When he was ready, he locked the studio and stepped into the cool evening air. Taking a deep breath, he let go of the doubt that shadowed his life. The festival was coming and, for the first time in a long while, he felt ready to face the crowds that’d be there; to share his work, to be a part of something larger than himself.
With Steve’s help, he’d create a purpose-built booth and take another step toward rebuilding his life in the town that had given him so much.
Chapter2
Harper waved to Gordon Jessop as she pedaled through the streets of Sapphire Bay. This evening, Mabel Terry and Emma Devlin were holding the first community meeting for the upcoming summer festival.
Each year, she’d come home for the festival weekend to enjoy the local arts and crafts with her grandparents. She’d sampled too much food, nibbled on fudge and candy, and bought gorgeous knick-knacks to take home.
The first year without her nana had been heartbreaking, and this year would be only a little better. Her granddad had struggled first with grief and then with the long-term effects of his stroke.
Harper still couldn’t believe how brave he was. After living with him for four months, she knew he had moments of utter despair, but he always found a smile, a way of reconnecting with a world that would never be the same for him.
She slowed for an intersection, then pedaled hard when there was no traffic on the road. In another couple of months, she’d have to leave her bicycle in her granddad’s garage as the late summer days turned to fall. The cold, rainy days would make getting around Sapphire Bay on her bicycle more difficult. But, for now, she was happy to enjoy the fresh air and the freedom that came with being outside.
Leaving her bicycle outside The Connect Church, Harper made her way inside. Even before she walked into the meeting room, she heard people’s voices raised in excitement. There was a buzz in the air, an anticipation of what the festival would mean to the community.
Mabel and Emma, the festival’s organizers, were at the front of the room. Mabel and her husband, Allan, had owned the general store for as long as Harper could remember. Mabel’s talent for bringing people together ensured that everyone felt included in the festival and that any challenges were overcome. Beside her, Emma, the owner of a social media and website design business, was setting up a laptop emblazoned with her company’s logo.
Harper had met Emma on one of her previous visits to Sapphire Bay. With her sparkling blue eyes and wonderful sense of humor, it was easy to see why she’d kept many of her clients when she’d moved to Sapphire Bay from New York. Harper couldn’t imagine a more perfect person to advertise all the wonderful things people could enjoy at the festival.
From the back of the room, she looked around to see who was here. Brooke and Megan from Sweet Treats were talking to Pastor John and his wife, Shelley. The Terry sisters were laughing at something Cassie, a local jeweler, was saying.
Other people had already found seats in the crowded room. Paris, the owner of The Flower Cottage, waved at Harper from the other side of the room. Beside her, Shona and Andrea were talking to Natalie, an artist who exhibited at galleries around the world.
Harper returned Paris’ wave and looked at the person sitting in the next row. Owen, her friend Daniella’s brother, was sitting on his own.
She’d first met Owen when she was in elementary school. He was four years older and always disappeared when she had a playdate with his sister. When she was in high school, she’d moved to Polson with her mom. She hadn’t seen him again until she’d rushed to his parents’ house when his dad had a heart attack. Since then, they’d seen each other a few times. And, each time, he was as friendly as ever, but with a distant manner that confused her.
With a smile locked in place, Harper went to stand beside him. “Hi, Owen. Would you mind if I sat next to you?”
He looked up, his expression changing from polite acknowledgment to relief. “Feel free. It’s good to see you here.”
She settled into the chair, placing her notepad and pen on her lap. “My friend Jackie has a booth at the festival. She asked if I wanted to add my knitting to the things she’s selling, and I said yes. I’m not sure how well everything will sell, but it’s for a good cause.”
“Is it the first time you’ve been to a summer festival?”
Harper shook her head. “I’ve come back most years. What about you? Daniella said you’ve rented a booth.”
Owen nodded. “I’m selling my handblown glass. I think I’ve made enough items, but we’ll see.”
“The bowl you made me when I looked after your dad is amazing. I put it on Granddad’s living room table, and I absolutely love it.”
Owen relaxed against the back of his chair. “I’m glad. Howisyour granddad?”
“He’s doing okay. When he has a good day, I take him to the lake, and we go fishing or enjoy the trails. He can’t walk very far, so we take his wheelchair. He keeps joking that we should’ve bought a four-wheel-drive model to get him over all the bumps.”
“Do you think he’ll walk long distances again?”
Harper shook her head. “The physical therapy he’s doing is helping, but he’ll never be the same as he was before the stroke. Daniella said your dad’s doing great after his heart attack.”
“He is. The only thing he doesn’t like is not being able to drive.”
“What is it with men and their vehicles?” Harper asked, half-jokingly. “Granddad’s the same. He nearly died and all he thinks about is the truck that’s sitting in the garage.”
Before Owen could reply, Mabel called the meeting to order. Harper smiled as Mabel’s voice, in her typical attention-grabbing style, carried over the murmur of the crowd. There was nothing Mabel enjoyed more than being at the center of everything that was happening, and this was one of the biggest community events of the year.
“Welcome, everyone!” Mabel said to the excited crowd. “It’s wonderful to see such a great turnout for our first festival meeting. Tonight, we’ll talk about the operational plan for the festival and what you and our visitors can expect to see. If you have questions, we’ll have plenty of time to talk about them at the end of the meeting.”
