A Love In The Small Town

Three

Harry couldn't shake the idea of visiting Louis' woodshop. It had been a couple of days since their last encounter at the general store, and despite his initial plan to keep to himself, the quiet of Cloverbrook was starting to get to him. The solitude he had craved was quickly turning into isolation, and he found himself longing for even the smallest connection.

He figured that helping out at the woodshop might be a good way to pass the time. Besides, Louis had made the offer. It wasn't like Harry would be imposing.

That morning, he left the cottage just after breakfast, walking down the narrow road that curved through the trees. He wasn't entirely sure where the woodshop was, but he figured it couldn't be far. The town itself was small, and Louis had said he lived nearby.

After about ten minutes of walking, Harry spotted a small sign by the side of the road: Tomlinson Woodworks. It was simple and hand-painted, pointing down a gravel driveway that disappeared into the trees. He followed the path, which led him to a large wooden building with a wide porch and tall windows. From the outside, it looked like a small barn, but there was a charm to it—like it had been built with care, each beam and plank placed with intention.

The faint sound of hammering echoed from inside, and Harry felt a small pang of nervousness. He hadn't been around anyone for days, and the thought of stepping into someone else's world felt slightly overwhelming. But before he could second-guess himself, he pushed the door open.

Inside, the space smelled of fresh sawdust and wood polish. Light filtered through the high windows, illuminating the various projects scattered around—tables, chairs, and shelves in different stages of completion. The air was warm, and there was a sense of calm in the organized chaos of it all.

Louis was standing at a workbench near the back, his sleeves rolled up, focused on sanding a piece of wood. He hadn't noticed Harry yet, and for a moment, Harry just watched him work. There was something peaceful about the way Louis moved, methodical and precise, like he was lost in his own rhythm.

Finally, Harry cleared his throat. "Hey."

Louis looked up, surprised, but then a grin spread across his face. "Harry. Didn't think you'd actually come."

Harry shrugged, stepping further into the shop. "Figured I should see what all the fuss is about."

"Well, welcome to my world," Louis said, gesturing around at the scattered tools and projects. "It's not much, but it keeps me busy."

"It's amazing," Harry said, genuinely impressed. "You made all of this?"

Louis nodded. "Yep. Been doing it for years. Learned from my dad when I was a kid."

Harry walked over to a small table that looked nearly finished, running his hand over the smooth wood. "This is beautiful."

"Thanks," Louis replied, wiping his hands on a rag. "Want to give it a try? I could use an extra set of hands if you're up for it."

Harry hesitated, glancing at the tools scattered across the workbench. "I don't really know what I'm doing."

"No worries," Louis said, grabbing a piece of wood and handing it to Harry. "I'll teach you. Just start sanding this, nice and even. Nothing too complicated."

Harry took the wood and the sandpaper, mimicking the smooth motions Louis had been doing earlier. The texture of the wood under his hands was surprisingly calming, and after a few minutes, he found himself getting into a steady rhythm.

"So, how are you finding Cloverbrook?" Louis asked as he worked on his own project, glancing over at Harry.

"It's... different," Harry admitted. "But in a good way. It's peaceful here."

"Yeah, it's got its own pace," Louis agreed. "People here like to take things slow. We don't rush much."

Harry smiled. "I could get used to that."

They worked in comfortable silence for a while, the only sounds being the steady scrape of sandpaper and the occasional creak of the woodshop settling around them. Harry found himself relaxing more than he had in days. There was something grounding about the simple task in front of him, the repetitive motion, the feel of the wood becoming smoother under his hands.

"So, what brought you here, really?" Louis asked after a while, his tone casual but curious. "I mean, most people don't just end up in Cloverbrook without a reason."

Harry paused, wondering how much he should say. He had been trying to avoid talking about his life outside of this town, but there was something about Louis that made him feel like maybe he didn't need to hide everything.

"I just needed a break," Harry said, choosing his words carefully. "Things were getting... overwhelming. I wanted to be somewhere quiet, where no one knew who I was."

Louis nodded, not pushing for more. "Makes sense. It's a good place for that."

They fell into another easy silence, and Harry felt grateful that Louis wasn't prying. It was refreshing to talk to someone who didn't seem to care about his fame or the persona the world saw. Louis just treated him like any other person, and Harry realized how much he had missed that.

As the afternoon stretched on, they finished sanding the table and moved on to other small tasks. Louis showed Harry how to use different tools, explaining things with patience and ease. It was the most relaxed Harry had felt in a long time.

At one point, Louis handed Harry a chisel, demonstrating how to carve intricate designs into the wood. Harry tried his best, though his lines were a bit wobbly compared to Louis' smooth, practiced strokes.

"Not bad for a first-timer," Louis teased, watching as Harry carved a small star into the corner of the table. "You've got potential."

Harry laughed. "I think I'll leave the masterpieces to you."

Louis grinned. "Fair enough."

By the time the sun started to dip toward the horizon, casting long shadows across the shop, Harry realized he had spent the entire day there. And for once, he didn't feel the urge to rush off to something else. He didn't feel the weight of the world pressing down on him.

"Thanks for letting me hang out today," Harry said as they cleaned up, putting the tools back in their places.

"Anytime," Louis replied, wiping down the workbench. "You're welcome here whenever you want. Good company's hard to come by in these parts."

Harry smiled, feeling a warmth in Louis' words that he hadn't expected. "I might take you up on that."

As Harry left the woodshop and headed back toward his cottage, he couldn't help but feel a little lighter. Maybe this small town had more to offer than he thought.

 A/N: I'm hoping to get this story pretty long so it would be great if you could comment or vote