiredness. "Hey, Owen. Do you need any help?" she offered, glancing at the nearly empty booth.

Owen smiled. "I'm almost done, but thanks. How did it go with Jackie's booth?"

"We've just finished packing up. Apart from a couple of items, everything we brought to the festival sold. You must be pleased, too."

"I'm shocked at how quickly everything sold." He closed the truck's tailgate and turned to Harper. "The orders I took will keep me busy for the next couple of months."

Her smile widened. "That's wonderful. Is it okay if I return the shelving we borrowed tomorrow? I biked here, so Jackie's storing it at A Stitch in Time."

"That's fine. There's no rush. I was thinking of heading to the Ice Cream Shack to grab something cold. Steve had to leave early, but would you like to join me? It's the least I can do to thank you for your help."

To his relief, Harper nodded. "Ice cream sounds perfect. It's been a hot and busy day."

Leaving the truck in the parking lot, they walked across the grassy field to Owen's second favorite shop in Sapphire Bay. Colorful paintings of ice cream cones, sundaes, and popsicles filled the bright yellow wooden siding of The Ice Cream Shack. A white picket fence encircled the outdoor seating area, and a handful of picnic tables, each shaded by a bright umbrella, were scattered around.

As they stepped inside, he took a deep breath. The sweet scent of waffle cones filled the air, promising too many delicious ice cream flavors.

Harper grinned at him. "It looks as though I'm not the only person who's addicted to this place."

He laughed at the gleam in her eyes. For a moment, the sound surprised him. He hadn't laughed with a woman for so long it felt strange. "When I've had a long day in the studio, I come here and order a triple scoop waffle cone smothered in chocolate sauce and chopped nuts."

"It sounds absolutely delicious and really messy." Harper moved out of the way as a family collected their ice cream cones. When they'd gone, she looked at the vintage sign above the front counter and sighed. "Today's special is peanut brittle and vanilla ice cream. That's my all-time favorite."

Owen studied Harper's expression as she debated between that flavor and the strawberry ripple delight. Even with everything that'd happened in New York City, she was just as sweet and uncomplicated as he remembered from their childhood.

"Okay," she finally said. "I've made my decision. I'll have a single scoop of the peanut brittle ice cream."

"With chocolate sauce?" Owen asked.

Harper grinned. "Why not? I must have worked off all the extra calories today."

After they'd placed their order, Owen cleared his throat. "I would've invited you and Steve to dinner, but being in a busy restaurant would have been too much, especially after today."

Harper turned to him, a look of understanding in her eyes. "Is that because of your PTSD?" she asked gently.

Owen nodded. "I've learned to manage it most of the time. I'm okay as long as there aren't any sudden, loud noises."

"Daniella said you help her at The Fairy Forest when she has large parties. How are you there?"

"For some strange reason, I'm okay. I think it's because it's more controlled and I know what activities are happening while I'm there."

"That makes sense," Harper said, as she took their ice cream cones from the person behind the counter.

They found a quiet table away from the hustle and bustle of the other customers. Owen licked the side of his ice cream, the cool sweetness a welcome relief. "I've also been going to a PTSD support group at Pastor John's house. It's been helpful to talk to others who understand what it's like."

Harper nodded. "It's good to have that kind of support. Daniella told me about Pastor John's group."

Their conversation drifted to lighter topics, discussing their favorite parts of the festival and the community spirit of Sapphire Bay. Owen felt a sense of ease with Harper, a connection that went beyond their shared interests in arts and crafts.

Just as they were finishing their ice creams, Harper's phone buzzed with a text. She frowned as she read it. "It's from Mabel. She says Granddad isn't feeling well and the medical center's closed." Harper picked up her backpack. "I'm sorry, but I have to go."

Owen stood up. "Do you need a lift?"

Harper nodded, visibly worried. "That'd be great. Granddad's at his house."

They threw out the last of their ice creams and hurried to his truck. Owen just hoped Mr. Nelson wasn't having another stroke.