Page 8 of Chase Our Forever

Lexi smiles, a wistful look coming over her face. “Because I like knowing everyone in the town. I love listening to the town gossip between all of the old ladies who come in a few times a week. I love that we have the pumpkin festival and the Christmas tree lighting. All the things I didn’t like about living here when I was younger are the reasons that I now want to stay.”

I secure the end of Clara’s first braid and work on starting the next. “You have a festival for pumpkins?”

Pippa nods her head excitedly. “We do. And it’s next weekend. I wish you could come to it. I make all kinds of pumpkin-flavored food for the event—including the pumpkin cinnamon rolls.”

I want to drool just thinking about her cinnamon rolls. They weresogood. I just know a whole feast of pumpkin-flavored things would be absolutely delicious. “I’m sad I’ll miss it.”

Lexi and Pippa share a look before looking at me. “You don’thaveto miss it,” Pippa offers. “You could make an extended pit stop here in Sutten. You said you love the mountains and wanted to find a place like Sutten. Why not just choose Sutten?”

I think over her words for a moment. It’s true I don’t have a destination in mind or even a deadline on when I need to settle down somewhere. But I don’t have the funds to stay here foralmost two weeks. I have to take into account how expensive it’d be to stay somewhere. I have enough to give me time to travel to find the spot where I’ll end up, but not much extra. As much as I love the thought of staying here longer, it just isn’t in the cards for me.

I sigh, finishing the end of Clara’s other braid. “I’d love to. There’s something about this town that just feels…I don’t know the right word, but…it feelsright. But I only saved up so much for my trip. I have to get going fast so I can find a job at the end of this.”

Before either of them can respond, the door to the cafe opens. There’s a little chime as Clara’s dad walks through the door.

“Daddy!” Clara calls, trying to slide out of my lap.

I laugh, trying to fasten the end of the ponytail on her hair as quickly as possible. “Let me finish this real fast,” I tell her, trying not to pull on her hair.

She squirms in my lap, clearly wanting to get to her dad and not caring about the braids anymore.

“Done.” I let out a sigh of relief before gently grabbing her sides so I can place her safely on the ground.

“Hi, sweetie,” Dean says, crouching down and opening his arms wide for Clara. She runs into them immediately.

While Clara wraps her small arms around his neck, he looks over at us, his eyes connecting with mine for a brief moment before moving to Pippa and Lexi. “Did everything go okay?” The tightness in his voice makes his worry obvious.

All of us nod.

“It went great,” Pippa offers, looking across the table to me. “I think Clara got Liv here to draw her probably twenty different variations of flowers. Clara also got her fill of sweet treats. I couldn’t say no.”

Dean shakes his head, lifting his daughter off the ground and standing to his full height.

“Like my braids, Daddy? Liv did them.” Clara asks, pushing off his chest slightly as she grabs the end of her braids to show them off.

His nostrils flare as his eyes clash with mine for a brief moment.Is he mad?I was just doing what she asked. “I love the braids,” he grits out. “But what was wrong with my pigtails?”

Clara looks back at me with a soft smile. She giggles, probably remembering how she’d just insulted her dad’s hair skills. She’s empathetic enough to not voice her displeasure with the way he does her hair out loud. She shrugs. “One fell out,” she lies.

Even though I’m a little anxious that I overstepped by doing her hair, I can’t help but smile at her words. I look from Clara to Dean, finding his eyes narrowed right at me.

He pauses for a moment, and I swallow, worried he really is upset that I did Clara’s hair. I don’t understand why he would be, but I also don’t know these people, so maybe it was something I shouldn’t have done. Both Lexi and Pippa mentioned he can’t keep a nanny, but maybe the reason he seems upset with me over something as small as a hairdo is why he hasn’t been able to keep one.

“Thank you,” he finally gets out, his voice rougher than I was expecting. “As hard as I try, I can never get her hair just right. I’m sure you made her day by doing this.”

I smile even wider, relief flooding over me that he isn’t upset. I was just overthinking. “It was nothing.”

Pippa leans forward, her palms slapping against the table. “Liv, did you know Dean is looking for a nanny?”

My head cocks to the side. “I think you guys mentioned it. Clara’s great—I’m sure you’ll find someone,” I add awkwardlysince I don’t think there’s much insight I can give into his search for a nanny.

“Liv wasgreatwith Clara,” Lexi pipes up, a wide smile on her face. “And she’s in need of a job.”

My eyes go wide.

What are they up to?

5

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