Page 28 of Forget Me Knot

“Thank you. Mama says my hair is strawberry.”

“It’s princess hair,” he says smoothly, and I know he’s won her over, quickly leading Molly away to a private table in the corner.

Mrs. Woodhouse looks positively delighted at the change of events, swatting her husband in the chest with rings lining every one of her fingers.

“What just happened?” I stare at the two kids who are most definitely on their first date. What am I gonna tell Emory? I gave her a kid-free morning, and I’ll be bringing home a dating woman. They both lean over the table and giggle about something, and Molly’s blush matches her hair.

“Oh, I’m afraid your little girl just fell for the famous Lovett charm.” Caroline shakes her hand and rolls her eyes. “It’s hard to resist, and good gracious, does it start early.”

Griffin’s lip lifts in a smirk. “I think you mean impossible to resist. Right, Honey?”

“Apparently.” I blow out a raspberry. “Molly's actually my niece. It’s great to meet y’all, but I am sorry to interrupt your morning. I just thought I’d come by and see Chloe.”

“Oh, you aren’t interruptin’ a thing.” Chloe slides back onto the counter. “Caroline’s parents own the shop. They like to come by on Sunday afternoons. Like a little family tradition. And most of the town businesses are gearin’ up for the Sugartree Spring Fling.”

“I’m sure one of my sisters will be around here with their crew at some point, too. We all live in the area. Aside from my brother, Dakota, and his wife, Sadie. He’s stationed in Utah.”

“Must be great to live close to so much family. That’s why I moved to Honey Hill. To be closer to my sister, Emory, and that chick.” All our gazes fall back to the young couple coloring on napkins at their table.

“Dinah just opened a pretzel shop next to that cute flower shop, Petals, in downtown Honey Hill.” Chloe hops from her perch and skips behind the counter. “You want somethin’, Dinah? On the house?”

I skim the menu and land on an item with peanut butter, peaches, yogurt, and cinnamon. “Screamin’ Peachessmoothie?”

“Named in honor of my older sister’s crazy pregnancy cravings. Peanut butter and peaches. But it tastes like a PB&J sandwich,” Caroline explains.

“Okay. Sounds good to me. And since Molly already got one of your famous cookies, I think she’ll just have a strawberry smoothie.”

“Good deal. The cookies are Maple Bacon today. My fave. I’ll make sure ya get one too.”

“So,” Griffin says as Chloe gets going on our drinks, “next to Petals, huh? I’m guessing you’ve met a couple of my cousins then?”

“Maybe. I still feel kind of like a fish out of water there. But I’m slowly getting to know people and the lay of the land.”

“Oh”—Caroline smiles and bobs up and down, patting the baby as he stirs—”you’d know if you met the Joneses. Winnie’s a firecracker and her brothers are…”

Griffin raises his eyebrow, a grownup version of the kid presently romancin’ my niece.

“Cute,” his wife chirps.

Griffin clears his throat.

“They’re just so dang cute.” She wiggles her eyebrows and bites her lip. “Like teddy bears or…”

“I think they get it. Anyways, our mamas are sisters.” He chuckles and wraps her in the crook of his arm, kissing her forehead. “Have you gotten to know them?”

Chloe purses her lips with inside knowledge of my particular interactions with the Joneses, and I run my fingers against my wrist. Even a town over and almost a week later, the phantom feel of Jack’s hand against my skin follows me everywhere.

“Yeah. I… uh—”

Chloe holds out both smoothies. “Dinah’s datin’ them. Jack and Jackson, that is. Whole thing is a bit strange to me.”

“We aren’t really dating. We had one date. Jackson and I.” I feel defensive and a little weird sharing my dating history with strangers. Especially knowing how fast conversations run wild in these small towns, and with how Mrs. Woodhouse has gone eerily silent as she sips what must now be cold tea.

Chloe nods and waves me off. “Yeah, yeah. You’re clearly googly-eyed for them both. You should have seen those two the first time they met.” She lets her jaw drop dramatically and fans her face. I make a mental note to remember this moment forwhen Chloe embarrasses herself in front of an overtly attractive man one day. “But the teddy bear thing, I definitely get. Though Dinah and I think they’re more akin to Ken dolls.”

“Oh,” Caroline sighs. “Yes! I totally see it.Cute Ken.”

“Kissable Ken,” Chloe adds wistfully.

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