Page 35 of Cozy Girl Fall

The clean-up from the Orchard Fest hadn’t been the quick job that Penny had been hoping for.

Somehow, the entire process felt like it had taken longer than when they’d put it all together.

They’d been out for almost two days taking down the lights and decorations, but Penny had managed to sneak a few slices of leftover pie that made the effort worth her while.

Overall, the Halloween Orchard Fest had been a huge success and Angie had been glowing with pride for the past week and a half. Apparently, some people were even calling it the event of the year, though where she’d heard that her mom wouldn’t say. Probably from Penny’s dad.

The harvest was, thankfully, finished now—Penny wasn’t sure her muscles could’ve taken any more strenuous days picking now it was getting properly cold.

But even after they’d finished tidying up the orchard, Penny was still keeping busy by helping her parents.

She’d done multiple trips across the way to drop apples off to Colton at the stables, although this wasn’t really much of a hardship when he let her pet the horses.

There was also a ton of inventory that needed to be inspected, so she’d been helping her dad with that for most of the week.

It had felt like a treat to book into the yoga class that Saturday after running all over the orchard trying to help her parents, dragging Tasha along with her and her mom.

It was funny how much more enjoyable yoga was when she wasn’t hungover.

This time, she made it through the whole class without even coming close to puking, making it a firm success as far as she was concerned.

Although, it did help that she’d been too busy that week to have indulged in any margaritas.

“This was actually really fun,” Tasha said, inhaling a deep breath as they stepped out into the fresh air and the wind cooled their sweaty faces.

“They do the class every week,” Penny offered and Tasha grimaced.

“I’ll think about it.”

Penny laughed and linked her arms through her mom’s and Tasha’s. “This is the best part of yoga in my opinion.”

“Going to the bakery when you’re done?” her mom mused and Penny nodded.

“Exactly.”

“Oh, hey. I need to nip into Threads real quick, is that OK?”

Penny shrugged and Tasha led them in the direction of the store they’d been in a few weeks before to pick out an outfit for the dinner party.

Opting to steer clear of the temptation of new clothes that she couldn’t really afford, Penny stayed outside the store while her mom went in with Tasha.

Her eyes slid to the side and landed on the empty restaurant space that was still vacant next door.

It was a shame nobody had claimed it yet.

The space looked like it could be really lovely, though it could use a lick of paint on the outside.

She wandered over, peering through the window at the interior.

Were those hardwood floors? It was hard to tell, but they were in good condition if they were authentic.

Maybe it was just that she’d been talking to Ethan more and more lately about what they might do next, or where they’d go, but it felt like Penny was seeing opportunities everywhere she went.

The grocery store had a sign in the window that they were looking for full-time help, and the bakery was looking for someone to man their cash register …

There were more possibilities in Magnolia Springs than she’d let herself consider before.

She just couldn’t decide what she wanted—beyond Ethan, that was.

The idea of working her way up again in another restaurant or starting from the bottom at the bakery didn’t appeal, but she wasn’t ready to give up on working with food just yet.

But a restaurant like this, in the heart of the town, would be different to what she’d had in San Fran.

There, you had to fight for everything you had.

You wanted to help develop a new recipe for the menu?

Be prepared to put in hours of work that may lead to nothing.

And there was always a part of the restaurant scene in the city that felt cold.

The place she’d worked at wasn’t the kind of place that had regulars, there was never any sense of community or family.

No warmth. But if she had her own place …

Well, it could be whatever she wanted it to be.

She knew she had the skill in the kitchen, at least, and it would give her something beyond Ethan and her family to stay in Magnolia Springs for.

Thoughts swirling, lost in imaginary floor plans and menu concepts, she didn’t hear her mom and Tasha exit the store.

“Penny?”

Startled, she looked over her shoulder and found her mom and Tasha waiting.

“You ready?” Angie asked and Penny nodded. Tasha was looking at her with a strange twinkle in her eye, but Penny opted to ignore it for now.

“Cake time!” Penny announced brightly. She was always ready for cake.

When she got home later that day, she found her dad at the kitchen table, newspaper in hand. The sight was so familiar that she chuckled.

“Hi, pumpkin,” he said without glancing up. “How are you? I feel like I haven’t seen you much these days.”

It was true, she’d been spending a lot of time at Ethan’s or at the orchard, helping with odd jobs like mowing the grass and cataloging the harvest.

“Anyone might think you missed me,” she teased and he eyed her over the top of his newspaper.

“Whatever helps you sleep better, kiddo.”

She snorted and set about making tea, filling their kettle and placing it on the stovetop to heat the water through. “I’m making tea, do you want one?”

“Earl Grey, please.”

“Way to push the boat out.”

“Oh, it’s going to be wild later. This is, as the youth say, going to be a ‘turnt’ Saturday night.” He did air quotes around the word ‘turnt’ and Penny couldn’t stifle her groan quick enough.

“I’m begging you to never say that again.”

“Deal.”

The kettle whistled and Penny poured the steaming water into two mugs, steeping the leaves for a minute or two before adding a spoonful of honey to her chamomile tea and some milk to her dad’s.

“Here you go.”

She sat down opposite him and, after a moment, he put the paper down and looked at her. “Come on then, out with it.”

“What?”

He smiled, making his eyes crinkle at the corners. “You think your old man doesn’t know when his baby girl needs advice?”

She sagged in her seat, the frown she’d been holding back forming on her face. “It’s stupid.”

“Try me.”

She fiddled with the handle on her mug, glancing up at her dad and then away again before sighing. “I’m thinking about staying.”

“Here?”

“Yes. Well, here as in Magnolia Springs. Not necessarily here as in your house.”

“Well,” he said, reaching for his tea, “I’m relieved to hear that.”

“I know, you guys need your space.”

“No, no—Well, yes. But I meant that you’re thinking of moving back to town. You just seem a lot more …”

“What?”

“Alive,” he finished, like he’d been looking for the right word. “I don’t know if it was the city or that job, but you always seemed drained when we visited. But here … You have light in your eyes again, pumpkin.”

“So you don’t think I’d be a failure for moving away only to come back again?”

“Absolutely not. You did what you thought was best for you at the time, and you have to do that again now.”

She nodded, blowing on her hot drink. “That’s what Ethan said too.”

“I knew I liked him,” Philip said gruffly and she laughed. “What do you want to do here in town though? I don’t want you to give up on your dreams. If being a chef is important to you—”

“It is,” she rushed to say and then cleared her throat, tentatively giving voice to the thought that had been tugging at her all day. “I was actually thinking about opening something.”

“Like a restaurant?”

“Yeah. Is that too ridiculous? I know I don’t have a ton of experience running one but—”

“If it’s what you’re passionate about, then you can learn, honey. Didn’t you say Ethan had a friend who was a chef? Maybe they could give you some pointers.”

Penny sipped her tea, thinking over his words. “That,” she said slowly, “might be a brilliant idea, Dad. Thank you.” Ethan had said Nicky would be back from his travels this week.

He lifted an imaginary hat as he gulped his tea. “Just doing my duty, little lady.”

They drank their tea in companionable silence as Penny thought about that empty storefront, excitement buzzing inside her to the point that she thought she might start vibrating.

“I think there’s something I need to do.”

Philip raised his hand, attention already back on his paper. “Bye, pumpkin.”

She kissed him on the cheek and grabbed her keys and cell phone, shutting the front door behind her as she dialed. “Tash? Hey, I was wondering if you might help me with something.”

By the time Penny parked up in town and walked over to Main Street, Tasha was already waiting outside of the empty store with an unexpected yet familiar figure next to her.

“Uh, hi, Mr. Blake,” she said, confused, as she raised a brow at Tasha. She hadn’t seen Keith since the dinner party a few weeks ago and as far as she knew, his opinion of her—something close to being a vapid heartbreaker who might ruin his son’s life at any moment—hadn’t changed.

“He’s the realtor for the space,” Tasha explained, clearly sensing Penny’s hesitation. “And as you’re practically family, I’m sure he can get you a good deal.”

Penny flushed, worry rising inside her as she expected Keith to refute Tasha’s words.

She waited, expecting him to make fun of her for thinking this was an option for her, or maybe to tactfully try to persuade her that this wasn’t the right course of action.

To her surprise, though, he stayed silent as he turned and unlocked the store, beckoning them inside.

As he looked at Penny again, she thought he saw something soften in his face, but couldn’t be sure.