Page 43 of The Strawberry Patch Pancake House

Olive’s head spun so fast to face her, Iris’s poltergeist fears almost reignited.

‘Really?! Paint it yellow?’

Iris shrugged. ‘Sure.’

‘Yay!’ Olive was up and dancing and the girls joined her chanting, ‘Yellow! Yellow!’ And the checkers game was forgotten.

‘Shouldn’t you check with Archer?’ Hazel asked, a bemused expression on her face as Noah joined in the dancing.

‘Probably. But I don’t think he’ll mind.’ She didn’t actually know that at all, but after Archer had licked her finger two nights ago, she’d been avoiding him. She didn’t really feel up for a chat about redecorating. Not when she’d been about to pour that entire bowl of batter over her head just so he would lick her everywhere else.

It seemed best to steer clear.

‘What do you think about sleeping with your boss?’ she blurted out, and Noah froze mid-dance move.

‘Hey, girls!’ he said, too loudly. ‘How about we move this dance party outside?’

‘Yeah!’ they all shouted.

He followed the girls racing out the side door, flashing Iris an amused smile on his way out.

Hazel spun to face her, eyebrow arched in question. ‘What’s going on over there, Iris?’

Iris sighed with all the drama she was currently feeling, which was a lot.

‘He almost kissed me.’

‘He what?!’ Hazel looked murderous. ‘That is unacceptable. Totally inappropriate.’

‘Hazel…’

‘How dare he? Doesn’t he realize he holds all the power here?’

‘Hazel…’

‘I mean, really, taking advantage of the situation like that.’

‘Hazel!’

Her friend blinked in surprise. ‘What?’

‘I one-thousand percent wanted him to.’

‘Oh.’ Her eyes widened behind her glasses. ‘Huh.’

‘Yeah, I know.’

‘So, what are you going to do?’

Iris groaned. ‘I don’t know! I mean, objectively, I know it’s a very bad idea. I need this job and I even kinda like Olive now and I don’t want to mess with her … with her healing process. Plus, a free place to live has been great. I actually have some money in my bank account for the first time in … maybe ever.’

Hazel nodded. ‘Okay, good. So I think that’s your answer.’

But Iris hated that answer.

‘On the other hand,’ she started, and Hazel closed her eyes and sighed. ‘Just hear me out! On the other hand, he’s really hot!’ Okay, that didn’t sound like the best reasoning.

‘Iris, plenty of people are hot. Go find a different hot person.’