Chapter 9

Harper stood outside the medical clinic, her hand hovering over the door handle. For the last few days, she'd thought hard about the course Zac wanted her to do. All night, she'd felt a mix of anticipation and uncertainty. It was the perfect reintroduction to trauma nursing, but was she ready for it?

Her time was precious. If she had to choose between the trauma course or the community outreach program for caregivers, she'd take the outreach program any day. Especially if it helped people who were in a similar position to her.

"Good morning, Harper," Mabel Terry called as she bustled along the sidewalk. "I'm glad to see you believe in the early bird catching the worm."

Harper wouldn't usually be at work this early, but Zac wanted to talk to her before his patients arrived. "I have a quick meeting scheduled with Zac. How's Mr. Terry?"

Mabel stopped and sighed. "He thinks he's a forty-year-old in an old man's body. He was gardening until seven o'clock last night and can hardly move this morning."

Allan loved puttering around in his garden. Throughout the year, he brought baskets of fresh fruit and vegetables for her granddad to enjoy. Unfortunately, he'd had a fall a few weeks ago and it hadn't helped his mobility. "If you think it'll help, I could take him some of the cream Granddad rubs into his muscles."

Mabel waved away her offer. "He'll be fine in an hour or two. I hope it's not too busy for you today."

"So do I. Have a great day, Mabel."

"You, too." With a warm wave, Mabel headed over to the general store, ready to serve her first customers of the day.

Taking a deep breath, Harper pushed open the door and stepped inside. The clinic was so quiet she could hear the photocopier working from a room halfway down the corridor.

Walking toward Zac's office, she felt the weight of her decision pressing down on her.

Zac greeted her with a warm smile. "Thanks for coming into work a little earlier, Harper. Have a seat." He nodded at the chair opposite his desk. "Have you given any more thought to registering for the trauma course?"

Slipping her backpack off her shoulders, she sat on the chair. "It's a great opportunity, but I'm worried about the time commitment. I'm already helping Ethan run the support group for caregivers. I'm not sure how I can do that and the course."

Zac leaned back in his chair. "I thought it might be difficult. Both are important but, if you had to choose, which one would you do?"

Without hesitation, Harper replied, "The support group. If I can make another person's life a little easier by sharing what I've learned, all the extra time it takes would be worth it."

Zac nodded. "I was hoping you'd return to nursing after doing the course, but I understand why you want to help Ethan."

When she first started working for Zac, he'd told her how much they needed extra medical staff. Harper understood how difficult it was to find specialist staff in this part of Montana, but she wasn't ready. Her life had changed, and she was happy with the decisions she'd made.

"For now, I really enjoy being a receptionist. If I ever want to return to nursing, I'll let you know."

"I'm looking forward to that conversation." Zac's steady gaze held hers. "I've been where you are, Harper. When I came home after working with Doctors Without Borders, I was a mess. I never thought I'd practice medicine again but, after Doc Reilly retired, there was no one else to take his place. I thought I didn't have a choice, but I did, and I haven't regretted a minute of my time here."

Harper could only imagine what a big decision that must have been. "Was returning to medicine difficult?"

"It was one of the hardest things I've ever done. Getting close to people and not knowing if I could cope with losing them terrified me. Sometimes, you need to create something positive out of the horrible things you've seen. Helping the community has helped me."

Harper swallowed the knot in her throat. "I saw so many senseless deaths in the hospital. On the streets, people thought they were invincible, but they didn't know half of what was happening. I still have nightmares about body bags being loaded into refrigerated trucks because the morgue was overcrowded."

The expression in Zac's eyes softened. "One day, you'll be able to put those images aside and see how much of a difference you made."

Harper picked up her backpack and hugged it close. "I hope so. Thanks for being so understanding about the course."

"You're welcome. I'd better catch up on some paperwork. Let me know when my first patient arrives."

Harper smiled and left Zac to the pile of folders on his desk. Working here was good for her soul. But, some days, all she wanted to do was go back in time and change her decision to work in New York City. The job that had held so much promise had almost destroyed her.

And one of the patients who'd changed her life was arriving in the next few days.

Owen unlockedthe front door of the second community housing cottage on Anchor Lane. With Pastor John busy with other appointments, and Penny Terry in Bigfork, he'd brought Harper with him to see if this was somewhere he could live.

More than a year ago, Penny began transforming the eight rundown cottages on Anchor Lane into something that would enhance Sapphire Bay. Originally built as vacation homes for the staff of the Polson Steamboat Company, generations of families had enjoyed them.

But the hundred-year-old buildings hadn't aged well. With hardly any maintenance having been carried out, and no budget for bringing them back to their former glory, the county had left the cottages to decay.

Penny had seen their potential. Wearing her property developer hat, she'd negotiated a contract with the county that was a win-win for everyone. The first four cottages had enabled four small businesses to open.

Owen's mom had sent regular updates on the remodeling that had transformed the buckled and sagging homes into a flower shop, a café, a knitting and yarn store, and a quilting store.

What excited him the most were the next four homes. They'd been turned into community housing. They wouldn't solve the housing crisis, but anything that gave people a chance to live in a safe and warm house was worth it.

With a gentle turn, he opened the door and led Harper into the cottage.

This house was even better than the first one he'd seen. The wooden floor and high ceiling spoke of an era long past, but its charm was as welcoming as the daylight flooding through the windows.

Harper looked at the quaint features of the cottage. "This is amazing," she whispered. "I thought it'd be the same design as the other home, but Penny's changed the layout. It's gorgeous."

Owen stood in the middle of the small but perfect living room. "Even though it's been remodeled, it still feels like an old cottage."

Harper nodded, a smile playing on her lips. "My apartment in New York was so cramped. I only had one window, and all I could see was the brick wall of the building next door. I used to dream about a place like this—with room to breathe and tons of character."

As they wandered through the kitchen and into the backyard, Owen was surprised by Harper's expression. Instead of being unimpressed with the empty garden, she was excited.

"It's a blank canvas," she murmured. "Imagine what you could grow here."

His eyebrows rose. "I didn't know you enjoyed gardening."

"It's ingrained in my DNA. My grandparents loved showing me how to look after their garden. We used to grow all sorts of vegetables and flowers."

Owen picked up a garden gnome someone had left on the edge of the brick patio. "John warned me the backyard isn't finished, but I prefer it this way. If my application's accepted, I can do what I like out here."

"It could be fantastic." Harper moved her backpack onto her other shoulder. "Did Penny or Pastor John say how many people have applied to live here?"

"They've received twenty applications so far." That might sound like a lot for a small Montana town, but Owen was grateful there weren't more. "I missed the open day for prospective renters, so this is my only chance to see it before John makes his decision."

"It's in a wonderful location," Harper told him. "And it's a stone's throw from where you and your sister work. If you ever want company, you can easily walk to The Fairy Forest from here."

Owen grinned. "Sweet Treats is a short walk away, too. Between that and The Starlight Café, the cottage couldn't be more perfect."

Harper held her hand above her eyes as she studied the gable roof. "Before you get too excited, let's look at the rest of the cottage. There might be something you don't like."

Owen laughed. "I'm thirty-six years old and live with my parents. This is the first home I've seen that isn't being turned into an Airbnb. Those two things alone make it perfect."

Harper grinned. "You've got a point. If Granddad didn't have room for me in his house, I'd want to live here, too."

As they made their way into the cottage, Harper placed her hand against one of the walls, her touch gentle, as if connecting with the cottage's history. "Imagine the stories this cottage could tell."

They walked by the whitewashed kitchen cabinets and dark counter. As Owen stood in the doorway of the only bathroom, he couldn't imagine a better place to live.

Harper peered around the doorframe. "The shower's nice and tall. You wouldn't have to bend over to wash your hair."

He grinned at her upturned face. "You're lucky you don't have to worry about things like that."

"Are you calling me short?"

Owen had made that mistake with his sister, and he wouldn't repeat it with Harper. "Definitely not. I'm just pointing out the advantages of being perfectly proportioned."

Harper's eyes narrowed a smidgen before she retreated into the hallway. "Pastor John's wife said they want to rent the cottage as soon as possible. They're hoping to find someone who appreciates the history of the building."

"I'm a history buff from way back. My grandma told me stories about going to school on horseback and sneaking apples from an orchard that wasn't far from here."

Harper smiled at the grin he sent her. "That must be where you got your adventurous streak from."

Owen's smile disappeared as he thought about what had happened in Detroit. "I used to be too confident. Are you ready to look at the rest of the cottage?"

Tilting her head to the side, Harper studied him for a moment. The intensity of her expression went straight to his heart. "Life changes us, Owen. That's not a bad thing."

"It is when it cost my partner his life."

Harper didn't seem surprised by what he'd said. "You didn't know what would happen. From what you've said, it wasn't your fault."

A heaviness settled in his heart. "It doesn't feel that way." With a lot of effort, he focused on the crown moldings on the ceiling. His eyes stung with unshed tears; with the regret of his friend's life ending on a tiled floor on the second floor of the mall.

Harper's hand rested on his arm, her warm touch comforting the ache that never went away. "Show me the rest of the cottage." With a gentle nudge, she pushed him into the hallway.

After looking at the two small bedrooms, then rechecking the kitchen, they were ready to return to work. As they walked toward Main Street, Harper told him about her life in New York City; the bustle and the noise, the small apartment that was her refuge. Owen listened, appreciating the experiences that were similar to his life in Detroit.

With a thoughtful expression, Harper looked along the street. "Granddad told me Sapphire Bay has a knack for making dreams come true. Maybe not the dreams you arrive with, but the ones you find along the way."

Owen frowned. "What do you dream about?"

"A peaceful life," she replied softly. "And being somewhere that makes me happy."

Owen's heart ached for the same thing. He'd spent too long searching for something that could calm him when his deepest, darkest fears resurfaced. For someone who could be his soft place to fall. Being happy was almost more than he could hope for.

Harper's voice broke through his thoughts. "Your sister's business has the same kind of magic as this town. Each time I visit The Fairy Forest, it makes me happy."

Owen thought of Daniella and what she'd gone through to open the fairy-themed events center. "She made a life-changing decision to come here, and it's paid off. She's created something special."

"A lot like your glass studio could become," Harper told him.

He wasn't sure his studio would ever be on the same level as The Fairy Forest, but it gave him something to think about. As they approached Sweet Treats, Owen slowed to peer in the front window. Brooke's latest range of fudge was on display, and it looked delicious.

"I have to be careful how often I visit Sweet Treats," Harper told him. "I've tried everything at least half a dozen times."

"You're lucky it's only that many," Owen teased. "Working close to my favorite store doesn't help my waistline. It's just as well I enjoy running."

"You don't have to worry. You look great." Harper's eyes widened. With a soft blush, she cleared her throat. "Not that I've ogled you or anything. But I can tell you're active." She lifted her hands to her hot face. "That sounds even worse."

Owen chuckled. "I'll take what you said as a compliment," he said, giving her a friendly nudge.

Harper grinned. "Before I say something worse, let me buy you some fudge. After showing me the gorgeous cottage, it's the least I can do." And with her hand wrapped around his, she pulled him toward the front door.

Owen wasn't complaining. It felt good holding Harper's hand, as if they were connected by more than their broken lives. He liked the friendly way she greeted the people in the store, and her confidence as she made her way to the counter. She had a heart of gold, a determination that would see her through any hard days, and a sweet tooth as big as his.

On a scale of one to ten, she was perfect in every way.

All he had to do was find the courage to ask if she wanted to be more than friends.