Page 125 of The Strawberry Patch Pancake House

‘I know you by now, Dad,’ Archer said with a chuckle.

‘The Mayor Pete—double-chocolate dream pancakes for Cathi.’

‘Oh my gosh, these look divine!’

‘Well, the mayor saw them in a dream, so who am I to argue?’ Archer said with a laugh.

‘And a Lost in the Strawberry Patch special,’ he said, putting the plate down in front of Olive. The pancakes were piled high with strawberries and whipped cream. She clapped her hands in delight.

‘And The Original for Iris,’ he said, laying another plate in front of Iris.

‘The Original, huh?’

‘Yep.’

‘Hmm … we’ll see.’

Archer sat beside her and watched as she cut her pancakes and added syrup. She took her time, letting the syrup drip from the tiny metal pitcher he’d brought it out in.

He groaned with impatience. ‘Just try them!’

Iris smirked, bringing some pancake to her mouth. ‘I don’t know why you’re in a hurry for me to tell you these aren’t like the originals…’ She chewed, her eyes widening. Suddenly, she was ten years old again, sitting in this diner with her mom and her cousin on Sunday mornings, and then after prom, when she and her friends had stopped here for a late-night meal—and the day after Josie’s funeral when she’d just wanted familiar comfort.

It was the perfect, diner pancake.

‘How did you?—’

Archer’s grin grew. ‘Bisquick mix, with a splash of vanilla, cooked in far too much butter.’

‘You used the mix?’

‘I used the mix.’

Iris laughed. ‘Oh my God, Archer! You could have just listened to me from the start!’

He leaned back, watching her, love and pride and happiness mixing on his face. ‘I know. I was an arrogant asshole who thought he knew better.’

Iris shoveled more pancakes into her mouth. ‘You sure were,’ she said between bites.

‘Good thing you helped me taste-test for all those weeks.’

‘Good thing.’ Her gaze snagged on his, remembering all the other things they’d done during those taste tests.

‘Dad, can I go sit with Ivy and Cece at their table?’ Olive cut in.

Archer’s attention switched to Olive. ‘Directly to their table, do not leave this diner or you will not live long enough to attend first grade.’

‘K! Got it!’

‘How about we walk her over?’ Cathi suggested. ‘We’d love to meet some of her friends.’

‘Okay, if you don’t mind.’

‘Of course we don’t mind,’ Jim said. ‘We’re here to spend time with our granddaughter. And you, but you’re busy, anyway, so we’ll see you later. The pancakes were delicious.’

‘Thanks, Dad.’

Olive scampered off with her new grandparents in tow and Archer’s gaze returned to Iris.