Page 42 of The Strawberry Patch Pancake House
He let her tuck Olive in. He waited in the kitchen.
She didn’t come back.
ChapterSeventeen
Afew days later, Iris was sitting at Hazel’s tiny dining room table sipping a cup of tea.
‘So, she doesn’t remember it?’ Hazel asked, her gaze turning to where Olive and Noah were playing checkers on the coffee table. His nieces, Cece and Ivy, were sprawled out on the carpet next to them coloring in their coloring books. Hazel had had the bright idea of creating Pumpkin Spice coloring books to sell to tourists, but the locals loved them, too. Iris personally owned one and had sent one to her mom for Christmas. They’d sold out twice this month already. The girls were currently working on a very creative interpretation of The Pumpkin Spice Café, complete with purple pumpkins and a pink Casper in the window.
The layout of Hazel’s cottage was similar to Archer’s, except for the kitchen having walls and being closed off from the living room, but Hazel had co-opted a corner of the living area for a dining room table. From her vantage point, Iris could see Olive jump three of Noah’s checkers. The little girl smiled triumphantly as he groaned.
‘Nope. I asked her and she just looked at me like I was nutty.’
‘Hmm.’ Hazel’s brow furrowed as she took another sip of tea.
‘Anyway, I thought maybe if we came for a daytime visit, she’d stop trying to get over here at night.’
‘It’s worth a try,’ Hazel said. ‘And this was the perfect time, with Ivy and Cece here for the weekend.’
‘Yeah, we like Olive!’ Ivy shouted from her position in the living room, and Olive gave her a shy smile. The girls had just met an hour ago, but the cousins were happy to let Olive join them in playing with their favorite uncle. The foursome had already made matching friendship bracelets.
‘Yes, we like Olive, too,’ Hazel said.
‘Were you and Cate close?’ Iris asked.
‘Not very. But she used to bring Olive into the bookstore all the time.’
Iris found herself wishing she’d known Cate better. Maybe that would have helped Olive get through this whole thing. While Dr. Bloomfield, Olive’s therapist, had assured her that children were resilient, Iris still couldn’t imagine losing her mother at such a young age. Or now, for that matter.
‘Noah, please tell me you’re letting her win,’ Iris said, shaking off her melancholy for Olive. If the little girl could still find it in her to laugh at Noah’s horrible checkers skills, then so could she.
‘I really wish I could,’ he said. ‘But she’s a killer.’
‘Olive’s the best at checkers,’ Cece said, coming to stand beside the coffee table.
‘Yep, thebestbest at checkers,’ Ivy repeated, and her cousin shot her a look that said she didn’t like to be mimicked but would allow it for the sake of complimenting their new friend.
‘Good girl, Olive,’ Hazel said. ‘Show him no mercy.’
‘Thanks, babe.’
Hazel grinned at him, and he winked back.
‘How’s that trip you guys are planning?’ Iris asked.
‘I’m still worried about leaving the store, but Noah almost has me convinced we should go.’
‘We’re definitely going,’ he called, and Hazel rolled her eyes.
‘We’ll see.’
Iris smiled. She understood why Olive kept trying to sneak over here. It was nice here. It felt like a home, like people that loved each other lived here. You could feel it. Archer’s house still smelled like fresh paint and Ikea furniture.
‘Hey, Olive,’ Iris said, an idea striking her. ‘What’s your favorite color?’
‘Yellow,’ she answered, without hesitation. If Iris could have the confidence of a kindergartener declaring their favorite color, she’d be all set.
‘We should repaint your room.’
