Owen stretched his calf muscles before they started cramping. “You and me both.”
Steve frowned. “Why are you an idiot?”
“I like Harper,” Owen confessed. “I was going to call her today to see if she wanted to have dinner with me, but the accident got in the way.”
“Why does wanting to spend more time with her make you an idiot?”
“She doesn’t know if she’s staying in Sapphire Bay.”
Steve’s eyebrows rose. “Have you talked to her about how you feel?”
Owen shook his head. “There’s no point. We have enough going on in our lives without complicating everything.”
Steve looked at him, concern etched into his features. “You’ve been through worse. What else are you worried about?”
“We’ve both got PTSD. I’m scared of what it would mean with that hanging over us.”
“It’s tough,” Steve told him. “But you both understand something about each other that most people can’t even fathom. That’s a powerful start to any relationship.”
Owen ran a hand through his hair. “What if my mood swings and depression are too much? I can’t build a relationship with Harper if I know I’m the worst thing that’s happened to her.”
Steve stood in front of Owen. “There’ll be times when it’s tough. But with all the counseling you’ve done, you know how to get through it. You have to work out if how you feel about her is worth fighting for, then tell her how you feel.”
Owen’s gaze drifted to the expanse of the lake, its surface reflecting the deepening colors of the sky. Steve’s words echoed in his mind, a reminder that while the wounds of what had happened in the past were deep, they didn’t have to dictate the future.
“Harper’s funny, sweet, and determined. I like her more than anyone I’ve ever met,” Owen finally said, the words feeling like a promise and a risk all at once.
Steve grinned. “From what I’ve seen, Harper enjoys your company, too. Just give it a chance and see where it goes. Besides, we’re two of the most mixed-up humans in Sapphire Bay and we get along okay.”
A heavy weight lifted from Owen’s shoulders. “Only on good days,” he joked.
Steve pointed to the trail. “You can tell me how mixed-up I am while we’re jogging home. I’ve got a hot date at The Welcome Center, and I don’t want to be late.”
Owen laughed. “You’re volunteering again, aren’t you.”
“Guilty as charged,” Steve said as he started jogging. “There’s a full house of guests tonight and no one cooks ribs as well as I do. Especially when they’re smothered in my top-secret sauce.”
Owen had tasted Steve’s ribs and his friend wasn’t exaggerating. “Is there room for another hungry dinner guest if I help with the dishes?”
“There’s always room, you know that.” Steve picked up the pace. “If you want to come with me, we might as well get there early. Mabel said she’d preheat the grill, but she’s so busy she could forget.”
Owen dug deep and kept pace with Steve. Knowing Mabel, she’d have the grill turned on and half the food prepared by the time they got there.
The steady rhythm of their movement, the huffs of their breath, and the beauty of the world around them reminded him that life was about moving forward, not dwelling on the past.
And maybe, if he was lucky, Harper would want to move forward with him.
Chapter8
Harper guided her grandfather into The Welcome Center. From the sound of all the laughter and talking spilling into the entryway, there must be a lot of people here tonight.
The Friday dinners were a staple in Sapphire Bay, a time for the community to come together and share good food and lots of stories. Benjamin enjoyed these gatherings, especially the opportunity to catch up with his old friend, Patrick Devlin. Patrick worked on the tiny homes project and had stories to tell that were as vast as the Montana sky.
As they found a spot beside Patrick, Harper glanced over and saw Owen serving meals alongside Steve. Owen’s easy smile and the genuine way he interacted with the town’s residents reminded her of why she liked him.
She smiled as her grandfather laughed at something Patrick said. Times like this made her realize just how important Sapphire Bay was for her granddad. The community saw him for who he was; a man who’d lived a good life, worked hard, and had contributed to the town he called home. In a bigger city, he’d just be another elderly man in a sea of faces, trying to get by as best he could.
When her granddad finished talking, she touched his arm. “I’ll get us something to eat.”
