Page 4 of The Strawberry Patch Pancake House

‘I know, sweetie,’ she whispered, leaning over the couch cushions. ‘But sometimes we have to be brave.’

Kaori and Paula both had tears in their eyes and once again Archer felt like shit for worrying about his own life when they’d just lost someone dear to them. It had only been a couple of months since Olive had lost her mom. And now she was stuck with him.

He got up from his seat and kneeled on the couch beside Kaori. He peeked over the edge and found Olive staring up at him with large, brown eyes. Same as Cate’s. His heart clenched.

‘Hey, Olive.’

She kept staring but at least she didn’t run away, so that was progress.

Archer cleared his throat. ‘So, I know this is kinda strange, and I know we just met, but let’s just give this a try, okay?’

Her forehead crinkled.

‘I think your mom would have liked for us to be … friends,’ he tried.

‘She would have,’ Kaori added. ‘I knew your mommy, and she would have loved for you to spend some time with your dad.’

Would she?Archer wanted to say. If that were the case, then why hadn’t she told him about Olive? But now wasn’t the time to ask. Not with Olive looking at him like that, like she was lost and scared, and he had no idea how to help her.

But Archer did not quit. And he didn’t fail.

If he could survive apprenticing in some of the most intense kitchens in the world, then he could surely manage one little girl. Right?

He reached his hand out and for several, tense heartbeats, Olive just looked at it. And then, finally, she placed her tiny hand in his.

It was a start.

ChapterTwo

Iris pushed a piece of pancake through the thick, imitation maple syrup covering her plate as she went over the math in her head one more time. It didn’t matter how she did it, though, the equation kept coming out the same, she wasn’t going to make rent. Again. And while her landlady had been incredibly patient about the last three late payments, Iris was pretty sure she was not likely to be as kind this time. Mostly, because last month she had said, ‘Iris, this is the last time! I need that rent money.’ So that was pretty clear. Iris was out on her butt if she didn’t come up with the rent in the next two days.

She sighed and stared out the large diner window next to her booth. Rain trickled down the glass doing nothing to lift her spirits. Gladys, one of her favorite yoga students and owner of the diner, slid into the booth across from her.

‘Why so blue today, hon?’

Iris shrugged. ‘Oh, you know, the usual. Unable to make ends meet working in the current gig economy.’ At the ripe old age of twenty-six, Iris might need to get one of those careers everyone was always talking about. The kind that came with retirement funds and salaries. The ones that paid in actual US currency and not unlimited classes at the Y and free flowers every month. Although she did love the free flowers.

Gladys frowned.

‘But don’t worry. I’ll figure it out.’ Iris forced a smile. ‘I always do.’ She always did. Another new job, another cheap apartment, another questionable roommate. Iris had been making it on her own for a while now. Ever since her mom moved to Florida with her latest hot and heavy fling, Iris had been pretty much on her own in Dream Harbor. Well, except for her cousin, Rebecca, but Iris couldn’t possibly crash on Bex’s couch again. The woman had three cats and played the trumpet well into the night. The situation was not conducive to a roommate. Iris simply could not handle listening to her jazz ensemble practice until midnight and then sleep with at least two cats draped across her face. Not again, anyway.

A crash followed by a string of expletives from the kitchen startled Iris from her thoughts.

‘What the heck was that?’

Gladys gave her a grim smile. ‘The new chef.’

‘Newchef? For the … diner?’ Iris glanced around at the worn booths and old linoleum floors. She loved the diner, but it wasn’t exactly fine dining.

‘We’re revamping the place,’ Gladys said, straightening in her seat. ‘And we need a new menu.’

Iris popped the last bite of pancake into her mouth. ‘You’re not getting rid of the all-day pancakes, are you?’

‘Of course not!’

‘Oh, phew.’ Iris smiled at the older woman over her mug of bad diner coffee.

‘Actually…’ Gladys perked up. ‘I might have a solution to your problem.’