As they chatted, Steve noticed how Eden helped ease some of the lingering tension. Her positive energy filled the workshop and made his dad’s less than enthusiastic responses easier to handle.
She joined them as they walked around the other pieces he was finishing.
“How many hours a week do you spend in your workshop?” Eden asked.
Steve picked up one of his tools and returned it to where it should have gone. “I try to be here for at least twenty-five hours a week. More if I have a piece I need to finish.”
Eden frowned. “I thought you worked full time on the tiny homes?”
“Not since I set up this workshop,” Steve told her.
As they stopped to discuss another sculpture, Steve glanced at his dad. He seemed more relaxed than he had when he arrived. Maybe tonight hadn’t been a complete disaster after all. Especially after seeing how much Eden enjoyed seeing his sculptures.
Chapter12
The day after Steve’s dad went home, Eden and Steve were walking on one of the trails around Flathead Lake. The sky was a clear blue, the sun casting a warm glow over the serene landscape. Rex trotted happily ahead, nose to the ground, exploring every scent that caught his interest.
Steve had his hands in his pockets and a relaxed expression on his face. They’d settled into an easy rhythm, their footsteps crunching softly on the gravel path.
“Your sculptures are amazing,” Eden said, breaking the comfortable silence. “I’m not an expert, but I was impressed.”
Steve smiled. “I’m glad you liked them. It’s difficult designing a sculpture that meets my client’s needs and builds on what I’ve done. So far, I’m happy with all the pieces I’ve made.”
Picking up a small pebble, Eden showed it to Steve before flinging it into the lake. “Four skips,” she told him with a grin. “If you can beat that, I’ll buy you the biggest ice cream sundae we can find.”
Steve laughed. “It’s a deal. And if you win, I’ll help you move when you find somewhere to live.”
Eden groaned. “Don’t remind me. A realtor’s calling me tomorrow. She thinks she might have found a house I can rent.”
“It’s not one of the cottages on Anchor Lane, is it?”
Eden shook her head. “I’m still waiting to hear back about them.”
Steve gave a satisfied grunt when he found a stone. “I’ve found my weapon of choice. Are you ready?”
Rex’s ears pricked to attention.
“Not you, boy,” Steve told him. “I was talking to Eden.”
With a happy yap, Rex jumped toward the stone in Steve’s hand.
“If you follow the stone, you’ll get wet,” Steve warned his canine buddy.
Undeterred, Rex gave a happy bark and waited at Steve’s feet, his tail swishing back and forth in eager anticipation.
Eden smiled. There was such a strong bond between Steve and Rex that it was hard to believe they hadn’t known each other for years. “How do you find people who want to buy your sculptures?” she asked Steve.
The stone he was about to throw slipped through his fingers. With a raised eyebrow, he turned to Eden. “Were you trying to distract me or genuinely interested in how I sell my sculptures?”
Eden bit her bottom lip. “Maybe a little of both,” she said, holding back a smile.
Steve picked up the stone. “In that case, I think I should have a free turn.”
She chuckled at the determined gleam in his eyes. “That’s not in the rules.”
“I didn’t know there were any,” Steve said, looking wide-eyed and innocent.
Eden picked up a pebble. It was the perfect size and shape to beat her last throw. “There are always rules. Especially when you don’t answer my question.”
