CHAPTER 1
Chloe pushed openthe door to her cottage on Anchor Lane, balancing a box of fabric from the local elementary school on her hip. With a smile, she nudged the door closed.
The smell of the chocolate chip cookies she’d made with her six-year-old son, Oscar, still lingered in the air. It made their cottage feel warm and cozy, and exactly like the home she wanted to create for them.
Until the 1930s, their cottage had been a vacation home for people working on the steamboats crossing Flathead Lake. After decades of neglect, the last four cottages on Anchor Lane were remodeled and converted into community housing. The third house on the lane was now her refuge, a haven for her and Oscar after the horrible year they’d had.
Chloe set the box down on the dining table. It was covered with sketches and sewing supplies for the elf costumes she was making for the school production. Oscar was on the floor, engrossed in a game with his toy dinosaurs. His big, brown eyes sparkled with mischief as he made growly noises and maneuvered his toys through an imaginary forest.
Before she’d moved to Sapphire Bay, her life was completely different. As the part-time Collections Development Managerat the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C, she’d led projects that most people dreamed about.
Now, she was a part-time waitress in a small Montana town, and volunteered at the local church.
“Mom, look!” Oscar exclaimed, holding up one of his dinosaurs triumphantly. “This one is the boss!”
Chloe smiled. “Is he now? And what makes him the boss?”
“Because he’s the biggest and the strongest,” Oscar declared with the certainty that only a six-year-old could muster. “He can move the biggest rocks and keep the other dinosaurs away from his house.”
Chloe crouched beside him. “Well, it sounds like he’s a busy dinosaur. Maybe you and your dinosaurs can help me with the elf costumes later?”
Oscar’s eyes widened with excitement. “Can I make the hats?”
“Of course, you can. Between you, me, and your dinosaurs, we’ll make the best elf hats ever,” she assured him, ruffling his hair affectionately.
As she stood up, Chloe’s thoughts drifted back to the soul-destroying divorce that had brought her here. She’d been married to Paul for eight years. His betrayal of everything their marriage stood for had left her broken. When she’d moved out of their home in Washington, D.C., she’d flown halfway across the country, determined to create a stable, loving environment for Oscar. Each day they were here was a step toward healing and rebuilding their lives.
A knock on the front door pulled Chloe’s thoughts out of the past. When she saw her next-door neighbor standing on the veranda, she smiled. From the day they’d moved into the cottage, Owen had been super friendly and was happy to help with anything she couldn’t manage on her own.
He held up an empty measuring cup and wore an apologetic smile. “Hey, Chloe. I hate to bother you, but do you have a cup of flour I could use? Harper’s coming over for dinner and I’m making a cake for dessert.”
Chloe smiled. Owen and Harper had become engaged a few months ago, and she couldn’t be happier for them. “Of course you can. Come in.”
Owen stepped inside, glancing at the boxes of fabric and the half-finished tunics sitting on the table. “It looks like Santa’s workshop in here.”
“I’m making elf costumes for the school play,” Chloe told him as she took his empty cup. “Oscar’s really excited about it.”
Owen’s eyes softened as he watched Oscar. “Hey, buddy. How’s it going?”
Oscar looked up, beaming. “Hi, Owen! I’m playing with my dinosaurs. Do you want to see the boss?”
“Absolutely,” Owen replied, crouching to inspect the toy. “That’s one impressive dinosaur you’ve got there.”
“It’s a T-Rex. My friend Tommy says it’s the strongest dinosaur in the whole world,” Oscar said proudly, holding it toward Owen. “Do you want to play with me?”
Owen smiled. “I’d love to, but I have to finish baking a cake for Harper. Maybe another time?”
Oscar nodded solemnly. “Okay. But you have to promise to play next time.”
“I promise,” Owen said, shaking Oscar’s tiny hand with mock seriousness. “And you can show me all your dinosaurs then.”
Chloe walked into the kitchen and filled Owen’s cup with flour. By the time she returned, Oscar was showing him his toy trucks.
“Here you go, Owen.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it.” Owen stood and took the cup. “Harper’s been working a lot of extra hours. I wanted to surprise her with something nice.”
“She’ll love it. If you need anything else, you know where to find me.”
